carmen(卡门)-第5节
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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
had never seen in any other human glance。 〃Gipsy's eye； wolf's eye！〃 is a
Spanish saying which denotes close observation。 If my readers have no
time to go to the 〃Jardin des Plantes〃 to study the wolf's expression； they
will do well to watch the ordinary cat when it is lying in wait for a
sparrow。
It will be understood that I should have looked ridiculous if I had
proposed to have my fortune told in a /caf*/。 I therefore begged the pretty
witch's leave to go home with her。 She made no difficulties about
consenting； but she wanted to know what o'clock it was again； and
requested me to make my repeater strike once more。
〃Is it really gold？〃 she said； gazing at it with rapt attention。
When we started off again； it was quite dark。 Most of the shops were
shut； and the streets were almost empty。 We crossed the bridge over the
Guadalquivir； and at the far end of the suburb we stopped in front of a
house of anything but palatial appearance。 The door was opened by a child；
to whom the gipsy spoke a few words in a language unknown to me；
which I afterward understood to be /Romany/； or /chipe calli/the gipsy
idiom。 The child instantly disappeared； leaving us in sole possession of a
tolerably spacious room； furnished with a small table； two stools； and a
chest。 I must not forget to mention a jar of water； a pile of oranges； and a
bunch of onions。
As soon as we were left alone； the gipsy produced； out of her chest； a
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pack of cards； bearing signs of constant usage； a magnet； a dried
chameleon； and a few other indispensable adjuncts of her art。 Then she
bade me cross my left hand with a silver coin； and the magic ceremonies
duly began。 It is unnecessary to chronicle her predictions； and as for the
style of her performance； it proved her to be no mean sorceress。
Unluckily we were soon disturbed。 The door was suddenly burst open；
and a man； shrouded to the eyes in a brown cloak； entered the room；
apostrophizing the gipsy in anything but gentle terms。 What he said I
could not catch； but the tone of his voice revealed the fact that he was in a
very evil temper。 The gipsy betrayed neither surprise nor anger at his
advent； but she ran to meet him； and with a most striking volubility； she
poured out several sentences in the mysterious language she had already
used in my presence。 The word /payllo/； frequently reiterated； was the only
one I understood。 I knew that the gipsies use it to describe all men not of
their own race。 Concluding myself to be the subject of this discourse； I
was prepared for a somewhat delicate explanation。 I had already laid my
hand on the leg of one of the stools； and was studying within myself to
discover the exact moment at which I had better throw it at his head； when；
roughly pushing the gipsy to one side； the man advanced toward me。 Then
with a step backward he cried：
〃What； sir！ Is it you？〃
I looked at him in my turn and recognised my friend Don Jose。 At that
moment I did feel rather sorry I had saved him from the gallows。
〃What； is it you； my good fellow？〃 I exclaimed； with as easy a smile
as I could muster。 〃You have interrupted this young lady just when she
was foretelling me most interesting things！〃
〃The same as ever。 There shall be an end to it！〃 he hissed between his
teeth； with a savage glance at her。
Meanwhile the /gitana/ was still talking to him in her own tongue。 She
became more and more excited。 Her eyes grew fierce and bloodshot； her
features contracted； she stamped her foot。 She seemed to me to be
earnestly pressing him to do something he was unwilling to do。 What this
was I fancied I understood only too well； by the fashion in which she kept
drawing her little hand backward and forward under her chin。 I was
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inclined to think she wanted to have somebody's throat cut； and I had a fair
suspicion the throat in question was my own。 To all her torrent of
eloquence Don Jose's only reply was two or three shortly spoken words。
At this the gipsy cast a glance of the most utter scorn at him； then； seating
herself Turkish…fashion in a corner of the room； she picked out an orange；
tore off the skin； and began to eat it。
Don Jose took hold of my arm； opened the door； and led me into the
street。 We walked some two hundred paces in the deepest silence。 Then he
stretched out his hand。
〃Go straight on；〃 he said； 〃and you'll come to the bridge。〃
That instant he turned his back on me and departed at a great pace。 I
took my way back to my inn； rather crestfallen； and considerably out of
temper。 The worst of all was that； when I undressed； I discovered my
watch was missing。
Various considerations prevented me from going to claim it next day；
or requesting the /Corregidor/ to be good enough to have a search made
for it。 I finished my work on the Dominican manuscript； and went on to
Seville。 After several months spent wandering hither and thither in
Andalusia； I wanted to get back to Madrid； and with that object I had to
pass through Cordova。 I had no intention of making any stay there； for I
had taken a dislike to that fair city； and to the ladies who bathed in the
Guadalquivir。 Nevertheless； I had some visits to pay； and certain errands to
do； which must detain me several days in the old capital of the Mussulman
princes。
The moment I made my appearance in the Dominican convent； one of
the monks； who had always shown the most lively interest in my inquiries
as to the site of the battlefield of Munda； welcomed me with open arms；
exclaiming：
〃Praised be God！ You are welcome！ My dear friend。 We all thought
you were dead； and I myself have said many a /pater/ and ave/ （not that I
regret them！） for your soul。 Then you weren't murdered； after all？ That
you were robbed； we know！〃
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked； rather astonished。
〃Oh； you know！ That splendid repeater you used to strike in the library
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whenever we said it was time for us to go into church。 Well； it has been
found； and you'll get it back。〃
〃Why；〃 I broke in； rather put out of countenance； 〃I lost it〃
〃The rascal's under lock and key； and as he was known to be a man
who would shoot any Christian for the sake of a /peseta/； we were most
dreadfully afraid he had killed you。 I'll go with you to the /Corregidor/；
and he'll give you back your fine watch。 And after that； you won't dare to
say the law doesn't do its work properly in Spain。〃
〃I assure you；〃 said I； 〃I'd far rather lose my watch than have to give
evidence in court to hang a poor unlucky devil； and especially because
because〃
〃Oh； you needn't be alarmed！ He's thoroughly done for； they might
hang him twice over。 But when I say hang； I say wrong。 Your thief is an
/Hidalgo/。 So he's to be garrotted the day after to…morrow； without fail。*
So you see one theft more or less won't affect his position。 Would to God
he had done nothing but steal！ But he has committed several murders； one
more hideous than the other。〃
* In 1830； the
