carmen-第6部分

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**　　Bravos；　boasters。

〃She　was　lying　then；　sir；　as　she　has　always　lied。　I　don't　know　that　that　girl　ever　spoke　a　word　of　truth　in　her　life；　but　when　she　did　speak；　I　believed　herI　couldn't　help　myself。　She　mangled　her　Basque　words；　and　I　believed　she　came　from　Navarre。　But　her　eyes　and　her　mouth　and　her　skin　were　enough　to　prove　she　was　a　gipsy。　I　was　mad；　I　paid　no　more　attention　to　anything；　I　thought　to　myself　that　if　the　Spaniards　had　dared　to　speak　evil　of　my　country；　I　would　have　slashed　their　faces　just　as　she　had　slashed　her　comrade's。　In　short；　I　was　like　a　drunken　man；　I　was　beginning　to　say　foolish　things；　and　I　was　very　near　doing　them。

〃　'If　I　were　to　give　you　a　push　and　you　tumbled　down；　good　fellow…　countryman；'　she　began　again　in　Basque；　'those　two　Castilian　recruits　wouldn't　be　able　to　keep　me　back。'

〃Faith；　I　forgot　my　orders；　I　forgot　everything；　and　I　said　to　her；　'Well；　then；　my　friend；　girl　of　my　country；　try　it；　and　may　our　Lady　of　the　Mountain　help　you　through。'

〃Just　at　that　moment　we　were　passing　one　of　the　many　narrow　lanes　one　sees　in　Seville。　All　at　once　Carmen　turned　and　struck　me　in　the　chest　with　her　fist。　I　tumbled　backward；　purposely。　With　a　bound　she　sprang　over　me；　and　ran　off；　showing　us　a　pair　of　legs！　People　talk　about　a　pair　of　Basque　legs！　but　hers　were　far　betteras　fleet　as　they　were　well…turned。　As　for　me；　I　picked　myself　up　at　once；　but　I　stuck　out　my　lance*　crossways　and　barred　the　street；　so　that　my　comrades　were　checked　at　the　very　first　moment　of　pursuit。　Then　I　started　to　run　myself；　and　they　after　mebut　how　were　we　to　catch　her？　There　was　no　fear　of　that；　what　with　our　spurs；　our　swords；　and　our　lances。

*　　　All　Spanish　cavalry　soldiers　carry　lances。

〃In　less　time　than　I　have　taken　to　tell　you　the　story　the　prisoner　had　disappeared。　And　besides；　every　gossip　in　the　quarter　covered　her　flight；　poked　scorn　at　us；　and　pointed　us　in　the　wrong　direction。　After　a　good　deal　of　marching　and　countermarching；　we　had　to　go　back　to　the　guard…room　without　a　receipt　from　the　governor　of　the　jail。

〃To　avoid　punishment；　my　men　made　known　that　Carmen　had　spoken　to　me　in　Basque；　and　to　tell　the　truth；　it　did　not　seem　very　natural　that　a　blow　from　such　a　little　creature　should　have　so　easily　overthrown　a　strong　fellow　like　me。　The　whole　thing　looked　suspicious；　or；　at　all　events；　not　over…clear。　When　I　came　off　guard　I　lost　my　corporal's　stripes；　and　was　condemned　to　a　month's　imprisonment。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　been　punished　since　I　had　been　in　the　service。　Farewell；　now；　to　the　sergeant's　stripes；　on　which　I　had　reckoned　so　surely！

〃The　first　days　in　prison　were　very　dreary。　When　I　enlisted　I　had　fancied　I　was　sure　to　become　an　officer；　at　all　events。　Two　of　my　compatriots；　Longa　and　Mina；　are　captains…general；　after　all。　Chapalangarra　was　a　colonel；　and　I　have　played　tennis　a　score　of　times　with　his　brother；　who　was　just　a　needy　fellow　like　myself。　'Now；'　I　kept　crying　to　myself；　'all　the　time　you　served　without　being　punished　has　been　lost。　Now　you　have　a　bad　mark　against　your　name；　and　to　get　yourself　back　into　the　officers'　good　graces　you'll　have　to　work　ten　times　as　hard　as　when　you　joined　as　a　recruit。'　And　why　have　I　got　myself　punished？　For　the　sake　of　a　gipsy　hussy；　who　made　game　of　me；　and　who　at　this　moment　is　busy　thieving　in　some　corner　of　the　town。　Yet　I　couldn't　help　thinking　about　her。　Will　you　believe　it；　sir；　those　silk　stockings　of　hers　with　the　holes　in　them；　of　which　she　had　given　me　such　a　full　view　as　she　took　to　her　heels；　were　always　before　my　eyes？　I　used　to　look　through　the　barred　windows　of　the　jail　into　the　street；　and　among　all　the　women　who　passed　I　never　could　see　one　to　compare　with　that　minx　of　a　girland　then；　in　spite　of　myself；　I　used　to　smell　the　acacia　blossom　she　had　thrown　at　me；　and　which；　dry　as　it　was；　still　kept　its　sweet　scent。　If　there　are　such　things　as　witches；　that　girl　certainly　was　one。

