About noon, Annunciata came to bring him his dinner, and after having
enjoyed for a while the sensation she made among the cabbage-dealers,
betook herself on a journey of exploration through the city. Pietro's
tale of the miracles performed at the monkey theatre had given a
lively impetus to her imagination, and being unable to endure any
longer his irritating airs of superior knowledge, she had formed the
daring resolution to put his veracity to the test. She arrived quite
breathless in the Piazza delle Terme, and with much flutter and
palpitation inquired the price of a ticket. The door-keeper paused in
his stentorian address to the multitude that was gathered about him,
and informed her that ten soldi would admit her to the enchanted
realm within. Poor Annunciata's countenance fell; she pulled her seven
soldi from her pocket, counted them three or four times deliberately
in her hand, and cast appealing glances at the stony-hearted Cerberus.
At this moment she discovered a handsome young gentleman who, with his
eyes fixed on her face, was elbowing his way through the crowd.
"Come along, my pretty lass," he said, in doubtful Italian. "Put those
coppers in your pocket and let me get your ticket for you.
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