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without hearing as many languages。 I did see some gipsies； but I hardly
dared confide in them。 I was taking stock of them； and they were taking
stock of me。 We had mutually guessed each other to be rogues； but the
important thing for us was to know whether we belonged to the same gang。
After having spent two days in fruitless wanderings； and having found out
nothing either as to /La Rollona/ or as to Carmen； I was thinking I would
go back to my comrades as soon as I had made a few purchases； when；
toward sunset； as I was walking along a street； I heard a woman's voice
from a window say； 'Orange…seller！'
* To the galleys； or else to all the devils in hell。
〃I looked up； and on a balcony I saw Carmen looking out； beside a
scarlet…coated officer with gold epaulettes； curly hair； and all the
appearance of a rich /milord/。 As for her； she was magnificently dressed； a
shawl hung on her shoulders； she'd a gold comb in her hair； everything she
wore was of silk； and the cunning little wretch； not a bit altered； was
laughing till she held her sides。
〃The Englishman shouted to me in mangled Spanish to come upstairs；
as the lady wanted some oranges； and Carmen said to me in Basque：
〃 'Come up； and don't look astonished at anything！'
〃Indeed； nothing that she did ought ever to have astonished me。 I don't
know whether I was most happy or wretched at seeing her again。 At the
door of the house there was a tall English servant with a powdered head；
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who ushered me into a splendid drawing…room。 Instantly Carmen said to
me in Basque； 'You don't know one word of Spanish； and you don't know
me。' Then turning to the Englishman； she added：
〃 'I told you so。 I saw at once he was a Basque。 Now you'll hear what a
queer language he speaks。 Doesn't he look silly？ He's like a cat that's been
caught in the larder！'
〃 'And you；' said I to her in my own language； 'you look like an
impudent jadeand I've a good mind to scar your face here and now；
before your spark。'
〃 'My spark！' said she。 'Why； you've guessed that all alone！ Are you
jealous of this idiot？ You're even sillier than you were before our evening
in the /Calle del Candilejo/！ Don't you see； fool； that at this moment I'm
doing gipsy business； and doing it in the most brilliant manner？ This
house belongs to methe guineas of that crayfish will belong to me！ I lead
him by the nose； and I'll lead him to a place that he'll never get out of！'
〃 'And if I catch you doing any gipsy business in this style again； I'll
see to it that you never do any again！' said I。 〃 'Ah！ upon my word！ Are
you my /rom/； pray that you give me orders？ If /El Tuerto/ is pleased； what
have you to do with it？ Oughtn't you to be very happy that you are the
only man who can call himself my /minchorro/？'*
* My 〃lover；〃 or rather my 〃fancy。〃
〃 'What does he say？' inquired the Englishman。
〃 'He says he's thirsty； and would like a drink；' answered Carmen； and
she threw herself back upon a sofa； screaming with laughter at her own
translation。
〃When that girl begins to laugh； sir； it was hopeless for anybody to try
and talk sense。 Everybody laughed with her。 The big Englishman began to
laugh too； like the idiot he was； and ordered the servant to bring me
something to drink。
〃While I was drinking she said to me：
〃 'Do you see that ring he has on his finger？ If you like I'll give it to
you。'
〃And I answered：
〃 'I would give one of my fingers to have your /milord/ out on the
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mountains； and each of us with a /maquila/ in his fist。'
〃 '/Maquila/； what does that mean？' asked the Englishman。
〃 'Maquila；' said Carmen； still laughing； 'means an orange。 Isn't it a
queer word for an orange？ He says he'd like you to eat /maquila/。'
〃 'Does he？' said the Englishman。 'Very well； bring more /maquila/ to…
morrow。'
〃While we were talking a servant came in and said dinner was ready。
Then the Englishman stood up； gave me a piastre； and offered his arm to
Carmen； as if she couldn't have walked alone。 Carmen； who was still
laughing； said to me：
〃 'My boy； I can't ask you to dinner。 But to…morrow； as soon as you
hear the drums beat for parade； come here with your oranges。 You'll find a
better furnished room than the one in the /Calle del Candilejo/； and you'll
see whether I am still your /Carmencita/。 Then afterwards we'll talk about
gipsy business。'
〃I gave her no answereven when I was in the street I could hear the
Englishman shouting； 'Bring more /maquila/ to…morrow；' and Carmen's
peals of laughter。
〃I went out； not knowing what I should do； I hardly slept； and next
morning I was so enraged with the treacherous creature that I made up my
mind to leave Gibraltar without seeing her again。 But the moment the
drums began to roll； my courage failed me。 I took up my net full of
oranges； and hurried off to Carmen's house。 Her window…shutters had been
pulled apart a little； and I saw her great dark eyes watching for me。 The
powdered servant showed me in at once。 Carmen sent him out with a
message； and as soon as we were alone she burst into one of her fits of
crocodile laughter and threw her arms around my neck。 Never had I seen
her look so beautiful。 She was dressed out like a queen； and scented； she
had silken furniture； embroidered curtainsand I togged out like the thief I
was！
〃 '/Minchorro/；' said Carmen； 'I've a good mind to smash up everything
here； set fire to the house； and take myself off to the mountains。' And then
she would fondle me； and then she would laugh； and she danced about and
tore up her fripperies。 Never did monkey gambol nor make such faces； nor
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play such wild tricks； as she did that day。 When she had recovered her
gravity
〃 'Hark！' she said； 'this is gipsy business。 I mean him to take me to
Ronda； where I have a sister who is a nun' （here she shrieked with laughter
again）。 'We shall pass by a particular spot which I shall make known to
you。 Then you must fall upon him and strip him to the skin。 Your best plan
would be to do for him； but；' she added； with a certain fiendish smile of
hers； which no one who saw it ever had any desire to imitate； 'do you
know what you had better do？ Let /El Tuerto/ come up in front of you。
You keep a little behind。 The crayfish is brave； and skilful too； and he has
good pistols。 Do you understand？'
〃And she broke off with another fit of laughter that made me shiver。
〃 'No；' said I； 'I hate Garcia； but he's my comrade。 Some day； maybe；
I'll rid you of him； but we'll settle our account after the fashion of my
country。 It's only chance that has made me a gipsy； and in certain things I
shall always be a thorough Navarrese；* as the proverb says。
* /Navarro fino/。
〃 'You're a fool；' she rejoined； 'a simpleton； a regular /payllo/。 You're
just like the dwarf who thinks himself tall because he can spit a long way。*
You don't love me！ Be off with you！'
* /Or esorjle de or marsichisle； sin chisnar lachinguel/。 〃The
promise of a dwarf is that he will spit a long way。〃A gipsy proverb。
〃Whenever she said to me 'Be off with you；〃 I couldn't go away。 I
promised I would start back to my comrades and wait the arrival of the
Englishman。 She； on her side； promised she would be ill until she left
Gibraltar for Ronda。
〃I remained at Gibraltar two days longer。 She had the boldness to
disguise herself and come and see me at the inn。 I departed； I had a plan of
my own。 I went back to our meeting…place with the information as to the
spot and the hour at which the Englishman and Carmen were to pass by。 I
found /El Dancaire/ and Garcia waiting for me。 We sp