carmen-第4部分

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erceness　which　I　had　never　seen　in　any　other　human　glance。　〃Gipsy's　eye；　wolf's　eye！〃　is　a　Spanish　saying　which　denotes　close　observation。　If　my　readers　have　no　time　to　go　to　the　〃Jardin　des　Plantes〃　to　study　the　wolf's　expression；　they　will　do　well　to　watch　the　ordinary　cat　when　it　is　lying　in　wait　for　a　sparrow。

It　will　be　understood　that　I　should　have　looked　ridiculous　if　I　had　proposed　to　have　my　fortune　told　in　a　/café/。　I　therefore　begged　the　pretty　witch's　leave　to　go　home　with　her。　She　made　no　difficulties　about　consenting；　but　she　wanted　to　know　what　o'clock　it　was　again；　and　requested　me　to　make　my　repeater　strike　once　more。

〃Is　it　really　gold？〃　she　said；　gazing　at　it　with　rapt　attention。

When　we　started　off　again；　it　was　quite　dark。　Most　of　the　shops　were　shut；　and　the　streets　were　almost　empty。　We　crossed　the　bridge　over　the　Guadalquivir；　and　at　the　far　end　of　the　suburb　we　stopped　in　front　of　a　house　of　anything　but　palatial　appearance。　The　door　was　opened　by　a　child；　to　whom　the　gipsy　spoke　a　few　words　in　a　language　unknown　to　me；　which　I　afterward　understood　to　be　/Romany/；　or　/chipe　calli/the　gipsy　idiom。　The　child　instantly　disappeared；　leaving　us　in　sole　possession　of　a　tolerably　spacious　room；　furnished　with　a　small　table；　two　stools；　and　a　chest。　I　must　not　forget　to　mention　a　jar　of　water；　a　pile　of　oranges；　and　a　bunch　of　onions。

As　soon　as　we　were　left　alone；　the　gipsy　produced；　out　of　her　chest；　a　pack　of　cards；　bearing　signs　of　constant　usage；　a　magnet；　a　dried　chameleon；　and　a　few　other　indispensable　adjuncts　of　her　art。　Then　she　bade　me　cross　my　left　hand　with　a　silver　coin；　and　the　magic　ceremonies　duly　began。　It　is　unnecessary　to　chronicle　her　predictions；　and　as　for　the　style　of　her　performance；　it　proved　her　to　be　no　mean　sorceress。

Unluckily　we　were　soon　disturbed。　The　door　was　suddenly　burst　open；　and　a　man；　shrouded　to　the　eyes　in　a　brown　cloak；　entered　the　room；　apostrophizing　the　gipsy　in　anything　but　gentle　terms。　What　he　said　I　could　not　catch；　but　the　tone　of　his　voice　revealed　the　fact　that　he　was　in　a　very　evil　temper。　The　gipsy　betrayed　neither　surprise　nor　anger　at　his　advent；　but　she　ran　to　meet　him；　and　with　a　most　striking　volubility；　she　poured　out　several　sentences　in　the　mysterious　language　she　had　already　used　in　my　presence。　The　word　/payllo/；　frequently　reiterated；　was　the　only　one　I　understood。　I　knew　that　the　gipsies　use　it　to　describe　all　men　not　of　their　own　race。　Concluding　myself　to　be　the　subject　of　this　discourse；　I　was　prepared　for　a　somewhat　delicate　explanation。　I　had　already　laid　my　hand　on　the　leg　of　one　of　the　stools；　and　was　studying　within　myself　to　discover　the　exact　moment　at　which　I　had　better　throw　it　at　his　head；　when；　roughly　pushing　the　gipsy　to　one　side；　the　man　advanced　toward　me。　Then　with　a　step　backward　he　cried：

〃What；　sir！　Is　it　you？〃

I　looked　at　him　in　my　turn　and　recognised　my　friend　Don　Jose。　At　that　moment　I　did　feel　rather　sorry　I　had　saved　him　from　the　gallows。