〃One　day　the　jailer　came　in；　and　gave　me　an　Alcala　roll。*

*　　　/Alcala　de　los　Panaderos/；　a　village　two　leagues　from　Seville；　　　　　where　the　most　delicious　rolls　are　made。　They　are　said　to　owe　　　　　their　quality　to　the　water　of　the　place；　and　great　quantities　of　　　　　them　are　brought　to　Seville　every　day。

〃　'Look　here；'　said　he；　'this　is　what　your　cousin　has　sent　you。'

〃I　took　the　loaf；　very　much　astonished；　for　I　had　no　cousin　in　Seville。　It　may　be　a　mistake；　thought　I；　as　I　looked　at　the　roll；　but　it　was　so　appetizing　and　smelt　so　good；　that　I　made　up　my　mind　to　eat　it；　without　troubling　my　head　as　to　whence　it　came；　or　for　whom　it　was　really　intended。

〃When　I　tried　to　cut　it；　my　knife　struck　on　something　hard。　I　looked；　and　found　a　little　English　file；　which　had　been　slipped　into　the　dough　before　the　roll　had　been　baked。　The　roll　also　contained　a　gold　piece　of　two　piastres。　Then　I　had　no　further　doubtit　was　a　present　from　Carmen。　To　people　of　her　blood；　liberty　is　everything；　and　they　would　set　a　town　on　fire　to　save　themselves　one　day　in　prison。　The　girl　was　artful；　indeed；　and　armed　with　that　roll；　I　might　have　snapped　my　fingers　at　the　jailers。　In　one　hour；　with　that　little　file；　I　could　have　sawn　through　the　thickest　bar；　and　with　the　gold　coin　I　could　have　exchanged　my　soldier's　cloak　for　civilian　garb　at　the　nearest　shop。　You　may　fancy　that　a　man　who　has　often　taken　the　eaglets　out　of　their　nests　in　our　cliff　would　have　found　no　difficulty　in　getting　down　to　the　street　out　of　a　window　less　than　thirty　feet　above　it。　But　I　didn't　choose　to　escape。　I　still　had　a　soldier's　code　of　honour；　and　desertion　appeared　to　me　in　the　light　of　a　heinous　crime。　Yet　this　proof　of　remembrance　touched　me。　When　a　man　is　in　prison　he　likes　to　think　he　has　a　friend　outside　who　takes　an　interest　in　him。　The　gold　coin　did　rather　offend　me；　I　should　have　very　much　liked　to　return　it；　but　where　was　I　to　find　my　creditor？　That　did　not　seem　a　very　easy　task。

〃After　the　ceremony　of　my　degradation　I　had　fancied　my　sufferings　were　over；　but　I　had　another　humiliation　before　me。　That　came　when　I　left　prison；　and　was　told　off　for　duty；　and　put　on　sentry；　as　a　private　soldier。　You　can　not　conceive　what　a　proud　man　endures　at　such　a　moment。　I　believe　I　would　have　just　as　soon　been　shot　deadthen　I　should　have　marched　alone　at　the　head　of　my　platoon；　at　all　events；　I　should　have　felt　I　was　somebody；　with　the　eyes　of　others　fixed　upon　me。

