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save his own； as well as to the scandal of the university authorities of
Alcala； he has been scouring the streets at the head of the most profligate
students； insulting women； even ladies of rank； and amenable only to his
lovely young stepmother； Elizabeth of Valois； Isabel de la Paz； as the
Spaniards call her； the daughter of Catherine do Medicis； and sister of the
King of France。 Don Carlos should have married her； had not his worthy
father found it more advantageous for the crown of Spain； as well as more
pleasant for him； Philip； to marry her himself。 Whence came heart…
burnings； rage； jealousies； romances； calumnies； of which two lastin as
far at least as they concern poor Elizabethno wise man now believes a
word。
Going on some errand on which he had no businessthere are two
stories； neither of them creditable nor necessary to repeatDon Carlos has
fallen downstairs and broken his head。 He es； by his Portuguese
mother's side； of a house deeply tainted with insanity； and such an injury
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may have serious consequences。 However； for nine days the wound goes
on well； and Don Carlos； having had a wholesome fright； is； according to
Doctor Olivarez； the medico de camara； a very good lad； and lives on
chicken broth and dried plums。 But on the tenth day es on numbness
of the left side； acute pains in the head； and then gradually shivering； high
fever； erysipelas。 His head and neck swell to an enormous size； then
es raging delirium； then stupefaction； and Don Carlos lies as one dead。
A modern surgeon would； probably； thanks to that training of which
Vesalius may be almost called the father； have had little difficulty in
finding out what was the matter with the luckless lad； and little difficulty
in removing the evil； if it had not gone too far。 But the Spanish
physicians were then； as many of them are said to be still； as far behind the
world in surgery as in other things； and indeed surgery itself was then in
its infancy； because men； ever since the early Greek schools of Alexandria
had died out； had been for centuries feeding their minds with anything
rather than with facts。 Therefore the learned morosophs who were
gathered round Don Carlos's sick bed had bee according to their own
confession； utterly confused； terrified； and at their wits' end。
It is the 7th of May； the eighteenth day after the accident according to
Olivarez's story： he and Dr Vega have been bleeding the unhappy
prince； enlarging the wound twice； and torturing him seemingly on mere
guesses。 〃I believe；〃 says Olivarez； 〃that all was done well： but as I
have said； in wounds in the head there are strange labyrinths。〃 So on the
7th they stand round the bed in despair。 Don Garcia de Toledo； the
prince's faithful governor； is sitting by him； worn out with sleepless nights；
and trying to supply to the poor boy that mother's tenderness which he has
never known。 Alva； too； is there； stern； self…pressed； most terrible； and
yet most beautiful。 He has a God on earth； and that is Philip his master；
and though he has borne much from Don Carlos already； and will have to
bear more； yet the wretched lad is to him as a son of God； a second deity；
who will by right divine succeed to the inheritance of the first； and he
watches this lesser deity struggling between life and death with an
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intensity of which we； in these less loyal days； can form no notion。 One
would be glad to have a glimpse of what passed through that mind； so
subtle and so ruthless； so disciplined and so loyal withal： but Alva was
a man who was not given to speak his mind； but to act it。
One would wish； too； for a glimpse of what was passing through the
mind of another man； who has been daily in that sick chamber； according
to Olivarez's statement； since the first of the month： but he is one who has
had； for some years past； even more reason than Alva for not speaking his
mind。 What he looked like we know well； for Titian has painted him
from the lifea tall； bold； well… dressed man； with a noble brain； square
and yet lofty； short curling locks and beard； an eye which looks as though
it feared neither man nor fiendand it has had good reason to fear both
and features which would be exceeding handsome； but for the defiant
snub…nose。 That is Andreas Vesalius； of Brussels； dreaded and hated by the
doctors of the old schoolsuspect； moreover； it would seem to inquisitors
and theologians； possibly to Alva himself； for he has dared to dissect
human bodies； he has insulted the mediaevalists at Paris； Padua； Bologna；
Pisa； Venice； in open theatre； he has turned the heads of all the young
surgeons in Italy and France； he has written a great book； with prints in it；
designed； some say； by Titianthey were actually done by another
Netherlander； John of Calcar； near Clevesin which he has dared to prove
that Galen's anatomy was at fault throughout； and that he had been
describing a monkey's inside when he had pretended to be