carmen(卡门)-第9节
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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
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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 all； that's all the betterfor I'm decidedly hard up！ What matter！
The dog that runs never starves！* Come； let's spend it all！ You shall treat。'
* /Chuquel sos pirela； cocal terela。 〃The dog that runs finds a
bone。〃Gipsy proverb。
〃We had turned back toward Seville。 At the entrance of the /Calle de la
Serpiente/ she bought a dozen oranges； which she made me put into my
handkerchief。 A little farther on she bought a roll； a sausage； and a bottle
of manzanilla。 Then； last of all； she turned into a confectioner's shop。
There she threw the gold coin I had returned to her on the counter； with
another she had in her pocket； and some small silver； and then she asked
me for all the money I had。 All I possessed was one peseta and a few
cuartos； which I handed over to her； very much ashamed of not having
more。 I thought she would have carried away the whole shop。 She took
everything that was best and dearest； /yemas/；* /turon/；** preserved fruits…
…as long as the money lasted。 And all these； too； I had to carry in paper
bags。 Perhaps you know the /Calle del Candilejo/； where there is a head of
Don Pedro the Avenger。*** That head ought to have given me pause。 We
stopped at an old house in that street。 She passed into the entry； and
knocked at a door on the ground floor。 It was opened by a gipsy； a
thorough…paced servant of the devil。 Carmen said a few words to her in
Romany。 At first the old hag grumbled。 To smooth her down Carmen gave
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her a couple of oranges and a handful of sugar…plums； and let her have a
taste of wine。 Then she hung her cloak on her back； and led her to the door；
which she fastened with a wooden bar。 As soon as we were alone she
began to laugh and caper like a lunatic； singing out； 'You are my /rom/； I'm
your /romi/。'****
* Sugared yolks of eggs。
** A sort of nougat。
*** This king； Don Pedro； whom we call 〃the Cruel；〃 and whom
Queen Isabella； the Catholic； never called anything but 〃the
Avenger；〃 was fond of walking about the streets of Seville at night in
search of adventures； like the Caliph Haroun al Raschid。 One night；
in a lonely street； he quarrelled with a man who was singing a
serenade。 There was a fight； and the king killed the amorous
/caballero/。 At the clashing of their swords； an old woman put her
head out of the window and lighted up the scene with a tiny lamp
（candilejo） which she held in her hand。 My readers must be informed
that King Don Pedro； though nimble and muscular； suffered from
one strange fault in his physical conformation。 Whenever he walked
his knees cracked loudly。 By this cracking the old woman easily
recognised him。 The next day the /veintiquatro/ in charge came to
make his report to the king。 〃Sir； a duel was fought last night in such
a streetone of the combatants is dead。〃 〃Have you found the
murderer？〃 〃Yes； sir。〃 〃Why has he not been punished already？〃 〃Sir；
I await your orders！〃 〃Carry out the law。〃 Now the king had just
published a decree that every duellist was to have his head cut off；
and that head was to be set up on the scene of the fight。 The
/veintiquatro/ got out of the difficulty like a clever man。 He had the
head sawed off a statue of the king； and set that up in a niche in the
middle of the street in which the murder had taken place。 The king
and all the Sevillians thought this a very good joke。 The street took
its name from the lamp held by the old woman； the only witness of
the incident。 The above is the popular tradition。 Zuniga tells the
story somewhat differently。 However that may be； a street called
/Calle del Candilejo/ still exists in Seville； and in that street there is a
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bust which is said to be a portrait of Don Pedro。 This bust；
unfortunately； is a modern production。 During the seventeenth
century the old one had become very much defaced； and the
municipality had it replaced by that now to be seen。
**** /Rom/； husband。 /Romi/； wife。
〃There I stood in the middle of the room； laden with all her purchases；
and not knowing where I was to put them down。 She tumbled them all
onto the floor； and threw her arms round my neck； saying：
〃 'I pay my debts； I pay my debts！ That's the law of the /Cales/。'*
* /Calo/； feminine /calli/； plural /cales/。 Literally 〃black；〃 the
name the gipsies apply to themselves in their own language。
〃Ah； sir； that day！ that day！ When I think of it I forget what to…morrow
must bring me！〃
For a moment the bandit held his peace； then； when he had relighted
his cigar； he began afresh。
〃We spent the whole day together； eating； drinking； and so forth。 When
she had stuffed herself with sugar…plums； like any child of six years old；
she thrust them by handfuls into the old woman's water…jar。 'That'll make
sherbet for her；' she said。 She smashed the /yemas/ by throwing them
against the walls。 'They'll keep the flies from bothering us。' There was no
prank or wild frolic she didn't indulge in。 I told her I should have liked to
see her dance； only there were no castanets to be had。 Instantly she seized
the old woman's only earthenware plate； smashed it up； and there she was
dancing the /Romalis/； and making the bits of broken crockery rattle as
well as if they had been ebony and ivory castanets。 That girl was good
company； I can tell you！ Evening fell； and I heard the drums beating
tattoo。
〃 'I must get back to quarters for roll…call；' I said。
〃 'To quarters！' she answered； with a look of scorn。 'Are you a negro
slave； to let yourself be driven with a ramrod like that！ You are as silly as a
canary bird。 Your dress suits your nature。* Pshaw！ you've no more heart
than a chicken。'
* Spanish dragoons wear a yellow uniform。
〃I stayed on； making up my mind to the inevitable guard…room。 The
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next morning the first suggestion of parting came from her。
〃 'Hark ye； Joseito；' she said。 'Have I paid you？ By our law； I owed you
nothing； because you're a /payllo/。 But you're a good…looking fellow； and I
took a fancy to you。 Now we're quits。 Good…day！'
〃I asked her when I should see her again。
〃 '
