carmen-第12节

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avoid　doing　so；　and　besides；　we　never　ill…treated　the　travellers；　and　confined　ourselves　to　taking　their　money　from　them。

〃For　some　months　I　was　very　well　satisfied　with　Carmen。　She　still　served　us　in　our　smuggling　operations；　by　giving　us　notice　of　any　opportunity　of　making　a　good　haul。　She　remained　either　at　Malaga；　at　Cordova；　or　at　Granada；　but　at　a　word　from　me　she　would　leave　everything；　and　come　to　meet　me　at　some　/venta/　or　even　in　our　lonely　camp。　Only　onceit　was　at　Malagashe　caused　me　some　uneasiness。　I　heard　she　had　fixed　her　fancy　upon　a　very　rich　merchant；　with　whom　she　probably　proposed　to　play　her　Gibraltar　trick　over　again。　In　spite　of　everything　/El　Dancaire/　said　to　stop　me；　I　started　off；　walked　into　Malaga　in　broad　daylight；　sought　for　Carmen　and　carried　her　off　instantly。　We　had　a　sharp　altercation。

〃　'Do　you　know；'　said　she；　'now　that　you're　my　/rom/　for　good　and　all；　I　don't　care　for　you　so　much　as　when　you　were　my　/minchorro/！　I　won't　be　worried；　and　above　all；　I　won't　be　ordered　about。　I　choose　to　be　free　to　do　as　I　like。　Take　care　you　don't　drive　me　too　far；　if　you　tire　me　out；　I'll　find　some　good　fellow　who'll　serve　you　just　as　you　served　/El　Tuerto/。'

〃/El　Dancaire/　patched　it　up　between　us；　but　we　had　said　things　to　each　other　that　rankled　in　our　hearts；　and　we　were　not　as　we　had　been　before。　Shortly　after　that　we　had　a　misfortune：　the　soldiers　caught　us；　/El　Dancaire/　and　two　of　my　comrades　were　killed；　two　others　were　taken。　I　was　sorely　wounded；　and；　but　for　my　good　horse；　I　should　have　fallen　into　the　soldiers'　hands。　Half　dead　with　fatigue；　and　with　a　bullet　in　my　body；　I　sought　shelter　in　a　wood；　with　my　only　remaining　comrade。　When　I　got　off　my　horse　I　fainted　away；　and　I　thought　I　was　going　to　die　there　in　the　brushwood；　like　a　shot　hare。　My　comrade　carried　me　to　a　cave　he　knew　of；　and　then　he　sent　to　fetch　Carmen。

〃She　was　at　Granada；　and　she　hurried　to　me　at　once。　For　a　whole　fortnight　she　never　left　me　for　a　single　instant。　She　never　closed　her　eyes；　she　nursed　me　with　a　skill　and　care　such　as　no　woman　ever　showed　to　the　man　she　loved　most　tenderly。　As　soon　as　I　could　stand　on　my　feet；　she　conveyed　me　with　the　utmost　secrecy　to　Granada。　These　gipsy　women　find　safe　shelter　everywhere；　and　I　spent　more　than　six　weeks　in　a　house　only　two　doors　from　that　of　the　/Corregidor/　who　was　trying　to　arrest　me。　More　than　once　I　saw　him　pass　by；　from　behind　the　shutter。　At　last　I　recovered；　but　I　had　thought　a　great　deal；　on　my　bed　of　pain；　and　I　had　planned　to　change　my　way　of　life。　I　suggested　to　Carmen　that　we　should　leave　Spain；　and　seek　an　honest　livelihood　in　the　New　World。　She　laughed　in　my　face。

〃　'We　were　not　born　to　plant　cabbages；'　she　cried。　'Our　fate　is　to　live　/payllos/！　Listen：　I've　arranged　a　business　with　Nathan　Ben…　Joseph　at　Gibraltar。　He　has　cotton　stuffs　that　he　can　not　get　through　till　you　come　to　fetch　them。　He　knows　you're　alive；　and　reckons　upon　you。　What　would　our　Gibraltar　correspondents　say　if　you　failed　them？'

