Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-11-24
CHAPTER ".

OollOII, L tiiOuSut L WOuiO Ild v
nothing more to suffer. But ther
remained still another humiliation
to endure. 1t was after leaving tn
prison, and they put me on sen
try duty. You can imagine what
spirited man endures on such an Oc
casion. / believe that would hav
preferred to be shot; at least in tina
case, a soldier marches alone befor,
his squad, he feels himself to b.
somebody, and all the world look
at him.
L was put as a sentinel at the col
Onel's door. He was rich youne
man, good liver, who loved amuse
ments. All the young officers were
at his place, several bourgeois wO
men, actresses, so they said
For me it seemed that the Who'll,
city was gathered at the place tC
regard me. Then l saw the colonel,
carriage arrive, with his valet upon
the seat. Who did ] see descend
but the Gitanella She was dressed
this time as dancer, combed be-
dizened, all gold and ribbons q
spangled petticoat /; blue shoes, alSC
spangled flowers and galous al
over. She had Basque tamborine
in her hand. With her were two
other Boheinians, young girl and
an old woman. They always have
an old woman to lead them, and
another younger one to play the
guitar when they dance. You
know, they often send Tor Gipsies
in the grand houses to make them
dance the r0naaliS, which is theil
national dance.
Carmen recognized me, and we
exchanged glances. | don't know
why, but at that moment / wished
| were a hundred feet under ground
"Agaw lagla7d," said she my sol
dier, you mount guard like con-
script" Before | could say word
in response she had entered the
| house.
All the society was in the court,
and, Notwithstanding the crowd, |
could see nearly everything through
the barred gates. | heard the cas-
tanets, the tanbOrine, the laughter
and braves. Sometimes | caught a
glimpse of her head as she jumped
with her tamborine. Then again |
heard the officers make her coInpli-
ments that made the hot, jealous
blood mount to my head. What she
responded | could not hear. 1t is on
that day l believe, that | began
loving her in earnest, for | was on
the point three or four times of en-
tering the court and running my sa-
bre through every one of those lib
ertines who were talking with her
so familiarity. My punishment
lasted over an hour. Then the Bo-
hemians came out, and the voiture
took them away. Carmen, in pass
ing, looked at me with those eyes
which you have seen, and whis-
pered, "Countryman, if you love
good fritterS, go to Triana for them
at Lillas Pastea's shop" Light as
a kid she jumped into the voiture,
the driver whipped his horses, and
the joyful band where, l
don't know.
You can guess that, on leaving
guard, / went to Triana, but first /
shaved and brushed myself as for a
dress parade. She was with Lillas
Pastia-an old restaurant keeper,
Gipsy, black as a Moor, to whose
shOp&he bourgeois were in the habit
of coming to eat fried fish, eSpeci-
ally, | believe, since Carmen had
made it her headquarters.
"Lillas," said she, as soon as she
saw me, 81 am going to do nothing
more to-day. We will have anOth-
er day tomorrow. Come my friend,
let us promende."
She put her mantilla over her
head and face, and we entered the
street without knowing where l
was going.
"Senora," said I, 81 believe 1
have you to thank for present that
you sent me when | was in prison.
| have eaten the bread the file will
do to sharpen my lance with, and
l keep it as souvenir of you but
here is the money"
"Well, declare He has kept
the money" she cried, screaming
with laughter. "Come to think of
it, am glad of it, for am scarce of
funds. The cur that runs away will
find bone, SO you won't die OF
hunger. Come, we will eat all of
it. You can treat me-"
We had turned toward Seville.
At the entrance of Rue du Serpent,
she bought dozen oranges, which
she made me carry in my handker-
chief. A little farther, she bought
some bread, a sausage, and a bottle
of manzanila then she entered a
candy shop, and cast upon the
counter the piece of gold | had
given her, and other that she had in
her pocket, and some silver, then
she begged for all the money had.
L had only little piece of some
cubrtos, which l gave her, ashamed
because had no more. L believe
she wanted the whole shop; she
took all there was of the best and |
dearest yemaS, tttTOu, sugared fruits,
etc., as long as the money lasted.
All that she compelled me to carry |
in paper sacks. You know, per-
haps, the Rue de Candilejo, where |
there is bust of King Don Pedro.
the Juste. 1t should have inspired |
me with reflection. We stopped in |
that street before an old house she |
entered the alley and raped at |
the door. An old Gipsy, a verita-
BILE servant of Satan, came to open |
it. Carmen said some words to her |
in rOnld,1i. The old witch growled |
at first. To quiet her, Carmen gave
her two oranges and handful of
bonbons, and gave her drink of |
the wine. Then she put her man
tilla upon her back, and pushed |
her out of the door, which she
barred. AS soon as we were alone,
she began dancing and singing, and |
like a fool. "You are my |
rom, / am your rOmiy" 1 was stand
ing in the middle of the room with |
my arms full of the packages, not |
knowing where to put them. She
tumbled all upon the floor, and |
hugged me, saying, 81 pay my
debts. | pay my debts. 1t is the
law of the Gales" (Gipsies.) All,
Senior that day, that dayi when /
think of it, / forget what am to |
suffer tomorrow.
The bandit was silent for some
moments, then, relighting his cigar,
he continued
We were together the whole day,
eating and drinking, When she
had eaten some bOnbons, like q
child Of civ vooro ehQ niind fhon