carmen-第3部分

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〃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　more　parleying；　tell　me；　yes　or　no；　have　you　any　reason　for　not　waiting　till　the　soldiers　come？　If　you　have　any；　lose　no　time！　If　not；　good…night　to　you；　and　forgive　me　for　having　disturbed　your　slumbers！〃

〃Ah；　your　guide！　Your　guide！　I　had　my　doubts　of　him　at　firstbut　I'll　settle　with　him！　Farewell；　senor。　May　God　reward　you　for　the　service　I　owe　you！　I　am　not　quite　so　wicked　as　you　think　me。　Yes；　I　still　have　something　in　me　that　an　honest　man　may　pity。　Farewell；　senor！　I　have　only　one　regretthat　I　can　not　pay　my　debt　to　you！〃

〃As　a　reward　for　the　service　I　have　done　you；　Don　Jose；　promise　me　you'll　suspect　nobodynor　seek　for　vengeance。　Here　are　some　cigars　for　your　journey。　Good　luck　to　you。〃　And　I　held　out　my　hand　to　him。

He　squeezed　it；　without　a　word；　took　up　his　wallet　and　blunderbuss；　and　after　saying　a　few　words　to　the　old　woman　in　a　lingo　that　I　could　not　understand；　he　ran　out　to　the　shed。　A　few　minutes　later；　I　heard　him　galloping　out　into　the　country。

As　for　me；　I　lay　down　again　on　my　bench；　but　I　did　not　go　to　sleep　again。　I　queried　in　my　own　mind　whether　I　had　done　right　to　save　a　robber；　and　possibly　a　murderer；　from　the　gallows；　simply　and　solely　because　I　had　eaten　ham　and　rice　in　his　company。　Had　I　not　betrayed　my　guide；　who　was　supporting　the　cause　of　law　and　order？　Had　I　not　exposed　him　to　a　ruffian's　vengeance？　But　then；　what　about　the　laws　of　hospitality？

〃A　mere　savage　prejudice；〃　said　I　to　myself。　〃I　shall　have　to　answer　for　all　the　crimes　this　brigand　may　commit　in　future。〃　Yet　is　that　instinct　of　the　conscience　which　resists　every　argument　really　a　prejudice？　It　may　be　I　could　not　have　escaped　from　the　delicate　position　in　which　I　found　myself　without　remorse　of　some　kind。　I　was　still　tossed　to　and　fro；　in　the　greatest　uncertainty　as　to　the　morality　of　my　behaviour；　when　I　saw　half　a　dozen　horsemen　ride　up；　with　Antonio　prudently　lagging　behind　them。　I　went　to　meet　them；　and　told　them　the　brigand　had　fled　over　two　hours　previously。　The　old　woman；　when　she　was　questioned　by　the　sergeant；　admitted　that　she　knew　Navarro；　but　said　that　living　alone；　as　she　did；　she　would　never　have　dared　to　risk　her　life　by　informing　against　him。　She　added　that　when　he　came　to　her　house；　he　habitually　went　away　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　I；　for　my　part；　was　made　to　ride　to　a　place　some　leagues　away；　where　I　showed　my　passport；　and　signed　a　declaration　before　the　/Alcalde/。　This　done；　I　was　allowed　to　recommence　my　archaeological　investigations。　Antonio　was　sulky　with　me；　suspecting　it　was　I　who　had　prevented　his　earning　those　two　hundred　ducats。　Nevertheless；　we　parted　good　friends　at　Cordova；　where　I　gave　him　as　large　a　gratuity　as　the　state　of　my　finances　would　permit。



