Instead of each playing upon their own account, the best method is to form two parties, every member of each party having the same interest. The art of the game consists sometimes in drawing; that is to say, to drive at a distance the adversary’s bowl, if it has approached very near the goal, in order that the player who follows you, may be able to get nearer the goal than your adversary.
While the Misses D’Hernilly and their young companions were playing at this game, they were frequently teased by their nursery governess, who kept calling out to them, “Take care, young ladies, you will dirty your clothes.” They often disputed which had won the game by approaching nearest the goal; and as, on these occasions, there was sometimes less than half an inch difference, the thing was not easily determined.
Speaking of this game, reminds us of a strange circumstance which happened to the celebrated Marshal Turenne. As he was one day walking upon the ramparts of a city in which his troops then were, without servants, or any mark of distinction, he was accosted by a group of workmen who were playing at bowls, and who begged that he
would decide a difference which had arisen between them about the game. The Marshal measured the distance with his cane, and then pronounced judgment. The man against whom he had decided, revenged himself by abuse. The Marshal smiled, which irritated the angry player still further. At this moment, the officers belonging to the Marshal’s suite, came up and addressed him as my lord; the poor workman, equally frightened and ashamed when he found whom he had insulted, threw himself at Turenne’s feet, to implore his pardon. The Marshal raising him, said kindly, “My friend, you were wrong in supposing I would deceive you.”
Our young players had very seldom any dispute at nine-pins, for it was easy to reckon the nine-pins that were thrown down, and those which remained standing. Madame D’Hernilly put the young ladies in mind of an anecdote which is related in the memoirs of the younger Racine. The great poet Boileau became disgusted with poetry in his old age, and grew passionately fond of nine-pins. Such was his address, that sometimes he threw down the nine with one stroke. “Acknowledge,” cried he one day, “that I possess two great talents, which are equally useful to the state and to society; that of playing at nine-pins to perfection, and that of writing tolerable verses.”
When the game is played with small nine-pins, and that you throw the bowl only
a short distance, the players throw alternately; but it more frequently happens, that a player has two throws running, and this is the manner in which they proceed. Number one throws his bowl at a distance to the place marked for the goal; he must, in this first throw, knock down at least one pin, otherwise he is obliged to remain there for a time; this is what they call making white cabbage, and he gives up the turn to the player on the opposite side. But if he has thrown down one or two pins, and particularly that in the middle, which alone reckons for nine points, he throws a second time, throwing the bowl from the place in which it has previously stopped. He then reckons the points he has gained, and leaves the place to Number two, and so on. The grand difficulty of this game is not to make more points than is necessary: the number is usually 21; and if, after having gained 19 points, you happen to throw down two pins, you win the game; but if you are so unlucky as to throw down three or four, you burst, and are obliged to begin the game again. This occasions great variety, and renders the strength of the two players equal. It requires a great deal of practice to enable you to gain the dexterity necessary to knock down at once a considerable number of nine-pins, and you can never be certain of throwing down one, two, or three, just at the moment you wish.
Adriana had less taste than the others for this game, it required too much precision; and, at the same time, a degree of strength above her age.
Ernestina, Valeria, and the rest of the eldest girls, received, about this time, a present of a set of nine-pins, of a different sort from those we have been speaking of. They compose the game called Siam. You lose at it, also, by making too many points; and you are then said, as in the other, to burst. Your fate is decided more frequently by chance at Siam than at nine-pins, for you cannot always guide the quoit at will, which serves to throw down the pins. The quoit is made of a hard close wood, the edge of it is cut a little sloping, so as to describe a curve it is directed circularly either to the right or to the left.
This game is very common in India, and as it was introduced into France during the reign of Louis XIV., by people in the suite of the ambassador of Siam, who was at that time at the Court of Versailles, it has retained the name of their country.