〃The rascal's under lock and key； and as he was known to be a man who would shoot any Christian for the sake of a /peseta/； we were most dreadfully afraid he had killed you。 I'll go with you to the /Corregidor/； and he'll give you back your fine watch。 And after that； you won't dare to say the law doesn't do its work properly in Spain。〃
〃I assure you；〃 said I； 〃I'd far rather lose my watch than have to give evidence in court to hang a poor unlucky devil； and especially becausebecause〃
〃Oh； you needn't be alarmed！ He's thoroughly done for； they might hang him twice over。 But when I say hang； I say wrong。 Your thief is an /Hidalgo/。 So he's to be garrotted the day after to…morrow； without fail。* So you see one theft more or less won't affect his position。 Would to God he had done nothing but steal！ But he has committed several murders； one more hideous than the other。〃
* In 1830； the noble class still enjoyed this privilege。 Nowadays； under the constitutional /regime/； commoners have attained the same dignity。
〃What's his name？〃
〃In this country he is only known as Jose Navarro； but he has another Basque name； which neither your nor I will ever be able to pronounce。 By the way； the man is worth seeing； and you； who like to study the peculiar features of each country； shouldn't lose this chance of noting how a rascal bids farewell to this world in Spain。 He is in jail； and Father Martinez will take you to him。〃
So bent was my Dominican friend on my seeing the preparations for this 〃neat little hanging job〃 that I was fain to agree。 I went to see the prisoner； having provided myself with a bundle of cigars； which I hoped might induce him to forgive my intrusion。
I was ushered into Don Jose's presence just as he was sitting at table。 He greeted me with a rather distant nod； and thanked me civilly for the present I had brought him。 Having counted the cigars in the bundle I had placed in his hand； he took out a certain number and returned me the rest； remarking that he would not need any more of them。
I inquired whether by laying out a little money； or by applying to my friends； I might not be able to do something to soften his lot。 He shrugged his shoulders； to begin with； smiling sadly。 Soon； as by an after…thought； he asked me to have a mass said for the repose of his soul。
Then he added nervously： 〃Would youwould you have another said for a person who did you a wrong？〃
〃Assuredly I will； my dear fellow；〃 I answered。 〃But no one in this country has wronged me so far as I know。〃
He took my hand and squeezed it； looking very grave。 After a moment's silence； he spoke again。
〃Might I dare to ask another service of you？ When you go back to your own country perhaps you will pass through Navarre。 At all events you'll go by Vittoria； which isn't very far off。〃
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃I shall certainly pass through Vittoria。 But I may very possibly go round by Pampeluna； and for your sake； I believe I should be very glad to do it。〃
〃Well； if you do go to Pampeluna； you'll see more than one thing that will interest you。 It's a fine town。 I'll give you this medal；〃 he showed me a little silver medal that he wore hung around his neck。 〃You'll wrap it up in paper〃he paused a moment to master his emotion 〃and you'll take it； or send it； to an old lady whose address I'll give you。 Tell her I am deadbut don't tell her how I died。〃
I promised to perform his commission。 I saw him the next day； and spent part of it in his company。 From his lips I learned the sad incidents that follow。
CHAPTER III
〃I was born；〃 he said； 〃at Elizondo； in the valley of Baztan。 My name is Don Jose Lizzarrabengoa； and you know enough of Spain； sir； to know at once； by my name； that I come of an old Christian and Basque stock。 I call myself Don； because I have a right to it； and if I were at Elizondo I could show you my parchment genealogy。 My family wanted me to go into the church； and made me study for it； but I did not like work。 I was too fond of playing tennis； and that was my ruin。 When we Navarrese begin to play tennis； we forget everything else。 One day； when I had won the game； a young fellow from Alava picked a quarrel with me。 We took to our /maquilas/；* and I won again。 But I had to leave the neighbourhood。 I fell in with some dragoons； and enlisted in the Almanza Cavalry Regiment。 Mountain folks like us soon learn to be soldiers。 Before long I was a corporal； and I had been told I should soon be made a sergeant； when； to my misfortune； I was put on guard at the Seville Tobacco Factory。 