carmen-第1节

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Carmen

by　Prosper　Merimee

Translated　by　Lady　Mary　Loyd





CHAPTER　I

I　had　always　suspected　the　geographical　authorities　did　not　know　what　they　were　talking　about　when　they　located　the　battlefield　of　Munda　in　the　county　of　the　Bastuli…Poeni；　close　to　the　modern　Monda；　some　two　leagues　north　of　Marbella。

According　to　my　own　surmise；　founded　on　the　text　of　the　anonymous　author　of　the　/Bellum　Hispaniense/；　and　on　certain　information　culled　from　the　excellent　library　owned　by　the　Duke　of　Ossuna；　I　believed　the　site　of　the　memorable　struggle　in　which　Caesar　played　double　or　quits；　once　and　for　all；　with　the　champions　of　the　Republic；　should　be　sought　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Montilla。

Happening　to　be　in　Andalusia　during　the　autumn　of　1830；　I　made　a　somewhat　lengthy　excursion；　with　the　object　of　clearing　up　certain　doubts　which　still　oppressed　me。　A　paper　which　I　shall　shortly　publish　will；　I　trust；　remove　any　hesitation　that　may　still　exist　in　the　minds　of　all　honest　archaeologists。　But　before　that　dissertation　of　mine　finally　settles　the　geographical　problem　on　the　solution　of　which　the　whole　of　learned　Europe　hangs；　I　desire　to　relate　a　little　tale。　It　will　do　no　prejudice　to　the　interesting　question　of　the　correct　locality　of　Monda。

I　had　hired　a　guide　and　a　couple　of　horses　at　Cordova；　and　had　started　on　my　way　with　no　luggage　save　a　few　shirts；　and　Caesar's　/Commentaries/。　As　I　wandered；　one　day；　across　the　higher　lands　of　the　Cachena　plain；　worn　with　fatigue；　parched　with　thirst；　scorched　by　a　burning　sun；　cursing　Caesar　and　Pompey's　sons　alike；　most　heartily；　my　eye　lighted；　at　some　distance　from　the　path　I　was　following；　on　a　little　stretch　of　green　sward　dotted　with　reeds　and　rushes。　That　betokened　the　neighbourhood　of　some　spring；　and；　indeed；　as　I　drew　nearer　I　perceived　that　what　had　looked　like　sward　was　a　marsh；　into　which　a　stream；　which　seemed　to　issue　from　a　narrow　gorge　between　two　high　spurs　of　the　Sierra　di　Cabra；　ran　and　disappeared。

If　I　rode　up　that　stream；　I　argued；　I　was　likely　to　find　cooler　water；　fewer　leeches　and　frogs；　and　mayhap　a　little　shade　among　the　rocks。

At　the　mouth　of　the　gorge；　my　horse　neighed；　and　another　horse；　invisible　to　me；　neighed　back。　Before　I　had　advanced　a　hundred　paces；　the　gorge　suddenly　widened；　and　I　beheld　a　sort　of　natural　amphitheatre；　thoroughly　shaded　by　the　steep　cliffs　that　lay　all　around　it。　It　was　impossible　to　imagine　any　more　delightful　halting　place　for　a　traveller。　At　the　foot　of　the　precipitous　rocks；　the　stream　bubbled　upward　and　fell　into　a　little　basin；　lined　with　sand　that　was　as　white　as　snow。　Five　or　six　splendid　evergreen　oaks；　sheltered　from　the　wind；　and　cooled　by　the　spring；　grew　beside　the　pool；　and　shaded　it　with　their　thick　foliage。　And　round　about　it　a　close　and　glossy　turf　offered　the　wanderer　a　better　bed　than　he　could　have　found　in　any　hostelry　for　ten　leagues　round。

