He even ventured to call upon the wounded man, remarking on leaving, "What is not accomplished at noon may be done at night." The days passed slowly; finally the murderer lost patience.

At nine o'clock in the evening of August 18th, he came again; Lucretia and Sancia drove him from the room, whereupon he called his captain, Micheletto, who strangled the duke.

There was no noise, not a sound; it was like a pantomime; amid a terrible silence the dead prince was borne away to S.Peter's.
The affair was no longer a secret.

Caesar openly stated that he had destroyed the duke because the latter was seeking his life, and he claimed that by Alfonso's orders some archers had shot at him when he was strolling in the Vatican gardens.
[Illustration: CAESAR BORGIA.
From a painting by Giorgione.] Nothing so clearly discloses the terrible influence which Caesar exercised over his wicked father as this deed, and the way in which the Pope regarded it.

From the Venetian ambassador's report it appears that it was contrary to Alexander's wishes, and that he had even attempted to save the unfortunate prince's life.