Antonelli so distinguished himself, that (with Heaven’s help) he escaped the sacrament of Ordination.  He has never said mass:  he has never confessed a penitent; I won’t swear he has even confessed himself.  He gained what was of more value than all the Christian virtues—­the friendship of Gregory XVI.  He became a prelate, a magistrate, a prefect, Secretary General of the Interior, and Minister of Finance.  No one can say he has not chosen the right path.  A finance minister, if he knows anything of his business, can lay by more money in six months than all the brigands of Sonnino in twenty years.

Under Gregory XVI. he had been a reactionist, to please his sovereign.  On the accession of Pius IX., for the same reason, he professed liberal ideas.  A red hat and a ministerial portfolio were the recompense of his new convictions, and proved to the inhabitants of Sonnino that liberalism itself is more lucrative than brigandage.  What a practical lesson for those mountaineers!  One of themselves clothed in purple and fine linen, actually riding in his gilt coach, passed the barracks, and their old friends the dragoons presenting arms, instead of firing long shots at him!

He obtained the same influence over the new Pope that he had over the old one, thus proving that people may be got hold of without stopping them on the highway.  Pius IX., who had no secrets from him, confided to him his wish to correct abuses, without concealing his fear of succeeding too well.  He served the Holy Father, even in his irresolutions.  As President of the Supreme Council of State, he proposed reforms, and as Minister he postponed their adoption.  Nobody was more active than he, whether in settling or in violating the constitution of 1848.  He sent Durando to fight the Austrians, and disavowed him after the battle.

He quitted the ministry as soon as he found there were dangers to be encountered, but assisted the Pope in his secret opposition to his ministers.  The murder of Count Rossi gave him serious cause for reflection.  A man don’t take the trouble to be born at Sonnino, in order to let himself be assassinated:  quite the contrary.  He placed the Pope—­and himself—­in safety, and then went to Gaeta to play the part of Secretary of State in partibus.

From this exile dates his omnipotence over the will of the Holy Father, his reinstatement in the esteem of the Austrians, and the consistency in his whole conduct.  Since then no more contradictions in his political life.  They who formally accused him of hesitating between the welfare of the nation and his own personal interest are reduced to silence.  He wishes to restore the absolute power of the Pope, in order that he may dispose of it at his ease.  He prevents all reconciliation between Pius IX. and his subjects; he summons the cannon of Catholicism to effect the conquest of Rome.  He ill-uses the French, who are willing to die for him; he turns a deaf ear to the liberal counsels of Napoleon III.;