按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃 'Yes；' he answered； looking hard at me。
〃And as there was something strange about me； he tried to make me talk。
〃 'It seems to me that I have seen you somewhere；' said he。
〃I laid a piastre on his bench。
〃 'When shall you say the mass？' said I。
〃 'In half an hour。 The son of the innkeeper yonder is coming to serve it。 Tell me； young man； haven't you something on your conscience that is tormenting you？ Will you listen to a Christian's counsel？'
〃I could hardly restrain my tears。 I told him I would come back； and hurried away。 I went and lay down on the grass until I heard the bell。 Then I went back to the chapel； but I stayed outside it。 When he had said the mass； I went back to the /venta/。 I was hoping Carmen would have fled。 She could have taken my horse and ridden away。 But I found her there still。 She did not choose that any one should say I had frightened her。 While I had been away she had unfastened the hem of her gown and taken out the lead that weighted it； and now she was sitting before a table； looking into a bowl of water into which she had just thrown the lead she had melted。 She was so busy with her spells that at first she didn't notice my return。 Sometimes she would take out a bit of lead and turn it round every way with a melancholy look。 Sometimes she would sing one of those magic songs； which invoke the help of Maria Padella； Don Pedro's mistress； who is said to have been the /Bari Crallisa/the great gipsy queen。*
* Maria Padella was accused of having bewitched Don Pedro。 According to one popular tradition she presented Queen Blanche of Bourbon with a golden girdle which； in the eyes of the bewitched king； took on the appearance of a living snake。 Hence the repugnance he always showed toward the unhappy princess。
〃 'Carmen；' I said to her； 'will you come with me？' She rose； threw away her wooden bowl； and put her mantilla over her head ready to start。 My horse was led up； she mounted behind me； and we rode away。
〃After we had gone a little distance I said to her； 'So； my Carmen； you are quite ready to follow me； isn't that so？'
〃She answered； 'Yes； I'll follow you； even to deathbut I won't live with you any more。'
〃We had reached a lonely gorge。 I stopped my horse。
〃 'Is this the place？' she said。
〃And with a spring she reached the ground。 She took off her mantilla and threw it at her feet； and stood motionless； with one hand on her hip； looking at me steadily。
〃 'You mean to kill me； I see that well；' said she。 'It is fate。 But you'll never make me give in。'
〃I said to her： 'Be rational； I implore you； listen to me。 All the past is forgotten。 Yet you know it is you who have been my ruinit is because of you that I am a robber and a murderer。 Carmen； my Carmen； let me save you； and save myself with you。'
〃 'Jose；' she answered； 'what you ask is impossible。 I don't love you any more。 You love me still； and that is why you want to kill me。 If I liked； I might tell you some other lie； but I don't choose to give myself the trouble。 Everything is over between us two。 You are my /rom/； and you have the right to kill your /romi/； but Carmen will always be free。 A /calli/ she was born； and a /calli/ she'll die。'
〃 'Then； you love Lucas？' I asked。
〃 'Yes； I have loved himas I loved youfor an instantless than I loved you； perhaps。 But now I don't love anything； and I hate myself for ever having loved you。'
〃I cast myself at her feet； I seized her hands； I watered them with my tears； I reminded her of all the happy moments we had spent together； I offered to continue my brigand's life； if that would please her。 Everything； sir； everythingI offered her everything if she would only love me again。
〃She said：
〃 'Love you again？ That's not possible！ Live with you？ I will not do it！'
〃I was wild with fury。 I drew my knife； I would have had her look frightened； and sue for mercybut that woman was a demon。
〃I cried； 'For the last time I ask you。 Will you stay with me？'
〃 'No！ no！ no！' she said； and she stamped her foot。
〃Then she pulled a ring I had given her off her finger； and cast it into the brushwood。
〃I struck her twice overI had taken Garcia's knife； because I had broken my own。 At the second thrust she fell without a sound。 It seems to me that I can still see her great black eyes staring at me。 Then they grew dim and the lids closed。
