carmen-第5部分

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　Alava　picked　a　quarrel　with　me。　We　took　to　our　/maquilas/；*　and　I　won　again。　But　I　had　to　leave　the　neighbourhood。　I　fell　in　with　some　dragoons；　and　enlisted　in　the　Almanza　Cavalry　Regiment。　Mountain　folks　like　us　soon　learn　to　be　soldiers。　Before　long　I　was　a　corporal；　and　I　had　been　told　I　should　soon　be　made　a　sergeant；　when；　to　my　misfortune；　I　was　put　on　guard　at　the　Seville　Tobacco　Factory。　If　you　have　been　to　Seville　you　have　seen　the　great　building；　just　outside　the　ramparts；　close　to　the　Guadalquivir；　I　can　fancy　I　see　the　entrance；　and　the　guard　room　just　beside　it；　even　now。　When　Spanish　soldiers　are　on　duty；　they　either　play　cards　or　go　to　sleep。　I；　like　an　honest　Navarrese；　always　tried　to　keep　myself　busy。　I　was　making　a　chain　to　hold　my　priming…pin；　out　of　a　bit　of　wire：　all　at　once；　my　comrades　said；　'there's　the　bell　ringing；　the　girls　are　coming　back　to　work。'　You　must　know；　sir；　that　there　are　quite　four　or　five　hundred　women　employed　in　the　factory。　They　roll　the　cigars　in　a　great　room　into　which　no　man　can　go　without　a　permit　from　the　/Veintiquatro/；**　because　when　the　weather　is　hot　they　make　themselves　at　home；　especially　the　young　ones。　When　the　work…girls　come　back　after　their　dinner；　numbers　of　young　men　go　down　to　see　them　pass　by；　and　talk　all　sorts　of　nonsense　to　them。　Very　few　of　those　young　ladies　will　refuse　a　silk　mantilla；　and　men　who　care　for　that　sort　of　sport　have　nothing　to　do　but　bend　down　and　pick　their　fish　up。　While　the　others　watched　the　girls　go　by；　I　stayed　on　my　bench　near　the　door。　I　was　a　young　fellow　thenmy　heart　was　still　in　my　own　country；　and　I　didn't　believe　in　any　pretty　girls　who　hadn't　blue　skirts　and　long　plaits　of　hair　falling　on　their　shoulders。***　And　besides；　I　was　rather　afraid　of　the　Andalusian　women。　I　had　not　got　used　to　their　ways　yet；　they　were　always　jeering　onenever　spoke　a　single　word　of　sense。　So　I　was　sitting　with　my　nose　down　upon　my　chain；　when　I　heard　some　bystanders　say；　'Here　comes　the　/gitanella/！'　Then　I　lifted　up　my　eyes；　and　I　saw　her！　It　was　that　very　Carmen　you　know；　and　in　whose　rooms　I　met　you　a　few　months　ago。

*　　　Iron…shod　sticks　used　by　the　Basques。

**　　Magistrate　in　charge　of　the　municipal　police　arrangements；　and　　　　　local　government　regulations。

***　The　costume　usually　worn　by　peasant　women　in　Navarre　and　the　　　　　Basque　Provinces。

〃She　was　wearing　a　very　short　skirt；　below　which　her　white　silk　stockingswith　more　than　one　hole　in　themand　her　dainty　red　morocco　shoes；　fastened　with　flame…coloured　ribbons；　were　clearly　seen。　She　had　thrown　her　mantilla　back；　to　show　her　shoulders；　and　a　great　bunch　of　acacia　that　was　thrust　into　her　chemise。　She　had　another　acacia　blossom　in　the　corner　of　her　mouth；　and　she　walked　along；　swaying　her　hips；　like　a　filly　from　the　Cordova　stud　farm。　In　my　country　anybody　who　had　seen　a　woman　dressed　in　that　fashion　would　have　crossed　himself。　At　Seville　every　man　paid　her　some　bold　compliment　on　her　appearance。　She　had　an　answer　for　each　and　all；　with　her　hand　on　her　hip；　as　bold　as　the　thorough　gipsy　she　was。　At　first　I　didn't　like　her　looks；　and　I　fell　to　my　work　again。　But　she；　like　all　women　and　cats；　who　won't　come　if　you　call　them；　and　do　come　if　you　don't　call　them；　stopped　short　in　front　of　me；　and　spoke　to　me。

〃　'/Compadre/；'　said　she；　in　the　Andalusian　fashion；　'won't　you　give　me　your　chain　for　the　keys　of　my　strong　box？'

