One of these gentlemen, more curious than the rest, rose from table in order that he might go and interrogate the host as to who I was. In a few moments he returned to his seat with a satisfied air, and whispered something to those next him, and they to the others; and I was in a short time recognised by the whole party as the nephew of the Spanish Ambassador.
As soon as supper was over, all the company, looking upon me as a young nobleman, crowded round me, and one of them addressing me said: “Perhaps I was not aware that there was almost every day a ball at court, on account of the birth of the young prince, that there would be one held that very evening, and that if I had the least wish to go, they would have the pleasure of conducting me to the palace.” I replied, “that it would be most ungracious in me to reject so polite an offer, though indeed my travelling clothes formed some obstacle to the gratification of my curiosity; but that nevertheless, as I was not known at Florence, I would have the honour of accompanying the party to partake of an amusement of which I was exceedingly fond.” All the party, except myself, were very elegantly dressed; as to me I did nothing but change my shirt, and adjust myself a little. Ill-dressed as I was, however, in comparison with the others, you will hear what happened to me at the ball.
When we entered the saloon, the Duke and a large party were already assembled there. His Highness fixed his eyes on me immediately; and this somewhat disconcerted me. I thought that he was either displeased at the plainness of my dress, or found something ridiculous in my person; and what convinced me the more was, that he pointed me out to a courtier who stood by him, and as I imagined desired him to ascertain who I was. I was not wrong in my conjecture; the courtier, whom I did not lose sight of, made his way through the crowd and accosted one of the gentlemen whom I had accompanied, whispered something to him, received an answer in the same manner, and then returned to the Grand Duke, to whom I saw him give an account of his commission. All this appeared to me equivocal enough, and I did not know what to think of it, when the same gentleman who had been addressed by the courtier, approached and said to me: “You are known, Signor Cavalier; the Grand Duke knows that you are a relation of the Ambassador from Spain to Rome. I should advise you to go immediately and salute the Prince; he looks at you continually, and seems to wish that you should take that liberty.”