Many women of the lower class
were in the crowd of bystanders; generally broad and sturdy figures, clad
evidently in their best attire, and wearing a good many ornaments; such
as gold or coral beads and necklaces, combs of silver or gold, heavy
ear-rings, curiously wrought brooches, perhaps cameos or mosaics, though
I think they prefer purely metallic work to these. One ornament very
common among them is a large bodkin, which they stick through their hair.
It is usually of silver, but sometimes it looks like steel, and is made
in the shape of a sword,--a long Spanish thrusting sword, for example.
Dr. Franco told us a story of a woman of Trastevere, who was addressed
rudely at the Carnival by a gentleman; she warned him to desist, but as
he still persisted, she drew the bodkin from her hair, and stabbed him to
the heart.
By and by I went to Mr. Motley's balcony, and looked down on the closing
scenes of the Carnival. Methought the merry-makers labored harder to be
mirthful, and yet were somewhat tired of their eight play-days; and their
dresses looked a little shabby, rumpled, and draggled; but the lack of
sunshine--which we have had on all the preceding days--may have produced
this effect.
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