268 JEROME CAKDAN. 



out of doors. It so happened that in the morning he 

 was invited to the academy, but he excused himself on 

 the ground of ill-health. After breakfast, the rare ac- 

 cident happened that he was invited out to supper. The 

 host was to be the physician who, after Cardan's de- 

 parture, taught in his place, and Jerome hints, in the 

 diseased spirit that had come upon him since his son's 

 death, the doubt whether he should have returned from 

 such a feast alive. He did not think his entertainer 

 wicked enough to do him harm, but there would be 

 others there glad to get rid of him. At any rate, warned 

 by the omen, he determined not to go. It was a festival 

 day 1 , and all the professors and distinguished students 

 were to be assembled. Four or five students of Cardan's 

 class came to him with Zaffiro, a teacher in the University, 

 soliciting his presence. He said that it could not be. 

 They supposed it to be because he never dined that he 

 did not care to be present, and said, " On your account 

 we have had the dinner changed into a supper." He 

 repeated that his presence was impossible. They asked 

 why, and he told them of the portent, and of his deter- 

 mination thereupon. They were all surprised ; and two 

 of them, talking much together, often asked whether he 

 would mar so famous an assembly by his absence. He 



1 From this point the narrative is furnished by cap. xxx. De Vita 

 Propria. 



