carmen-第10节

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；　cut　a　pitiful　figure　at　once。　There　was　a　general　rout。　/El　Dancaire/；　Garcia；　a　good…looking　fellow　from　Ecija；　who　was　called　/El　Remendado/；　and　Carmen　herself；　kept　their　wits　about　them。　The　rest　forsook　the　mules　and　took　to　the　gorges；　where　the　horses　could　not　follow　them。　There　was　no　hope　of　saving　the　mules；　so　we　hastily　unstrapped　the　best　part　of　our　booty；　and　taking　it　on　our　shoulders；　we　tried　to　escape　through　the　rocks　down　the　steepest　of　the　slopes。　We　threw　our　packs　down　in　front　of　us　and　followed　them　as　best　we　could；　slipping　along　on　our　heels。　Meanwhile　the　enemy　fired　at　us。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　ever　heard　bullets　whistling　around　me　and　I　didn't　mind　it　very　much。　When　there's　a　woman　looking　on；　there's　no　particular　merit　in　snapping　one's　fingers　at　death。　We　all　escaped　except　the　poor　/Remendado/；　who　received　a　bullet　wound　in　the　loins。　I　threw　away　my　pack　and　tried　to　lift　him　up。

〃　'Idiot！'　shouted　Garcia；　'what　do　we　want　with　offal！　Finish　him　off；　and　don't　lose　the　cotton　stockings！'

〃　'Drop　him！'　cried　Carmen。

〃I　was　so　exhausted　that　I　was　obliged　to　lay　him　down　for　a　moment　under　a　rock。　Garcia　came　up；　and　fired　his　blunderbuss　full　into　his　face。　'He'd　be　a　clever　fellow　who　recognised　him　now！'　said　he；　as　he　looked　at　the　face；　cut　to　pieces　by　a　dozen　slugs。

〃There；　sir；　that's　the　delightful　sort　of　life　I've　led！　That　night　we　found　ourselves　in　a　thicket；　worn　out　with　fatigue；　with　nothing　to　eat；　and　ruined　by　the　loss　of　our　mules。　What　do　you　think　that　devil　Garcia　did？　He　pulled　a　pack　of　cards　out　of　his　pocket　and　began　playing　games　with　/El　Dancaire/　by　the　light　of　a　fire　they　kindled。　Meanwhile　I　was　lying　down；　staring　at　the　stars；　thinking　of　/El　Remendado/；　and　telling　myself　I　would　just　as　lief　be　in　his　place。　Carmen　was　squatting　down　near　me；　and　every　now　and　then　she　would　rattle　her　castanets　and　hum　a　tune。　Then；　drawing　close　to　me；　as　if　she　would　have　whispered　in　my　ear；　she　kissed　me　two　or　three　times　over　almost　against　my　will。

〃　'You　are　a　devil；'　said　I　to　her。

〃　'Yes；'　she　replied。

〃After　a　few　hours'　rest；　she　departed　to　Gaucin；　and　the　next　morning　a　little　goatherd　brought　us　some　food。　We　stayed　there　all　that　day；　and　in　the　evening　we　moved　close　to　Gaucin。　We　were　expecting　news　from　Carmen；　but　none　came。　After　daylight　broke　we　saw　a　muleteer　attending　a　well…dressed　woman　with　a　parasol；　and　a　little　girl　who　seemed　to　be　her　servant。　Said　Garcia；　'There　go　two　mules　and　two　women　whom　St。　Nicholas　has　sent　us。　I　would　rather　have　had　four　mules；　but　no　matter。　I'll　do　the　best　I　can　with　these。'

〃He　took　his　blunderbuss；　and　went　down　the　pathway；　hiding　himself　among　the　brushwood。

〃We　followed　him；　/El　Dancaire/　and　I　keeping　a　little　way　behind。　As　soon　as　the　woman　saw　us；　instead　of　being　frightenedand　our　dress　would　have　been　enough　to　frighten　any　oneshe　burst　into　a　fit　of　loud　laughter。　'Ah！　the　/lillipendi/！　They　take　me　for　an　/erani/！'*

