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At any
rate, I know he has lived out there. He is one of
the wittiest men I ever came across. Heaven
knows we had nothing to be merry over, that week
in Leghorn; it was enough to break one's heart to
look at poor Lambertini; but there was no keeping
one's countenance when Rivarez was in the
room; it was one perpetual fire of absurdities. He
had a nasty sabre-cut across the face, too; I
remember sewing it up. He's an odd creature;
but I believe he and his nonsense kept some of
those poor lads from breaking down altogether."
"Is that the man who writes political skits
in the French papers under the name of 'Le Taon'?"
"Yes; short paragraphs mostly, and comic
feuilletons. The smugglers up in the Apennines
called him 'the Gadfly' because of his tongue;
and he took the nickname to sign his work
with."
"I know something about this gentleman,"
said Grassini, breaking in upon the conversation
in his slow and stately manner; "and I cannot say
that what I have heard is much to his credit.


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