〃What；　is　it　you；　my　good　fellow？〃　I　exclaimed；　with　as　easy　a　smile　as　I　could　muster。　〃You　have　interrupted　this　young　lady　just　when　she　was　foretelling　me　most　interesting　things！〃

〃The　same　as　ever。　There　shall　be　an　end　to　it！〃　he　hissed　between　his　teeth；　with　a　savage　glance　at　her。

Meanwhile　the　/gitana/　was　still　talking　to　him　in　her　own　tongue。　She　became　more　and　more　excited。　Her　eyes　grew　fierce　and　bloodshot；　her　features　contracted；　she　stamped　her　foot。　She　seemed　to　me　to　be　earnestly　pressing　him　to　do　something　he　was　unwilling　to　do。　What　this　was　I　fancied　I　understood　only　too　well；　by　the　fashion　in　which　she　kept　drawing　her　little　hand　backward　and　forward　under　her　chin。　I　was　inclined　to　think　she　wanted　to　have　somebody's　throat　cut；　and　I　had　a　fair　suspicion　the　throat　in　question　was　my　own。　To　all　her　torrent　of　eloquence　Don　Jose's　only　reply　was　two　or　three　shortly　spoken　words。　At　this　the　gipsy　cast　a　glance　of　the　most　utter　scorn　at　him；　then；　seating　herself　Turkish…fashion　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　she　picked　out　an　orange；　tore　off　the　skin；　and　began　to　eat　it。

Don　Jose　took　hold　of　my　arm；　opened　the　door；　and　led　me　into　the　street。　We　walked　some　two　hundred　paces　in　the　deepest　silence。　Then　he　stretched　out　his　hand。

〃Go　straight　on；〃　he　said；　〃and　you'll　come　to　the　bridge。〃

That　instant　he　turned　his　back　on　me　and　departed　at　a　great　pace。　I　took　my　way　back　to　my　inn；　rather　crestfallen；　and　considerably　out　of　temper。　The　worst　of　all　was　that；　when　I　undressed；　I　discovered　my　watch　was　missing。

Various　considerations　prevented　me　from　going　to　claim　it　next　day；　or　requesting　the　/Corregidor/　to　be　good　enough　to　have　a　search　made　for　it。　I　finished　my　work　on　the　Dominican　manuscript；　and　went　on　to　Seville。　After　several　months　spent　wandering　hither　and　thither　in　Andalusia；　I　wanted　to　get　back　to　Madrid；　and　with　that　object　I　had　to　pass　through　Cordova。　I　had　no　intention　of　making　any　stay　there；　for　I　had　taken　a　dislike　to　that　fair　city；　and　to　the　ladies　who　bathed　in　the　Guadalquivir。　Nevertheless；　I　had　some　visits　to　pay；　and　certain　errands　to　do；　which　must　detain　me　several　days　in　the　old　capital　of　the　Mussulman　princes。

The　moment　I　made　my　appearance　in　the　Dominican　convent；　one　of　the　monks；　who　had　always　shown　the　most　lively　interest　in　my　inquiries　as　to　the　site　of　the　battlefield　of　Munda；　welcomed　me　with　open　arms；　exclaiming：

〃Praised　be　God！　You　are　welcome！　My　dear　friend。　We　all　thought　you　were　dead；　and　I　myself　have　said　many　a　/pater/　and　ave/　（not　that　I　regret　them！）　for　your　soul。　Then　you　weren't　murdered；　after　all？　That　you　were　robbed；　we　know！〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked；　rather　astonished。

〃Oh；　you　know！　That　splendid　repeater　you　used　to　strike　in　the　library　whenever　we　said　it　was　time　for　us　to　go　into　church。　Well；　it　has　been　found；　and　you'll　get　it　back。〃

〃Why；〃　I　broke　in；　rather　put　out　of　countenance；　〃I　lost　it〃

〃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