$12 THE SPORT OF FORTUNE. 



fuccefs, and making his benefactor feel that he could 

 now do without him, Martinengo was fedulous to keep 

 up the ihew of dependence, and with a feigned fub- 

 million to attach himfelf clofer to the creator of his for- 

 tune. At the fame time however he did not neglect to 

 ufe the opportunities his poll afforded him of being 

 frequently about the prince, in their full extent, and 

 to render himfelf by imperceptible degrees neceffary 

 and indifpenfable to him. In a Abort time he had 

 gained a thorough knowledge of the temper and dif- 

 pofitions of his matter, had defcried every latent avenue 

 to his confidence, and had infenfibly ftolen into his 

 graces. All thofe arts which a generous pride and a 

 natural elevation of foul had taught the minifter to look 

 down upon with contempt, were put in play by the 

 Italian, who did not difdain to employ the moft bafe 

 and fervile means for arriving at his aim. Knowing 

 full well that a man is no where in more want of a guide 

 and affittant than in the ways of vice, and that nothing 

 conduces to bolder confidences than a co-partnerfhip in 

 fecret indulgences ; he inflamed thofe paffions which 

 had hitherto lain dormant in the heart of the prince, 

 and then preffed himfelf upon him as his confident 

 and encourager. He feduced him into thofe exceffes 

 which leaft of all admit of being witnefTed or known ; 

 and thus imperceptibly accuttomed him to make him 

 the depofitary of fecrets from which a third was ever 

 excluded. In fhort, he at length built his infamous 

 plan of fuccefs on the corruption of the prince, and 

 executed it the more eafily, as fecrecy was a means 

 eiTential to its completion ; fo that he was in poflef- 



iion 



