Insult

A roistering infuscate U. S. sailor seated himself with a crash upon one of the shaky iron tables in front of Florian's, most famous of the cafes facing the Piazza San Marco, Venice. Pulling out a wad of 100-lira notes, he tore them one by one across the middle, chanting full-throatedly: "She smacks me, she smacks me not!" Vexed at this insult to the national currency--this tactless hint that it was worthless--angry Venetians closed in upon the sailor, pummeled him, tweaked his broad nose, sought vainly to tug at his woolly hair.