CHAPTER　II

I　spent　several　days　at　Cordova。　I　had　been　told　of　a　certain　manuscript　in　the　library　of　the　Dominican　convent　which　was　likely　to　furnish　me　with　very　interesting　details　about　the　ancient　Munda。　The　good　fathers　gave　me　the　most　kindly　welcome。　I　spent　the　daylight　hours　within　their　convent；　and　at　night　I　walked　about　the　town。　At　Cordova　a　great　many　idlers　collect；　toward　sunset；　in　the　quay　that　runs　along　the　right　bank　of　the　Guadalquivir。　Promenaders　on　the　spot　have　to　breathe　the　odour　of　a　tan　yard　which　still　keeps　up　the　ancient　fame　of　the　country　in　connection　with　the　curing　of　leather。　But　to　atone　for　this；　they　enjoy　a　sight　which　has　a　charm　of　its　own。　A　few　minutes　before　the　Angelus　bell　rings；　a　great　company　of　women　gathers　beside　the　river；　just　below　the　quay；　which　is　rather　a　high　one。　Not　a　man　would　dare　to　join　its　ranks。　The　moment　the　Angelus　rings；　darkness　is　supposed　to　have　fallen。　As　the　last　stroke　sounds；　all　the　women　disrobe　and　step　into　the　water。　Then　there　is　laughing　and　screaming　and　a　wonderful　clatter。　The　men　on　the　upper　quay　watch　the　bathers；　straining　their　eyes；　and　seeing　very　little。　Yet　the　white　uncertain　outlines　perceptible　against　the　dark…blue　waters　of　the　stream　stir　the　poetic　mind；　and　the　possessor　of　a　little　fancy　finds　it　not　difficult　to　imagine　that　Diana　and　her　nymphs　are　bathing　below；　while　he　himself　runs　no　risk　of　ending　like　Acteon。

I　have　been　told　that　one　day　a　party　of　good…for…nothing　fellows　banded　themselves　together；　and　bribed　the　bell…ringer　at　the　cathedral　to　ring　the　Angelus　some　twenty　minutes　before　the　proper　hour。　Though　it　was　still　broad　daylight；　the　nymphs　of　the　Guadalquivir　never　hesitated；　and　putting　far　more　trust　in　the　Angelus　bell　than　in　the　sun；　they　proceeded　to　their　bathing　toilettealways　of　the　simplest　with　an　easy　conscience。　I　was　not　present　on　that　occasion。　In　my　day；　the　bell…ringer　was　incorruptible；　the　twilight　was　very　dim；　and　nobody　but　a　cat　could　have　distinguished　the　difference　between　the　oldest　orange　woman；　and　the　prettiest　shop…girl；　in　Cordova。

One　evening；　after　it　had　grown　quite　dusk；　I　was　leaning　over　the　parapet　of　the　quay；　smoking；　when　a　woman　came　up　the　steps　leading　from　the　river；　and　sat　down　near　me。　In　her　hair　she　wore　a　great　bunch　of　jasminea　flower　which；　at　night；　exhales　a　most　intoxicating　perfume。　She　was　dressed　simply；　almost　poorly；　in　black；　as　most　work…girls　are　dressed　in　the　evening。　Women　of　the　richer　class　only　wear　black　in　the　daytime；　at　night　they　dress　/a　la　francesa/。　When　she　drew　near　me；　the　woman　let　the　mantilla　which　had　covered　her　head　drop　on　her　shoulders；　and　〃by　the　dim　light　falling　from　the　stars〃　I　perceived　her　to　be　young；　short　in　stature；　well…　proportioned；　and　with　very　large　eyes。　I　threw　my　cigar　away　at　once。　She　appreciated　this　mark　of　courtesy；　essentially　French；　and　hastened　to　inform　me　that　she　was　very　fond　of　the　smell　of　tobacco；　and　that　she　even　smoked　herself；　when　she　could　get　very　mild　/papelitos/。　I　fortunately　happened　to　have　some　such　in　my　case；　and　at　once　offered　them　to　her。　She　condescended　to　take　one；　and　lighted　it　at　a　burning　string　which　a　child　brought　us；　receiving　a　copper　for　its　pains。　We　mingled　our　smoke；　and　talked　so　long；　the　fair　lady　and　I；　that　we　ended　by　being　almost　alone　on　the　quay。　I　thought　I　might　venture；　without　impropriety；　to　suggest　our　going　to　eat　an　ice　at　the　/neveria/。*　After　a　moment　of　modest　demur；　she　agreed。　But　before　finally　accepting；　she　desired　to　know　what　o'clock　it　was。　I　struck　my　repeater；　and　this　seemed　to　astound　her　greatly。

*　　　A　/café/　to　which　a　depot　of　ice；　or　rather　of　snow；　is　attached。　　　　　There　is　hardly　a　village　in　Spain　without　its　/neveria/。

〃What　clever　inventions　you　foreigners　do　have！　What　country　do　you　belong　to；　sir？　You're　an　Englishman；　no　doubt！〃*

*　　　Every　traveller　in　Spain　who　does　not　carry　about　samples　of　　　　　calicoes　and　silks　is　taken　for　an　Englishman　（/inglesito/）。　It　is　　　　　the　same　thing　in　the　East。

