e. As the figures on the stage were to
interpret the drama to the public, so he was to interpret to me their
interpretation. The ingenious French gentleman at Calatafimi would,
perhaps, have classified him as an incarnation of the book of the words.

The theatre was already full when we arrived. We had had to buy another
straw hat on the way, to preserve our dignity and incognito; this had
delayed us, and the play had begun, but the audience politely made room
for us in the gallery at the side.

We were in a wood and there was a picturesque, half-naked, wild man on
the stage with loose, brown hair hanging down to his waist; he wore a
short, green skirt trimmed with silver braid, a wreath of pink and white
roses, yellow leather boots and gaiters; a mantle fell from his shoulders
to the ground and made a background of green to his figure. He was
actually, as I afterwards discovered, about thirty inches high and his
roses were as large as real roses, so that his wreath was enormous and
looked very well. Turiddu whispered to me that he was Samson, which made
me inquire whether they were going through the whole Bible this winter,
but he said this was an exceptional evening, after which they would
return to the usual story.

Samson had already killed the lion with a blow of his sinewy right arm;
its body lay in the middle of the stage, and the busy bees were at work
filling its carcase with honey. He observed them, commented upon their
industry, tasted the honey and composed his riddle.

The next scene was the hall of audience in the king's palace. Guards
came in and placed themselves at corners. They were followed by a
paladin in golden armour with short trousers of Scotch plaid made very
full, so that when he stood with his legs together he appeared to be
wearing a kilt. Turiddu and I both took him for a Scotchman and, as I
had seen Ottone and Astolfo d'Inghilterra in the teatrino at Trapani,
there seemed to be no reason why he should not be one. Highlanders, of
course, do not wear trousers, but we supposed that his Sicilian tailor
had had little experience in the cutting of kilts. Whatever he was, he
had an unusually animated appearance, for, by a simple mechanism, he
could open and shut his eyes. Then came a lady, and the knight kissed
her. She was followed by a king and his prime minister, neither of them
very splendid, their robes being apparently dressing-gowns, such as one
might pick up cheap at any se