I was delighted with the first view of it, as, following the brown street of entry, it revealed itself to me.  Its towers and arcades, squares and fountains and spacious churches made a strong impression upon my excited senses.  Having found a modest lodging, I wandered from shrine to shrine enraptured, and, believing myself fondly in a city of believers as ardent as myself, I took no trouble either to conceal my crucifix, a most conspicuous ornament, I must allow, or my sentiments of hopeful devotion.  I suppose that by degrees I excited remark.  I was a stranger in a thinly populated, very idle, curious city.  I think that I meditated aloud—­I may certainly have done so, since I had no desire to conceal my ambitions.  If I struck my breast, the action was sincere, becoming to a contrite sinner; if I was inspired—­and I was—­I believe that I was about to prove a cause of inspiration in others.  It is indubitable that I spoke to the crowd which gathered about me and followed me from church to church, and that, under the stimulus of their plaudits, I was moved to what may be called eloquence.  I spoke of charity, I remember, upon the steps of San Petronio—­charity of interpretation in matters of faith and morals and private conscience; and I ended by declaring, what was perfectly true, that Christian as I was, a Jew had put me in my present way of salvation.

At this singularly inopportune moment I was rudely interrupted.  The crowd parted and fell this way and that without my perception, and a hand clapped upon my shoulder brought me to earth from those middle regions of the aether, where I had seemed to be afloat.  It was as if, looking up at the stars, I had stumbled on a knotty root.

An officer of the Inquisition stood beside me, a tall, keen-eyed man, cloaked in black.

“I have been watching you, young man, for two hours,” he said.  “You perform your devotions somewhat publicly, and seem to have a great deal to say about your spiritual state.  The Church has appointed ways and means for the consolation of the faithful, some of which are no doubt open to you.  Only scandal can ensue these kind of practices.”

I was highly indignant, as who would not have been?  “Upon my word, sir,” I exclaimed, “if a sinner may not proclaim, his repentance so near the throne of pardon, nor a faithful believer record his sincerity within this shadow of the truth—–­”

“Such excesses as you use,” he stopped me, “savour of private conscience following its own bent.  The Church is distrustful of such excursions.  That crucifix which you carry, for instance—–­”

I clasped it with fervour.  “Ah, it is my passport!”

“Sovereigns and rulers of States,” said the officer, “will require more particulars, and so, for that matter, will the police of Bologna.  This is useless for any such purpose, and your pretence only adds urgency to my desire of you.  I don’t wish to be severe with you.  I ask you in a friendly and reasonable way to give me the crucifix.”