the zincali-第11节

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Russia；　and　Bessarabia；　with　the　exception　perhaps　of　being　more　



reckless；　mischievous；　and　having　less　respect　for　the　laws；　it　is　



true　that　their　superiority　in　wickedness　in　these　points　may　have　



been　more　the　effect　of　the　moral　state　of　the　country　in　which　



they　were；　than　of　any　other　operating　cause。







Arriving　in　Spain　with　a　predisposition　to　every　species　of　crime　



and　villainy；　they　were　not　likely　to　be　improved　or　reclaimed　by　



the　example　of　the　people　with　whom　they　were　about　to　mix；　nor　was　



it　probable　that　they　would　entertain　much　respect　for　laws　which；　



from　time　immemorial；　have　principally　served；　not　to　protect　the　



honest　and　useful　members　of　society；　but　to　enrich　those　entrusted　



with　the　administration　of　them。　　Thus；　if　　they　came　thieves；　it　



is　not　probable　that　they　would　become　ashamed　of　the　title　of　



thief　in　Spain；　where　the　officers　of　justice　were　ever　willing　to　



shield　an　offender　on　receiving　the　largest　portion　of　the　booty　



obtained。　　If　on　their　arrival　they　held　the　lives　of　others　in　



very　low　estimation；　could　it　be　expected　that　they　would　become　



gentle　as　lambs　in　a　land　where　blood　had　its　price；　and　the　



shedder　was　seldom　executed　unless　he　was　poor　and　friendless；　and　



unable　to　cram　with　ounces　of　yellow　gold　the　greedy　hands　of　the　



pursuers　of　blood；　…　the　alguazil　and　escribano？　therefore；　if　the　



Spanish　Gypsies　have　been　more　bloody　and　more　wolfishly　eager　in　



the　pursuit　of　booty　than　those　of　their　race　in　most　other　



regions；　the　cause　must　be　attributed　to　their　residence　in　a　



country　unsound　in　every　branch　of　its　civil　polity；　where　right　



has　ever　been　in　less　esteem；　and　wrong　in　less　disrepute；　than　in　



any　other　part　of　the　world。







However；　if　the　moral　state　of　Spain　was　not　calculated　to　have　a　



favourable　effect　on　the　habits　and　pursuits　of　the　Gypsies；　their　



manners　were　as　little　calculated　to　operate　beneficially；　in　any　



point　of　view；　on　the　country　where　they　had　lately　arrived。　　



Divided　into　numerous　bodies；　frequently　formidable　in　point　of　



number；　their　presence　was　an　evil　and　a　curse　in　whatever　quarter　



they　directed　their　steps。　　As　might　be　expected；　the　labourers；　



who　in　all　countries　are　the　most　honest；　most　useful；　and　



meritorious　class；　were　the　principal　sufferers；　their　mules　and　



horses　were　stolen；　carried　away　to　distant　fairs；　and　there　



disposed　of；　perhaps；　to　individuals　destined　to　be　deprived　of　



them　in　a　similar　manner；　whilst　their　flocks　of　sheep　and　goats　



were　laid　under　requisition　to　assuage　the　hungry　cravings　of　these　



thievish　cormorants。







It　was　not　uncommon　for　a　large　band　or　tribe　to　encamp　in　the　



vicinity　of　a　remote　village　scantily　peopled；　and　to　remain　there　



until；　like　a　flight　of　locusts；　they　had　consumed　everything　which　



the　inhabitants　possessed　for　their　support；　or　until　they　were　



scared　away　by　the　approach　of　justice；　or　by　an　army　of　rustics　



assembled　from　the　surrounding　country。　　Then　would　ensue　the　



hurried　march；　the　women　and　children；　mounted　on　lean　but　spirited　



asses；　would　scour　along　the　plains　fleeter　than　the　wind；　ragged　



and　savage…looking　men；　wielding　the　scourge　and　goad；　would　



scamper　by　their　side　or　close　behind；　whilst　perhaps　a　small　party　



on　strong　horses；　armed　with　rusty　matchlocks　or　sabres；　would　



bring　up　the　rear；　threatening　the　distant　foe；　and　now　and　then　



saluting　them　with　a　hoarse　blast　from　the　Gypsy　horn：…











'O；　when　I　sit　my　courser　bold；



My　bantling　in　my　rear；



And　in　my　hand　my　musket　hold　…



O　how　they　quake　with　fear！'











