the zincali- 第30部分

THE　ZINCALI　…　PART　II



















CHAPTER　I















ABOUT　twelve　in　the　afternoon　of　the　6th　of　January　1836；　I　crossed　



the　bridge　of　the　Guadiana；　a　boundary　river　between　Portugal　and　



Spain；　and　entered　Badajoz；　a　strong　town　in　the　latter　kingdom；　



containing　about　eight　thousand　inhabitants；　supposed　to　have　been　



founded　by　the　Romans。　　I　instantly　returned　thanks　to　God　for　



having　preserved　me　in　a　journey　of　five　days　through　the　wilds　of　



the　Alemtejo；　the　province　of　Portugal　the　most　infested　by　robbers　



and　desperate　characters；　which　I　had　traversed　with　no　other　human　



companion　than　a　lad；　almost　an　idiot；　who　was　to　convey　back　the　



mules　which　had　brought　me　from　Aldea　Gallega。　　I　intended　to　make　



but　a　short　stay；　and　as　a　diligence　would　set　out　for　Madrid　the　



day　next　but　one　to　my　arrival；　I　purposed　departing　therein　for　



the　capital　of　Spain。







I　was　standing　at　the　door　of　the　inn　where　I　had　taken　up　my　



temporary　abode；　the　weather　was　gloomy；　and　rain　seemed　to　be　at　



hand；　I　was　thinking　on　the　state　of　the　country　I　had　just　



entered；　which　was　involved　in　bloody　anarchy　and　confusion；　and　



where　the　ministers　of　a　religion　falsely　styled　Catholic　and　



Christian　were　blowing　the　trump　of　war；　instead　of　preaching　the　



love…engendering　words　of　the　blessed　Gospel。







Suddenly　two　men；　wrapped　in　long　cloaks；　came　down　the　narrow　and　



almost　deserted　street；　they　were　about　to　pass；　and　the　face　of　



the　nearest　was　turned　full　towards　me；　I　knew　to　whom　the　



countenance　which　he　displayed　must　belong；　and　I　touched　him　on　



the　arm。　　The　man　stopped；　and　likewise　his　companion；　I　said　a　



certain　word；　to　which；　after　an　exclamation　of　surprise；　he　



responded　in　the　manner　I　expected。　　The　men　were　Gitanos　or　



Gypsies；　members　of　that　singular　family　or　race　which　has　diffused　



itself　over　the　face　of　the　civilised　globe；　and　which；　in　all　



lands；　has　preserved　more　or　less　its　original　customs　and　its　own　



peculiar　language。







We　instantly　commenced　discoursing　in　the　Spanish　dialect　of　this　



language；　with　which　I　was　tolerably　well　acquainted。　　I　asked　my　



two　newly…made　acquaintances　whether　there　were　many　of　their　race　



in　Badajoz　and　the　vicinity：　　they　informed　me　that　there　were　



eight　or　ten　families　in　the　town；　and　that　there　were　others　at　



Merida；　a　town　about　six　leagues　distant。　　I　inquired　by　what　means　



they　lived；　and　they　replied　that　they　and　their　brethren　



principally　gained　a　livelihood　by　trafficking　in　mules　and　asses；　



but　that　all　those　in　Badajoz　were　very　poor；　with　the　exception　of　



one　man；　who　was　exceedingly　BALBALO；　or　rich；　as　he　was　in　



possession　of　many　mules　and　other　cattle。　　They　removed　their　



cloaks　for　a　moment；　and　I　found　that　their　under…garments　were　



rags。







They　left　me　in　haste；　and　went　about　the　town　informing　the　rest　



that　a　stranger　had　arrived　who　spoke　Rommany　as　well　as　



themselves；　who　had　the　face　of　a　Gitano；　and　seemed　to　be　of　the　



'errate；'　or　blood。　　In　less　than　half　an　hour　the　street　before　



the　inn　was　filled　with　the　men；　women；　and　children　of　Egypt。　　I　



went　out　amongst　them；　and　my　heart　sank　within　me　as　I　surveyed　



them：　　so　much　vileness；　dirt；　and　misery　I　had　never　seen　amongst　



