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第17章

the zincali-第17章

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occupation; or prepared for sale; by disguising them; animals 



stolen by themselves or their accomplices。  In these places were 



harboured the strange Gitanos on their arrival; and here were 



discussed in the Rommany language; which; like the Arabic; was 



forbidden under severe penalties; plans of fraud and plunder; which 



were perhaps intended to be carried into effect in a distant 



province and a distant city。







The great body; however; of the Gypsy race in Spain continued 



independent wanderers of the plains and the mountains; and indeed 



the denizens of the Gitanerias were continually sallying forth; 



either for the purpose of reuniting themselves with the wandering 



tribes; or of strolling about from town to town; and from fair to 



fair。  Hence the continual complaints in the Spanish laws against 



the Gitanos who have left their places of domicile; from doing 



which they were interdicted; even as they were interdicted from 



speaking their language and following the occupations of the 



blacksmith and horse…dealer; in which they still persist even at 



the present day。







The Gitanerias at evening fall were frequently resorted to by 



individuals widely differing in station from the inmates of these 



places … we allude to the young and dissolute nobility and hidalgos 



of Spain。  This was generally the time of mirth and festival; and 



the Gitanos; male and female; danced and sang in the Gypsy fashion 



beneath the smile of the moon。  The Gypsy women and girls were the 



principal attractions to these visitors; wild and singular as these 



females are in their appearance; there can be no doubt; for the 



fact has been frequently proved; that they are capable of exciting 



passion of the most ardent description; particularly in the bosoms 



of those who are not of their race; which passion of course becomes 



the more violent when the almost utter impossibility of gratifying 



it is known。  No females in the world can be more licentious in 



word and gesture; in dance and in song; than the Gitanas; but there 



they stop:  and so of old; if their titled visitors presumed to 



seek for more; an unsheathed dagger or gleaming knife speedily 



repulsed those who expected that the gem most dear amongst the sect 



of the Roma was within the reach of a Busno。







Such visitors; however; were always encouraged to a certain point; 



and by this and various other means the Gitanos acquired 



connections which frequently stood them in good stead in the hour 



of need。  What availed it to the honest labourers of the 



neighbourhood; or the citizens of the town; to make complaints to 



the corregidor concerning the thefts and frauds committed by the 



Gitanos; when perhaps the sons of that very corregidor frequented 



the nightly dances at the Gitaneria; and were deeply enamoured with 



some of the dark…eyed singing…girls?  What availed making 



complaints; when perhaps a Gypsy sibyl; the mother of those very 



girls; had free admission to the house of the corregidor at all 



times and seasons; and spaed the good fortune to his daughters; 



promising them counts and dukes; and Andalusian knights in 



marriage; or prepared philtres for his lady by which she was always 



to reign supreme in the affections of her husband?  And; above all; 



what availed it to the plundered party to complain that his mule or 



horse had been stolen; when the Gitano robber; perhaps the husband 



of the sibyl and the father of the black…eyed Gitanillas; was at 



that moment actually in treaty with my lord the corregidor himself 



for supplying him with some splendid thick…maned; long…tailed steed 



at a small price; to be obtained; as the reader may well suppose; 



by an infraction of the laws?  The favour and protection which the 



Gitanos experienced from people of high rank is alluded to in the 



Spanish laws; and can only be accounted for by the motives above 



detailed。







The Gitanerias were soon considered as public nuisances; on which 



account the Gitanos were forbidden to live together in particular 



parts of the town; to hold meetings; and even to intermarry with 



each other; yet it does not appear that the Gitanerias were ever 



suppressed by the arm of the law; as many still exist where these 



singular beings 'marry and are given in marriage;' and meet 



together to discuss their affairs; which; in their opinion; never 



flourish unless those of their fellow…creatures suffer。  So much 



for the Gitanerias; or Gypsy colonies in the towns of Spain。















CHAPTER V















'LOS Gitanos son muy malos! … the Gypsies are very bad people;' 



said the Spaniards of old times。  They are cheats; they are 



highwaymen; they practise sorcery; and; lest the catalogue of their 



offences should be incomplete; a formal charge of cannibalism was 



brought against them。  Cheats they have always been; and 



highwaymen; and if not sorcerers; they have always done their best 



to merit that appellation; by arrogating to themselves supernatural 



powers; but that they were addicted to cannibalism is a matter not 



so easily proved。







Their principal accuser was Don Juan de Quinones; who; in the work 



from which we have already had occasion to quote; gives several 



anecdotes illustrative of their cannibal propensities。  Most of 



these anecdotes; however; are so highly absurd; that none but the 



very credulous could ever have vouchsafed them the slightest 



credit。  This author is particularly fond of speaking of a certain 



juez; or judge; called Don Martin Fajardo; who seems to have been 



an arrant Gypsy…hunter; and was probably a member of the ancient 



family of the Fajardos; which still flourishes in Estremadura; and 



with individuals of which we are acquainted。  So it came to pass 



that this personage was; in the year 1629; at Jaraicejo; in 



Estremadura; or; as it is written in the little book in question; 



Zaraizejo; in the capacity of judge; a zealous one he undoubtedly 



was。







A very strange place is this same Jaraicejo; a small ruinous town 



or village; situated on a rising ground; with a very wild country 



all about it。  The road from Badajoz to Madrid passes through it; 



and about two leagues distant; in the direction of Madrid; is the 



famous mountain pass of Mirabete; from the top of which you enjoy a 



most picturesque view across the Tagus; which flows below; as far 



as the huge mountains of Plasencia; the tops of which are generally 



covered with snow。







So this Don Martin Fajardo; judge; being at Jaraicejo; laid his 



claw upon four Gitanos; and having nothing; as it appears; to 



accuse them of; except being Gitanos; put them to the torture; and 



made them accuse themselves; which they did; for; on the first 



appeal which was made to the rack; they confessed that they had 



murdered a female Gypsy in the forest of Las Gamas; and had there 



eaten her。 。 。 。







I am myself well acquainted with this same forest of Las Gamas; 



which lies between Jaraicejo and Trujillo; it abounds with chestnut 



and cork trees; and is a place very well suited either for the 



purpose of murder or cannibalism。  It will be as well to observe 



that I visited it in company with a band of Gitanos; who bivouacked 



there; and cooked their supper; which however did not consist of 



human flesh; but of a puchera; the ingredients of which were beef; 



bacon; garbanzos; and berdolaga; or field…pease and purslain; … 



therefore I myself can bear testimony that there is such a forest 



as Las Gamas; and that it is frequented occasionally by Gypsies; by 



which two points are established by far the most important to the 



history in question; or so at least it would be thought in Spain; 



for being sure of the forest an

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