Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

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MILITARY LIFE.
who played very well too !
"
the receiver once said to him.
"There is a little air," he added one day, "which he always
sang ... an air ... wait ; ah, how divinely he sang
it ! It began ... he composed it himself, you know ; it
began :
" 'Cannela, ai tuoi ginocchi
Placidamente assiso,
Guardandoti negli ocelli
Baciandoti nel viso
Trascorrero i miei di.
" ' L* ultimo di, nel seno
II volto scolorito
Ti celer6, sereno
Come un fanciul sopito,
E morir6 cosi."'
Carmela, at thy dainty feet
Content I find a resting-place ;
While gazing in thine eyes so sweet.
And kissing oft thy beauteous face,
My days will thus glide swiftly by.
The last day, upon thy breast
My pale brow I '11
lay and keep,
Sinking quietly to rest
Like a child that 's lulled to sleep ;
And so I* 11 gladly die.
" Say
it over again." The receiver repeated it. "
Sing it."
And he did so.
Another day, after having talked at length with the tobacconist,
who had a shop next his house, he went to the marshal of
the carabineers, and said to him :
"
Marshal, they tell me that
you are an excellent fencer." "
I, oh, heavens ! it 's two years
since I have had a foil in my hand."
" Would you like to
exchange a few thrusts with me, from time to time " ? " Oh,