The　honour　of　discovering　this　fair　spot　did　not　belong　to　me。　A　man　was　resting　there　alreadysleeping；　no　doubtbefore　I　reached　it。　Roused　by　the　neighing　of　the　horses；　he　had　risen　to　his　feet　and　had　moved　over　to　his　mount；　which　had　been　taking　advantage　of　its　master's　slumbers　to　make　a　hearty　feed　on　the　grass　that　grew　around。　He　was　an　active　young　fellow；　of　middle　height；　but　powerful　in　build；　and　proud　and　sullen…looking　in　expression。　His　complexion；　which　may　once　have　been　fine；　had　been　tanned　by　the　sun　till　it　was　darker　than　his　hair。　One　of　his　hands　grasped　his　horse's　halter。　In　the　other　he　held　a　brass　blunderbuss。

At　the　first　blush；　I　confess；　the　blunderbuss；　and　the　savage　looks　of　the　man　who　bore　it；　somewhat　took　me　aback。　But　I　had　heard　so　much　about　robbers；　that；　never　seeing　any；　I　had　ceased　to　believe　in　their　existence。　And　further；　I　had　seen　so　many　honest　farmers　arm　themselves　to　the　teeth　before　they　went　out　to　market；　that　the　sight　of　firearms　gave　me　no　warrant　for　doubting　the　character　of　any　stranger。　〃And　then；〃　quoth　I　to　myself；　〃what　could　he　do　with　my　shirts　and　my　Elzevir　edition　of　Caesar's　/Commentaries/？〃　So　I　bestowed　a　friendly　nod　on　the　man　with　the　blunderbuss；　and　inquired；　with　a　smile；　whether　I　had　disturbed　his　nap。　Without　any　answer；　he　looked　me　over　from　head　to　foot。　Then；　as　if　the　scrutiny　had　satisfied　him；　he　looked　as　closely　at　my　guide；　who　was　just　coming　up。　I　saw　the　guide　turn　pale；　and　pull　up　with　an　air　of　evident　alarm。　〃An　unlucky　meeting！〃　thought　I　to　myself。　But　prudence　instantly　counselled　me　not　to　let　any　symptom　of　anxiety　escape　me。　So　I　dismounted。　I　told　the　guide　to　take　off　the　horses'　bridles；　and　kneeling　down　beside　the　spring；　I　laved　my　head　and　hands　and　then　drank　a　long　draught；　lying　flat　on　my　belly；　like　Gideon's　soldiers。

Meanwhile；　I　watched　the　stranger；　and　my　own　guide。　This　last　seemed　to　come　forward　unwillingly。　But　the　other　did　not　appear　to　have　any　evil　designs　upon　us。　For　he　had　turned　his　horse　loose；　and　the　blunderbuss；　which　he　had　been　holding　horizontally；　was　now　dropped　earthward。

Not　thinking　it　necessary　to　take　offence　at　the　scant　attention　paid　me；　I　stretched　myself　full　length　upon　the　grass；　and　calmly　asked　the　owner　of　the　blunderbuss　whether　he　had　a　light　about　him。　At　the　same　time　I　pulled　out　my　cigar…case。　The　stranger；　still　without　opening　his　lips；　took　out　his　flint；　and　lost　no　time　in　getting　me　a　light。　He　was　evidently　growing　tamer；　for　he　sat　down　opposite　to　me；　though　he　still　grasped　his　weapon。　When　I　had　lighted　my　cigar；　I　chose　out　the　best　I　had　left；　and　asked　him　whether　he　smoked。

〃Yes；　senor；〃　he　replied。　These　were　the　first　words　I　had　heard　him　speak；　and　I　noticed　that　he　did　not　pronounce　the　letter　/s/*　in　the　Andalusian　fashion；　whence　I　concluded　he　was　a　traveller；　like　myself；　though；　maybe；　somewhat　less　of　an　archaeologist。

*　　　The　Andalusians　aspirate　the　/s/；　and　pronounce　it　like　the　soft　　　　　/c/　and　the　/z/；　which　Spaniards　pronounce　like　the　English　/th/。　　　　　An　Andalusian　may　always　be　recognised　by　the　way　in　which　he　says　　　　　/senor/。