*　　　〃The　idiots；　they　take　me　for　a　smart　lady！〃

〃It　was　Carmen；　but　so　well　disguised　that　if　she　had　spoken　any　other　language　I　should　never　have　recognised　her。　She　sprang　off　her　mule；　and　talked　some　time　in　an　undertone　with　/El　Dancaire/　and　Garcia。　Then　she　said　to　me：

〃　'Canary…bird；　we　shall　meet　again　before　you're　hanged。　I'm　off　to　Gibraltar　on　gipsy　businessyou'll　soon　have　news　of　me。'

〃We　parted；　after　she　had　told　us　of　a　place　where　we　should　find　shelter　for　some　days。　That　girl　was　the　providence　of　our　gang。　We　soon　received　some　money　sent　by　her；　and　a　piece　of　news　which　was　still　more　useful　to　usto　the　effect　that　on　a　certain　day　two　English　lords　would　travel　from　Gibraltar　to　Granada　by　a　road　she　mentioned。　This　was　a　word　to　the　wise。　They　had　plenty　of　good　guineas。　Garcia　would　have　killed　them；　but　/El　Dancaire/　and　I　objected。　All　we　took　from　them；　besides　their　shirts；　which　we　greatly　needed；　was　their　money　and　their　watches。

〃Sir；　a　man　may　turn　rogue　in　sheer　thoughtlessness。　You　lose　your　head　over　a　pretty　girl；　you　fight　another　man　about　her；　there　is　a　catastrophe；　you　have　to　take　to　the　mountains；　and　you　turn　from　a　smuggler　into　a　robber　before　you　have　time　to　think　about　it。　After　this　matter　of　the　English　lords；　we　concluded　that　the　neighbourhood　of　Gibraltar　would　not　be　healthy　for　us；　and　we　plunged　into　the　/Sierra　de　Ronda/。　You　once　mentioned　Jose…Maria　to　me。　Well；　it　was　there　I　made　acquaintance　with　him。　He　always　took　his　mistress　with　him　on　his　expeditions。　She　was　a　pretty　girl；　quiet；　modest；　well…　mannered；　you　never　heard　a　vulgar　word　from　her；　and　she　was　quite　devoted　to　him。　He；　on　his　side；　led　her　a　very　unhappy　life。　He　was　always　running　after　other　women；　he　ill…treated　her；　and　then　sometimes　he　would　take　it　into　his　head　to　be　jealous。　One　day　he　slashed　her　with　a　knife。　Well；　she　only　doted　on　him　the　more！　That's　the　way　with　women；　and　especially　with　Andalusians。　This　girl　was　proud　of　the　scar　on　her　arm；　and　would　display　it　as　though　it　were　the　most　beautiful　thing　in　the　world。　And　then　Jose…Maria　was　the　worst　of　comrades　in　the　bargain。　In　one　expedition　we　made　with　him；　he　managed　so　that　he　kept　all　the　profits；　and　we　had　all　the　trouble　and　the　blows。　But　I　must　go　back　to　my　story。　We　had　no　sign　at　all　from　Carmen。　/El　Dancaire/　said：　'One　of　us　will　have　to　go　to　Gibraltar　to　get　news　of　her。　She　must　have　planned　some　business。　I'd　go　at　once；　only　I'm　too　well　known　at　Gibraltar。'　/El　Tuerto/　said：

〃　'I'm　well　known　there　too。　I've　played　so　many　tricks　on　the　crayfish*and　as　I've　only　one　eye；　it　is　not　overeasy　for　me　to　disguise　myself。'

*　　　Name　applied　by　the　Spanish　populace　to　the　British　soldiers；　on　　　　　account　of　the　colour　of　their　uniform。

〃　'Then　I　suppose　I　must　go；'　said　I；　delighted　at　the　very　idea　of　seeing　Carmen　again。　'Well；　how　am　I　to　set　about　it？'

