Seated round a blazing fire in M'Dermott's _eleutheromania_ stove
(the old fellow had a passion for sonorous words which he did not always
apply quite appositely) the Italians related the adventures of their
journey and discussed future projects. As the fog grew denser with the
advance of evening, and it became evident that lodging-searching was quite
out of the question for the time being, it was agreed that we should all
spend the night in the office, where heaps of old papers and sacking made
up into not altogether despicable couches. Moreover, publication date was
approaching, and at such times we were in the habit of getting later and
later in the office, the necessity for Short's assistance rendering it
impossible to get the work done in an expeditious and business-like way.
We worked on far into the night, the Italians helping us as best they
could with the printing, one or other occasionally breaking off for a
brief respite of slumber. We talked much of the actual conditions in
Italy, and of the situation of the Anarchist party there; of how to keep
the revolutionary standard afloat and the Anarchist ideas circulating,
despite coercion laws and the imprisonment and banishment of its most
prominent advocates. Kosinksi joined enthusiastically in the discussion,
and the hours passed rapidly and very agreeably. I succeeded at length in
dissuading Giannoli and Gnecco from their original intention of
precipitate flight, partly by repeatedly assuring them that the state of
the atmosphere was not normal and would mend, partly by bringing their
minds to bear on the knotty question of finance.
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