64 JEROME CARDAN 



child had been born this year and, though there must 

 have been even less chance of getting his salary paid 

 than when he had refused it before, he accepted the 

 post, explaining that he took this step because there 

 was now no need for him to leave Milan, or danger that 

 he would be rated as an itinerant teacher. It is not 

 improbable that he may have been led to accept the 

 office on account of the additional dignity it would give 

 to him as a practising physician. When, a little later 

 on, the authorities began to talk of returning to Pavia, 

 he was in no mind to follow them, giving as a reason 

 that, were he to leave Milan, he would lose his stipend 

 for the Plat lectureship, and be put to great trouble in 

 the transport of his household, and perhaps suffer in. 

 reputation as well. The Senate was evidently anxious 

 to retain his services. They bade him consider the 

 matter, promising to send on a certain date to learn his 

 decision ; and, as fate would have it, the question 

 was conveniently decided for him by a portent. 



" On the night before the day upon which my answer 

 was to be sent to the Senate to say what course I was 

 going to take, the whole of the house fell down into a 

 heap of ruins, and no single thing was left un wrecked, 

 save the bed in which I and my wife and my children 

 were sleeping. Thus the step, which I should never 

 have taken of my own free will or without some sign, I 

 was compelled to take by the course of events. This 

 thing caused great wonder to all those who heard 

 of it." l 



This was in 1 544. Jerome hesitated no longer, and 



went forthwith to Pavia as Professor of Medicine at 



a salary of two hundred and forty gold crowns per 



annum ; but, for the first year at least, this salary was 



1 De Vita Propria, ch. iv. p. 15. 



