按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
visited me twice a week； they were perfectly unreserved towards me
with respect to their actions and practices； though their
behaviour； when present； was invariably strictly proper。 I have
already had cause to mention Pepa the sibyl； and her daughter…in…
law； Chicharona； the manners of the first were sometimes almost
elegant； though； next to Aurora； she was the most notorious she…
thug in Madrid； Chicharona was good…humoured； like most fat
personages。 Pepa had likewise two daughters； one of whom； a very
remarkable female； was called La Tuerta； from the circumstance of
her having but one eye； and the other； who was a girl of about
thirteen； La Casdami； or the scorpion； from the malice which she
occasionally displayed。
Pepa and Chicharona were invariably my most constant visitors。 One
day in winter they arrived as usual； the One…eyed and the Scorpion
following behind。
MYSELF。 … 'I am glad to see you； Pepa： what have you been doing
this morning？'
PEPA。 … 'I have been telling baji； and Chicharona has been stealing
a pastesas； we have had but little success； and have come to warm
ourselves at the brasero。 As for the One…eyed； she is a very
sluggard （holgazana）； she will neither tell fortunes nor steal。'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'Hold your peace； mother of the Bengues； I will
steal； when I see occasion； but it shall not be a pastesas； and I
will hokkawar （deceive）； but it shall not be by telling fortunes。
If I deceive； it shall be by horses； by jockeying。 （58） If I
steal； it shall be on the road … I'll rob。 You know already what I
am capable of； yet knowing that； you would have me tell fortunes
like yourself； or steal like Chicharona。 Me dinela conche （it
fills me with fury） to be asked to tell fortunes； and the next
Busnee that talks to me of bajis； I will knock all her teeth out。'
THE SCORPION。 … 'My sister is right； I； too； would sooner be a
salteadora （highwaywoman）； or a chalana （she…jockey）； than steal
with the hands； or tell bajis。'
MYSELF。 … 'You do not mean to say； O Tuerta； that you are a jockey；
and that you rob on the highway。'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'I am a chalana； brother； and many a time I have
robbed upon the road； as all our people know。 I dress myself as a
man； and go forth with some of them。 I have robbed alone； in the
pass of the Guadarama； with my horse and escopeta。 I alone once
robbed a cuadrilla of twenty Gallegos； who were returning to their
own country； after cutting the harvests of Castile； I stripped them
of their earnings； and could have stripped them of their very
clothes had I wished； for they were down on their knees like
cowards。 I love a brave man； be he Busne or Gypsy。 When I was not
much older than the Scorpion； I went with several others to rob the
cortijo of an old man； it was more than twenty leagues from here。
We broke in at midnight； and bound the old man： we knew he had
money； but he said no； and would not tell us where it was； so we
tortured him； pricking him with our knives and burning his hands
over the lamp； all； however； would not do。 At last I said； 〃Let us
try the PIMIENTOS〃； so we took the green pepper husks； pulled open
his eyelids； and rubbed the pupils with the green pepper fruit。
That was the worst pinch of all。 Would you believe it？ the old man
bore it。 Then our people said； 〃Let us kill him；〃 but I said； no；
it were a pity： so we spared him； though we got nothing。 I have
loved that old man ever since for his firm heart； and should have
wished him for a husband。'
THE SCORPION。 … 'Ojala； that I had been in that cortijo； to see
such sport！'
MYSELF。 … 'Do you fear God； O Tuerta？'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'Brother； I fear nothing。'
MYSELF。 … 'Do you believe in God； O Tuerta？'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'Brother； I do not； I hate all connected with that
name； the whole is folly； me dinela conche。 If I go to church； it
is but to spit at the images。 I spat at the bulto of Maria this
morning； and I love the Corojai； and the Londone； （59） because they
are not baptized。'
MYSELF。 … 'You； of course； never say a prayer。'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'No； no； there are three or four old words； taught
me by some old people； which I sometimes say to myself； I believe
they have both force and virtue。'
MYSELF。 … 'I would fain hear； pray tell me them。'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'Brother； they are words not to be repeated。'
MYSELF。 … 'Why not？'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'They are holy words； brother。'
MYSELF。 … 'Holy！ You say there is no God； if there be none； there
can be nothing holy； pray tell me the words； O Tuerta。'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'Brother； I dare not。'
MYSELF。 … 'Then you do fear something。'
THE ONE…EYED。… 'Not I …
'SABOCA ENRECAR MARIA ERERIA； （60）
and now I wish I had not said them。'
MYSELF。 … 'You are distracted； O Tuerta： the words say simply；
'Dwell within us； blessed Maria。' You have spitten on her bulto
this morning in the church； and now you are afraid to repeat four
words； amongst which is her name。'
THE ONE…EYED。 … 'I did not understand them； but I wish I had not
said them。'
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
I repeat that there is no individual； however hardened； who is
utterly GODLESS。
The reader will have already gathered from the conversations
reported in this volume； and especially from the last； that there
is a wide difference between addressing Spanish Gitanos and Gitanas
and English peasantry： of a certainty what will do well for the
latter is calculated to make no impression on these thievish half…
wild people。 Try them with the Gospel； I hear some one cry； which
speaks to all： I did try them with the Gospel； and in their own
language。 I commenced with Pepa and Chicharona。 Determined that
they should understand it； I proposed that they themselves should
translate it。 They could neither read nor write； which； however；
did not disqualify them from being translators。 I had myself
previously translated the whole Testament into the Spanish Rommany；
but I was desirous to circulate amongst the Gitanos a version
conceived in the exact language in which they express their ideas。
The women made no objection； they were fond of our tertulias； and
they likewise reckoned on one small glass of Malaga wine； with
which I invariably presented them。 Upon the whole； they conducted
themselves much better than could have been expected。 We commenced
with Saint Luke： they rendering into Rommany the sentences which I
delivered to them in Spanish。 They proceeded as far as the eighth
chapter； in the middle of which they broke down。 Was that to be
won