the zincali- 第39部分

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？'







STRANGER。　…　'No　one　more。　　It　is　in　the　language　of　my　people。'







MYSELF。　…　'You　do　not　pretend　to　say　that　you　are　a　Calo？'







STRANGER。　…　'I　do！　　I　am　Zincalo；　by　the　mother's　side。　　My　father；　



it　is　true；　was　one　of　the　Busne；　but　I　glory　in　being　a　Calo；　and　



care　not　to　acknowledge　other　blood。'







MYSELF。　…　'How　became　you　possessed　of　that　book？'







STRANGER。　…　'I　was　this　morning　in　the　Prado；　where　I　met　two　women　



of　our　people；　and　amongst　other　things　they　told　me　that　they　had　



a　gabicote　in　our　language。　　I　did　not　believe　them　at　first；　but　



they　pulled　it　out；　and　I　found　their　words　true。　　They　then　spoke　



to　me　of　yourself；　and　told　me　where　you　live；　so　I　took　the　book　



from　them　and　am　come　to　see　you。'







MYSELF。　…　'Are　you　able　to　understand　this　book？'







STRANGER。　…　'Perfectly；　though　it　is　written　in　very　crabbed　



language：　　（48）　but　I　learnt　to　read　Calo　when　very　young。　　My　



mother　was　a　good　Calli；　and　early　taught　me　both　to　speak　and　read　



it。　　She　too　had　a　gabicote；　but　not　printed　like　this；　and　it　



treated　of　a　different　matter。'







MYSELF。　…　'How　came　your　mother；　being　a　good　Calli；　to　marry　one　



of　a　different　blood？'







STRANGER。　…　'It　was　no　fault　of　hers；　there　was　no　remedy。　　In　her　



infancy　she　lost　her　parents；　who　were　executed；　and　she　was　



abandoned　by　all；　till　my　father；　taking　compassion　on　her；　brought　



her　up　and　educated　her：　　at　last　he　made　her　his　wife；　though　



three　times　her　age。　　She；　however；　remembered　her　blood　and　hated　



my　father；　and　taught　me　to　hate　him　likewise；　and　avoid　him。　　When　



a　boy；　I　used　to　stroll　about　the　plains；　that　I　might　not　see　my　



father；　and　my　father　would　follow　me　and　beg　me　to　look　upon　him；　



and　would　ask　me　what　I　wanted；　and　I　would　reply；　Father；　the　only　



thing　I　want　is　to　see　you　dead。'







MYSELF。　…　'That　was　strange　language　from　a　child　to　its　parent。'







STRANGER。　…　'It　was　…　but　you　know　the　couplet；　（49）　which　says；　〃I　



do　not　wish　to　be　a　lord　…　I　am　by　birth　a　Gypsy　…　I　do　not　wish　to　



be　a　gentleman　…　I　am　content　with　being　a　Calo！〃'







MYSELF。　…　'I　am　anxious　to　hear　more　of　your　history　…　pray　



proceed。'







STRANGER。　…　'When　I　was　about　twelve　years　old　my　father　became　



distracted；　and　died。　　I　then　continued　with　my　mother　for　some　



years；　she　loved　me　much；　and　procured　a　teacher　to　instruct　me　in　



Latin。　　At　last　she　died；　and　then　there　was　a　pleyto　（law…suit）。　　



I　took　to　the　sierra　and　became　a　highwayman；　but　the　wars　broke　



out。　　My　cousin　Jara；　of　Valdepenas；　raised　a　troop　of　brigantes。　



（50）　　I　enlisted　with　him　and　distinguished　myself　very　much；　there　



is　scarcely　a　man　or　woman　in　Spain　but　has　heard　of　Jara　and　



Chaleco。　　I　am　now　captain　in　the　service　of　Donna　Isabel　…　I　am　



covered　with　wounds　…　I　am　…　ugh！　ugh！　ugh　…　！'







He　had　commenced　coughing；　and　in　a　manner　which　perfectly　



astounded　me。　　I　had　heard　hooping　coughs；　consumptive　coughs；　



coughs　caused　by　colds；　and　other　accidents；　but　a　cough　so　



horrible　and　unnatural　as　that　of　the　Gypsy　soldier；　I　had　never　



witnessed　in　the　course　of　my　travels。　　In　a　moment　he　was　bent　



double；　his　frame　writhed　and　laboured；　the　veins　of　his　forehead　



were　frightfully　swollen；　and　his　complexion　became　black　as　the　



blackest　blood；　he　screamed；　he　snorted；　he　barked；　and　appeared　to　



be　on　the　point　of　suffocation　…　yet　more　explosive　became　the　



cough；　and　the　people　of　the　house；　frightened；　came　running　into　



the　apartment。　　I　cries；　'The　man　is　perishing；　run　instantly　for　a　



surgeon！'　　He　heard　me；　and　with　a　quick　movement　raised　his　left　



hand　as　if　to　countermand　the　order；　another　struggle；　then　one　



mighty　throe；　which　seemed　to　search　his　deepest　intestines；　and　he　



remained　motionless；　his　head　on　his　knee。　　The　cough　had　left　him；　



and　within　a　minute　or　two　he　again　looked　up。







'That　is　a　dreadful　cough；　friend；'　said　I；　when　he　was　somewhat　



recovered。　　'How　did　you　get　it？'







GYPSY　SOLDIER。　…　'I　am　…　shot　through　the　lungs　…　brother！　　Let　me　



but　take　breath；　and　I　will　show　you　the　hole　…　the　agujero。'







He　continued　with　me　a　considerable　time；　and　showed　not　the　



slightest　disposition　to　depart；　the　cough　returned　twice；　but　not　



so　violently；　…　at　length；　having　an　engagement；　I　arose；　and　



apologising；　told　him　I　must　leave　him。　　The　next　day　he　came　again　



at　the　same　hour；　but　he　found　me　not；　as　I　was　abroad　dining　with　



a　friend。　　On　the　third　day；　however；　as　I　was　sitting　down　to　



dinner；　in　he　walked；　unannounced。　　I　am　rather　hospitable　than　



otherwise；　so　I　cordially　welcomed　him；　and　requested　him　to　



partake　of　my　meal。　　'Con　mucho　gusto；'　he　replied；　and　instantly　



took　his　place　at　the　table。　　I　was　again　astonished；　for　if　his　



cough　was　frightful；　his　appetite　was　yet　more　so。　　He　ate　like　a　



wolf　of　the　sierra；　…　soup；　puchero；　fowl　and　bacon　disappeared　



before　him　in　a　twinkling。　　I　ordered　in　cold　meat；　which　he　



presently　despatched；　a　large　piece　of　cheese　was　then　produced。　　



We　had　been　drinking　water。







'Where　is　the　wine？'　said　he。







'I　never　use　it；'　I　replied。







He　looked　blank。　　The　hostess；　however；　who　was　present　waiting；　



said；　'If　the　gentleman　wish　for　wine；　I　have　a　bota　nearly　full；　



which　I　will　instantly　fetch。'







The　skin　bottle；　when　full；　might　contain　about　four　quarts。　　She　



filled　him　a　very　large　glass；　and　was　removing　the　skin；　but　he　



prevented　her；　saying；　'Leave　it；　my　good　woman；　my　brother　here　



will　settle　with　you　for　the　little　I　shall　use。'







He　now　lighted　his　cigar；　and　it　was　evident　that　he　had　made　good　



his　quarters。　　On　the　former　occasion　I