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"Jammo, jammo; jammo, jammo ja," sang the loud, hoarse voices; then a tremendous scrape and twang, and the yelled-out burden, "Funiculi, funicula; funiculi, funicula; jammo, jammo, jammo, jammo, jammo ja."
He gave those well-known street-ballads which one hears everywhere in Italy, especially in Naples: "Addio mia bella Napoli," "Funiculi Funicula," "L'altro ieri a Piedigrotta," "Margherita di Parete era sarta delle signore," and also more serious songs, such as the languishing "Ogni sera di sotto all' mio balcone sento cantar una canzon d' amore."
Sing me something sing La Camesella or Funiculi, funicula no matter what, provided you make a row;" and as they screamed and scraped their utmost, I added, "But can't you sing louder, d n you! sing louder, do you understand?" I felt the need of noise, of yells and false notes, of something vulgar and hideous to drive away that ghost-voice which was haunting me.
A broad silver green patch of moonlight lay on the dark water, dwindling into a string of dancing gold pieces. Adown the canal the black gondolas clustered round a barca lighted by gaily colored lanterns, whence the music came. Funiculi, Funicula it seemed to dance with the very spirit of joyousness. He saw a young couple holding hands.
Her imagination was almost furiously alive, and as the Padrone talked, waving his hands and striking postures like those of a military dictator, she saw the dead Empress, with her fan before her face, nodding her head to the jig of "Funiculi, funicula," while she watched the red cloud from Vesuvius rising into the starry sky; she saw Sarah Bernhardt taking the Greek cat upon her knee; the newly made Czar reading the telegram with his glass of punch beside him; Tosti tracing lines of music; Gladstone watching the sea; and finally the gaunt figure and the long beard of Tolstoy bending over the book in which he wrote clearly so many years ago, "Vedi Napoli e poi mori."
We swam round the Castello until we were opposite your windows, and sang 'Funiculi, funicula! in the water, to serenade you. Why didn't you hear us? Papa has a splendid voice, almost like Tamagno's in the gramophone, when he sings the 'Addio' from 'Otello. Of course we kept a little out at sea. Papa is so easily recognized by his red mustaches. But still you might have heard us." "I did."
When the conversation lagged, which it did when Cleofonte grew weary, Hermia brought forth her orchestre and played for them; first the tunes she had practiced and afterward, as she gained new confidence in their appreciation, "Santa Lucia" and "Funiculi, funicula," to which Cleofonte, who had a soul for concord, roared a fine basso.
"Funiculi funicula Vincente y Blasco Ibanez vermicelli sul campo della gloria risotto!" said the second waiter clinchingly, and scored a technical knockout. Bruce Carmyle gave it up, and lit a moody cigarette. He was oppressed by that feeling which so many of us have felt in our time, that it was all wrong. The music stopped.
The Macaroni a l'Imperatrice had been the favorite plat of the dead Empress Elizabeth of Austria, who used to visit Frisio's day after day, and who always demanded two things an eruption of Vesuvius and "Funiculi, funicula!"
Please give the musicians this!" She put five shillings into his hand. "And ask them to play the Sicilian Pastorale, and 'A Mezzanotte, and the Barcarola di Sorrento, and not to play 'Funiculi, Funicula. Do you mind?" "Of course not! But do let me " "No, no! This is my little treat to Lady Sellingworth. She has never been here before."
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