〃I　was　posted　as　sentry　on　the　door　of　the　colonel's　house。　The　colonel　was　a　young　man；　rich；　good…natured；　fond　of　amusing　himself。　All　the　young　officers　were　there；　and　many　civilians　as　well；　besides　ladiesactresses；　as　it　was　said。　For　my　part；　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　the　whole　town　had　agreed　to　meet　at　that　door；　in　order　to　stare　at　me。　Then　up　drove　the　colonel's　carriage；　with　his　valet　on　the　box。　And　who　should　I　see　get　out　of　it；　but　the　gipsy　girl！　She　was　dressed　up；　this　time；　to　the　eyes；　togged　out　in　golden　ribbonsa　spangled　gown；　blue　shoes；　all　spangled　too；　flowers　and　gold　lace　all　over　her。　In　her　hand　she　carried　a　tambourine。　With　her　there　were　two　other　gipsy　women；　one　young　and　one　old。　They　always　have　one　old　woman　who　goes　with　them；　and　then　an　old　man　with　a　guitar；　a　gipsy　too；　to　play　alone；　and　also　for　their　dances。　You　must　know　these　gipsy　girls　are　often　sent　for　to　private　houses；　to　dance　their　special　dance；　the　/Romalis/；　and　often；　too；　for　quite　other　purposes。

〃Carmen　recognised　me；　and　we　exchanged　glances。　I　don't　know　why；　but　at　that　moment　I　should　have　liked　to　have　been　a　hundred　feet　beneath　the　ground。

〃　'/Agur　laguna/；'*　said　she。　'Oficial　mio！　You　keep　guard　like　a　recruit；'　and　before　I　could　find　a　word　in　answer；　she　was　inside　the　house。

*　　　Good…day；　comrade！

〃The　whole　party　was　assembled　in　the　/patio/；　and　in　spite　of　the　crowd　I　could　see　nearly　everything　that　went　on　through　the　lattice。*　I　could　hear　the　castanets　and　the　tambourine；　the　laughter　and　applause。　Sometimes　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　her　head　as　she　bounded　upward　with　her　tambourine。　Then　I　could　hear　the　officers　saying　many　things　to　her　which　brought　the　blood　to　my　face。　As　to　her　answers；　I　knew　nothing　of　them。　It　was　on　that　day；　I　think；　that　I　began　to　love　her　in　earnestfor　three　or　four　times　I　was　tempted　to　rush　into　the　/patio/；　and　drive　my　sword　into　the　bodies　of　all　the　coxcombs　who　were　making　love　to　her。　My　torture　lasted　a　full　hour；　then　the　gipsies　came　out；　and　the　carriage　took　them　away。　As　she　passed　me　by；　Carmen　looked　at　me　with　those　eyes　you　know；　and　said　to　me　very　low；　'Comrade；　people　who　are　fond　of　good　/fritata/　come　to　eat　it　at　Lillas　Pastia's　at　Triana！'

*　　　In　most　of　the　houses　in　Seville　there　is　an　inner　court　　　　　surrounded　by　an　arched　portico。　This　is　used　as　a　sitting…room　in　　　　　summer。　Over　the　court　is　stretched　a　piece　of　tent　cloth；　which　　　　　is　watered　during　the　day　and　removed　at　night。　The　street　door　is　　　　　almost　always　left　open；　and　the　passage　leading　to　the　court　　　　　（/zaguan/）　is　closed　by　an　iron　lattice　of　very　elegant　　　　　workmanship。

〃Then；　light　as　a　kid；　she　stepped　into　the　carriage；　the　coachman　whipped　up　his　mules；　and　the　whole　merry　party　departed；　whither　I　know　not。

〃You　may　fancy　that　the　moment　I　was　off　guard　I　went　to　Triana；　but　first　of　all　I　got　myself　shaved　and　brushed　myself　up　as　if　I　had　been　going　on　parade。　She　was　living　with　Lillas　Pastia；　an　old　fried…　fish　seller；　a　gipsy；　as　black　as　a　Moor；　to　whose　house　a　great　many　civilians　resorted　to　eat　/fritata/；　especially；　I　think；　because　Carmen　had　taken　up　her　quarters　there。

〃　'Lillas；'　she　said；　as　soon　as　she　saw　me。　'I'm　not　going　to　work　any　more　to…day。　To…morrow　will　be　a　day；　too。*　Come；　fellow…　countryman；　let　us　go　for　a　walk！'

*　　　/Manana　sera　otro　dia。/A　Spanish　proverb。

〃She　pulled　her　mantilla　across　her　nose；　and　there　we　were　in　the　street；　without　my　knowing　in　the　least　whither　I　was　bound。

〃　'Senorita；'　said　I；　'I　think　I　have　to　thank　you　for　a　present　I　had　while　I　was　in　prison。　I've　eaten　the　bread；　the　file　will　do　for　sharpening　my　lance；　and　I　keep　it　in　remembrance　of　you。　But　as　for　the　money；　here　it　is。'

〃　'Why；　he's　kept　the　money！'　she　exclaimed；　bursting　out　laughing。　'But；　after　a