a　similar　number　of　human　beings；　but　worst　of　all　was　the　evil　



expression　of　their　countenances；　which　spoke　plainly　that　they　



were　conversant　with　every　species　of　crime；　and　it　was　not　long　



before　I　found　that　their　countenances　did　not　belie　them。　　After　



they　had　asked　me　an　infinity　of　questions；　and　felt　my　hands；　



face；　and　clothes；　they　retired　to　their　own　homes。







That　same　night　the　two　men　of　whom　I　have　already　particularly　



spoken　came　to　see　me。　　They　sat　down　by　the　brasero　in　the　middle　



of　the　apartment；　and　began　to　smoke　small　paper　cigars。　　We　



continued　for　a　considerable　time　in　silence　surveying　each　other。　　



Of　the　two　Gitanos　one　was　an　elderly　man；　tall　and　bony；　with　



lean；　skinny；　and　whimsical　features；　though　perfectly　those　of　a　



Gypsy；　he　spoke　little；　and　his　expressions　were　generally　singular　



and　grotesque。　　His　companion；　who　was　the　man　whom　I　had　first　



noticed　in　the　street；　differed　from　him　in　many　respects；　he　could　



be　scarcely　thirty；　and　his　figure；　which　was　about　the　middle　



height；　was　of　Herculean　proportions；　shaggy　black　hair；　like　that　



of　a　wild　beast；　covered　the　greatest　part　of　his　immense　head；　his　



face　was　frightfully　seamed　with　the　small…pox；　and　his　eyes；　which　



glared　like　those　of　ferrets；　peered　from　beneath　bushy　eyebrows；　



he　wore　immense　moustaches；　and　his　wide　mouth　was　garnished　with　



teeth　exceedingly　large　and　white。　　There　was　one　peculiarity　about　



him　which　must　not　be　forgotten：　　his　right　arm　was　withered；　and　



hung　down　from　his　shoulder　a　thin　sapless　stick；　which　contrasted　



strangely　with　the　huge　brawn　of　the　left。　　A　figure　so　perfectly　



wild　and　uncouth　I　had　scarcely　ever　before　seen。　　He　had　now　flung　



aside　his　cloak；　and　sat　before　me　gaunt　in　his　rags　and　nakedness。　　



In　spite　of　his　appearance；　however；　he　seemed　to　be　much　the　most　



sensible　of　the　two；　and　the　conversation　which　ensued　was　carried　



on　chiefly　between　him　and　myself。　　This　man；　whom　I　shall　call　the　



first　Gypsy；　was　the　first　to　break　silence；　and　he　thus　addressed　



me；　speaking　in　Spanish；　broken　with　words　of　the　Gypsy　tongue：…







FIRST　GYPSY。　…　'Arromali　（in　truth）；　I　little　thought　when　I　saw　



the　errano　standing　by　the　door　of　the　posada　that　I　was　about　to　



meet　a　brother　…　one　too　who；　though　well　dressed；　was　not　ashamed　



to　speak　to　a　poor　Gitano；　but　tell　me；　I　beg　you；　brother；　from　



whence　you　come；　I　have　heard　that　you　have　just　arrived　from　



Laloro；　but　I　am　sure　you　are　no　Portuguese；　the　Portuguese　are　



very　different　from　you；　I　know　it；　for　I　have　been　in　Laloro；　I　



rather　take　you　to　be　one　of　the　Corahai；　for　I　have　heard　say　that　



there　is　much　of　our　blood　there。　　You　are　a　Corahano；　are　you　



not？'







MYSELF。　…　'I　am　no　Moor；　though　I　have　been　in　the　country。　　I　was　



born　in　an　island　in　the　West　Sea；　called　England；　which　I　suppose　



you　have　heard　spoken　of。'







FIRST　GYPSY。　…　'Yes；　yes；　I　have　a　right　to　know　something　of　the　



English。　　I　was　born　in　this　foros；　and　remember　the　day　when　the　



English　hundunares　clambered　over　the　walls；　and　took　the　town　from　



the　Gabine：　　well　do　I　remember　that　day；　though　I　was　but　a　child；　



the　streets　ran　red　with　blood　and　wine！　　Are　there　Gitanos　then　



amongst　the　English？'







