carmen-第2部分

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I　was　hoping　the　stranger　might　gradually　fall　into　a　confidential　mood；　and　in　spite　of　my　guide's　winks；　I　turned　the　conversation　to　the　subject　of　highwaymen。　I　need　scarcely　say　that　I　spoke　of　them　with　great　respect。　At　that　time　there　was　a　famous　brigand　in　Andalusia；　of　the　name　of　Jose…Maria；　whose　exploits　were　on　every　lip。　〃Supposing　I　should　be　riding　along　with　Jose…Maria！〃　said　I　to　myself。　I　told　all　the　stories　I　knew　about　the　herothey　were　all　to　his　credit；　indeed；　and　loudly　expressed　my　admiration　of　his　generosity　and　his　valour。

〃Jose…Maria　is　nothing　but　a　blackguard；〃　said　the　stranger　gravely。

〃Is　he　just　to　himself；　or　is　this　an　excess　of　modesty？〃　I　queried；　mentally；　for　by　dint　of　scrutinizing　my　companion；　I　had　ended　by　reconciling　his　appearance　with　the　description　of　Jose…Maria　which　I　read　posted　up　on　the　gates　of　various　Andalusian　towns。　〃Yes；　this　must　be　hefair　hair；　blue　eyes；　large　mouth；　good　teeth；　small　hands；　fine　shirt；　a　velvet　jacket　with　silver　buttons　on　it；　white　leather　gaiters；　and　a　bay　horse。　Not　a　doubt　about　it。　But　his　/incognito/　shall　be　respected！〃　We　reached　the　/venta/。　It　was　just　what　he　had　described　to　me。　In　other　words；　the　most　wretched　hole　of　its　kind　I　had　as　yet　beheld。　One　large　apartment　served　as　kitchen；　dining…room；　and　sleeping　chamber。　A　fire　was　burning　on　a　flat　stone　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　the　smoke　escaped　through　a　hole　in　the　roof；　or　rather　hung　in　a　cloud　some　feet　above　the　soil。　Along　the　walls　five　or　six　mule　rugs　were　spread　on　the　floor。　These　were　the　travellers'　beds。　Twenty　paces　from　the　house；　or　rather　from　the　solitary　apartment　which　I　have　just　described；　stood　a　sort　of　shed；　that　served　for　a　stable。

The　only　inhabitants　of　this　delightful　dwelling　visible　at　the　moment；　at　all　events；　were　an　old　woman；　and　a　little　girl　of　ten　or　twelve　years　old；　both　of　them　as　black　as　soot；　and　dressed　in　loathsome　rags。　〃Here's　the　sole　remnant　of　the　ancient　populations　of　Munda　Boetica；〃　said　I　to　myself。　〃O　Caesar！　O　Sextus　Pompeius；　if　you　were　to　revisit　this　earth　how　astounded　you　would　be！〃

When　the　old　woman　saw　my　travelling　companion　an　exclamation　of　surprise　escaped　her。　〃Ah！　Senor　Don　Jose！〃　she　cried。

Don　Jose　frowned　and　lifted　his　hand　with　a　gesture　of　authority　that　forthwith　silenced　the　old　dame。

I　turned　to　my　guide　and　gave　him　to　understand；　by　a　sign　that　no　one　else　perceived；　that　I　knew　all　about　the　man　in　whose　company　I　was　about　to　spend　the　night。　Our　supper　was　better　than　I　expected。　On　a　little　table；　only　a　foot　high；　we　were　served　with　an　old　rooster；　fricasseed　with　rice　and　numerous　peppers；　then　more　peppers　in　oil；　and　finally　a　/gaspacho/a　sort　of　salad　made　of　peppers。　These　three　highly　spiced　dishes　involved　our　frequent　recourse　to　a　goatskin　filled　with　Montella　wine；　which　struck　us　as　being　delicious。

After　our　meal　was　over；　I　caught　sight　of　a　mandolin　hanging　up　against　the　wallin　Spain　you　see　mandolins　in　every　cornerand　I　asked　the　little　girl；　who　had　been　waiting　on　us；　if　she　knew　how　to　play　it。

〃No；〃　she　replied。　〃But　Don　Jose　does　play　well！〃

〃Do　me　the　kindness　to　sing　me　something；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃I'm　passionately　fond　of　your　national　music。〃

〃I　can't　refuse　to　do　anything　for　such　a　charming　gentleman；　who　gives　me　such　excellent　cigars；〃　responded　Don　Jose　gaily；　and　having　made　the　child　give　him　the　mandolin；　he　sang　to　his　own　accompaniment。　His　voice；　though　rough；　was　pleasing；　the　air　he　sang　was　strange　and　sad。　As　to　the　words；　I　could　not　understand　a　single　one　of　them。

