stoutfellow

I'm in the middle of Dunnett's Niccolò Rising, and have to share this passage. I'll give no context; read the book yourself.

Felix said, "So you made it up? You made up the whole thing? No one wants an ostrich at all?"
"Nonsense", said Nicholas. "I do. Tommaso does. Lorenzo does. And once I've told the Chancery that it's coming, the Duke will as well. If no one wants it, we'll put it into the lottery like your porcupine. We'll harness it to the waterwheel and watch it eat all the buckets. We'll make it run in the Crane. We'll use it to dredge the canals. Winrik can keep his money in it. Everyone should have an ostrich. Or an orange. Catch."
He didn't catch it, and it fell in the wall-fountain they were passing, so that the splash went up his nose.