Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Book II - IV. The Ancient Martyrdom
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
the ancient martyrdom 2ig
never do to shorten the princess’s silk trains and
be sparing of the gilt on the kingly crowns, at the
moment when people are losing interest in going to
the theater.
Perhaps it is not so hazardous at another theater,
but at a marionette-theater it is more than precarious
to make changes. And the reason for this is, that
for the most part it is half-grown boys that
patronize the marionette theater. Grown-up people can
understand that at times it is necessary to be saving ;
children, however, always want to have things the
same way.
Don Antonio’s spectators grew less and less in
number, and he continued to be more and more
saving. So it occurred to him that he could dispense
with the two blind violinists, Father Eliaand Brother
Tommaso, who always used to play during the
en-tre-acts and during battle-scenes.
These blind men, whose profits from singing in
houses of mourning were considerable, and who took
in large sums during feast-days, were too expensive
to keep. Don Antonio dismissed them and procured
a hand-organ.
But that became his ruin. All apprentices and
shop-boys in Diamante ceased going to the theater.
They were not going to sit and listen to a
hand-organ. They promised each other not to go to the
theater again until Don Antonio had taken back
the violinists. And they kept their promise. Don
Antonio’s puppets played before empty walls.
These young boys, who otherwise rather gave up
their supper than the theater, stopped going evening
after evening. They felt convinced that eventually
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
