Chapter 3 (cont): When trying to escape bullets, Don Jose tried to carry one of the injured, and both Carmen and Garcia (the husband) yelled at him to leave him and get the loot. Later at the campfire, Garcia was playing cards with one of the men while Don Jose lay on the ground thinking of the man he had to leave behind. Carmen sat beside him and kept kissing him "almost" against his will. "You are a devil", I said to her. "Yes," she replied.
Don Jose was sent to meet Carmen in Gibraltar because all the others were too recognizable. He was to ask where the chocolate-seller lives, while posing as a fruit-seller. He took a donkey loaded with oranges and melons. Many people there knew of the chocolate-seller, but said she was either dead or had disappeared. It was two days before he found her. She was shouting to him from a balcony, gold comb in her hair, with a rich Englishman who told him to come up because the lady wanted some oranges. She tells him in Basque to pretend it's the only language he speaks. They quarrel in Basque about the way she is conducting her "gipsy business", how he is silly for being jealous of it, and he threatens to make sure she does no business again if he catches her doing business this way again. She says "What are you, my husband?" and tells him that Garcia is pleased with her behavior. She asks "aren't you happy that you are the only man who can call himself my lover?"Carmen tells the Englishman that he said he was thirsty and would like a drink (lol). She started screaming with laughter at her translation, and when she laughed everyone laughed with her. She tells Don Jose to come back tomorrow with his oranges when the parade starts to find out if she is still his Carmencita. He planned to just leave, but when the parade started, he went to her. She tells him of her plan to get the Englishman to take her to another town where she has "a sister who is a nun" and tells Don Jose to take him down when they get to a particular spot. Then she tells him to let Garcia take the lead, and to fall a little behind so he won't be hurt. He tells her that he doesn't like Garcia, but he is a comrade, and while he might rid her of him someday, he will not do it this way. She accused him of not loving her and told him to go (be off with you), and he couldn't go.
Don Jose goes back to Garcia and the other man, El Dancaire, and suggests they play cards by the campfire. They do, and he accuses Garcia of cheating. They decide to fight it out with their knives. Don Jose kills Garcia. He tell El Dancaire that they couldn't live on together because he loves Carmen and wants to be the only one. They agree to be friends. They took out the Englishman and he won Carmen back. She tells him his day will come, and he says hers will too if she isn't a faithful wife to him. She says "so be it." She tells him she read in the coffee grounds more than once that their lives were to end together. They continue to be smugglers, and eventually she finds a rich man she plans to do the same as the Englishman with, and he carries her off and forces her to stop. She tells him if he's not careful, she'll find someone to do to him what he did to Garcia. Their group was caught by soldiers, most of them died, and he was shot. His only comrade left carried him to a cave and went to fetch Carmen. She came and nursed him and snuck him to Granada. He decided that it was time to change his life, and suggested to Carmen that they should move to America and live honest lives, which made her laugh. She talked him into another smuggling job. She kept talking about a local bullfighter named Lucas, and his comrade Juanito told him that she had been spending a lot of time with this Lucas. When he asks her about it, she tells him that he is useful, they either should take his money or ask him to join their gang. He forbid her to see him, and she told him to be careful because forbidding her to do something would cause her to do it quickly. But the bullfighter leaves town and they forget about him. At this point in time, he meets the gentleman. Carmen stole the gentleman's watch, wanted to take his money and his "magic" ring. Don Jose struck her and she cried, the first time he ever saw her do so. He begged her to forgive him, but she was very upset for a few more days, and then she was fine and they were like honeymoon lovers. She told him there was a festival in Cordova that she would go see, so she could point out to him the people coming away with money.
He realized by the festival plans and change in her temper that she must have already avenged herself. He found out that there would be bullfighting in Cordova, and he went to find Lucas, and Carmen was there. The bull attacked Lucas, and Carmen disappeared. At 2 am she returned, surprised to see Don Jose. They traveled together all night, and in the morning he told her he would forget everything like it didn't happen if she would go to America with him and live there quietly. She refuses, and he tells her it's because she wouldn't be near Lucas who might not recover anyway, and that he's tired of killing her lovers and will kill her this time. She tells him that she always knew he would kill her. He begs her to go with him, asks if she still loves him. He tells her to make up her mind. He asks a priest to say a mass for the soul of someone who will soon be dead. Then he returned to find Carmen scrying. He asks her to come with him, and they get on the horse. He asks if she is still ready to follow him, and she says she will follow him even to death, but won't live with him anymore. They arrive at a spring, and she suggests he brought her there to kill her. He tells her the past is forgotten, and she tells him it is over between them because she doesn't love him anymore. He asks if she loves Lucas, and she says she did, for even less time than she loved Don Jose. She tells him he has the right as her husband to kill his wife, but that "Carmen will always be free." She refuses all that he offers. He draws his knife and she still declines, throwing his ring in the bushes. It is Garcia's knife, and he killed her with it. He laid there with her for an hour, then dug her a grave and buried her in the woods with the ring beside her. Then he turned himself in. The mass the priest said was for her soul, not Jose's.
