see what was to be done. I had
advised her before she went to consult an Italian lawyer as to
the necessary steps to be taken here in order to prove the
invalidity of the marriage in England. This man, whose name is
Dottore Belli, was recommended to me by Monsignore Spada as a
clever lawyer, and particularly good for the case, because
brother of one of the judges (or other officer) in the Vicar-General's
court. But I suppose he has less influence over the brother than
the brother over him, for this morning he sent me a very civil
but formal letter, saying 'the parties were married, and had
abjured after instruction received'--evidently a letter dictated
by the court or by his brother, or at all events by some
ecclesiastical interest. They evidently want to make the marriage
good to save their own credit, but there is a great mystery in
the whole affair. Cardinal Weld told La Ferronays that they had
not yet found the priest who had performed the ceremony. Bunsen
at my request undertook to enquire into the affair, but up to the
present moment (June 13th) he has only made the case more
confused and inexplicable.[8]

[8] The conclusion of this affair is not less curious than
its commencement. The parties returned to this country.
Swift sued Miss Kelly in the Ecclesiastical Court for
the restitution of conjugal rights. After much delay
the case was elaborately argued before Sir John
Nicholl, who at very great length pronounced judgment
against the validity of the marriage. Swift appealed to
the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, when the
sentence of the Court below was reversed, and the
ceremony at Rome decided to be a good and binding
marriage. The parties were thus irrevocably made man
and wife, and after some time had elapsed their mutual
friends and relations set on foot a negotiation for a
reconciliation, and eventually Miss Kelly agreed to
live with Mr. Swift, on condition that the marriage
ceremony should be regularly performed, which was
accordingly done: certain settlements were made, and
they are now (for all I know to the contrary) living
happily and harmoniously together. [The further
proceedings in this cause are described in the second
volume of this Journal, when they came before the Privy