"The what?" says my companion.
"De Barze of Caracalla—vere de ancient Romans bayze demselfs in de water—same as ve go to Casino, zey take a barze, morning, afternoon, ven zey like."
"It must have been a large building," I venture, ineptly.
"In dem dere barze," he retorts, impressively, "sixteen honderd peoples all could chomp in de water same time!"
"Jolly good splash they must have made," says A.
The guide pays no attention, but continues:—
"Dem dere barze not de biggest. In de Barze of Diocletian four tousand peoples all could chomp in de water same time. In all de barze in Rome forrrty tousand could chomp in same time."
"I wonder," says A., "how they got 'em all together and started them jumping?"
"Vell, dey not all chomp togesser every day same peoples, but ven de barze all full den forrrty tousand chomp in same time."