[29] A Foglietto is a small decanter, holding nearly a pint.
[30] Nostrale, when applied to wine, means that grown in one’s own vineyards.
[31] Zum schmutzigen Löffel.
[32] Swizzle. (English Vernacular.)
[33] Red Mullet.
[34] Terribile had dignified one of our friends with the imposing title of “Imperatore.”
CHAPTER XX.
THE TOMBOLA—MAUSOLEUM OF AUGUSTUS—THE MONTGOLFIER—CURIOUS FINALE—THE BIGLIARDO—POOL—SIR T. B.—AN AMUSING ACQUAINTANCE—THE BEWILDERED BARBER—THE DOG “PINCIO”—PREPARATIONS FOR CARNIVAL—BOMBARDING IN THE CORSO—CHARACTERS—CHARLATANS—THE FESTINI.
Shortly after my arrival in Rome, I had an opportunity of witnessing the drawing of a lottery, or Tombola, as it is there called, an interesting and exciting scene. These are got up ostensibly for purposes of charity, and are so ordered, that many parties may be winners at one and the same time. No sooner is a tombola decided on, than a vast number of tickets are struck off, and distributed for sale at various authorized offices throughout the city. These are simply pieces of paper, containing fifteen spaces, which the applicant fills up with any fifteen numbers he may choose to fix upon, paying a moderate sum for the ticket and its registration. On the day appointed for the drawing of the lottery, I repaired with my friend R—— to the Corea, or Mausoleum of Augustus, an amphitheatre, now used as a circus for travelling showmen, and exhibitions à la Franconi. On the present occasion, its benches, and raised platforms were crowded with people of all degrees and classes, of whom there were perhaps scarcely fifty, who did not take a personal interest in the drawing of the numbers. The wheel of fortune was hung in front of a box on the highest tier, in a conspicuous situation, and we had scarcely taken our seats, ere a dead silence announced that the first number was about to be drawn. After a suitable whirling of the cylinder, a little boy drew forth the paper, and the number was immediately proclaimed by a herald to the expectant crowd, whilst at the same time, one of ninety squares, upon a large black board, turned suddenly upon its axis, and revealed the number to such as were too distant to hear it. All eyes were now bent upon the tickets; pencils and pins went to work wherever the number was held, and then an interval of talking and shouting succeeded, until another number was drawn and proclaimed. Three consecutive numbers constitute a terno, and command a small prize, while a quaterno of four in succession, and a cinquina of five, are still more advantageous. It was not long before a commotion at one particular spot in the crowd announced the holding of one of these, and the fortunate possessor then elbowed his way to the wheel, through the dense mass of people, to receive his prize. About an hour elapsed before “Tombola” was declared in two places. This only occurs when the declaration of the numbers drawn has enabled the possessor of a ticket to score off his whole fifteen, and this done, he became entitled, as in the present instance, to a prize of three hundred scudi, or a little more than £60. This concluded the lottery, but some additional amusement was promised to the crowd, in the shape of a montgolfier balloon, with a lot of fireworks attached to its hoop, which was inflated after the tombola was disposed of. Such a machine was probably new to many of the country-people assembled in the amphitheatre, who gazed at it, as it slowly filled, with extreme astonishment. Whether intentionally, or by accident, I know not, but no sooner had the retaining cord been severed, than the balloon rose a few feet above the heads of the gaping spectators, and then toppling over, first caught fire itself, and next ignited the combustibles which were tied to it. Squibs, crackers, and Roman candles, now burst forth in a fiery shower, which caused a dire confusion in the arena, whilst the miserable remnant of a balloon, ascending to the upper boxes, scattered burning fragments of thin paper amongst the silks and satins of the ladies. The women screamed, and the men yelled and hooted, and the uproar was at its height, when suddenly the sponge, which had been plentifully saturated with spirits, detached itself from the wires, and fell into the middle of a group of contadini, who had been staring upwards in awe-struck amazement. A bursting bomb-shell would have been nearly as welcome. The people cleared a space immediately, whilst one young fellow, more disposed for fun than the rest, hurled the flaming affair into a distant part of the arena, where its arrival, being equally unexpected, caused quite as great a sensation. Many persons had their clothes injured, whilst others were more or less burned, and it is probable that the fun would have ended in something less innocent, had not the soldiery put a sudden stop to it, by clearing the place.
In one of the rooms of the Fiano palace, was a Roman “bigliardo,” where I could always be pretty sure of meeting some of my countrymen, when dinner was over. On rainy days especially, it was satisfactory to know, that one might get a few hours’ exercise under cover, and we occasionally mustered a strong pool. In the Italian game, only two balls are made use of, and any number of persons can play, the marker giving out a lot of little figured counters, which are shuffled in a bag, and decide the particular number of each player. The cues are generally without leathers, the Italians having but little notion of the side stroke, and the handling of them is so noisy and disagreeable, that I prevailed upon the marker, as an especial favour, to point one or two for us, but his innocence proved so great, that he nailed on a few round pieces of shoe-leather, with a common tack, and fancied he had succeeded to admiration. After one or two more attempts, he acquired the right method of fixing the leather, and we could then enjoy our game. The pool was never higher than two bajocchi ahead, and each life of one bajocco, a moderation on our part, which astonished such stray English visitors, as dropped in occasionally upon us.