Follau, who had already made him known to the world.An Italian secretary was absolutely necessary to him, on account of the answers from the senate; one who could write all his despatches, and conduct his affairs, without his giving himself the least trouble about anything; a person who, to the merit of serving him well, could join the baseness of being the toad-eater of his gentlemen, without honor, merit, or principles.He wished to retain, and humble me, by keeping me far from my country, and his own, without money to return to either, and in which he would, perhaps, have succeeded, had he begun with more moderation: but Vitali, who had other views, and wished to force me to extremities, carried his point.The moment Iperceived, I lost all my trouble, that the ambassador imputed to me my services as so many crimes, instead of being satisfied with them; that with him I had nothing to expect, but things disagreeable at home, and injustice abroad; and that, in the general disesteem into which he was fallen, his ill offices might be prejudicial to me, without the possibility of my being served by his good ones; I took my resolution, and asked him for my dismission, leaving him sufficient time to provide himself with another secretary.Without answering yes or no, he continued to treat me in the same manner, as if nothing had been said.Perceiving things to remain in the same state, and that he took no measures to procure himself a new secretary, I wrote to his brother, and, explaining to him my motives, begged he would obtain my dismission from his excellency, adding that whether I received it or not, I could not possibly remain with him.I waited a long time without any answer, and began to be embarrassed: but at length the ambassador received a letter from his brother, which must have remonstrated with him in very plain terms; for although he was extremely subject to ferocious rage, I never saw him so violent as on this occasion.After torrents of unsufferable reproaches, not knowing what more to say, he accused me of having sold his ciphers.
I burst into a loud laughter, and asking him, in a sneering manner, if he thought there was in Venice a man who would be fool enough to give half a crown for them all.He threatened to call his servants to throw me out of the window.Until then I had been very composed;but on this threat, anger and indignation seized me in my turn.Isprang to the door, and after having turned a button which fastened it within: "No, count," said I, returning to him with a grave step, "your servants shall have nothing to do with this affair; please to let it be settled between ourselves." My action and manner instantly made him calm; fear and surprise were marked in his countenance.The moment Isaw his fury abated, I bid him adieu in a very few words, and without waiting for his answer, went to the door, opened it, and passed slowly across the antechamber, through the midst of his people, who rose according to custom, and who, I am of opinion, would rather have lent their assistance against him than me.Without going back to my apartment, I descended the stairs, and immediately went out of the palace never more to enter it.
I hastened immediately to M.le Blond and related to him what had happened.Knowing the man, he was but little surprised.He kept me to dinner.This dinner, although without preparation, was splendid.
All the French of consequence, who were at Venice, partook of it.
The ambassador had not a single person.The consul related my case to the company.The cry was general, and by no means in favor of his excellency.He had not settled my account, nor paid me a farthing, and being reduced to the few louis I had in my pocket, I was extremely embarrassed about my return to France.Every purse was opened to me.Itook twenty sequins from that of M.le Blond, and as many from that of M.St.Cyr, with whom, next to M.le Blond, I was the most intimately connected.I returned thanks to the rest; and, till my departure, went to lodge at the house of the chancellor of the consulship, to prove to the public, the nation was not an accomplice in the injustice of the ambassador.
His excellency, furious at seeing me taken notice of in my misfortune, at the same time that, notwithstanding his being an ambassador, nobody went near his house, quite lost his senses and behaved like a madman.He forgot himself so far as to present a memoir to the senate to get me arrested.On being informed of this by the Abbe de Binis, I resolved to remain a fortnight longer, instead of setting off the next day as I had intended.My conduct had been known and approved of by everybody; I was universally esteemed.The senate did not deign to return an answer to the extravagant memoir of the ambassador, but sent me word I might remain in Venice as long as I thought proper, without making myself uneasy about the attempts of a madman.I continued to see my friends: I went to take leave of the ambassador from Spain, who received me well, and of the Comte de Finochietti, minister from Naples, whom I did not find at home.Iwrote him a letter and received from his excellency the most polite and obliging answer.At length I took my departure, leaving behind me, notwithstanding my embarrassment, no other debts than the two sums Ihad borrowed, and of which I have just spoken; and an account of fifty crowns with a shopkeeper, of the name of Morandi, which Carrio promised to pay, and which I have never reimbursed him, although we have frequently met since that time; but with respect to the two sums of money, I returned them very exactly the moment I had it in my power.