〃　'It's　for　my　priming…pin；'　said　I。

〃　'Your　priming…pin！'　she　cried；　with　a　laugh。　'Oho！　I　suppose　the　gentleman　makes　lace；　as　he　wants　pins！'

〃Everybody　began　to　laugh；　and　I　felt　myself　getting　red　in　the　face；　and　couldn't　hit　on　anything　in　answer。

〃　'Come；　my　love！'　she　began　again；　'make　me　seven　ells　of　lace　for　my　mantilla；　my　pet　pin…maker！'

〃And　taking　the　acacia　blossom　out　of　her　mouth　she　flipped　it　at　me　with　her　thumb　so　that　it　hit　me　just　between　the　eyes。　I　tell　you；　sir；　I　felt　as　if　a　bullet　had　struck　me。　I　didn't　know　which　way　to　look。　I　sat　stock…still；　like　a　wooden　board。　When　she　had　gone　into　the　factory；　I　saw　the　acacia　blossom；　which　had　fallen　on　the　ground　between　my　feet。　I　don't　know　what　made　me　do　it；　but　I　picked　it　up；　unseen　by　any　of　my　comrades；　and　put　it　carefully　inside　my　jacket。　That　was　my　first　folly。

〃Two　or　three　hours　later　I　was　still　thinking　about　her；　when　a　panting；　terrified…looking　porter　rushed　into　the　guard…room。　He　told　us　a　woman　had　been　stabbed　in　the　great　cigar…room；　and　that　the　guard　must　be　sent　in　at　once。　The　sergeant　told　me　to　take　two　men；　and　go　and　see　to　it。　I　took　my　two　men　and　went　upstairs。　Imagine；　sir；　that　when　I　got　into　the　room；　I　found；　to　begin　with；　some　three　hundred　women；　stripped　to　their　shifts；　or　very　near　it；　all　of　them　screaming　and　yelling　and　gesticulating；　and　making　such　a　row　that　you　couldn't　have　heard　God's　own　thunder。　On　one　side　of　the　room　one　of　the　women　was　lying　on　the　broad　of　her　back；　streaming　with　blood；　with　an　X　newly　cut　on　her　face　by　two　strokes　of　a　knife。　Opposite　the　wounded　woman；　whom　the　best…natured　of　the　band　were　attending；　I　saw　Carmen；　held　by　five　or　six　of　her　comrades。　The　wounded　woman　was　crying　out；　'A　confessor；　a　confessor！　I'm　killed！'　Carmen　said　nothing　at　all。　She　clinched　her　teeth　and　rolled　her　eyes　like　a　chameleon。　'What's　this？'　I　asked。　I　had　hard　work　to　find　out　what　had　happened；　for　all　the　work…girls　talked　at　once。　It　appeared　that　the　injured　girl　had　boasted　she　had　money　enough　in　her　pocket　to　buy　a　donkey　at　the　Triana　Market。　'Why；'　said　Carmen；　who　had　a　tongue　of　her　own；　'can't　you　do　with　a　broom？'　Stung　by　this　taunt；　it　may　be　because　she　felt　herself　rather　unsound　in　that　particular；　the　other　girl　replied　that　she　knew　nothing　about　brooms；　seeing　she　had　not　the　honour　of　being　either　a　gipsy　or　one　of　the　devil's　godchildren；　but　that　the　Senorita　Carmen　would　shortly　make　acquaintance　with　her　donkey；　when　the　/Corregidor/　took　her　out　riding　with　two　lackeys　behind　her　to　keep　the　flies　off。　'Well；'　retorted　Carmen；　'I'll　make　troughs　for　the　flies　to　drink　out　of　on　your　cheeks；　and　I'll　paint　a　draught…board　on　them！'*　And　thereupon；　slap；　bank！　She　began　making　St。　Andrew's　crosses　on　the　girl's　face　with　a　knife　she　had　been　using　for　cutting　off　the　ends　of　the　cigars。

*　　　/Pintar　un　javeque/；　〃paint　a　xebec；〃　a　particular　type　of　ship。　　　　　Most　Spanish　vessels　of　this　description　have　a　checkered　red　and　　　　　white　stripe　painted　around　them。

