to be a gardener, and for no other; and that he only is a gardener who
lives for the joy of his labour and not for the material profit he can
make out of his toil. The Grand Inquisitor--that pock-marked Dominican
who had treated me with uncharitable harshness upon my first visit to
Florence--was present at table, and was upon the point of denouncing my
argument as perverse, unchristian and I know not what else; he had said,
"It is my deliberate opinion that detestable beliefs as are Atheism,
Calvinism, Mahometanism and the tenets of the Quietists, it were better
for a man to embrace all of them in one vast, comprehensive blasphemy,
than depend for their refutation upon any argument which Mr. Strelley
can advance----" when a friar opened the door and ushered in a
lieutenant of police and his guard. The officer saluted the company in
general and myself in particular. "Sir," he said politely to me, "I have
the honour to arrest you, in the Grand Duke's name, for the barbarous
murder of the most illustrious Marchese Deifobo Semifonte, for the
attempted murder of his Excellency Count Amadeo Giraldi, and for
contravention of the law of duelling. By express command of the Syndic I
am to put your honour in irons. Corporal, do your duty."

I said nothing in reply, but took leave of my host with all the proper
form of society, assuring him that I should take with me whithersover I
went a grateful memory of his beautiful and peaceful retirement; I bowed
to my fellow-guest, and then suffered the corporal to chain my hands
behind me. A coach was awaiting me at the gate; I entered it with the
lieutenant and was driven to the Bargello.

I was not ill-treated by any means. I had a small but decent chamber
assigned to me, and I was alone. When I demanded that my accusation
should be read over, in order that I might engage a lawyer for my
defence, I was assured that this would not be at all necessary, as there