request, but, when he entered Turin, she had him received exactly as he might have been in the greatest cities of France.  He admired the magnificent jewels she wore; and she offered to lend them to him.  He accepted them, and soon afterwards borrowed on the strength of them twelve thousand golden ducats; so ill provided was he with money.  The fair regent, besides, made him a present of a fine black horse, which Commynes calls the best in the world, and which, ten months later, Charles rode at the battle of Fornovo, the only victory he was to gain on retiring from this sorry campaign.  On entering the country of the Milanese he did not experience the same feeling of confidence that Piedmont had inspired him with.  Not that Ludovic the Moor hesitated to lavish upon him assurances of devotion.  “Sir,” said he, “have no fear for this enterprise; there are in Italy three powers which we consider great, and of which you have one, which is Milan; another, which is the Venetians, does not stir; so you have to do only with that of Naples, and many of your predecessors have beaten us when we were all united.  If you will trust me, I will help to make you greater than ever was Charlemagne; and when you have in your hands this kingdom of Naples, we shall easily drive yon Turk out of that empire of Constantinople.”  These words pleased Charles VIII. mightily, and he would have readily pinned his faith to them; but he had at his side some persons more clear-sighted, and Ludovic had enemies who did not deny themselves the pleasure of enlightening the king concerning him.  He invited Charles to visit Milan; he desired to parade before the eyes of the people his alliance and intimate friendship with the powerful King of France; but Charles, who had at first treated him as a friend, all at once changed his demeanor, and refused to go to Milan, “so as not to lose time.”  Ludovic was too good a judge to make any mistake in the matter; but he did not press the point.  Charles resumed his road to Piacenza, where his army awaited him.  At Pavia, vows, harangues, felicitations, protestations of devotion, were lavished upon him without restoring his confidence; quarters had been assigned to him within the city; he determined to occupy the castle, which was in a state of defence; his own guard took possession of the guard-posts; and the watch was doubled during the night.  Ludovic appeared to take no notice, and continued to accompany the king as far as Piacenza, the last town in the state of Milan.  Into it Charles entered with seventy-eight hundred horse, many Swiss foot, and many artillerymen and bombardiers.  The Italian population regarded this army with an admiration tinged with timidity and anxiety.  News was heard there to the effect that young John Galeas, nephew of Ludovic the Moor and lawful Duke of Milan, was dead.  He left a son, five years old, for whom he had at Pavia implored the king’s protection; and “I will look upon him as my own,” King Charles had answered as