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〃 'My spark！' said she。 'Why； you've guessed that all alone！ Are you jealous of this idiot？ You're even sillier than you were before our evening in the /Calle del Candilejo/！ Don't you see； fool； that at this moment I'm doing gipsy business； and doing it in the most brilliant manner？ This house belongs to methe guineas of that crayfish will belong to me！ I lead him by the nose； and I'll lead him to a place that he'll never get out of！'
〃 'And if I catch you doing any gipsy business in this style again； I'll see to it that you never do any again！' said I。
〃 'Ah！ upon my word！ Are you my /rom/； pray that you give me orders？ If /El Tuerto/ is pleased； what have you to do with it？ Oughtn't you to be very happy that you are the only man who can call himself my /minchorro/？'*
* My 〃lover；〃 or rather my 〃fancy。〃
〃 'What does he say？' inquired the Englishman。
〃 'He says he's thirsty； and would like a drink；' answered Carmen； and she threw herself back upon a sofa； screaming with laughter at her own translation。
〃When that girl begins to laugh； sir； it was hopeless for anybody to try and talk sense。 Everybody laughed with her。 The big Englishman began to laugh too； like the idiot he was； and ordered the servant to bring me something to drink。
〃While I was drinking she said to me：
〃 'Do you see that ring he has on his finger？ If you like I'll give it to you。'
〃And I answered：
〃 'I would give one of my fingers to have your /milord/ out on the mountains； and each of us with a /maquila/ in his fist。'
〃 '/Maquila/； what does that mean？' asked the Englishman。
〃 'Maquila；' said Carmen； still laughing； 'means an orange。 Isn't it a queer word for an orange？ He says he'd like you to eat /maquila/。'
〃 'Does he？' said the Englishman。 'Very well； bring more /maquila/ to…morrow。'
〃While we were talking a servant came in and said dinner was ready。 Then the Englishman stood up； gave me a piastre； and offered his arm to Carmen； as if she couldn't have walked alone。 Carmen； who was still laughing； said to me：
〃 'My boy； I can't ask you to dinner。 But to…morrow； as soon as you hear the drums beat for parade； come here with your oranges。 You'll find a better furnished room than the one in the /Calle del Candilejo/； and you'll see whether I am still your /Carmencita/。 Then afterwards we'll talk about gipsy business。'
〃I gave her no answereven when I was in the street I could hear the Englishman shouting； 'Bring more /maquila/ to…morrow；' and Carmen's peals of laughter。
〃I went out； not knowing what I should do； I hardly slept； and next morning I was so enraged with the treacherous creature that I made up my mind to leave Gibraltar without seeing her again。 But the moment the drums began to roll； my courage failed me。 I took up my net full of oranges； and hurried off to Carmen's house。 Her window…shutters had been pulled apart a little； and I saw her great dark eyes watching for me。 The powdered servant showed me in at once。 Carmen sent him out with a message； and as soon as we were alone she burst into one of her fits of crocodile laughter and threw her arms around my neck。 Never had I seen her look so beautiful。 She was dressed out like a queen； and scented； she had silken furniture； embroidered curtainsand I togged out like the thief I was！
〃 '/Minchorro/；' said Carmen； 'I've a good mind to smash up everything here； set fire to the house； and take myself off to the mountains。' And then she would fondle me； and then she would laugh； and she danced about and tore up her fripperies。 Never did monkey gambol nor make such faces； nor play such wild tricks； as she did that day。 When she had recovered her gravity
〃 'Hark！' she said； 'this is gipsy business。 I mean him to take me to Ronda； where I have a sister who is a nun' （here she shrieked with laughter again）。 'We shall pass by a particular spot which I shall make known to you。 Then you must fall upon him and strip him to the skin。 Your best plan would be to do for him； but；' she added； with a certain fiendish smile of hers； which no one who saw it ever had any desire to imitate； 'do you know what you had better do？ Let /El Tuerto/ come up in front of you。 You keep a little behind。 The crayfish is brave； and skilful too； and he has good pistols。 Do you understand？'
〃And she broke off with another fit of laughter that made me shiver。
〃 'No；' said I； 'I hate Garcia； but he's my comrade。 Some day； maybe； I'll rid you of him； but we'll settle our account after the fashion of my country。 It's only chance that has made me a gipsy； and in certain things I shall always be a thorough Navarrese；* as the proverb says。
