The king's indisposition, however, did not prove so grave as was at first
supposed. He was cured by the end of a few weeks, and proceeded on his
way towards Pavia, where the young Duke John Galeazzo lay dying. He and
the King of France were first cousins, sons of two sisters of the house
of Savoy. So Charles VIII was obliged to see him, and went to visit him
in the castle where he lived more like prisoner than lord. He found him
half reclining on a couch, pale and emaciated, some said in consequence
of luxurious living, others from the effects of a slow but deadly poison.
But whether or not the poor young man was desirous of pouring out a
complaint to Charles, he did not dare say a word; for his uncle, Ludovico
Sforza, never left the King of France for an instant. But at the very
moment when Charles VIII was getting up to go, the door opened, and a
young woman appeared and threw herself at the king's feet; she was the
wife of the unlucky John Galeazzo, and came to entreat his cousin to do
nothing against her father Alfonso, nor against her brother Ferdinand.
At sight of her; Sforza scowled with an anxious and threatening aspect,
far he knew not what impression might be produced on his ally by this
scene. But he was soon reassured; far Charles replied that he had
advanced too far to draw back now, and that the glory of his name was at
stake as well as the interests of his kingdom, and that these two motives
were far too important to be sacrificed to any sentiment of pity he might
feel, however real and deep it might be and was. The poor young woman,
who had based her last hope an this appeal, then rose from her knees and
threw herself sobbing into her husband's arms. Charles VIII and Ludavico
Sforza, took their leave: John Galeazzo was doomed.

Two days after, Charles VIII left for Florence, accompanied by his ally;
but scarcely had they reached Parma when a messenger caught them up, and
announced to Ludovico that his nephew was just dead: Ludovico at once