〃I　let　myself　by　persuaded；　and　took　up　my　vile　trade　once　more。

〃While　I　was　hiding　at　Granada　there　were　bull…fights　there；　to　which　Carmen　went。　When　she　came　back　she　talked　a　great　deal　about　a　skilful　/picador/　of　the　name　of　Lucas。　She　knew　the　name　of　his　horse；　and　how　much　his　embroidered　jacket　had　cost　him。　I　paid　no　attention　to　this；　but　a　few　days　later；　Juanito；　the　only　one　of　my　comrades　who　was　left；　told　me　he　had　seen　Carmen　with　Lucas　in　a　shop　in　the　Zacatin。　Then　I　began　to　feel　alarmed。　I　asked　Carmen　how　and　why　she　had　made　the　/picador's/　acquaintance。

〃　'He's　a　man　out　of　whom　we　may　be　able　to　get　something；'　said　she。　'A　noisy　stream　has　either　water　in　it　or　pebbles。　He　has　earned　twelve　hundred　reals　at　the　bull…fights。　It　must　be　one　of　two　things：　we　must　either　have　his　money；　or　else；　as　he　is　a　good　rider　and　a　plucky　fellow；　we　can　enroll　him　in　our　gang。　We　have　lost　such　an　one　an　such　an　one；　you'll　have　to　replace　them。　Take　this　man　with　you！'

〃　'I　want　neither　his　money　nor　himself；'　I　replied；　'and　I　forbid　you　to　speak　to　him。'

〃　'Beware！'　she　retorted。　'If　any　one　defies　me　to　do　a　thing；　it's　very　quickly　done。'

〃Luckily　the　/picador/　departed　to　Malaga；　and　I　set　about　passing　in　the　Jew's　cotton　stuffs。　This　expedition　gave　me　a　great　deal　to　do；　and　Carmen　as　well。　I　forgot　Lucas；　and　perhaps　she　forgot　him　too　for　the　moment；　at　all　events。　It　was　just　about　that　time；　sir；　that　I　met　you；　first　at　Montilla；　and　then　afterward　at　Cordova。　I　won't　talk　about　that　last　interview。　You　know　more　about　it；　perhaps；　than　I　do。　Carmen　stole　your　watch　from　you；　she　wanted　to　have　your　money　besides；　and　especially　that　ring　I　see　on　your　finger；　and　which　she　declared　to　be　a　magic　ring；　the　possession　of　which　was　very　important　to　her。　We　had　a　violent　quarrel；　and　I　struck　her。　She　turned　pale　and　began　to　cry。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　ever　seen　her　cry；　and　it　affected　me　in　the　most　painful　manner。　I　begged　her　to　forgive　me；　but　she　sulked　with　me　for　a　whole　day；　and　when　I　started　back　to　Montilla　she　wouldn't　kiss　me。　My　heart　was　still　very　sore；　when；　three　days　later；　she　joined　me　with　a　smiling　face　and　as　merry　as　a　lark。　Everything　was　forgotten；　and　we　were　like　a　pair　of　honeymoon　lovers。　Just　as　we　were　parting　she　said；　'There's　a　/fete/　at　Cordova；　I　shall　go　and　see　it；　and　then　I　shall　know　what　people　will　be　coming　away　with　money；　and　I　can　warn　you。'

〃I　let　her　go。　When　I　was　alone　I　thought　about　the　/fete/；　and　about　the　change　in　Carmen's　temper。　'She　must　have　avenged　herself　already；'　said　I　to　myself；　'since　she　was　the　first　to　make　our　quarrel　up。'　A　peasant　told　me　there　was　to　be　bull…fighting　at　Cordova。　Then　my　blood　began　to　boil；　and　I　went　off　like　a　madman　straight　to　the　bull…ring。　I　had　Lucas　pointed　out　to　me；　and　on　the　bench；　just　beside　the　barrier；　I　recognised　Carmen。　One　glance　at　her　was　enough　to　turn　my　suspicion　into　certainty。　When　the　first　bull　appeared　Lucas　began；　as　I　had　expected　to　play　the　agreeable；　he　snatched　the　cockade　off　the　bull　and　presented　it　to　Carmen；　who　put　it　in　her　hair　at　once。*

