[Verginius Rufus]

I think in French it is something like l'esprit de les escaliers--the spirit of the staircase (the witty retorts you think of while leaving the house where the party or dinner was held).

[Revolting cat!]

Yep, staircase wit, Denis Diderot: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L’esprit_de_l’escalier