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〃And with a spring she reached the ground。 She took off her mantilla
and threw it at her feet； and stood motionless； with one hand on her hip；
looking at me steadily。
〃 'You mean to kill me； I see that well；' said she。 'It is fate。 But you'll
never make me give in。'
〃I said to her： 'Be rational； I implore you； listen to me。 All the past is
forgotten。 Yet you know it is you who have been my ruinit is because of
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you that I am a robber and a murderer。 Carmen； my Carmen； let me save
you； and save myself with you。'
〃 'Jose；' she answered； 'what you ask is impossible。 I don't love you
any more。 You love me still； and that is why you want to kill me。 If I liked；
I might tell you some other lie； but I don't choose to give myself the
trouble。 Everything is over between us two。 You are my /rom/； and you
have the right to kill your /romi/； but Carmen will always be free。 A /calli/
she was born； and a /calli/ she'll die。'
〃 'Then； you love Lucas？' I asked。
〃 'Yes； I have loved himas I loved youfor an instantless than I
loved you； perhaps。 But now I don't love anything； and I hate myself for
ever having loved you。'
〃I cast myself at her feet； I seized her hands； I watered them with my
tears； I reminded her of all the happy moments we had spent together； I
offered to continue my brigand's life； if that would please her。 Everything；
sir； everythingI offered her everything if she would only love me again。
〃She said：
〃 'Love you again？ That's not possible！ Live with you？ I will not do it！'
〃I was wild with fury。 I drew my knife； I would have had her look
frightened； and sue for mercybut that woman was a demon。
〃I cried； 'For the last time I ask you。 Will you stay with me？'
〃 'No！ no！ no！' she said； and she stamped her foot。
〃Then she pulled a ring I had given her off her finger； and cast it into
the brushwood。
〃I struck her twice overI had taken Garcia's knife； because I had
broken my own。 At the second thrust she fell without a sound。 It seems to
me that I can still see her great black eyes staring at me。 Then they grew
dim and the lids closed。
〃For a good hour I lay there prostrate beside her corpse。 Then I
recollected that Carmen had often told me that she would like to lie buried
in a wood。 I dug a grave for her with my knife and laid her in it。 I hunted
about a long time for her ring； and I found it at last。 I put it into the grave
beside her； with a little crossperhaps I did wrong。 Then I got upon my
horse； galloped to Cordova； and gave myself up at the nearest guard…room。
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I told them I had killed Carmen； but I would not tell them where her body
was。 That hermit was a holy man！ He prayed for herhe said a mass for
her soul。 Poor child！ It's the /calle/ who are to blame for having brought
her up as they did。〃
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CHAPTER IV
Spain is one of the countries in which those nomads； scattered all over
Europe； and known as Bohemians； Gitanas； Gipsies； Ziegeuner； and so
forth； are now to be found in the greatest numbers。 Most of these people
live； or rather wander hither and thither； in the southern and eastern
provinces of Spain； in Andalusia； and Estramadura； in the kingdom of
Murcia。 There are a great many of them in Catalonia。 These last frequently
cross over into France and are to be seen at all our southern fairs。 The men
generally call themselves grooms； horse doctors； mule…clippers； to these
trades they add the mending of saucepans and brass utensils； not to
mention smuggling and other illicit practices。 The women tell fortunes；
beg； and sell all sorts of drugs； some of which are innocent； while some
are not。 The physical characteristics of the gipsies are more easily
distinguished then described； and when you have known one； you should
be able to recognise a member of the race among a thousand other men。 It
is by their physiognomy and expression； especially； that they differ from
the other inhabitants of the same country。 Their complexion is exceedingly
swarthy； always darker than that of the race among whom they live。 Hence
the name of /cale/ （blacks） which they frequently apply to themselves。*
Their eyes； set with a decided slant； are large； very black； and shaded by
long and heavy lashes。 Their glance can only be compared to that of a wild
creature。 It is full at once of boldness and shyness； and in this respect their
eyes are a fair indication of their national character； which is cunning； bold；
but with 〃the natural fear of blows；〃 like Panurge。 Most of the men are
strapping fellows； slight and active。 I don't think I ever saw a gipsy who
had grown fat。 In Germany the gipsy women are often very pretty； but
beauty is very uncommon among the Spanish gitanas。 When very young；
they may pass as being attractive in their ugliness； but once they have
reached motherhood； they become absolutely repulsive。 The filthiness of
both sexes is incredible； and no one who has not seen a gipsy matron's hair
can form any conception of what it is； not even if he conjures up the
roughest； the greasiest； and the dustiest heads imaginable。 In some of the
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large Andalusian towns certain of the gipsy girls； somewhat better looking
than their fellows； will take more care of their personal appearance。 These
go out and earn money by performing dances strongly resembling those
forbidden at our public balls in carnival time。 An English missionary； Mr。
Borrow； the author of two very interesting works on the Spanish gipsies；
whom he undertook to convert on behalf of the Bible Society； declares
there is no instance of any gitana showing the smallest weakness for a man
not belonging to her own race。 The praise he bestows upon their chastity
strikes me as being exceedingly exaggerated。 In the first place； the great
majority are in the position of the ugly woman described by Ovid； 〃/Casta
quam nemo rogavit/。〃 As for the pretty ones； they are； like all Spanish
women； very fastidious in choosing their lovers。 Their fancy must be taken；
and their favour must be earned。 Mr。 Borrow quotes； in proof of their
virtue； one trait which does honour to his own； and especially to his
simplicity： he declares that an immoral man of his acquaintance offered
several gold ounces to a pretty gitana； and offered them in vain。 An
Andalusian； to whom I retailed this anecdote； asserted that the immoral
man in question would have been far more successful if he had shown the
girl two or three piastres； and that to offer gold ounces to a gipsy was as
poor a method of persuasion as to promise a couple of millions to a tavern
wench。 However that may be； it is certain that the gitana shows the most
extraordinary devotion to her husband。 There is no danger and no
suffering she will not brave； to help him in his need。 One of the names
which the gipsies apply to themselves； /Rome/； or 〃the married couple；〃
seems to me a proof of their racial respect for the married state。 Speaking
generally； it may be asserted that their chief virtue is their patriotismif
we may thus describe the fidelity they observe in all their relations with
persons of the same origin as their own； their readiness to help one another；
and the inviolable secrecy which they keep for each other's benefit； in all
compromising matters。 And indeed something of the same sort may be
noticed in all mysterious associations which are beyond the pale of the
law。
* It has struck me that the German gipsies； though they thoroughly
understand the word /cale/； do not care to be called by that name。
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