So he let the wreaths lie where they were, and almost forgot them, as
the carriage immediately turned into a part of the road whose varied
and here and there grotesque scenes led him aside from his former
thoughts. On the right, at a distance of about five hundred paces, was
a board fence, above which could be seen all sorts of booths,
pavilions, and doorways decorated with lamps, and all covered with a
wealth of inscriptions. Most of these were of rather recent, or even
extremely recent, date, but a few of the biggest and brightest dated
further back, and, although in a weather-beaten state, they had lasted
over from the previous year. Among these pleasure resorts, and
alternating with them, various artisans had set up their workshops,
especially sculptors and stone cutters, who mostly exhibited crosses,
pillars, and obelisks hereabouts, because of the numerous cemeteries.
All this could not fail to strike whoever passed this way, and
Rienaecker too was strangely impressed, as he read from the cab, with
growing curiosity, the endless and strongly contrasted announcements
and looked at the accompanying pictures. "Fraeulein Rosella, the living
wonder maiden"; "Crosses and Gravestones at the Lowest Prices"; "Quick
Photography, American Style"; "Russian Ball throwing, six shots for
tern pfennig"; "Swedish Punch with Waffles"; "Figaro's Finest
Opportunity, or the First Hairdressing Parlor in the World"; "Crosses
and Gravestones at the Lowest Prices"; "Swiss Shooting Gallery":
"Shoot right quick and shoot right well,
Shoot and hit like William Tell."
And beneath this Tell himself with his son, his cross bow and the
apple.
Finally the cab reached the end of the long board fence and at this
point the road made a sharp turn toward the wood and now, breaking the
stillness of noon, the rattle of guns could be heard from the shooting
stands. Otherwise everything was much the same on this continuation of
the street: Blondin, clad only in his tights and his medals, was
balancing on the tightrope, with fireworks flashing around him, while
near him various small placards announced balloon ascensions as well as
the pleasures of the dance. One read: "A Sicilian Night. At two o'clock
Vienna Bonbon Waltzes."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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