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spot and the hour at which the Englishman and Carmen were to pass by。 I
found /El Dancaire/ and Garcia waiting for me。 We spent the night in a
wood； beside a fire made of pine…cones that blazed splendidly。 I suggested
to Garcia that we should play cards； and he agreed。 In the second game I
told him he was cheating； he began to laugh； I threw the cards in his face。
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He tried to get at his blunderbuss。 I set my foot on it； and said； 'They say
you can use a knife as well as the best ruffian in Malaga； will you try it
with me？' /El Dancaire/ tried to part us。 I had given Garcia one or two
cuffs； his rage had given him courage； he drew his knife； and I drew mine。
We both of us told /El Dancaire/ he must leave us alone； and let us fight it
out。 He saw there was no means of stopping us； so he stood on one side。
Garcia was already bent double； like a cat ready to spring upon a mouse。
He held his hat in his left hand to parry with； and his knife in front of him…
…that's their Andalusian guard。 I stood up in the Navarrese fashion； with
my left arm raised； my left leg forward； and my knife held straight along
my right thigh。 I felt I was stronger than any giant。 He flew at me like an
arrow。 I turned round on my left foot； so that he found nothing in front of
him。 But I thrust him in the throat； and the knife went in so far that my
hand was under his chin。 I gave the blade such a twist that it broke。 That
was the end。 The blade was carried out of the wound by a gush of blood as
thick as my arm； and he fell full length on his face。
〃 'What have you done？' said /El Dancaire/ to me。
〃 'Hark ye；' said I； 'we couldn't live on together。 I love Carmen and I
mean to be the only one。 And besides； Garcia was a villain。 I remember
what he did to that poor /Remendado/。 There are only two of us left now；
but we are both good fellows。 Come； will you have me for your friend； for
life or death？'
〃/El Dancaire/ stretched out his hand。 He was a man of fifty。
〃 'Devil take these love stories！' he cried。 'If you'd asked him for
Carmen he'd have sold her to you for a piastre！ There are only two of us
nowhow shall we manage for to…morrow？'
〃 'I'll manage it all alone；' I answered。 'I can snap my fingers at the
whole world now。'
〃We buried Garcia； and we moved our camp two hundred paces farther
on。 The next morning Carmen and her Englishman came along with two
muleteers and a servant。 I said to /El Dancaire/：
〃 'I'll look after the Englishman； you frighten the othersthey're not
armed！'
〃The Englishman was a plucky fellow。 He'd have killed me if Carmen
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hadn't jogged his elbow。
〃To put it shortly； I won Carmen back that day； and my first words
were to tell her she was a widow。
〃When she knew how it had all happened
〃 'You'll always be a /lillipendi/；' she said。 'Garcia ought to have killed
you。 Your Navarrese guard is a pack of nonsense； and he has sent far more
skilful men than you into the darkness。 It was just that his time had come
and yours will come too。'
〃 'Ay； and yours too！if you're not a faithful /romi/ to me。'
〃 'So be it；' said she。 'I've read in the coffee grounds； more than once；
that you and I were to end our lives together。 Pshaw！ what must be； will
be！' and she rattled her castanets； as was her way when she wanted to drive
away some worrying thought。
〃One runs on when one is talking about one's self。 I dare say all these
details bore you； but I shall soon be at the end of my story。 Our new life
lasted for some considerable time。 /El Dancaire/ and I gathered a few
comrades about us； who were more trustworthy than our earlier ones； and
we turned our attention to smuggling。 Occasionally； indeed； I must confess
we stopped travellers on the highways； but never unless we were at the last
extremity； and could not avoid doing so； and besides； we never ill…treated
the travellers； and confined ourselves to taking their money from them。
〃For some months I was very well satisfied with Carmen。 She still
served us in our smuggling operations； by giving us notice of any
opportunity of making a good haul。 She remained either at Malaga； at
Cordova； or at Granada； but at a word from me she would leave
everything； and come to meet me at some /venta/ or even in our lonely
camp。 Only onceit was at Malagashe caused me some uneasiness。 I
heard she had fixed her fancy upon a very rich merchant； with whom she
probably proposed to play her Gibraltar trick over again。 In spite of
everything /El Dancaire/ said to stop me； I started off； walked into Malaga
in broad daylight； sought for Carmen and carried her off instantly。 We had
a sharp altercation。
〃 'Do you know；' said she； 'now that you're my /rom/ for good and all； I
don't care for you so much as when you were my /minchorro/！ I won't be
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worried； and above all； I won't be ordered about。 I choose to be free to do
as I like。 Take care you don't drive me too far； if you tire me out； I'll find
some good fellow who'll serve you just as you served /El Tuerto/。'
〃/El Dancaire/ patched it up between us； but we had said things to each
other that rankled in our hearts； and we were not as we had been before。
Shortly after that we had a misfortune： the soldiers caught us； /El
Dancaire/ and two of my comrades were killed； two others were taken。 I
was sorely wounded； and； but for my good horse； I should have fallen into
the soldiers' hands。 Half dead with fatigue； and with a bullet in my body； I
sought shelter in a wood； with my only remaining comrade。 When I got off
my horse I fainted away； and I thought I was going to die there in the
brushwood； like a shot hare。 My comrade carried me to a cave he knew of；
and then he sent to fetch Carmen。
〃She was at Granada； and she hurried to me at once。 For a whole
fortnight she never left me for a single instant。 She never closed her eyes；
she nursed me with a skill and care such as no woman ever showed to the
man she loved most tenderly。 As soon as I could stand on my feet； she
conveyed me with the utmost secrecy to Granada。 These gipsy women
find safe shelter everywhere； and I spent more than six weeks in a house
only two doors from that of the /Corregidor/ who was trying to arrest me。
More than once I saw him pass by； from behind the shutter。 At last I
recovered； but I had thought a great deal； on my bed of pain； and I had
planned to change my way of life。 I suggested to Carmen that we should
leave Spain； and seek an honest livelihood in the New World。 She laughed
in my face。
〃 'We were not born to plant cabbages；' she cried。 'Our fate is to live
/payllos/！ Listen： I've arranged a business with Nathan Ben… Joseph at
Gibraltar。 He has cotton stuffs that he can not get through till you come to
fetch them。 He knows you're alive； and reckons upon you。 What would our
Gibraltar correspondents say if you failed them？'
〃I let myself by persuaded； and took up my vile trade once more。
〃While I was hiding at Granada there were bull…fights there； to which
Carmen went。 When she came back she talked a great deal about a skilful
/picador/ of the name of Lucas。 She knew the name of his horse； and how
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much his embroidered jacket had cost him。 I paid no attention to this； but a
few days later； Juanito； the only one of my comrades who was left； told me
he had seen Carmen with Lucas in a shop in the Zacatin。 Then I began to
feel alarmed。 I asked Carmen how and why she had made the /picador's/
acquaintance。
〃 'He's a man out of whom we may be able to get something；' said she。
'A noisy stream has either water in it or pebbles。 He has earned twelve
hundred reals at the bull…fights。 It must be one of two things： we must
either have his money； or else； as he is a good rider and