〃For a good hour I lay there prostrate beside her corpse。 Then I recollected that Carmen had often told me that she would like to lie buried in a wood。 I dug a grave for her with my knife and laid her in it。 I hunted about a long time for her ring； and I found it at last。 I put it into the grave beside her； with a little crossperhaps I did wrong。 Then I got upon my horse； galloped to Cordova； and gave myself up at the nearest guard…room。 I told them I had killed Carmen； but I would not tell them where her body was。 That hermit was a holy man！ He prayed for herhe said a mass for her soul。 Poor child！ It's the /calle/ who are to blame for having brought her up as they did。〃
CHAPTER IV
Spain is one of the countries in which those nomads； scattered all over Europe； and known as Bohemians； Gitanas； Gipsies； Ziegeuner； and so forth； are now to be found in the greatest numbers。 Most of these people live； or rather wander hither and thither； in the southern and eastern provinces of Spain； in Andalusia； and Estramadura； in the kingdom of Murcia。 There are a great many of them in Catalonia。 These last frequently cross over into France and are to be seen at all our southern fairs。 The men generally call themselves grooms； horse doctors； mule…clippers； to these trades they add the mending of saucepans and brass utensils； not to mention smuggling and other illicit practices。 The women tell fortunes； beg； and sell all sorts of drugs； some of which are innocent； while some are not。 The physical characteristics of the gipsies are more easily distinguished then described； and when you have known one； you should be able to recognise a member of the race among a thousand other men。 It is by their physiognomy and expression； especially； that they differ from the other inhabitants of the same country。 Their complexion is exceedingly swarthy； always darker than that of the race among whom they live。 Hence the name of /cale/ （blacks） which they frequently apply to themselves。* Their eyes； set with a decided slant； are large； very black； and shaded by long and heavy lashes。 Their glance can only be compared to that of a wild creature。 It is full at once of boldness and shyness； and in this respect their eyes are a fair indication of their national character； which is cunning； bold； but with 〃the natural fear of blows；〃 like Panurge。 Most of the men are strapping fellows； slight and active。 I don't think I ever saw a gipsy who had grown fat。 In Germany the gipsy women are often very pretty； but beauty is very uncommon among the Spanish gitanas。 When very young； they may pass as being attractive in their ugliness； but once they have reached motherhood； they become absolutely repulsive。 The filthiness of both sexes is incredible； and no one who has not seen a gipsy matron's hair can form any conception of what it is； not even if he conjures up the roughest； the greasiest； and the dustiest heads imaginable。 In some of the large Andalusian towns certain of the gipsy girls； somewhat better looking than their fellows； will take more care of their personal appearance。 These go out and earn money by performing dances strongly resembling those forbidden at our public balls in carnival time。 An English missionary； Mr。 Borrow； the author of two very interesting works on the Spanish gipsies； whom he undertook to convert on behalf of the Bible Society； declares there is no instance of any gitana showing the smallest weakness for a man not belonging to her own race。 The praise he bestows upon their chastity strikes me as being exceedingly exaggerated。 In the first place； the great majority are in the position of the ugly woman described by Ovid； 〃/Casta quam nemo rogavit/。〃 As for the pretty ones； they are； like all Spanish women； very fastidious in choosing their lovers。 Their fancy must be taken； and their favour must be earned。 Mr。 Borrow quotes； in proof of their virtue； one trait which does honour to his own； and especially to his simplicity： he declares that an immoral man of his acquaintance offered several gold ounces to a pretty gitana； and offered them in vain。 An Andalusian； to whom I retailed this anecdote； asserted that the immoral man in question would have been far more successful if he had shown the girl two or three piastres； and that to offer gold ounces to a gipsy was as poor a method of persuasion as to promise a couple of millions to a tavern wench。 However that may be； it is certain that the gitana shows the most extraordinary devotion to her husband。 There is no danger and no suffering she will not brave； to help him in his need。 One of the names which the gipsies apply to themselves； /Rome/； or 〃the married couple；〃 seems to me a proof of their racial respect for the married state。 Speaking generally； it may be asserted that their chief virtue is their patriotismif we may thus describe the fidelity they obs