〃If　I　am　not　mistaken；〃　said　I；　〃that's　not　a　Spanish　air　you　have　just　been　singing。　It's　like　the　/zorzicos/　I've　heard　in　the　Provinces；*　and　the　words　must　be　in　the　Basque　language。〃

*　　　The　/privileged　Provinces/；　Alava；　Biscay；　Guipuzcoa；　and　a　part　　　　　of　Navarre；　which　all　enjoy　special　/fueros/。　The　Basque　language　　　　　is　spoken　in　these　countries。

〃Yes；〃　said　Don　Jose；　with　a　gloomy　look。　He　laid　the　mandolin　down　on　the　ground；　and　began　staring　with　a　peculiarly　sad　expression　at　the　dying　fire。　His　face；　at　once　fierce　and　noble…looking；　reminded　me；　as　the　firelight　fell　on　it；　of　Milton's　Satan。　Like　him；　perchance；　my　comrade　was　musing　over　the　home　he　had　forfeited；　the　exile　he　had　earned；　by　some　misdeed。　I　tried　to　revive　the　conversation；　but　so　absorbed　was　he　in　melancholy　thought；　that　he　gave　me　no　answer。

The　old　woman　had　already　gone　to　rest　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　behind　a　ragged　rug　hung　on　a　rope。　The　little　girl　had　followed　her　into　this　retreat；　sacred　to　the　fair　sex。　Then　my　guide　rose；　and　suggested　that　I　should　go　with　him　to　the　stable。　But　at　the　word　Don　Jose；　waking；　as　it　were；　with　a　start；　inquired　sharply　whither　he　was　going。

〃To　the　stable；〃　answered　the　guide。

〃What　for？　The　horses　have　been　fed！　You　can　sleep　here。　The　senor　will　give　you　leave。〃

〃I'm　afraid　the　senor's　horse　is　sick。　I'd　like　the　senor　to　see　it。　Perhaps　he'd　know　what　should　be　done　for　it。〃

It　was　quite　clear　to　me　that　Antonio　wanted　to　speak　to　me　apart。

But　I　did　not　care　to　rouse　Don　Jose's　suspicions；　and　being　as　we　were；　I　thought　far　the　wisest　course　for　me　was　to　appear　absolutely　confident。

I　therefore　told　Antonio　that　I　knew　nothing　on　earth　about　horses；　and　that　I　was　desperately　sleepy。　Don　Jose　followed　him　to　the　stable；　and　soon　returned　alone。　He　told　me　there　was　nothing　the　matter　with　the　horse；　but　that　my　guide　considered　the　animal　such　a　treasure　that　he　was　scrubbing　it　with　his　jacket　to　make　it　sweat；　and　expected　to　spend　the　night　in　that　pleasing　occupation。　Meanwhile　I　had　stretched　myself　out　on　the　mule　rugs；　having　carefully　wrapped　myself　up　in　my　own　cloak；　so　as　to　avoid　touching　them。　Don　Jose；　having　begged　me　to　excuse　the　liberty　he　took　in　placing　himself　so　near　me；　lay　down　across　the　door；　but　not　until　he　had　primed　his　blunderbuss　afresh　and　carefully　laid　it　under　the　wallet；　which　served　him　as　a　pillow。

I　had　thought　I　was　so　tired　that　I　should　be　able　to　sleep　even　in　such　a　lodging。　But　within　an　hour　a　most　unpleasant　itching　sensation　roused　me　from　my　first　nap。　As　soon　as　I　realized　its　nature；　I　rose　to　my　feet；　feeling　convinced　I　should　do　far　better　to　spend　the　rest　of　the　night　in　the　open　air　than　beneath　that　inhospitable　roof。　Walking　tiptoe　I　reached　the　door；　stepped　over　Don　Jose；　who　was　sleeping　the　sleep　of　the　just；　and　managed　so　well　that　I　got　outside　the　building　without　waking　him。　Just　beside　the　door　there　was　a　wide　wooden　bench。　I　lay　down　upon　it；　and　settled　myself；　as　best　I　could；　for　the　remainder　of　the　night。　I　was　just　closing　my　eyes　for　a　second　time　when　I　fancied　I　saw　the　shadow　of　a　man　and　then　the　shadow　of　a　horse　moving　absolutely　noiselessly；　one　behind　the　other。　I　sat　upright；　and　then　I　thought　I　recognised　Antonio。　Surprised　to　see　him　outside　the　stable　at　such　an　hour；　I　got　up　and　went　toward　him。　He　had　seen　me　first；　and　had　stopped　to　wait　for　me。