MYSELF。　…　'There　are　numbers；　and　so　there　are　amongst　most　nations　



of　the　world。'







SECOND　GYPSY。　…　'Vaya！　　And　do　the　English　Calore　gain　their　bread　



in　the　same　way　as　those　of　Spain？　　Do　they　shear　and　trim？　　Do　



they　buy　and　change　beasts；　and　（lowering　his　voice）　do　they　now　



and　then　chore　a　gras？'　（42）







MYSELF。　…　'They　do　most　of　these　things：　　the　men　frequent　fairs　



and　markets　with　horses；　many　of　which　they　steal；　and　the　women　



tell　fortunes　and　perform　all　kinds　of　tricks；　by　which　they　gain　



more　money　than　their　husbands。'







FIRST　GYPSY。　…　'They　would　not　be　callees　if　they　did　not：　　I　have　



known　a　Gitana　gain　twenty　ounces　of　gold；　by　means　of　the　hokkano　



baro；　in　a　few　hours；　whilst　the　silly　Gypsy；　her　husband；　would　be　



toiling　with　his　shears　for　a　fortnight；　trimming　the　horses　of　the　



Busne；　and　yet　not　be　a　dollar　richer　at　the　end　of　the　time。'







MYSELF。　…　'You　seem　wretchedly　poor。　　Are　you　married？'







FIRST　GYPSY。　…　'I　am；　and　to　the　best…looking　and　cleverest　callee　



in　Badajoz；　nevertheless　we　have　never　thriven　since　the　day　of　our　



marriage；　and　a　curse　seems　to　rest　upon　us　both。　　Perhaps　I　have　



only　to　thank　myself；　I　was　once　rich；　and　had　never　less　than　six　



borricos　to　sell　or　exchange；　but　the　day　before　my　marriage　I　sold　



all　I　possessed；　in　order　to　have　a　grand　fiesta。　　For　three　days　



we　were　merry　enough；　I　entertained　every　one　who　chose　to　come　in；　



and　flung　away　my　money　by　handfuls；　so　that　when　the　affair　was　



over　I　had　not　a　cuarto　in　the　world；　and　the　very　people　who　had　



feasted　at　my　expense　refused　me　a　dollar　to　begin　again；　so　we　



were　soon　reduced　to　the　greatest　misery。　　True　it　is；　that　I　now　



and　then　shear　a　mule；　and　my　wife　tells　the　bahi　（fortune）　to　the　



servant…girls；　but　these　things　stand　us　in　little　stead：　　the　



people　are　now　very　much　on　the　alert；　and　my　wife；　with　all　her　



knowledge；　has　been　unable　to　perform　any　grand　trick　which　would　



set　us　up　at　once。　　She　wished　to　come　to　see　you；　brother；　this　



night；　but　was　ashamed；　as　she　has　no　more　clothes　than　myself。　　



Last　summer　our　distress　was　so　great　that　we　crossed　the　frontier　



into　Portugal：　　my　wife　sung；　and　I　played　the　guitar；　for　though　I　



have　but　one　arm；　and　that　a　left　one；　I　have　never　felt　the　want　



of　the　other。　　At　Estremoz　I　was　cast　into　prison　as　a　thief　and　



vagabond；　and　there　I　might　have　remained　till　I　starved　with　



hunger。　　My　wife；　however；　soon　got　me　out：　　she　went　to　the　lady　



of　the　corregidor；　to　whom　she　told　a　most　wonderful　bahi；　



promising　treasures　and　titles；　and　I　wot　not　what；　so　I　was　set　at　



liberty；　and　returned　to　Spain　as　quick　as　I　could。'







MYSELF。　…　'Is　it　not　the　custom　of　the　Gypsies　of　Spain　to　relieve　



each　other　in　distress？　…　it　is　the　rule　in　other　countries。'







FIRST　GYPSY。　…　'El　krallis　ha　nicobado　la　liri　de　los　Cales　…　（The　



king　has　destroyed　the　law　of　the　Gypsies）；　we　are　no　longer　the　



people　we　were　once；　when　we　lived