This will serve at least as a specimen of the games of chance played by the Romans at cards. Of the more innocent games, _Briscola_, _Tresette_, and _Scaraccoccia_ are the favorites among the common people. And the first of these may not be uninteresting, as being, perhaps, the most popular of all. It is played by either two or four persons. The _Fante_ (or Knave) counts as two; the _Carallo_ (equal to our Queen) as three; the _Rè_ (King) as four; the Three-spot as ten; and the Ace as eleven. Three cards are dealt to each person, and after the deal the next card is turned as trump, or _Briscola_. Each plays, and, after one card all round is played, its place is supplied by a new deal of one card to each. Every card of the trump-suit takes any card of the other suits. Each player takes as many counting-cards as he can, and, at the end of the game, he who counts the most wins,--the account being made according to the value of the cards, as stated above.
[A] See Dessault, _Traité de la Passion du Jeu_.
[B] Even while I am writing these notes, I find almost the same incident recorded as a "modern instance," in a recent work by Lieutenant-Colonel Addison, entitled _Traits and Stories of Anglo-Indian Life_; but, despite the authority of Colonel Addison, I cannot but suspect that he has simply changed the _venue_, and that his story is but a _rifacimento_ of the actual case alluded to above.
Papa made Mr. Dudley stay and dine, and of course we were almost bored to death, when in came Rose again, stealing behind Lu's chair and showering her in the twilight with a rain of May-flowers.
"Now you'll have to gather them again," he said.
"Oh, how exquisite! how delicious! how I thank you!" she exclaimed, without disturbing one, however.
"You won't touch them again? Then I must," he added.
"No! no! Mr. Rose!" I cried. "I'll pick them up and take toll."
"Don't touch them!" said Lu, "they're so sweet!"
"Yes," he murmured lower, "they're like you. I always said so, you remember."
"Oh, yes! and every May-day but the last you have brought them to me."
"Have you the trailing-arbutus there?" asked Mr. Dudley.
"I thought I detected strawberries," submitted the other,--"a pleasant odor which recalls childhood to memory."