The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-31


carried 1t to Carmen, who put 1t In her
hair. The bull played the part of Jose's
avenger Escamillo was. thrown to the
earth and his horse fell on him, the bull
failing upon both. Jose looked for Car
men. She was gone.
AS soon as Jose could disengage him.
self from the crowd he went to little
house in a side street, a resort of gypsies,
and waited. 1t was toward o'clock in
the morning when Carmen made her ap-
pcarance. Come with me-" said Jose.
Very well, let us CO." she replied. Jose
brought his horse, placed Carmen on the
Group behind him and rode away. Neither
of them spoke a single word until day
broke and they stopped at a little squalid
wayside inn. Then Jose said: IT have
forgotten everything. will reproach you
with nothing. But swear to me one thing
that you will follow me to America and
there rest quietly under my care"
NO." she said In sulky tone, II do not
wish to go to America. l am well content
here ut is because you are near Esca-
millo,' said Jose, but should he recover
from his hurts he will not live to have
old bones. However, l am tired of killing
your lovers; it Is you whom / will kill"
She gazed at him steadfastly and said
slowly: Il have always thought so. The
first time I saw you l knew it. 1t is
written" Carmen said Jose, do you
no longer love me?'
She was seated on the ground on mat,
with her legs crossed. tracing lines in the
earth with her finger, and made no reply.
Let us change our mode of life, Car
men, said Jose. Let us live In some
place where we shall never be separated
You know that not far from here are
20 ounces of gold 6dried In an oak and
we have money In the hands of Ben
Joseph. Oh, refect-let us seek Amer
lea. l am at the end of my patience
and my faith" She looked up from the
lines which she had been tracing and an
swered as If she had not heard him: 'I
knew It'll first and then you.'
Jose left her and went to a little her
mitage which stood near. The hermit was
at prayers. When he arose from his
knees Jose said to him: Father, will
you pray for some one who is In deadly
peril?" II pray for all who are afflicted,
my son. replied the holy man. "Will
you say mass for soul that is per-
haps, soon to appear before its Creator?"
Yes, replied the hermit. looking fixedly
| at Jose, lin half an hour will say the
mass; but tell me, young man, have you
not something on your conscience that
distresses you? Will you listen to the
counsels Of Christian Jose felt ready
to weep, but, saying that he would re}
turn, hastily he departed.
He lay down on the grass until he heard
the bell ring for the mass. and then he
drew near the chapel. but remained out
side. When mass was over he returned
to the inn, hoping that Carmen had taken
his horse and fed. But she was still
| there, waiting for him. During his abb
sence she had taken out some lead which
she carried stitched in the hem of her
dress, and was now seated at a table
looking intenty at the lead, which she
had melted and thrown into a bowl of
water She was SO absorbed in her magic
that at first she did not notice Jose's re-
turn.
She would take up piece Of the lead,
which had cooled into fantastic shapes in
the water and, turning 1t on every side,
carefully examine 1t with a sad air. And
| all the while she sang one of those wild
magic songs with which the gypsies In
woke the spirit of Maria Padilla, the gyp-
sy sorceress who was mistress to King
4 Don, Pedro Carmen said Jose, will
you come with me?" She arose and,
dashing the bowl to the earth, placed
her mantilla over her head as If ready.
They rode off together some distance
into the woods on Jose's horse, and he
asked: Carmen, you are now willing to
follow me to America are you not?' II
am yours until DEATH" she replied, but
will live with you no more'' They
were in a lonely ravine Jose stopped
the horse. rs 1t here?" she asked, and
at bound was on the ground. She
threw or her mantilla and stood with
one clinched hand on her hip, looking
at him steadily. You intend to kill me. =
she said. Il see 1t clearly; 1t is written
But you cannot make me yield"
Passionately, tearfully even, did Jose
i plead with her. He showed her what he
had become for love OF her. and besoughi
her. by all that she valued or held sacred
to bury the past and begin, in a new
world. new life. Carmen, my Carmen