〃You'll　find　this　a　fairly　good　one；〃　said　I；　holding　out　a　real　Havana　regalia。

He　bowed　his　head　slightly；　lighted　his　cigar　at　mine；　thanked　me　with　another　nod；　and　began　to　smoke　with　a　most　lively　appearance　of　enjoyment。

〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　blew　his　first　puff　of　smoke　slowly　out　of　his　ears　and　nostrils。　〃What　a　time　it　is　since　I've　had　a　smoke！〃

In　Spain　the　giving　and　accepting　of　a　cigar　establishes　bonds　of　hospitality　similar　to　those　founded　in　Eastern　countries　on　the　partaking　of　bread　and　salt。　My　friend　turned　out　more　talkative　than　I　had　hoped。　However；　though　he　claimed　to　belong　to　the　/partido/　of　Montilla；　he　seemed　very　ill…informed　about　the　country。　He　did　not　know　the　name　of　the　delightful　valley　in　which　we　were　sitting；　he　could　not　tell　me　the　names　of　any　of　the　neighbouring　villages；　and　when　I　inquired　whether　he　had　not　noticed　any　broken…down　walls；　broad…rimmed　tiles；　or　carved　stones　in　the　vicinity；　he　confessed　he　had　never　paid　any　heed　to　such　matters。　On　the　other　hand；　he　showed　himself　an　expert　in　horseflesh；　found　fault　with　my　mountnot　a　difficult　affairand　gave　me　a　pedigree　of　his　own；　which　had　come　from　the　famous　stud　at　Cordova。　It　was　a　splendid　creature；　indeed；　so　tough；　according　to　its　owner's　claim；　that　it　had　once　covered　thirty　leagues　in　one　day；　either　at　the　gallop　or　at　full　trot　the　whole　time。　In　the　midst　of　his　story　the　stranger　pulled　up　short；　as　if　startled　and　sorry　he　had　said　so　much。　〃The　fact　is　I　was　in　a　great　hurry　to　get　to　Cordova；〃　he　went　on；　somewhat　embarrassed。　〃I　had　to　petition　the　judges　about　a　lawsuit。〃　As　he　spoke；　he　looked　at　my　guide　Antonio；　who　had　dropped　his　eyes。

The　spring　and　the　cool　shade　were　so　delightful　that　I　bethought　me　of　certain　slices　of　an　excellent　ham；　which　my　friends　at　Montilla　had　packed　into　my　guide's　wallet。　I　bade　him　produce　them；　and　invited　the　stranger　to　share　our　impromptu　lunch。　If　he　had　not　smoked　for　a　long　time；　he　certainly　struck　me　as　having　fasted　for　eight…and…forty　hours　at　the　very　least。　He　ate　like　a　starving　wolf；　and　I　thought　to　myself　that　my　appearance　must　really　have　been　quite　providential　for　the　poor　fellow。　Meanwhile　my　guide　ate　but　little；　drank　still　less；　and　spoke　never　a　word；　although　in　the　earlier　part　of　our　journey　he　had　proved　himself　a　most　unrivalled　chatterer。　He　seemed　ill　at　ease　in　the　presence　of　our　guest；　and　a　sort　of　mutual　distrust；　the　cause　of　which　I　could　not　exactly　fathom；　seemed　to　be　between　them。

The　last　crumbs　of　bread　and　scraps　of　ham　had　disappeared。　We　had　each　smoked　our　second　cigar；　I　told　the　guide　to　bridle　the　horses；　and　was　just　about　to　take　leave　of　my　new　friend；　when　he　inquired　where　I　was　going　to　spend　the　night。

Before　I　had　time　to　notice　a　sign　my　guide　was　making　to　me　I　had　replied　that　I　was　going　to　the　Venta　del　Cuervo。

〃That's　a　bad　lodging　for　a　gentleman　like　you；　sir！　I'm　bound　there　myself；　and　if　you'll　allow　me　to　ride　with　you；　we'll　go　together。〃

〃With　pleasure！〃　I　replied；　mounting　my　horse。　The　guide；　who　was　holding　my　stirrup；　looked　at　me　meaningly　aga