〃Where　is　he？〃　Antonio　inquired　in　a　low　tone。

〃In　the　/venta/。　He's　asleep。　The　bugs　don't　trouble　him。　But　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　that　horse？〃　I　then　noticed　that；　to　stifle　all　noise　as　he　moved　out　of　the　shed；　Antonio　had　carefully　muffled　the　horse's　feet　in　the　rags　of　an　old　blanket。

〃Speak　lower；　for　God's　sake；〃　said　Antonio。　〃You　don't　know　who　that　man　is。　He's　Jose　Navarro；　the　most　noted　bandit　in　Andalusia。　I've　been　making　signs　to　you　all　day　long；　and　you　wouldn't　understand。〃

〃What　do　I　care　whether　he's　a　brigand　or　not；〃　I　replied。　〃He　hasn't　robbed　us；　and　I'll　wager　he　doesn't　want　to。〃

〃That　may　be。　But　there　are　two　hundred　ducats　on　his　head。　Some　lancers　are　stationed　in　a　place　I　know；　a　league　and　a　half　from　here；　and　before　daybreak　I'll　bring　a　few　brawny　fellows　back　with　me。　I'd　have　taken　his　horse　away；　but　the　brute's　so　savage　that　nobody　but　Navarro　can　go　near　it。〃

〃Devil　take　you！〃　I　cried。　〃What　harm　has　the　poor　fellow　done　you　that　you　should　want　to　inform　against　him？　And　besides；　are　you　certain　he　is　the　brigand　you　take　him　for？〃

〃Perfectly　certain！　He　came　after　me　into　the　stable　just　now；　and　said；　'You　seem　to　know　me。　If　you　tell　that　good　gentleman　who　I　am；　I'll　blow　your　brains　out！'　You　stay　here；　sir；　keep　close　to　him。　You've　nothing　to　fear。　As　long　as　he　knows　you　are　there；　he　won't　suspect　anything。〃

As　we　talked；　we　had　moved　so　far　from　the　/venta/　that　the　noise　of　the　horse's　hoofs　could　not　be　heard　there。　In　a　twinkling　Antonio　snatched　off　the　rags　he　had　wrapped　around　the　creature's　feet；　and　was　just　about　to　climb　on　its　back。　In　vain　did　I　attempt　with　prayers　and　threats　to　restrain　him。

〃I'm　only　a　poor　man；　senor；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　can't　afford　to　lose　two　hundred　ducatsespecially　when　I　shall　earn　them　by　ridding　the　country　of　such　vermin。　But　mind　what　you're　about！　If　Navarro　wakes　up；　he'll　snatch　at　his　blunderbuss；　and　then　look　out　for　yourself！　I've　gone　too　far　now　to　turn　back。　Do　the　best　you　can　for　yourself！〃

The　villain　was　in　his　saddle　already；　he　spurred　his　horse　smartly；　and　I　soon　lost　sight　of　them　both　in　the　darkness。

I　was　very　angry　with　my　guide；　and　terribly　alarmed　as　well。　After　a　moment's　reflection；　I　made　up　my　mind；　and　went　back　to　the　/venta/。　Don　Jose　was　still　sound　asleep；　making　up；　no　doubt；　for　the　fatigue　and　sleeplessness　of　several　days　of　adventure。　I　had　to　shake　him　roughly　before　I　could　wake　him　up。　Never　shall　I　forget　his　fierce　look；　and　the　spring　he　made　to　get　hold　of　his　blunderbuss；　which；　as　a　precautionary　measure；　I　had　removed　to　some　distance　from　his　couch。

〃Senor；〃　I　said；　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　disturbing　you。　But　I　have　a　silly　question　to　ask　you。　Would　you　be　glad　to　see　half　a　dozen　lancers　walk　in　here？〃

He　bounded　to　his　feet；　and　in　an　awful　voice　he　demanded：

〃Who　told　you？〃

〃It's　little　matter　whence　the　warning　comes；　so　long　as　it　be　good。〃

〃Your　guide　has　betrayed　mebut　he　shall　pay　for　it！　Where　is　he？〃

〃I　don't　know。　In　the　stable；　I　fancy。　But　somebody　told　me〃

〃Who　told　you？　It　can't　be　the　old　hag〃

〃Some　one　I　don't　know。　Without　mo