esteem and gratitude.  I made at once a number of farewell visits among the friends I had been once acquainted with; and on the 21st of March I had my parting state audiences of the King and Queen separately.  I was surprised with the dignity, the precision, and the measure of the King’s expressions, as I had been surprised at my first audience.  I received many marks of personal goodness, and of regret at my departure from his Catholic Majesty, and from the Queen even more; from the Prince of the Asturias a good many also.  But in another direction I met with very different treatment, which I cannot refrain from describing, however ridiculous it may appear.

I went, of course, to say my adieux to the Princess of the Asturias, and I was accompanied by all my suite.  I found the young lady standing under a dais, the ladies on one side, the grandees on the other; and I made my three reverences, then uttered my compliments.  I waited in silence her reply, but ’twas in vain.  She answered not one word.

After some moments of silence, I thought I would furnish her with matter for an answer; so I asked her what orders she had for the King; for the Infanta, for Madame, and for M. and Madame la Duchesse d’Orleans.  By way of reply, she looked at me and belched so loudly in my face, that the noise echoed throughout the chamber.  My surprise was such that I was stupefied.  A second belch followed as noisy as the first.

I lost countenance at this, and all power of hindering myself from laughing.  Turning round, therefore, I saw everybody with their hands upon their mouths, and their shoulders in motion.  At last a third belch, still louder than the two others, threw all present into confusion, and forced me to take flight, followed by all my suite, amid shouts of laughter, all the louder because they had previously been kept in.  But all barriers of restraint were now thrown down; Spanish gravity was entirely disconcerted; all was deranged; no reverences; each person, bursting with laughter, escaped as he could, the Princess all the while maintaining her countenance.  Her belches were the only answers she made me.  In the adjoining room we all stopped to laugh at our ease, and express our astonishment afterwards more freely.

The King and Queen were soon informed of the success of this audience, and spoke of it to me after dinner at the Racket Court.  They were the first to laugh at it, so as to leave others at liberty to do so too; a privilege that was largely made use of without pressing.  I received and I paid numberless visits; and as it is easy to flatter one’s self, I fancied I might flatter myself that I was regretted.