Let　us　for　a　moment　suppose　some　unfortunate　traveller；　mounted　on　



a　handsome　mule　or　beast　of　some　value；　meeting；　unarmed　and　alone；　



such　a　rabble　rout　at　the　close　of　eve；　in　the　wildest　part；　for　



example；　of　La　Mancha；　we　will　suppose　that　he　is　journeying　from　



Seville　to　Madrid；　and　that　he　has　left　at　a　considerable　distance　



behind　him　the　gloomy　and　horrible　passes　of　the　Sierra　Morena；　his　



bosom；　which　for　some　time　past　has　been　contracted　with　dreadful　



forebodings；　is　beginning　to　expand；　his　blood；　which　has　been　



congealed　in　his　veins；　is　beginning　to　circulate　warmly　and　



freely；　he　is　fondly　anticipating　the　still　distant　posada　and　



savoury　omelet。　　The　sun　is　sinking　rapidly　behind　the　savage　and　



uncouth　hills　in　his　rear；　he　has　reached　the　bottom　of　a　small　



valley；　where　runs　a　rivulet　at　which　he　allows　his　tired　animal　to　



drink；　he　is　about　to　ascend　the　side　of　the　hill；　his　eyes　are　



turned　upwards；　suddenly　he　beholds　strange　and　uncouth　forms　at　



the　top　of　the　ascent　…　the　sun　descending　slants　its　rays　upon　red　



cloaks；　with　here　and　there　a　turbaned　head；　or　long　streaming　



hair。　　The　traveller　hesitates；　but　reflecting　that　he　is　no　longer　



in　the　mountains；　and　that　in　the　open　road　there　is　no　danger　of　



banditti；　he　advances。　　In　a　moment　he　is　in　the　midst　of　the　Gypsy　



group；　in　a　moment　there　is　a　general　halt；　fiery　eyes　are　turned　



upon　him　replete　with　an　expression　which　only　the　eyes　of　the　Roma　



possess；　then　ensues　a　jabber　in　a　language　or　jargon　which　is　



strange　to　the　ears　of　the　traveller；　at　last　an　ugly　urchin　



springs　from　the　crupper　of　a　halting　mule；　and　in　a　lisping　accent　



entreats　charity　in　the　name　of　the　Virgin　and　the　Majoro。　　The　



traveller；　with　a　faltering　hand；　produces　his　purse；　and　is　



proceeding　to　loosen　its　strings；　but　he　accomplishes　not　his　



purpose；　for；　struck　violently　by　a　huge　knotted　club　in　an　unseen　



hand；　he　tumbles　headlong　from　his　mule。　　Next　morning　a　naked　



corse；　besmeared　with　brains　and　blood；　is　found　by　an　arriero；　and　



within　a　week　a　simple　cross　records　the　event；　according　to　the　



custom　of　Spain。











'Below　there　in　the　dusky　pass



Was　wrought　a　murder　dread；



The　murdered　fell　upon　the　grass；



Away　the　murderer　fled。'











To　many；　such　a　scene；　as　above　described；　will　appear　purely　



imaginary；　or　at　least　a　mass　of　exaggeration；　but　many　such　



anecdotes　are　related　by　old　Spanish　writers　of　these　people；　they　



traversed　the　country　in　gangs；　they　were　what　the　Spanish　law　has　



styled　Abigeos　and　Salteadores　de　Camino；　cattle…stealers　and　



highwaymen；　though；　in　the　latter　character；　they　never　rose　to　any　



considerable　eminence。　　True　it　is　that　they　would　not　hesitate　to　



attack　or　even　murder　the　unarmed　and　defenceless　traveller；　when　



they　felt　assured　of　obtaining　booty　with　little　or　no　risk　to　



themselves；　but　they　were　not　by　constitution　adapted　to　rival　



those　bold　and　daring　banditti　of　whom　so　many　terrible　anecdotes　



are　related　in　Spain　and　Italy；　and　who　have　acquired　their　renown　



by　the　dauntless　daring　which　they　have　invariably　displayed　in　the　



pursuit　of　plunder。







Besides　trafficking　in　horses　and　mules；　and　now　and　then　attacking　



and　plundering　travellers　upon　the　highway；　the　Gypsies　of　Spain　



appear；　from　a　very　early　period；　to　have　plied　occasionally　the　



trade　of　the　blacksmith；　and　to　have　worked　in　iron；　forming　rude　



implements　of　domestic　and　agricultural　use；　which　they　disposed　



of；　either　for　provisions　or　money；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　those　



places　where　they　had　taken　up　their　temporary　residence。　　As　their　



bands　were　composed　of　numerous　individuals；　there　is　no　



improbability　in　assuming　that　to　every　member　was　allotted　that　



branch　of　labour　in　which　he　was　most　calculated　to　excel。　　The　



most　important；　and　that　which　required　the　greatest　share　of　



cunning　and　address；　was　undoubtedly　that　of　the　chalan　or　jockey；　



who　frequented　the　fairs　with　the　beasts　which　he　had　obtained　by　



various　means；　but　generally　by　theft。　　Highway　robbery；　though　



occasionally　committed　by　all　jointly　or　severally；　was　probably　



the　peculiar　department　of　the　boldest　spirits　of　the　gang；　whilst　



wielding　the　hammer　and　tongs　was　abandoned　to　those　who；　though　



possessed　of　athletic　forms；　were　perhaps；　like　Vulcan；　lame；　or　



from　some　particular　cause；　moral　or　physical；　unsuited　for　the　



other　two　very　respectable　avocations。　　The　forge　was　generally　



placed　in　the　heart　of　some　mountain　abounding　in　wood；　the　gaunt　



smiths　felled　a　tree；　perhaps　with　the　very　axes　which　their　own　



sturdy　hands　had　hammered　at　a　former　period；　with　the　wood　thus　



procured　they　prepared　the　charcoal　which　their　labour　demanded。　　



Everything　is　in　readiness；　the　bellows　puff　until　the　coal　is　



excited　to　a　furious　glow；　the　metal；　hot；　pliant；　and　ductile；　is　



laid　on　the　anvil；　round　which　stands　the　Cyclop　group；　their　



hammers　upraised；　down　they　descend　successively；　one；　two；　three；