He was not exactly Paul's idea of what an agent ought to be, as he showed too much fondness for the good things of this life.

When seated with a dish of cutlets and truffles flanked by a generous sized bottle of wine, he was apt to make statements that were rather unreliable.

Before leaving Milan for Turin, Paul told him, as the Po was to him an unknown river, he could not tell at what time he could make on it, so that he must use his judgment from the reports he would get from above, in regard to the progress he was making down the river.

He then instructed him to go to Piacenza on Saturday as he expected to be able to reach that point on Sunday evening.

Paul afterwards learned that instead of waiting until Saturday; his courier, full of self importance, started for that city the same day Paul left on his way to Turin.