5^4 THfe SPORT OF FORTUNE. 



prince, but, on the contrary* often feemed. vifibljr 

 enough defigned to humble his afpiring pride by a 

 falutary glance at his origin ; fo this conftrained and 

 contradictory behaviour grew at length fo troublefome 

 that he ferioufly fet about a plan to end it at once by 

 the downfall of his rival. Under the moft impenetra- 

 ble veil of difguife he foftered his plan to maturity. 

 Yet durft he not venture to meafure fwords with his 

 rival in open combat ; for* though the prime of Aloy- 

 ilus's favouritifm was over, yet it had been too early 

 implanted, and was too deeply rooted in the mind of 

 the youthful prince, to be fo fuddenly torn up. The 

 flighteft circumftance might rellore it to its priftine 

 vigour; and therefore Marfcinengo Well imagined that 

 the blow he intended to give him mult be a mortal 

 blow. What Aloyfius perhaps had loft in the prince's 

 love he might have gained in his efteerri ; the more the 

 latter withdrew from ftate- affairs, the lefs could he dif- 

 penfe with the man, who, even at the expence of the 

 country, took care of his interefts with the moft con- 

 fcientious fidelity and devotion — and dear as he had 

 formerly been as a friend, fo important was he now to 

 him as minifter. 



The particular method by which the Italian reached 

 his aim remained a fecret between him who received 

 the ftroke and him who ftruck it. It is fuppofed, that 

 he laid before the prince the originals of a fecret 

 and fufpicious correfpondence, which Aloyfius fhould 

 have carried on with a neighbouring court ; whether 

 genuine or forged is a matter on which opinions are 

 divided. Be that as it may, he obtained his end to a 

 dreadful degree. Aloyfius appeared in the eyes of the 



prince 



