the zincali-第48章

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When　the　man　and　woman　saw　the　lame；　foundered；　one…eyed　creature；　



for　which　and　the　reckoning　they　had　exchanged　their　own　beautiful　



borrico；　they　stood　confounded。　　It　was　about　ten　in　the　morning；　



and　they　had　not　altogether　recovered　from　the　fumes　of　the　wine　of　



the　preceding　night；　at　last　the　man；　with　a　frightful　oath；　



exclaimed　to　the　innkeeper；　'Restore　my　donkey；　you　Gypsy　villain！'







'It　cannot　be；　brother；'　replied　the　latter；　'your　donkey　is　by　



this　time　three　leagues　from　here：　　I　sold　her　this　morning　to　a　



man　I　do　not　know；　and　I　am　afraid　I　shall　have　a　hard　bargain　with　



her；　for　he　only　gave　two　dollars；　as　she　was　unsound。　　O；　you　have　



taken　me　in；　I　am　a　poor　fool　as　they　call　me　here；　and　you　



understand　much；　very　much；　baribu。'　（47）







'Her　value　was　thirty…five　dollars；　thou　demon；'　said　the　



countryman；　'and　the　justicia　will　make　you　pay　that。'







'Come；　come；　brother；'　said　the　Gypsy；　'all　this　is　mere　



conversation；　you　have　a　capital　bargain；　to…day　the　mercado　is　



held；　and　you　shall　sell　the　mule；　I　will　go　with　you　myself。　　O；　



you　understand　baribu；　sister；　bring　the　bottle　of　anise；　the　senor　



and　the　senora　must　drink　a　copita。'　　After　much　persuasion；　and　



many　oaths；　the　man　and　woman　were　weak　enough　to　comply；　when　they　



had　drunk　several　glasses；　they　departed　for　the　market；　the　Gypsy　



leading　the　mule。　　In　about　two　hours　they　returned　with　the　



wretched　beast；　but　not　exactly　as　they　went；　a　numerous　crowd　



followed；　laughing　and　hooting。　　The　man　was　now　frantic；　and　the　



woman　yet　more　so。　　They　forced　their　way　upstairs　to　collect　their　



baggage；　which　they　soon　effected；　and　were　about　to　leave　the　



house；　vowing　revenge。　　Now　ensued　a　truly　terrific　scene；　there　



were　no　more　blandishments；　the　Gypsy　men　and　women　were　in　arms；　



uttering　the　most　frightful　execrations；　as　the　woman　came　



downstairs；　the　females　assailed　her　like　lunatics；　the　cripple　



poked　at　her　with　a　stick；　the　tall　hag　clawed　at　her　hair；　whilst　



the　father　Gypsy　walked　close　beside　the　man；　his　hand　on　his　



clasp…knife；　looking　like　nothing　in　this　world：　　the　man；　however；　



on　reaching　the　door；　turned　to　him　and　said：　　'Gypsy　demon；　my　



borrico　by　three　o'clock　…　or　you　know　the　rest；　the　justicia。'







The　Gypsies　remained　filled　with　rage　and　disappointment；　the　hag　



vented　her　spite　on　her　brother。　　''Tis　your　fault；'　said　she；　



'fool！　you　have　no　tongue；　you　a　Chabo；　you　can't　speak'；　whereas；　



within　a　few　hours；　he　had　perhaps　talked　more　than　an　auctioneer　



during　a　three　days'　sale：　　but　he　reserved　his　words　for　fitting　



occasions；　and　now　sat　as　usual；　sullen　and　silent；　smoking　his　



pipe。







The　man　and　woman　made　their　appearance　at　three　o'clock；　but　they　



came　…　intoxicated；　the　Gypsy's　eyes　glistened　…　blandishment　was　



again　had　recourse　to。　　'Come　and　sit　down　with　the　cavalier　here；'　



whined　the　family；　'he　is　a　friend　of　ours；　and　will　soon　arrange　



matters　to　your　satisfaction。'　　I　arose；　and　went　into　the　street；　



the　hag　followed　me。　　'Will　you　not　assist　us；　brother；　or　are　you　



no　Chabo？'　she　muttered。







'I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　your　matters；'　said　I。







'I　know　who　will；'　said　the　hag；　and　hurried　down　the　street。







The　man　and　woman；　with　much　noise；　demanded　their　donkey；　the　



innkeeper　made　no　answer；　and　proceeded　to　fill　up　several　glasses　



with　the　ANISADO。　　In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　Gypsy　hag　



