Reading of Galileo's Actions and Defense; Actually, I am inclined to believe that given what Galileo did, the reaction of Bellarmine to it would have fit the actual reaction of the Church. Though he was Chief Theologian, and very conservative, Bellarmine was not cruel. Therefore, by keeping Galileo under perpetual house arrest, and limiting his influence on the outside world, Belarmine would have fulfilled his duties as Chief Theologian, given Galileo a second chance to save his soul, and shown his kind nature- all the while holding Galileo as an example for those who would speak out in the future. But perhaps an even more appealing notion for Bellarmine was the life of enforced asceticism and reflection he could force onto Galileo, which both shows the mercy of the Catholic Church while forwarding it's ideal of ascetic living, an ideal that Bellarmine adopted.
<http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/keyfigures.html#Galileo>
<http://galileo.rice.edu/chr/bellarmine.html>