Page 296 - The Grotesque Children's Book

then, next round there might be as much as fifty soldi put into the hat to tempt me to play yet one
more round.

“Very well, gentlemen,” said Carola, “Those odds are too tempting to pass up. I'll put
two soldi into the 'Tozzo to Win' hat -- but it's all I have!” Carola was very careful to make sure
to “conceal” five additional soldi in such a way that the crowd all saw that there was more
money to be extracted from Carola the next round. But they were content to play for her two
soldi this round, as it was easy money, guaranteed money.

Well, it was the trounce that everyone expected it would be. Tavola scored the first eight
points unchallenged. Tozzo got off a pair of lucky hits at the very end of the round by swinging
his birch rod behind him, but Tavola caught onto this strategy quickly, and commandeered the
final point.

“Game to the challenger. Tavola nine points to two!”

The crowd cheered madly, as Tozzo staggered out of the playing circle, defeated. Carola
observed, no, not staggered. He's finally walking in a nearly straight line! The next round is
mine to win! But it would take all her acting skills in order to extract the most value out of the
next round, and win back not only her two soldi, but Santi and Aurelio's money as well, and then
some, if she could manage it.

“One more. For revenge!” shouted Tozzo. “Back me, Carola!”

That was all the opening she needed. “No, no!” wailed Carola, throwing herself at
Tozzo's chest. “I don't have any more to lose!”

“I'll win this time, I kissh ensh it!” slurped Tozzo.

“I can't, Tozzo. I'm all out of money.”

“No, you're not!” shouted a voice in the crowd. “I saw you had five more soldi.”

“Oh, but they're spoken for. That's my tithe for the church! I can't bet that.”

“Sure you can. If you win, how much more could you give to the church! They'd want
you to try, Carola. You know they would. They love miracles at the church.”

They're begging me to put my money in. I have them just where I want them. “If I put
up my five soldi -- oh, but I can't, I can't!”

“Yes you can! Here, look, I'll put in two myself. We'll all put in two, won't we,
gentlemen?” There was a rush, and suddenly there were forty soldi in the hat.

“N-no,” said Carola, making sure her eyes read as “how I want that money! So tempting!
I could get Santi's money back. His and Aurelio's bets from the first two rounds, my two from
the last round, this five...that would leave...oh, I can't possible do the arithmetic” -- thirty one,
she thought to herself -- “but surely there would be some I could return....”

“Here,” said the second man, “we'll each put in another soldi, won't we?” Another rush.

“How much is in there now, middleman?”

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