If you have been to Seville you have seen the great building； just outside the ramparts； close to the Guadalquivir； I can fancy I see the entrance； and the guard room just beside it； even now。 When Spanish soldiers are on duty； they either play cards or go to sleep。 I； like an honest Navarrese； always tried to keep myself busy。 I was making a chain to hold my priming…pin； out of a bit of wire： all at once； my comrades said； 'there's the bell ringing； the girls are coming back to work。' You must know； sir； that there are quite four or five hundred women employed in the factory。 They roll the cigars in a great room into which no man can go without a permit from the /Veintiquatro/；** because when the weather is hot they make themselves at home； especially the young ones。 When the work…girls come back after their dinner； numbers of young men go down to see them pass by； and talk all sorts of nonsense to them。 Very few of those young ladies will refuse a silk mantilla； and men who care for that sort of sport have nothing to do but bend down and pick their fish up。 While the others watched the girls go by； I stayed on my bench near the door。 I was a young fellow thenmy heart was still in my own country； and I didn't believe in any pretty girls who hadn't blue skirts and long plaits of hair falling on their shoulders。*** And besides； I was rather afraid of the Andalusian women。 I had not got used to their ways yet； they were always jeering onenever spoke a single word of sense。 So I was sitting with my nose down upon my chain； when I heard some bystanders say； 'Here comes the /gitanella/！' Then I lifted up my eyes； and I saw her！ It was that very Carmen you know； and in whose rooms I met you a few months ago。
* Iron…shod sticks used by the Basques。
** Magistrate in charge of the municipal police arrangements； and local government regulations。
*** The costume usually worn by peasant women in Navarre and the Basque Provinces。
〃She was wearing a very short skirt； below which her white silk stockingswith more than one hole in themand her dainty red morocco shoes； fastened with flame…coloured ribbons； were clearly seen。 She had thrown her mantilla back； to show her shoulders； and a great bunch of acacia that was thrust into her chemise。 She had another acacia blossom in the corner of her mouth； and she walked along； swaying her hips； like a filly from the Cordova stud farm。 In my country anybody who had seen a woman dressed in that fashion would have crossed himself。 At Seville every man paid her some bold compliment on her appearance。 She had an answer for each and all； with her hand on her hip； as bold as the thorough gipsy she was。 At first I didn't like her looks； and I fell to my work again。 But she； like all women and cats； who won't come if you call them； and do come if you don't call them； stopped short in front of me； and spoke to me。
〃 '/Compadre/；' said she； in the Andalusian fashion； 'won't you give me your chain for the keys of my strong box？'
〃 'It's for my priming…pin；' said I。
〃 'Your priming…pin！' she cried； with a laugh。 'Oho！ I suppose the gentleman makes lace； as he wants pins！'
〃Everybody began to laugh； and I felt myself getting red in the face； and couldn't hit on anything in answer。
〃 'Come； my love！' she began again； 'make me seven ells of lace for my mantilla； my pet pin…maker！'
〃And taking the acacia blossom out of her mouth she flipped it at me with her thumb so that it hit me just between the eyes。 I tell you； sir； I felt as if a bullet had struck me。 I didn't know which way to look。 I sat stock…still； like a wooden board。 When she had gone into the factory； I saw the acacia blossom； which had fallen on the ground between my feet。 I don't know what made me do it； but I picked it up； unseen by any of my comrades； and put it carefully inside my jacket。 That was my first folly。
〃Two or three hours later I was still thinking about her； when a panting； terrified…looking porter rushed into the guard…room。 He told us a woman had been stabbed in the great cigar…room； and that the guard must be sent in at once。 The sergeant told me to take two men； and go and see to it。 I took my two men and went upstairs。 Imagine； sir； that when I got into the room； I found； to begin with； some three hundred women； stripped to their shifts； or very near it； all of them screaming and yelling and gesticulating； and making such a row that you couldn't have heard God's own thunder。 On one side of the room one of the women was lying on the broad of her back； streaming with blood； with an X newly cut on her face by two strokes of a knife。 Opposite the wounded woman； whom the best…natured of the band were