〃The　case　was　quite　clear。　I　took　hold　of　Carmen's　arm。　'Sister　mine；'　I　said　civilly；　'you　must　come　with　me。'　She　shot　a　glance　of　recognition　at　me；　but　she　said；　with　a　resigned　look：　'Let's　be　off。　Where　is　my　mantilla？'　She　put　it　over　her　head　so　that　only　one　of　her　great　eyes　was　to　be　seen；　and　followed　my　two　men；　as　quiet　as　a　lamb。　When　we　got　to　the　guardroom　the　sergeant　said　it　was　a　serious　job；　and　he　must　send　her　to　prison。　I　was　told　off　again　to　take　her　there。　I　put　her　between　two　dragoons；　as　a　corporal　does　on　such　occasions。　We　started　off　for　the　town。　The　gipsy　had　begun　by　holding　her　tongue。　But　when　we　got　to　the　/Calle　de　la　Serpiente/you　know　it；　and　that　it　earns　its　name　by　its　many　windingsshe　began　by　dropping　her　mantilla　on　to　her　shoulders；　so　as　to　show　me　her　coaxing　little　face；　and　turning　round　to　me　as　well　as　she　could；　she　said：

〃　'/Oficial　mio/；　where　are　you　taking　me　to？'

〃　'To　prison；　my　poor　child；'　I　replied；　as　gently　as　I　could；　just　as　any　kind…hearted　soldier　is　bound　to　speak　to　a　prisoner；　and　especially　to　a　woman。

〃　'Alack！　What　will　become　of　me！　Senor　Oficial；　have　pity　on　me！　You　are　so　young；　so　good…looking。'　Then；　in　a　lower　tone；　she　said；　'Let　me　get　away；　and　I'll　give　you　a　bit　of　the　/bar　lachi/；　that　will　make　every　woman　fall　in　love　with　you！'

〃The　/bar　lachi/；　sir；　is　the　loadstone；　with　which　the　gipsies　declare　one　who　knows　how　to　use　it　can　cast　any　number　of　spells。　If　you　can　make　a　woman　drink　a　little　scrap　of　it；　powdered；　in　a　glass　of　white　wine；　she'll　never　be　able　to　resist　you。　I　answered；　as　gravely　as　I　could：

〃　'We　are　not　here　to　talk　nonsense。　You'll　have　to　go　to　prison。　Those　are　my　orders；　and　there's　no　help　for　it！'

〃We　men　from　the　Basque　country　have　an　accent　which　all　Spaniards　easily　recognise；　on　the　other　hand；　not　one　of　them　can　ever　learn　to　say　/Bai；　jaona/！*

*　　　Yes；　sir。

〃So　Carmen　easily　guessed　I　was　from　the　Provinces。　You　know；　sir；　that　the　gipsies；　who　belong　to　no　particular　country；　and　are　always　moving　about；　speak　every　language；　and　most　of　them　are　quite　at　home　in　Portugal；　in　France；　in　our　Provinces；　in　Catalonia；　or　anywhere　else。　They　can　even　make　themselves　understood　by　Moors　and　English　people。　Carmen　knew　Basque　tolerably　well。

〃　'/Laguna　ene　bihotsarena/；　comrade　of　my　heart；'　said　she　suddenly。　'Do　you　belong　to　our　country？'

〃Our　language　is　so　beautiful；　sir；　that　when　we　hear　it　in　a　foreign　country　it　makes　us　quiver。　I　wish；〃　added　the　bandit　in　a　lower　tone；　〃I　could　have　a　confessor　from　my　own　country。〃

After　a　silence；　he　began　again。

〃　'I　belong　to　Elizondo；'　I　answered　in　Basque；　very　much　affected　by　the　sound　of　my　own　language。

〃　'I　come　from　Etchalar；'　said　she　（that's　a　district　about　four　hours'　journey　from　my　home）。　'I　was　carried　off　to　Seville　by　the　gipsies。　I　was　working　in　the　factory　to　earn　enough　money　to　take　me　back　to　Navarre；　to　my　poor　old　mother；　who　has　no　support　in　the　world　but　me；　besides　her　little　/barratcea/*　with　twenty　cider…apple　trees　in　it。　Ah！　if　I　were　only　back　in　my　own　country；　looking　up　at　the　white　mountains！　I　have　been　insulted　here；　because　I　don't　belong　to　this　land　of　rogues　and　sellers　of　rotten　oranges；　and　those　hussies　are　all　banded　together　against　me；　because　I　told　them　that　not　all　their　Seville　/jacques/；**　and　all　their　knives；　would　frighten　an　honest　lad　from　our　country；　with　his　blue　cap　and　his　/maquila/！　Good　comrade；　won't　you　do　anything　to　help　your　own　countrywoman？'

*　　　Field；　garden。

**　　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'