CHAPTER VIII.

THE TRIAL CONTINUED.

Galileo allowed to return to the Embassy.—His hopefulness.—Third hearing.—Hands in his Defence.—Agreement of it with previous events.—Confident hopes of his friends.—Niccolini’s fears.—Decision to examine Galileo under threat of Torture.—Niccolini’s audience of the Pope.—Informed that the Trial was over, that Galileo would soon be Sentenced, and would be Imprisoned.—Final Examination.—Sent back to “_locum suum_.”—No evidence that he suffered Torture, or was placed in a prison cell 217