carmen-第5节

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〃The　rascal's　under　lock　and　key；　and　as　he　was　known　to　be　a　man　who　would　shoot　any　Christian　for　the　sake　of　a　/peseta/；　we　were　most　dreadfully　afraid　he　had　killed　you。　I'll　go　with　you　to　the　/Corregidor/；　and　he'll　give　you　back　your　fine　watch。　And　after　that；　you　won't　dare　to　say　the　law　doesn't　do　its　work　properly　in　Spain。〃

〃I　assure　you；〃　said　I；　〃I'd　far　rather　lose　my　watch　than　have　to　give　evidence　in　court　to　hang　a　poor　unlucky　devil；　and　especially　becausebecause〃

〃Oh；　you　needn't　be　alarmed！　He's　thoroughly　done　for；　they　might　hang　him　twice　over。　But　when　I　say　hang；　I　say　wrong。　Your　thief　is　an　/Hidalgo/。　So　he's　to　be　garrotted　the　day　after　to…morrow；　without　fail。*　So　you　see　one　theft　more　or　less　won't　affect　his　position。　Would　to　God　he　had　done　nothing　but　steal！　But　he　has　committed　several　murders；　one　more　hideous　than　the　other。〃

*　　　In　1830；　the　noble　class　still　enjoyed　this　privilege。　Nowadays；　　　　　under　the　constitutional　/regime/；　commoners　have　attained　the　　　　　same　dignity。

〃What's　his　name？〃

〃In　this　country　he　is　only　known　as　Jose　Navarro；　but　he　has　another　Basque　name；　which　neither　your　nor　I　will　ever　be　able　to　pronounce。　By　the　way；　the　man　is　worth　seeing；　and　you；　who　like　to　study　the　peculiar　features　of　each　country；　shouldn't　lose　this　chance　of　noting　how　a　rascal　bids　farewell　to　this　world　in　Spain。　He　is　in　jail；　and　Father　Martinez　will　take　you　to　him。〃

So　bent　was　my　Dominican　friend　on　my　seeing　the　preparations　for　this　〃neat　little　hanging　job〃　that　I　was　fain　to　agree。　I　went　to　see　the　prisoner；　having　provided　myself　with　a　bundle　of　cigars；　which　I　hoped　might　induce　him　to　forgive　my　intrusion。

I　was　ushered　into　Don　Jose's　presence　just　as　he　was　sitting　at　table。　He　greeted　me　with　a　rather　distant　nod；　and　thanked　me　civilly　for　the　present　I　had　brought　him。　Having　counted　the　cigars　in　the　bundle　I　had　placed　in　his　hand；　he　took　out　a　certain　number　and　returned　me　the　rest；　remarking　that　he　would　not　need　any　more　of　them。

I　inquired　whether　by　laying　out　a　little　money；　or　by　applying　to　my　friends；　I　might　not　be　able　to　do　something　to　soften　his　lot。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　to　begin　with；　smiling　sadly。　Soon；　as　by　an　after…thought；　he　asked　me　to　have　a　mass　said　for　the　repose　of　his　soul。

Then　he　added　nervously：　〃Would　youwould　you　have　another　said　for　a　person　who　did　you　a　wrong？〃

〃Assuredly　I　will；　my　dear　fellow；〃　I　answered。　〃But　no　one　in　this　country　has　wronged　me　so　far　as　I　know。〃

He　took　my　hand　and　squeezed　it；　looking　very　grave。　After　a　moment's　silence；　he　spoke　again。

〃Might　I　dare　to　ask　another　service　of　you？　When　you　go　back　to　your　own　country　perhaps　you　will　pass　through　Navarre。　At　all　events　you'll　go　by　Vittoria；　which　isn't　very　far　off。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃I　shall　certainly　pass　through　Vittoria。　But　I　may　very　possibly　go　round　by　Pampeluna；　and　for　your　sake；　I　believe　I　should　be　very　glad　to　do　it。〃