〃I'm　a　Frenchman；　and　your　devoted　servant。　And　you；　senora；　or　senorita；　you　probably　belong　to　Cordova？〃

〃No。〃

〃At　all　events；　you　are　an　Andalusian？　Your　soft　way　of　speaking　makes　me　think　so。〃

〃If　you　notice　people's　accent　so　closely；　you　must　be　able　to　guess　what　I　am。〃

〃I　think　you　are　from　the　country　of　Jesus；　two　paces　out　of　Paradise。〃

I　had　learned　the　metaphor；　which　stands　for　Andalusia；　from　my　friend　Francisco　Sevilla；　a　well…known　/picador/。

〃Pshaw！　The　people　here　say　there　is　no　place　in　Paradise　for　us！〃

〃Then　perhaps　you　are　of　Moorish　bloodor〃　I　stopped；　not　venturing　to　add　〃a　Jewess。〃

〃Oh　come！　You　must　see　I'm　a　gipsy！　Wouldn't　you　like　me　to　tell　you　/la　baji/？*　Did　you　never　hear　tell　of　Carmencita？　That's　who　I　am！〃

*　　　Your　fortune。

I　was　such　a　miscreant　in　those　daysnow　fifteen　years　agothat　the　close　proximity　of　a　sorceress　did　not　make　me　recoil　in　horror。　〃So　be　it！〃　I　thought。　〃Last　week　I　ate　my　supper　with　a　highway　robber。　To…day　I'll　go　and　eat　ices　with　a　servant　of　the　devil。　A　traveller　should　see　everything。〃　I　had　yet　another　motive　for　prosecuting　her　acquaintance。　When　I　left　collegeI　acknowledge　it　with　shameI　had　wasted　a　certain　amount　of　time　in　studying　occult　science；　and　had　even　attempted；　more　than　once；　to　exorcise　the　powers　of　darkness。　Though　I　had　been　cured；　long　since；　of　my　passion　for　such　investigations；　I　still　felt　a　certain　attraction　and　curiosity　with　regard　to　all　superstitions；　and　I　was　delighted　to　have　this　opportunity　of　discovering　how　far　the　magic　art　had　developed　among　the　gipsies。

Talking　as　we　went；　we　had　reached　the　/neveria/；　and　seated　ourselves　at　a　little　table；　lighted　by　a　taper　protected　by　a　glass　globe。　I　then　had　time　to　take　a　leisurely　view　of　my　/gitana/；　while　several　worthy　individuals；　who　were　eating　their　ices；　stared　open…mouthed　at　beholding　me　in　such　gay　company。

I　very　much　doubt　whether　Senorita　Carmen　was　a　pure…blooded　gipsy。　At　all　events；　she　was　infinitely　prettier　than　any　other　woman　of　her　race　I　have　ever　seen。　For　a　women　to　be　beautiful；　they　say　in　Spain；　she　must　fulfil　thirty　/ifs/；　or；　if　it　please　you　better；　you　must　be　able　to　define　her　appearance　by　ten　adjectives；　applicable　to　three　portions　of　her　person。

For　instance；　three　things　about　her　must　be　black；　her　eyes；　her　eyelashes；　and　her　eyebrows。　Three　must　be　dainty；　her　fingers；　her　lips；　her　hair；　and　so　forth。　For　the　rest　of　this　inventory；　see　Brantome。　My　gipsy　girl　could　lay　no　claim　to　so　many　perfections。　Her　skin；　though　perfectly　smooth；　was　almost　of　a　copper　hue。　Her　eyes　were　set　obliquely　in　her　head；　but　they　were　magnificent　and　large。　Her　lips；　a　little　full；　but　beautifully　shaped；　revealed　a　set　of　teeth　as　white　as　newly　skinned　almonds。　Her　haira　trifle　coarse；　perhapswas　black；　with　blue　lights　on　it　like　a　raven's　wing；　long　and　glossy。　Not　to　weary　my　readers　with　too　prolix　a　description；　I　will　merely　add；　that　to　every　blemish　she　united　some　advantage；　which　was　perhaps　all　the　more　evident　by　contrast。　There　was　something　strange　and　wild　about　her　beauty。　Her　face　astonished　you；　at　first　sight；　but　nobody　could　forget　it。　Her　eyes；　especially；　had　an　expression　of　mingled　sensuality　and　fierceness　which　I