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I went back to the chapel； but I stayed outside it。 When he had said the
mass； I went back to the /venta/。 I was hoping Carmen would have fled。
She could have taken my horse and ridden away。 But I found her there still。
She did not choose that any one should say I had frightened her。 While I
had been away she had unfastened the hem of her gown and taken out the
lead that weighted it； and now she was sitting before a table； looking into a
bowl of water into which she had just thrown the lead she had melted。 She
was so busy with her spells that at first she didn't notice my return。
Sometimes she would take out a bit of lead and turn it round every way
with a melancholy look。 Sometimes she would sing one of those magic
songs； which invoke the help of Maria Padella； Don Pedro's mistress； who
is said to have been the /Bari Crallisa/the great gipsy queen。*
* Maria Padella was accused of having bewitched Don Pedro。
According to one popular tradition she presented Queen Blanche of
Bourbon with a golden girdle which； in the eyes of the bewitched
king； took on the appearance of a living snake。 Hence the
repugnance he always showed toward the unhappy princess。
〃 'Carmen；' I said to her； 'will you come with me？' She rose； threw
away her wooden bowl； and put her mantilla over her head ready to start。
My horse was led up； she mounted behind me； and we rode away。
〃After we had gone a little distance I said to her； 'So； my Carmen； you
are quite ready to follow me； isn't that so？'
〃She answered； 'Yes； I'll follow you； even to deathbut I won't live
with you any more。'
〃We had reached a lonely gorge。 I stopped my horse。
〃 'Is this the place？' she said。
〃And with a spring she reached the ground。 She took off her mantilla
and threw it at her feet； and stood motionless； with one hand on her hip；
looking at me steadily。
〃 'You mean to kill me； I see that well；' said she。 'It is fate。 But you'll
never make me give in。'
〃I said to her： 'Be rational； I implore you； listen to me。 All the past is
forgotten。 Yet you know it is you who have been my ruinit is because of
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you that I am a robber and a murderer。 Carmen； my Carmen； let me save
you； and save myself with you。'
〃 'Jose；' she answered； 'what you ask is impossible。 I don't love you
any more。 You love me still； and that is why you want to kill me。 If I liked；
I might tell you some other lie； but I don't choose to give myself the
trouble。 Everything is over between us two。 You are my /rom/； and you
have the right to kill your /romi/； but Carmen will always be free。 A /calli/
she was born； and a /calli/ she'll die。'
〃 'Then； you love Lucas？' I asked。
〃 'Yes； I have loved himas I loved youfor an instantless than I
loved you； perhaps。 But now I don't love anything； and I hate myself for
ever having loved you。'
〃I cast myself at her feet； I seized her hands； I watered them with my
tears； I reminded her of all the happy moments we had spent together； I
offered to continue my brigand's life； if that would please her。 Everything；
sir； everythingI offered her everything if she would only love me again。
〃She said：
〃 'Love you again？ That's not possible！ Live with you？ I will not do it！'
〃I was wild with fury。 I drew my knife； I would have had her look
frightened； and sue for mercybut that woman was a demon。
〃I cried； 'For the last time I ask you。 Will you stay with me？'
〃 'No！ no！ no！' she said； and she stamped her foot。
〃Then she pulled a ring I had given her off her finger； and cast it into
the brushwood。
〃I struck her twice overI had taken Garcia's knife； because I had
broken my own。 At the second thrust she fell without a sound。 It seems to
me that I can still see her great black eyes staring at me。 Then they grew
dim and the lids closed。
〃For a good hour I lay there prostrate beside her corpse。 Then I
recollected that Carmen had often told me that she would like to lie buried
in a wood。 I dug a grave for her with my knife and laid her in it。 I hunted
about a long time for her ring； and I found it at last。 I put it into the grave
beside her； with a little crossperhaps I did wrong。 Then I got upon my
horse； galloped to Cordova； and gave myself up at the nearest guard…room。
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I told them I had killed Carmen； but I would not tell them where her body
was。 That hermit was a holy man！ He prayed for herhe said a mass for
her soul。 Poor child！ It's the /calle/ who are to blame for having brought
her up as they did。〃
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CHAPTER IV
Spain is one of the countries in which those nomads； scattered all over
Europe； and known as Bohemians； Gitanas； Gipsies； Ziegeuner； and so
forth； are now to be found in the greatest numbers。 Most of these people
live； or rather wander hither and thither； in the southern and eastern
provinces of Spain； in Andalusia； and Estramadura； in the kingdom of
Murcia。 There are a great many of them in Catalonia。 These last frequently
cross over into France and are to be seen at all our southern fairs。 The men
generally call themselves grooms； horse doctors； mule…clippers； to these
trades they add the mending of saucepans and brass utensils； not to
mention smuggling and other illicit practices。 The women tell fortunes；
beg； and sell all sorts of drugs； some of which are innocent； while some
are not。 The physical characteristics of the gipsies are more easily
distinguished then described； and when you have known one； you should
be able to recognise a member of the race among a thousand other men。 It
is by their physiognomy and expression； especially； that they differ from
the other inhabitants of the same country。 Their complexion is exceedingly
swarthy； always darker than that of the race among whom they live。 Hence
the name of /cale/ （blacks） which they frequently apply to themselves。*
Their eyes； set with a decided slant； are large； very black； and shaded by
long and heavy lashes。 Their glance can only be