〃Well；　if　you　do　go　to　Pampeluna；　you'll　see　more　than　one　thing　that　will　interest　you。　It's　a　fine　town。　I'll　give　you　this　medal；〃　he　showed　me　a　little　silver　medal　that　he　wore　hung　around　his　neck。　〃You'll　wrap　it　up　in　paper〃he　paused　a　moment　to　master　his　emotion　〃and　you'll　take　it；　or　send　it；　to　an　old　lady　whose　address　I'll　give　you。　Tell　her　I　am　deadbut　don't　tell　her　how　I　died。〃

I　promised　to　perform　his　commission。　I　saw　him　the　next　day；　and　spent　part　of　it　in　his　company。　From　his　lips　I　learned　the　sad　incidents　that　follow。



CHAPTER　III

〃I　was　born；〃　he　said；　〃at　Elizondo；　in　the　valley　of　Baztan。　My　name　is　Don　Jose　Lizzarrabengoa；　and　you　know　enough　of　Spain；　sir；　to　know　at　once；　by　my　name；　that　I　come　of　an　old　Christian　and　Basque　stock。　I　call　myself　Don；　because　I　have　a　right　to　it；　and　if　I　were　at　Elizondo　I　could　show　you　my　parchment　genealogy。　My　family　wanted　me　to　go　into　the　church；　and　made　me　study　for　it；　but　I　did　not　like　work。　I　was　too　fond　of　playing　tennis；　and　that　was　my　ruin。　When　we　Navarrese　begin　to　play　tennis；　we　forget　everything　else。　One　day；　when　I　had　won　the　game；　a　young　fellow　from　Alava　picked　a　quarrel　with　me。　We　took　to　our　/maquilas/；*　and　I　won　again。　But　I　had　to　leave　the　neighbourhood。　I　fell　in　with　some　dragoons；　and　enlisted　in　the　Almanza　Cavalry　Regiment。　Mountain　folks　like　us　soon　learn　to　be　soldiers。　Before　long　I　was　a　corporal；　and　I　had　been　told　I　should　soon　be　made　a　sergeant；　when；　to　my　misfortune；　I　was　put　on　guard　at　the　Seville　Tobacco　Factory。　If　you　have　been　to　Seville　you　have　seen　the　great　building；　just　outside　the　ramparts；　close　to　the　Guadalquivir；　I　can　fancy　I　see　the　entrance；　and　the　guard　room　just　beside　it；　even　now。　When　Spanish　soldiers　are　on　duty；　they　either　play　cards　or　go　to　sleep。　I；　like　an　honest　Navarrese；　always　tried　to　keep　myself　busy。　I　was　making　a　chain　to　hold　my　priming…pin；　out　of　a　bit　of　wire：　all　at　once；　my　comrades　said；　'there's　the　bell　ringing；　the　girls　are　coming　back　to　work。'　You　must　know；　sir；　that　there　are　quite　four　or　five　hundred　women　employed　in　the　factory。　They　roll　the　cigars　in　a　great　room　into　which　no　man　can　go　without　a　permit　from　the　/Veintiquatro/；**　because　when　the　weather　is　hot　they　make　themselves　at　home；　especially　the　young　ones。　When　the　work…girls　come　back　after　their　dinner；　numbers　of　young　men　go　down　to　see　them　pass　by；　and　talk　all　sorts　of　nonsense　to　them。　Very　few　of　those　young　ladies　will　refuse　a　silk　mantilla；　and　men　who　care　for　that　sort　of　sport　have　nothing　to　do　but　bend　down　and　pick　their　fish　up。　While　the　others　watched　the　girls　go　by；　I　stayed　on　my　bench　near　the　door。　I　was　a　young　fellow　thenmy　heart　was　still　in　my　own　country；　and　I　didn't　believe　in　any　pretty　girls　who　hadn't　blue　skirts　and　long　plaits　of　hair　falling　on　their　shoulders。***　And　besides；　I　was　rather　afraid　of　the　Andalusian　women。　I　had　not　got　used　to　their　ways　yet；　they　were　always　jeering　onenever　spoke　a　single　word　of　sense。　So　I　was　sitting　with　my　nose　down　upon　my　chain；　when　I　heard　some　bystanders　say；　'Here　comes　the　/gitanella/！'　Then　I　lifted　up　my　eyes；　and　I　saw　her！　It　was　that　very　Carmen　you　know；　and　in　whose　rooms　I　met　you　a　few　months　ago。

