"It may be a trick--one of those tricks so frequently played off in priestly Rome. Baraguai d'Hilliers does not know the priests; they may be plotting together something to compromise him." This visit, announced with so much ceremony on Christmas eve, did not take place till the last day of the year. The supposed friends were the Fiscal Judge of the Inquisition, Monsignor Bambozzi, and his Secretary, Avvocato de Dominicis. Monsignor Bambozzi is one of the most courteous of men. Those who, hearing of the Fiscal Judge of the Inquisition, might picture to themselves an austere man, with a crafty sinister air, would find they were quite mistaken in their idea. No, he is a very polite little man, a sacristan priest, paying compliments to everybody, always smiling, with his snuff-box in his hand ever ready to offer a pinch. The other was a poor needy-looking personage, with nothing unfavourable in his aspect, and evidently following his occupation to earn his bread. I was first desired to give an exact description of myself. The prelate then made a sign to the other to write, and began to dictate to him in Latin. "A certain man (homo quidam) appeared before me declaring himself to be--What is your name?" I told him my name, my age, &c. He went on:-- "Giacinto Achilli, son of ---- born at ---- aged ---- &c., dressed," (here followed the description of my dress from head to foot)--"confined in this prison, &c.; being asked if he knows why he is detained in prison, answers Answer this question. "'It is what I wish to know. I have been six months confined here, and have never yet been told, nor do I know the cause of my imprisonment.' "Interrogated whether he knows under what tribunal he is now examined, answers-- "'It is what I wish to know.' "And being told that he is examined by the magistrates of the Holy Roman Universal Apostolical Inquisition, answers-- "'I am glad of it. Speak frankly.' "Admonished to tell the truth, and to recognise in this fact the justice of God and not the vengeance of man, he replied to the first part-- "'I promise to tell the truth:' on the second he was silent." At this juncture, Monsignor Bambozzi drew out a quire of paper, covered with writing, and began to read the first page; from which I perceived it was the minute taken down the second day of my imprisonment, by a judge of the cardinal-vicar's: consisting of a general interrogatory on the whole of my life--that is to say, my education, my studies, my public functions, my occupations, my journeys, and especially that to the Ionian Islands, Malta, England, &c., till my return to Rome; what I had done during the Roman Republic, and finishing with my imprisonment. All this confronted anew with numerous questions, formed the subject of my first interview with Monsignor Bambozzi and his companion.