returned　with　a　young　man；　well　dressed；　and　with　a　genteel　air；　



but　with　something　wild　and　singular　in　his　eyes。　　He　seated　



himself　by　the　table；　smiled；　took　a　glass　of　liquor；　drank　part　of　



it；　smiled　again；　and　handed　it　to　the　countryman。　　The　latter　



seeing　himself　treated　in　this　friendly　manner　by　a　caballero；　was　



evidently　much　flattered；　took　off　his　hat　to　the　newcomer；　and　



drank；　as　did　the　woman　also。　　The　glass　was　filled；　and　refilled；　



till　they　became　yet　more　intoxicated。　　I　did　not　hear　the　young　



man　say　a　word：　　he　appeared　a　passive　automaton。　　The　Gypsies；　



however；　spoke　for　him；　and　were　profuse　of　compliments。　　It　was　



now　proposed　that　the　caballero　should　settle　the　dispute；　a　long　



and　noisy　conversation　ensued；　the　young　man　looking　vacantly　on：　　



the　strange　people　had　no　money；　and　had　already　run　up　another　



bill　at　a　wine…house　to　which　they　had　retired。　　At　last　it　was　



proposed；　as　if　by　the　young　man；　that　the　Gypsy　should　purchase　



his　own　mule　for　two　dollars；　and　forgive　the　strangers　the　



reckoning　of　the　preceding　night。　　To　this　they　agreed；　being　



apparently　stultified　with　the　liquor；　and　the　money　being　paid　to　



them　in　the　presence　of　witnesses；　they　thanked　the　friendly　



mediator；　and　reeled　away。







Before　they　left　the　town　that　night；　they　had　contrived　to　spend　



the　entire　two　dollars；　and　the　woman；　who　first　recovered　her　



senses；　was　bitterly　lamenting　that　they　had　permitted　themselves　



to　be　despoiled　so　cheaply　of　a　PRENDA　TAN　PRECIOSA；　as　was　the　



donkey。　　Upon　the　whole；　however；　I　did　not　much　pity　them。　　The　



woman　was　certainly　not　the　man's　wife。　　The　labourer　had　probably　



left　his　village　with　some　strolling　harlot；　bringing　with　him　the　



animal　which　had　previously　served　to　support　himself　and　family。







I　believe　that　the　Gypsy　read；　at　the　first　glance；　their　history；　



and　arranged　matters　accordingly。　　The　donkey　was　soon　once　more　in　



the　stable；　and　that　night　there　was　much　rejoicing　in　the　Gypsy　



inn。







Who　was　the　singular　mediator？　　He　was　neither　more　nor　less　than　



the　foster　child　of　the　Gypsy　hag；　the　unfortunate　being　whom　she　



had　privately　injured　in　his　infancy。　　After　having　thus　served　



them　as　an　instrument　in　their　villainy；　he　was　told　to　go　home。　。　



。　。











THE　GYPSY　SOLDIER　OF　VALDEPENAS











It　was　at　Madrid　one　fine　afternoon　in　the　beginning　of　March　1838；　



that；　as　I　was　sitting　behind　my　table　in　a　cabinete；　as　it　is　



called；　of　the　third　floor　of　No。　16；　in　the　Calle　de　Santiago；　



having　just　taken　my　meal；　my　hostess　entered　and　informed　me　that　



a　military　officer　wished　to　speak　to　me；　adding；　in　an　undertone；　



that　he　looked　a　STRANGE　GUEST。　　I　was　acquainted　with　no　military　



officer　in　the　Spanish　service；　but　as　at　that　time　I　expected　



daily　to　be　arrested　for　having　distributed　the　Bible；　I　thought　



that　very　possibly　this　officer　might　have　been　sent　to　perform　



that　piece　of　duty。　　I　instantly　ordered　him　to　be　admitted；　



whereupon　a　thin　active　figure；　somewhat　above　the　middle　height；　



dressed　in　a　blue　uniform；　with　a　long　sword　hanging　at　his　side；　



tripped　into　the　room。　　Depositing　his　regimental　hat　on　the　



ground；　he　drew　a　chair　to　the　table；　and　seating　himself；　placed　



his　elbows　on　the　board；　and　supporting　his　face　with　his　hands；　



confronted　me；　gazing　steadfastly　upon　me；　without　uttering　a　word。　　



I　looked　no　less　wistfully　at　him；　and　was　of　the　same　opinion　as　



my　hostess；　as　to　the　strangeness　of　my　guest。　　He　was　about　fifty；　



with　thin　flaxen　hair　covering　the　sides　of　his　head；　which　at　the　



top　was　entirely　bald。　　His　eyes　were　small；　and；　like　ferrets'；　



red　and　fiery。　　His　complexion　like　a　brick；　a　dull　red；　checkered　



with　spots　of　purple。　　'May　I　inquire　your　name　and　business；　sir？'　



I　at　length　demanded。







STRANGER。　…　'My　name　is　Chaleco　of　Valdepenas；　in　the　time　of　the　



French　I　served　as　bragante；　fighting　for　Ferdinand　VII。　　I　am　now　



a　captain　on　half…pay　in　the　service　of　Donna　Isabel；　as　for　my　



business　here；　it　is　to　speak　with　you。　　Do　you　know　this　book？'







MYSELF。　…　'This　book　is　Saint　Luke's　Gospel　in　the　Gypsy　language；　



how　can　this　book　concern　you？'