〃The　others　answered：

〃　'You　must　either　go　by　sea；　or　you　must　get　through　by　San　Rocco；　whichever　you　like　the　best；　once　you　are　in　Gibraltar；　inquire　in　the　port　where　a　chocolate…seller　called　/La　Rollona/　lives。　When　you've　found　her；　she'll　tell　you　everything　that's　happening。'

〃It　was　settled　that　we　were　all　to　start　for　the　Sierra；　that　I　was　to　leave　my　two　companions　there；　and　take　my　way　to　Gibraltar；　in　the　character　of　a　fruit…seller。　At　Ronda　one　of　our　men　procured　me　a　passport；　at　Gaucin　I　was　provided　with　a　donkey。　I　loaded　it　with　oranges　and　melons；　and　started　forth。　When　I　reached　Gibraltar　I　found　that　many　people　knew　/La　Rollona/；　but　that　she　was　either　dead　or　had　gone　/ad　finibus　terroe/；*　and；　to　my　mind；　her　disappearance　explained　the　failure　of　our　correspondence　with　Carmen。　I　stabled　my　donkey；　and　began　to　move　about　the　town；　carrying　my　oranges　as　though　to　sell　them；　but　in　reality　looking　to　see　whether　I　could　not　come　across　any　face　I　knew。　The　place　is　full　of　ragamuffins　from　every　country　in　the　world；　and　it　really　is　like　the　Tower　of　Babel；　for　you　can't　go　ten　paces　along　a　street　without　hearing　as　many　languages。　I　did　see　some　gipsies；　but　I　hardly　dared　confide　in　them。　I　was　taking　stock　of　them；　and　they　were　taking　stock　of　me。　We　had　mutually　guessed　each　other　to　be　rogues；　but　the　important　thing　for　us　was　to　know　whether　we　belonged　to　the　same　gang。　After　having　spent　two　days　in　fruitless　wanderings；　and　having　found　out　nothing　either　as　to　/La　Rollona/　or　as　to　Carmen；　I　was　thinking　I　would　go　back　to　my　comrades　as　soon　as　I　had　made　a　few　purchases；　when；　toward　sunset；　as　I　was　walking　along　a　street；　I　heard　a　woman's　voice　from　a　window　say；　'Orange…seller！'

*　　　To　the　galleys；　or　else　to　all　the　devils　in　hell。

〃I　looked　up；　and　on　a　balcony　I　saw　Carmen　looking　out；　beside　a　scarlet…coated　officer　with　gold　epaulettes；　curly　hair；　and　all　the　appearance　of　a　rich　/milord/。　As　for　her；　she　was　magnificently　dressed；　a　shawl　hung　on　her　shoulders；　she'd　a　gold　comb　in　her　hair；　everything　she　wore　was　of　silk；　and　the　cunning　little　wretch；　not　a　bit　altered；　was　laughing　till　she　held　her　sides。

〃The　Englishman　shouted　to　me　in　mangled　Spanish　to　come　upstairs；　as　the　lady　wanted　some　oranges；　and　Carmen　said　to　me　in　Basque：

〃　'Come　up；　and　don't　look　astonished　at　anything！'

〃Indeed；　nothing　that　she　did　ought　ever　to　have　astonished　me。　I　don't　know　whether　I　was　most　happy　or　wretched　at　seeing　her　again。　At　the　door　of　the　house　there　was　a　tall　English　servant　with　a　powdered　head；　who　ushered　me　into　a　splendid　drawing…room。　Instantly　Carmen　said　to　me　in　Basque；　'You　don't　know　one　word　of　Spanish；　and　you　don't　know　me。'　Then　turning　to　the　Englishman；　she　added：

〃　'I　told　you　so。　I　saw　at　once　he　was　a　Basque。　Now　you'll　hear　what　a　queer　language　he　speaks。　Doesn't　he　look　silly？　He's　like　a　cat　that's　been　caught　in　the　larder！'

〃　'And　you；'　said　I　to　her　in　my　own　language；　'you　look　like　an　impudent　jadeand　I've　a　good　mind　to　scar　your　face　here　and　now；　before　your　spark。'

〃　'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