* /Navarro fino/。
〃 'You're a fool；' she rejoined； 'a simpleton； a regular /payllo/。 You're just like the dwarf who thinks himself tall because he can spit a long way。* You don't love me！ Be off with you！'
* /Or esorjle de or marsichisle； sin chisnar lachinguel/。 〃The promise of a dwarf is that he will spit a long way。〃A gipsy proverb。
〃Whenever she said to me 'Be off with you；〃 I couldn't go away。 I promised I would start back to my comrades and wait the arrival of the Englishman。 She； on her side； promised she would be ill until she left Gibraltar for Ronda。
〃I remained at Gibraltar two days longer。 She had the boldness to disguise herself and come and see me at the inn。 I departed； I had a plan of my own。 I went back to our meeting…place with the information as to the spot and the hour at which the Englishman and Carmen were to pass by。 I found /El Dancaire/ and Garcia waiting for me。 We spent the night in a wood； beside a fire made of pine…cones that blazed splendidly。 I suggested to Garcia that we should play cards； and he agreed。 In the second game I told him he was cheating； he began to laugh； I threw the cards in his face。 He tried to get at his blunderbuss。 I set my foot on it； and said； 'They say you can use a knife as well as the best ruffian in Malaga； will you try it with me？' /El Dancaire/ tried to part us。 I had given Garcia one or two cuffs； his rage had given him courage； he drew his knife； and I drew mine。 We both of us told /El Dancaire/ he must leave us alone； and let us fight it out。 He saw there was no means of stopping us； so he stood on one side。 Garcia was already bent double； like a cat ready to spring upon a mouse。 He held his hat in his left hand to parry with； and his knife in front of himthat's their Andalusian guard。 I stood up in the Navarrese fashion； with my left arm raised； my left leg forward； and my knife held straight along my right thigh。 I felt I was stronger than any giant。 He flew at me like an arrow。 I turned round on my left foot； so that he found nothing in front of him。 But I thrust him in the throat； and the knife went in so far that my hand was under his chin。 I gave the blade such a twist that it broke。 That was the end。 The blade was carried out of the wound by a gush of blood as thick as my arm； and he fell full length on his face。
〃 'What have you done？' said /El Dancaire/ to me。
〃 'Hark ye；' said I； 'we couldn't live on together。 I love Carmen and I mean to be the only one。 And besides； Garcia was a villain。 I remember what he did to that poor /Remendado/。 There are only two of us left now； but we are both good fellows。 Come； will you have me for your friend； for life or death？'
〃/El Dancaire/ stretched out his hand。 He was a man of fifty。
〃 'Devil take these love stories！' he cried。 'If you'd asked him for Carmen he'd have sold her to you for a piastre！ There are only two of us nowhow shall we manage for to…morrow？'
〃 'I'll manage it all alone；' I answered。 'I can snap my fingers at the whole world now。'
〃We buried Garcia； and we moved our camp two hundred paces farther on。 The next morning Carmen and her Englishman came along with two muleteers and a servant。 I said to /El Dancaire/：
〃 'I'll look after the Englishman； you frighten the othersthey're not armed！'
〃The Englishman was a plucky fellow。 He'd have killed me if Carmen hadn't jogged his elbow。
〃To put it shortly； I won Carmen back that day； and my first words were to tell her she was a widow。
〃When she knew how it had all happened
〃 'You'll always be a /lillipendi/；' she said。 'Garcia ought to have killed you。 Your Navarrese guard is a pack of nonsense； and he has sent far more skilful men than you into the darkness。 It was just that his time had comeand yours will come too。'
〃 'Ay； and yours too！if you're not a faithful /romi/ to me。'
〃 'So be it；' said she。 'I've read in the coffee grounds； more than once； that you and I were to end our lives together。 Pshaw！ what must be； will be！' and she rattled her castanets； as was her way when she wanted to drive away some worrying thought。
〃One runs on when one is talking about one's self。 I dare say all these details bore you； but I shall soon be at the end of my story。 Our new life lasted for some considerable time。 /El Dancaire/ and I gathered a few comrades about us； who were more trustworthy than our earlier ones； and we turned our attention to smuggling。 Occasionally； indeed； I must confess we stopped travellers on the highways； but never unless we were at the last extremity； and could not avoid doing so； and besides； we nev