the zincali-第47章
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child of one of the principal people was put to me to nurse; but I
hated it for its white blood; as you may well believe。 It never
throve; for I did it a private mischief; and though it grew up and
is now a youth; it is … mad。'
MYSELF。 … 'With whom will your brother's children marry? You say
there are no Gypsies here。'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'Ay de mi; hermano! It is that which grieves me。 I
would rather see them sold to the Moors than married to the Busne。
When Rafael was here he wished to persuade the chumajarri to
accompany him to Cordova; and promised to provide for him; and to
find him a wife among the Callees of that town; but the faint heart
would not; though I myself begged him to comply。 As for the
curtidor (tanner); he goes every night to the house of a Busnee;
and once; when I reproached him with it; he threatened to marry
her。 I intend to take my knife; and to wait behind the door in the
dark; and when she comes out to gash her over the eyes。 I trow he
will have little desire to wed with her then。'
MYSELF。 … 'Do many Busne from the country put up at this house?'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'Not so many as formerly; brother; the labourers from
the Campo say that we are all thieves; and that it is impossible
for any one but a Calo to enter this house without having the shirt
stripped from his back。 They go to the houses of their
acquaintance in the town; for they fear to enter these doors。 I
scarcely know why; for my brother is the veriest fool in Tarifa。
Were it not for his face; I should say that he is no Chabo; for he
cannot speak; and permits every chance to slip through his fingers。
Many a good mule and borrico have gone out of the stable below;
which he might have secured; had he but tongue enough to have
cozened the owners。 But he is a fool; as I said before; he cannot
speak; and is no Chabo。'
How far the person in question; who sat all the while smoking his
pipe; with the most unperturbed tranquillity; deserved the
character bestowed upon him by his sister; will presently appear。
It is not my intention to describe here all the strange things I
both saw and heard in this Gypsy inn。 Several Gypsies arrived from
the country during the six days that I spent within its walls; one
of them; a man; from Moron; was received with particular
cordiality; he having a son; whom he was thinking of betrothing to
one of the Gypsy daughters。 Some females of quality likewise
visited the house to gossip; like true Andalusians。 It was
singular to observe the behaviour of the Gypsies to these people;
especially that of the remarkable woman; some of whose conversation
I have given above。 She whined; she canted; she blessed; she
talked of beauty of colour; of eyes; of eyebrows; and pestanas
(eyelids); and of hearts which were aching for such and such a
lady。 Amongst others; came a very fine woman; the widow of a
colonel lately slain in battle; she brought with her a beautiful
innocent little girl; her daughter; between three and four years of
age。 The Gypsy appeared to adore her; she sobbed; she shed tears;
she kissed the child; she blessed it; she fondled it。 I had my eye
upon her countenance; and it brought to my recollection that of a
she…wolf; which I had once seen in Russia; playing with her whelp
beneath a birch…tree。 'You seem to love that child very much; O my
mother;' said I to her; as the lady was departing。
GYPSY HAG。 … 'No lo camelo; hijo! I do not love it; O my son; I do
not love it; I love it so much; that I wish it may break its leg as
it goes downstairs; and its mother also。'
On the evening of the fourth day; I was seated on the stone bench
at the stable door; taking the fresco; the Gypsy innkeeper sat
beside me; smoking his pipe; and silent as usual; presently a man
and woman with a borrico; or donkey; entered the portal。 I took
little or no notice of a circumstance so slight; but I was
presently aroused by hearing the Gypsy's pipe drop upon the ground。
I looked at him; and scarcely recognised his face。 It was no
longer dull; black; and heavy; but was lighted up with an
expression so extremely villainous that I felt uneasy。 His eyes
were scanning the recent comers; especially the beast of burden;
which was a beautiful female donkey。 He was almost instantly at
their side; assisting to remove its housings; and the alforjas; or
bags。 His tongue had become unloosed; as if by sorcery; and far
from being unable to speak; he proved that; when it suited his
purpose; he could discourse with wonderful volubility。 The donkey
was soon tied to the manger; and a large measure of barley emptied
before it; the greatest part of which the Gypsy boy presently
removed; his father having purposely omitted to mix the barley with
the straw; with which the Spanish mangers are always kept filled。
The guests were hurried upstairs as soon as possible。 I remained
below; and subsequently strolled about the town and on the beach。
It was about nine o'clock when I returned to the inn to retire to
rest; strange things had evidently been going on during my absence。
As I passed through the large room on my way to my apartment; lo;
the table was set out with much wine; fruits; and viands。 There
sat the man from the country; three parts intoxicated; the Gypsy;
already provided with another pipe; sat on his knee; with his right
arm most affectionately round his neck; on one side sat the
chumajarri drinking and smoking; on the other the tanner。 Behold;
poor humanity; thought I to myself; in the hands of devils; in this
manner are human souls ensnared to destruction by the fiends of the
pit。 The females had already taken possession of the woman at the
other end of the table; embracing her; and displaying every mark of
friendship and affection。 I passed on; but ere I reached my
apartment I heard the words mule and donkey。 'Adios;' said I; for
I but too well knew what was on the carpet。
In the back stable the Gypsy kept a mule; a most extraordinary
animal; which was employed in bringing water to the house; a task
which it effected with no slight difficulty; it was reported to be
eighteen years of age; one of its eyes had been removed by some
accident; it was foundered; and also lame; the result of a broken
leg。 This animal was the laughing…stock of all Tarifa; the Gypsy
grudged it the very straw on while alone he fed it; and had
repeatedly offered it for sale at a dollar; which he could never
obtain。 During the night there was much merriment going on; and I
could frequently distinguish the voice of the Gypsy raised to a
boisterous pitch。 In the morning the Gypsy hag entered my
apartment; bearing the breakfast of myself and Hayim。 'What were
you about last night?' said I。
'We were bargaining with the Busno; evil overtake him; and he has
exchanged us the ass; for the mule and the reckoning;' said the
hag; in whose countenance triumph was blended with anxiety。
'Was he drunk when he saw the mule?' I demanded。
'He did not see her at all; O my son; but we told him we had a
beautiful mule; worth any money; which we were anxious to dispose
of; as a donkey suited our purpose better。 We are afraid that when
he sees her he will repent his bargain; and if he calls off within
four…and…twenty hours; the exchange is null; and the justicia will
cause us to restore the ass; we have; however; already removed her
to our huerta out of the town; where we have hid her below the
ground。 Dios sabe (God knows) how it will turn out。'
When the man and woman saw the lame; foundered; one…eyed creature;
for which