*　　　Iron…shod　sticks　used　by　the　Basques。

**　　Magistrate　in　charge　of　the　municipal　police　arrangements；　and　　　　　local　government　regulations。

***　The　costume　usually　worn　by　peasant　women　in　Navarre　and　the　　　　　Basque　Provinces。

〃She　was　wearing　a　very　short　skirt；　below　which　her　white　silk　stockingswith　more　than　one　hole　in　themand　her　dainty　red　morocco　shoes；　fastened　with　flame…coloured　ribbons；　were　clearly　seen。　She　had　thrown　her　mantilla　back；　to　show　her　shoulders；　and　a　great　bunch　of　acacia　that　was　thrust　into　her　chemise。　She　had　another　acacia　blossom　in　the　corner　of　her　mouth；　and　she　walked　along；　swaying　her　hips；　like　a　filly　from　the　Cordova　stud　farm。　In　my　country　anybody　who　had　seen　a　woman　dressed　in　that　fashion　would　have　crossed　himself。　At　Seville　every　man　paid　her　some　bold　compliment　on　her　appearance。　She　had　an　answer　for　each　and　all；　with　her　hand　on　her　hip；　as　bold　as　the　thorough　gipsy　she　was。　At　first　I　didn't　like　her　looks；　and　I　fell　to　my　work　again。　But　she；　like　all　women　and　cats；　who　won't　come　if　you　call　them；　and　do　come　if　you　don't　call　them；　stopped　short　in　front　of　me；　and　spoke　to　me。

〃　'/Compadre/；'　said　she；　in　the　Andalusian　fashion；　'won't　you　give　me　your　chain　for　the　keys　of　my　strong　box？'

〃　'It's　for　my　priming…pin；'　said　I。

〃　'Your　priming…pin！'　she　cried；　with　a　laugh。　'Oho！　I　suppose　the　gentleman　makes　lace；　as　he　wants　pins！'

〃Everybody　began　to　laugh；　and　I　felt　myself　getting　red　in　the　face；　and　couldn't　hit　on　anything　in　answer。

〃　'Come；　my　love！'　she　began　again；　'make　me　seven　ells　of　lace　for　my　mantilla；　my　pet　pin…maker！'

〃And　taking　the　acacia　blossom　out　of　her　mouth　she　flipped　it　at　me　with　her　thumb　so　that　it　hit　me　just　between　the　eyes。　I　tell　you；　sir；　I　felt　as　if　a　bullet　had　struck　me。　I　didn't　know　which　way　to　look。　I　sat　stock…still；　like　a　wooden　board。　When　she　had　gone　into　the　factory；　I　saw　the　acacia　blossom；　which　had　fallen　on　the　ground　between　my　feet。　I　don't　know　what　made　me　do　it；　but　I　picked　it　up；　unseen　by　any　of　my　comrades；　and　put　it　carefully　inside　my　jacket。　That　was　my　first　folly。

〃Two　or　three　hours　later　I　was　still　thinking　about　her；　when　a　panting；　terrified…looking　porter　rushed　into　the　guard…room。　He　told　us　a　woman　had　been　stabbed　in　the　great　cigar…room；　and　that　the　guard　must　be　sent　in　at　once。　The　sergeant　told　me　to　take　two　men；　and　go　and　see　to　it。　I　took　my　two　men　and　went　upstairs。　Imagine；　sir；　that　when　I　got　into　the　room；　I　found；　to　begin　with；　some　three　hundred　women；　stripped　to　their　shifts；　or　very　near　it；　all　of　them　screaming　and　yelling　and　gesticulating；　and　making　such　a　row　that　you　couldn't　have　heard　God's　own　thunder。　On　one　side　of　the　room　one　of　the　women　was　lying　on　the　broad　of　her　back；　streaming　with　blood；　with　an　X　newly　cut　on　her　face　by　two　strokes　of　a　knife。　Opposite　the　wounded　woman；　whom　the　best…natured　of　the　band　were