"I am a keeper and watchman on the lands of Signor Corbario." Paoluccio took his pipe from his mouth and nodded twice.
"That is a very rich gentleman, I have heard," he observed.

"He owns much land." "It all belongs to his stepson, now that the young gentleman is of age," Ercole answered.

"But as it was his mother's, and she married Signor Corbario, we have the habit of the name." "What is the name of the stepson ?" asked Paoluccio.
"Consalvi," Ercole replied.
Paoluccio said nothing to this, but lit his pipe again with a sulphur match.
"Evil befall the soul of our government!" he grumbled presently, with insufficient logic, but meaning that the government sold bad tobacco.
"You must have heard of the young gentleman," Ercole said.

"His name is Marcello Consalvi.

They say that he lay ill for a long time at an inn on this road--" "For the love of heaven, don't talk to me about Marcello Consalvi!" cried Paoluccio, suddenly in a fury.