Page 15 - 1911 February - To Dragma

86 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

delicacy here in Italy) and smoking in utter disregard of larger

paper signs "si PREGA NON FUMARE."
We mounted two rickety little steps, walked along some creaking

boards and took our places in the seats of honor, the "palchi" or
boxes. That is the name for them in the big theatres but here they
were merely long benches raised a foot or so from the floor and
separated from the pit by a single rail. We were the only women
present but the people were so absorbed in the show that we didn't
create the sensation we had feared.

The stage curtain was up and two kerosene lamps, one with a
broken chimney, lighted a spectacle of mad combat—two gallant
knights in full armor, vizors down and distinguished only by the
fact that one wore over his mail a pink muslin skirt, and the other
a blue lacey one, were 'going for' each other, striking out with their
swords and clashing their shields to the accompaniment of cries and
stamping of feet from the wings.

Meanwhile a small boy in a blue blouse with the sleeves rolled
up, was grinding away for dear life at an unusually wheezy broken-
down hurdy-gurdy, partitioned off from one of the 'palchi' on the
opposite side. Whenever the puppets were not speaking the little
chap worked away first with one hand and then with the other, now
fast, now slow, and rested during the intervals with both arms on the
railing like one of Raphael's cherubs, contemplating the distinguished
"forestieri" or strangers across the pit.

These Sicilian marionette shows are always warlike. This one
portrayed the adventures of a belligerent gentleman named Rinaldo,
one of Charlemagne's Paladins. Shortly after we entered, the re-
sounding fight ended and the Blue Knight gave his opponent a
knock-down blow. He fell and his armor clanked upon him, a
la Homer, while the audience applauded madly. Soon he was up
again and the duel raged once more with brandishing of swords and
stamping of feet. They jumped at each other like cats; they thrust
and parried and thrust again, until (oh breathless moment) Sir
Azure crashed upon the ground. Here one or two of the "forestieri"
wishing to show a due appreciation clapped, and were met by dis-
concerting hisses from the floor. Something was wrong; the Blue
knight must be a favorite; we had made a faux pas as we soon dis-
covered for the brave Rinaldo, declaiming in a loud voice, unfor-
tunately in Sicilian dialect, twitched his knee, aided by wires from
above, upon his prostrate enemy's breast and poised his trusty blade
in air. Should he or should he not give him the finishing touch?
Stav. better first lift the dead man's vizor! Oh horror! What does
he see!