To this he was also induced by another motive.

Since the time of M.de Froulay, his predecessor, whose head became deranged, the consul from France, M.le Blond, had been charged with the affairs of the embassy, and after the arrival of M.de Montaigu, continued to manage them until he had put him into the track.

M.de Montaigu, hurt at this discharge of his duty by another, although he himself was incapable of it, became disgusted with the consul, and as soon as I arrived deprived him of the functions of secretary to the embassy to give them to me.

They were inseparable from the title, and he told me to take it.

As long as I remained with him he never sent any person except myself under this title to the senate, or to conference, and upon the whole it was natural enough he should prefer having for secretary to the embassy a man attached to him, to a consul or a clerk of office named by the court.
This rendered my situation very agreeable, and prevented his gentlemen, who were Italians, as well as his pages, and most of his suite from disputing precedence with me in his house.