suspect it was to me, the lovers of the theatre at Paris, owe Coralline and her sister Camille, nothing however, can be more true.  Veronese, their father, had engaged himself with his children in the Italian company, and after having received two thousand livres for the expenses of his journey, instead of setting out for France, quietly continued at Venice, and accepted an engagement in the theatre of Saint Luke, to which Coralline, a child as she still was, drew great numbers of people.  The Duke de Greves, as first gentleman of the chamber, wrote to the ambassador to claim the father and the daughter.  M. de Montaigu when he gave me the letter, confined his instructions to saying, ‘voyez cela’, examine and pay attention to this.  I went to M. Blond to beg he would speak to the patrician, to whom the theatre belonged, and who, I believe, was named Zustinian, that he might discharge Veronese, who had engaged in the name of the king.  Le Blond, to whom the commission was not very agreeable, executed it badly.

Zustinian answered vaguely, and Veronese was not discharged.  I was piqued at this.  It was during the carnival, and having taken the bahute and a mask, I set out for the palace Zustinian.  Those who saw my gondola arrive with the livery of the ambassador, were lost in astonishment.  Venice had never seen such a thing.  I entered, and caused myself to be announced by the name of ‘Una Siora Masehera’.  As soon as I was introduced I took off my mask and told my name.  The senator turned pale and appeared stupefied with surprise.  “Sir;” said I to him in Venetian, “it is with much regret I importune your excellency with this visit; but you have in your theatre of Saint Luke, a man of the name of Veronese, who is engaged in the service of the king, and whom you have been requested, but in vain, to give up:  I come to claim him in the name of his majesty.”  My short harangue was effectual.  I had no sooner left the palace than Zustinian ran to communicate the adventure to the state inquisitors, by whom he was severely reprehended.  Veronese was discharged the same day.  I sent him word that if he did not set off within a week I would have him arrested.  He did not wait for my giving him this intimation a second time.

On another occasion I relieved from difficulty solely by my own means, and almost without the assistance of any other person, the captain of a merchant-ship.  This was one Captain Olivet, from Marseilles; the name of the vessel I have forgotten.  His men had quarreled with the Sclavonians in the service of the republic, some violence had been committed, and the vessel was under so severe an embargo that nobody except the master was suffered to go on board or leave it without permission.  He applied to the ambassador, who would hear nothing he had to say.  He afterwards went to the consul, who told him it was not an affair of commerce, and that he could not interfere in it.  Not knowing what further steps