It was a splendid opportunity; they were my friends, and I accepted, for I could not have met with a better occasion to see the court and all the foreign ministers.  I presented myself to M. de Morosini, now Procurator at St. Mark’s, and then ambassador from the Republic to the French court.

The first night of the opera he gave me permission to accompany him; the music was by Lulli.  I had a seat in the pit precisely under the private box of Madame de Pompadour, whom I did not know.  During the first scene the celebrated Le Maur gave a scream so shrill and so unexpected that I thought she had gone mad.  I burst into a genuine laugh, not supposing that any one could possibly find fault with it.  But a knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost, who was near the Marquise de Pompadour, dryly asked me what country I came from.  I answered, in the same tone,

“From Venice.”

“I have been there, and have laughed heartily at the recitative in your operas.”

“I believe you, sir, and I feel certain that no one ever thought of objecting to your laughing.”

My answer, rather a sharp one, made Madame de Pompadour laugh, and she asked me whether I truly came from down there.

“What do you mean by down there?”

“I mean Venice.”

“Venice, madam, is not down there, but up there.”

That answer was found more singular than the first, and everybody in the box held a consultation in order to ascertain whether Venice was down or up.  Most likely they thought I was right, for I was left alone.  Nevertheless, I listened to the opera without laughing; but as I had a very bad cold I blew my nose often.  The same gentleman addressing himself again to me, remarked that very likely the windows of my room did not close well.  That gentleman, who was unknown to me was the Marechal de Richelieu.  I told him he was mistaken, for my windows were well ‘calfoutrees’.  Everyone in the box burst into a loud laugh, and I felt mortified, for I knew my mistake; I ought to have said ‘calfeutrees’.  But these ‘eus’ and ‘ous’ cause dire misery to all foreigners.

Half an hour afterwards M. de Richelieu asked me which of the two actresses pleased me most by her beauty.

“That one, sir.”

“But she has ugly legs.”

“They are not seen, sir; besides, whenever I examine the beauty of a woman, ’la premiere chose que j’ecarte, ce sont les jambes’.”

That word said quite by chance, and the double meaning of which I did not understand, made at once an important personage of me, and everybody in the box of Madame de Pompadour was curious to know me.  The marshal learned who I was from M. de Morosini, who told me that the duke would be happy to receive me.  My ‘jeu de mots’ became celebrated, and the marshal honoured me with a very gracious welcome.  Among the foreign ministers, the one to whom I attached myself most was Lord Keith, Marshal of Scotland and ambassador of the King of Prussia.  I shall have occasion to speak of him.