carmen-第11节

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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