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.