按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
wheedled the surgeon of the /presidio/ to such good purpose that she has
managed to get her /rom/ out of prison。 Faith！ that girl's worth her weight
in gold。 For two years she has been trying to contrive his escape； but she
could do nothing until the authorities took it into their heads to change the
surgeon。 She soon managed to come to an understanding with this new
one。'
* One…eyed man。
〃You may imagine how pleasant this news was for me。 I soon saw
Garcia /el Tuerto/。 He was the very ugliest brute that was ever nursed in
gipsydom。 His skin was black； his soul was blacker； and he was altogether
the most thorough…paced ruffian I ever came across in my life。 Carmen
arrived with him； and when she called him her /rom/ in my presence； you
should have seen the eyes she made at me； and the faces she pulled
39
… Page 40…
CARMEN
whenever Garcia turned his head away。
〃I was disgusted； and never spoke a word to her all night。 The next
morning we had made up our packs； and had already started； when we
became aware that we had a dozen horsemen on our heels。 The braggart
Andalusians； who had been boasting they would murder every one who
came near them； cut a pitiful figure at once。 There was a general rout。 /El
Dancaire/； Garcia； a good…looking fellow from Ecija； who was called /El
Remendado/； and Carmen herself； kept their wits about them。 The rest
forsook the mules and took to the gorges； where the horses could not
follow them。 There was no hope of saving the mules； so we hastily
unstrapped the best part of our booty； and taking it on our shoulders； we
tried to escape through the rocks down the steepest of the slopes。 We
threw our packs down in front of us and followed them as best we could；
slipping along on our heels。 Meanwhile the enemy fired at us。 It was the
first time I had ever heard bullets whistling around me and I didn't mind it
very much。 When there's a woman looking on； there's no particular merit
in snapping one's fingers at death。 We all escaped except the poor
/Remendado/； who received a bullet wound in the loins。 I threw away my
pack and tried to lift him up。
〃 'Idiot！' shouted Garcia； 'what do we want with offal！ Finish him off；
and don't lose the cotton stockings！'
〃 'Drop him！' cried Carmen。
〃I was so exhausted that I was obliged to lay him down for a moment
under a rock。 Garcia came up； and fired his blunderbuss full into his face。
'He'd be a clever fellow who recognised him now！' said he； as he looked at
the face； cut to pieces by a dozen slugs。
〃There； sir； that's the delightful sort of life I've led！ That night we
found ourselves in a thicket； worn out with fatigue； with nothing to eat；
and ruined by the loss of our mules。 What do you think that devil Garcia
did？ He pulled a pack of cards out of his pocket and began playing games
with /El Dancaire/ by the light of a fire they kindled。 Meanwhile I was
lying down； staring at the stars； thinking of /El Remendado/； and telling
myself I would just as lief be in his place。 Carmen was squatting down
near me； and every now and then she would rattle her castanets and hum a
40
… Page 41…
CARMEN
tune。 Then； drawing close to me； as if she would have whispered in my ear；
she kissed me two or three times over almost against my will。
〃 'You are a devil；' said I to her。
〃 'Yes；' she replied。
〃After a few hours' rest； she departed to Gaucin； and the next morning
a little goatherd brought us some food。 We stayed there all that day； and in
the evening we moved close to Gaucin。 We were expecting news from
Carmen； but none came。 After daylight broke we saw a muleteer attending
a well…dressed woman with a parasol； and a little girl who seemed to be
her servant。 Said Garcia； 'There go two mules and two women whom St。
Nicholas has sent us。 I would rather have had four mules； but no matter。
I'll do the best I can with these。'
〃He took his blunderbuss； and went down the pathway； hiding himself
among the brushwood。
〃We followed him； /El Dancaire/ and I keeping a little way behind。 As
soon as the woman saw us； instead of being frightenedand our dress
would have been enough to frighten any oneshe burst into a fit of loud
laughter。 'Ah！ the /lillipendi/！ They take me for an /erani/！'*
* 〃The idiots； they take me for a smart lady！〃
〃It was Carmen； but so well disguised that if she had spoken any other
language I should never have recognised her。 She sprang off her mule； and
talked some time in an undertone with /El Dancaire/ and Garcia。 Then she
said to me：
〃 'Canary…bird； we shall meet again before you're hanged。 I'm off to
Gibraltar on gipsy businessyou'll soon have news of me。'
〃We parted； after she had told us of a place where we should find
shelter for some days。 That girl was the providence of our gang。 We soon
received some money sent by her； and a piece of news which was still
more useful to usto the effect that on a certain day two English lords
would travel from Gibraltar to Granada by a road she mentioned。 This was
a word to the wise。 They had plenty of good guineas。 Garcia would have
killed them； but /El Dancaire/ and I objected。 All we took from them；
besides their shirts； which we greatly needed； was their money and their
watches。
41
… Page 42…
CARMEN
〃Sir； a man may turn rogue in sheer thoughtlessness。 You lose your
head over a pretty girl； you fight another man about her； there is a
catastrophe； you have to take to the mountains； and you turn from a
smuggler into a robber before you have time to think about it。 After this
matter of the English lords； we concluded that the neighbourhood of
Gibraltar would not be healthy for us； and we plunged into the /Sierra de
Ronda/。 You once mentioned Jose…Maria to me。 Well； it was there I made
acquaintance with him。 He always took his mistress with him on his
expeditions。 She was a pretty girl； quiet； modest； well…