*　　　/La　divisa/。　A　knot　of　ribbon；　the　colour　of　which　indicates　the　　　　　pasturage　from　which　each　bull　comes。　This　knot　of　ribbon　is　　　　　fastened　into　the　bull's　hide　with　a　sort　of　hook；　and　it　is　　　　　considered　the　very　height　of　gallantry　to　snatch　it　off　the　　　　　living　beast　and　present　it　to　a　woman。

〃The　bull　avenged　me。　Lucas　was　knocked　down；　with　his　horse　on　his　chest；　and　the　bull　on　top　of　both　of　them。　I　looked　for　Carmen；　she　had　disappeared　from　her　place　already。　I　couldn't　get　out　of　mine；　and　I　was　obliged　to　wait　until　the　bull…fight　was　over。　Then　I　went　off　to　that　house　you　already　know；　and　waited　there　quietly　all　that　evening　and　part　of　the　night。　Toward　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　Carmen　came　back；　and　was　rather　surprised　to　see　me。

〃　'Come　with　me；'　said　I。

〃　'Very　well；'　said　she；　'let's　be　off。'

〃I　went　and　got　my　horse；　and　took　her　up　behind　me；　and　we　travelled　all　the　rest　of　the　night　without　saying　a　word　to　each　other。　When　daylight　came　we　stopped　at　a　lonely　inn；　not　far　from　a　hermitage。　There　I　said　to　Carmen：

〃　'ListenI　forget　everything；　I　won't　mention　anything　to　you。　But　swear　one　thing　to　methat　you'll　come　with　me　to　America；　and　live　there　quietly！'

〃　'No；'　said　she；　in　a　sulky　voice；　'I　won't　go　to　AmericaI　am　very　well　here。'

〃　'That's　because　you're　near　Lucas。　But　be　very　sure　that　even　if　he　gets　well　now；　he　won't　make　old　bones。　And；　indeed；　why　should　I　quarrel　with　him？　I'm　tired　of　killing　all　your　lovers；　I'll　kill　you　this　time。'

〃She　looked　at　me　steadily　with　her　wild　eyes；　and　then　she　said：

〃　'I've　always　thought　you　would　kill　me。　The　very　first　time　I　saw　you　I　had　just　met　a　priest　at　the　door　of　my　house。　And　to…night；　as　we　were　going　out　of　Cordova；　didn't　you　see　anything？　A　hare　ran　across　the　road　between　your　horse's　feet。　It　is　fate。'

〃　'Carmencita；'　I　asked；　'don't　you　love　me　any　more？'

〃She　gave　me　no　answer；　she　was　sitting　cross…legged　on　a　mat；　making　marks　on　the　ground　with　her　finger。

〃　'Let　us　change　our　life；　Carmen；'　said　I　imploringly。　'Let　us　go　away　and　live　somewhere　we　shall　never　be　parted。　You　know　we　have　a　hundred　and　twenty　gold　ounces　buried　under　an　oak　not　far　from　here；　and　then　we　have　more　money　with　Ben…Joseph　the　Jew。'

〃She　began　to　smile；　and　then　she　said；　'Me　first；　and　then　you。　I　know　it　will　happen　like　that。'

〃　'Think　about　it；'　said　I。　'I've　come　to　the　end　of　my　patience　and　my　courage。　Make　up　your　mindor　else　I　must　make　up　mine。'

〃I　left　her　alone　and　walked　toward　the　hermitage。　I　found　the　hermit　praying。　I　waited　till　his　prayer　was　finished。　I　longed　to　pray　myself；　but　I　couldn't。　When　he　rose　up　from　his　knees　I　went　to　him。

〃　'Father；'　I　said；　'will　you　pray　for　some　one　who　is　in　great　danger？'

〃　'I　pray　for　every　one　who　is　afflicted；'　he　replied。

〃　'Can　you　say　a　mass　for　a　soul　which　is　perhaps　about　to　go　into　the　presence　of　its　Maker？'

〃　'Yes；'　he　answered；　looking　hard　at　me。

〃And　as　there　was　something　strange　about　me；　he　tried　to　make　me　talk。