Chapter 4: Background on gipsies - highly invested in marriage, indifferent about religion. Most gipsy women tell fortunes, sell charms, and use incantations.
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée. Web Source.
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Reading Notes: More Carmen
Chapter 3 - Don Jose tells the gentleman of his history. His family wanted him to go into the church. He studied but didn't like the work. he would rather just play tennis.He had to leave his town due to a quarrel with someone, so he became a soldier and moved up the ranks. He was told to guard the Seville Tobacco Factory. About 500 women work in the factory. Don Jose was afraid of the Andalusian women, so he didn't pursue them like the other men did. One night he heard a bystander shout "Here comes the gitanella (the gypsy)" and when he looked up he saw Carmen. She was wearing a short skirt with an off the shoulder top and had an acacia blossom in the corner of her mouth. All of the men paid her bold compliments. He didn't like her looks at first and continued to work. "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."
She asked him for his chain to put the key to her strong box on, and he told her it was for his priming-pin. She teased him that she must make lace if he wants pins. She threw the blossom at him and it hit him in between the eyes, and felt like a bullet had struck him. When she went inside the factory, he picked up the blossom and put it in his jacket. He was still thinking about her a few hours later when a porter rushed in ab told the guards that a woman was stabbed in the cigar room. Don Jose took two men and they found 300 women stripped to their shifts, screaming and yelling. One was laying on her back streaming with blood, and X cut on her face by a knife. Opposite her, Carmen was being held by 5 or 6 others as the wounded woman yelled "a confessor, I am killed!" and Carmen said nothing. The injured girl had boasted that she had enough money in her pocket to buy a donkey at the market. Carmen asked why she couldn't do it with a broom, and the girl told her she knew nothing of brooms and that Carmen would meet her donkey when she took it out with 2 lackeys to keep the flies off. Carmen said "I'll make troughs for the flies to drink out of on your cheeks", and she slashed the girl's face with the knife. Don Jose told her to come with him, and she covered her head with her mantilla (lace veil). He told her he was taking her to prison, and she begged him to have pity on her, while complimenting his looks. She whispered that if he let her go, she would give him a loadstone that would make every woman fall in love with him. He told her to stop talking nonsense. Carmen could tell he was from the provinces and started speaking Basque. She was from a district four hours from him, and had been taken to Seville by the gipsies. Don Jose knew that she was lying and told the gentleman that she always lies. He was becoming drunk on her and when she suggested that she could knock him down and get away from the other two men, he told her to try for it. She punched him in the chest and he intentionally fell backwards and she ran for it. He blocked the other men with his lance, then ran after her with them following. She disappeared. The other men told their boss that she had spoken Basque to them and that it had been suspicious, so he lost is corporal's stripes and was put in prison for a month. He would have to work ten times as hard to get back into good graces. He still couldn't stop thinking of her. A loaf of bread was delivered to him from his "cousin". When he cut into it he found a file and 2 coins, a gift from Carmen. He chose not to escape.
When he was released, he was posted at the door of a young colonel who had many visitors. Carmen arrived in a carriage, dressed up and carrying a tambourine. She was with two other gipsy women and a man with a guitar. She recognized him, and he could see the whole performance on the patio from his post, and could hear the things the men were saying to her. He thought he began to love her that night as he kept almost driving his sword through the men. On her way out, she said he should go eat at a restaurant in Triana. He cleaned himself up and went. When he arrived she told her boss she wasn't going to work anymore for the day, and went for a walk with him. He tried to return the coins she had given him in the bread, and she decided they should go spend them. They bought food and wine and sweets, then went to a gipsy house. They spent the day together. He told her he had to get back for roll call, and she called him silly. She talked him into staying, then in the morning suggested that he leave. He asked when he would see her again, and she said he was too much of a simpleton, that she believed she loved him a little but wouldn't marry him because he wasn't a gipsy, and threatened to make him marry a window with wooden legs (the gallows) if he thought about her again.
He couldn't stop thinking of her, and her boss told him she had moved away. It was a lie, and one night she approached where he was guarding. He told her that no one could pass there. She told him not to be spiteful, and she asked him to let some people pass. He said he couldn't because it was his orders, and she mentioned that he didn't consider orders the night they spent together. He agreed to let the gipsies pass if she met him later. She was annoyed that he didn't just do what she wanted and tried to pay him off. He was angry and left, walking around town, going to church and crying hot tears in the corner. Carmen showed up and asked if he was still angry with her. She said she still wanted to come with him. They made up, and she promised to meet him, but didn't, and her boss again lied about her leaving the country. He looked for ever every day, and one day she walked into the restaurant with a young lieutenant in his regiment. She told him to go away in Basque, and the lieutenant told him to go away, and he felt paralyzed. They drew their swords and fought over her. He ended up running, and she ran with him. She found him peasant clothes and brought him to another gipsy house to have his wounds tended to. They told him that he would have to leave town as soon as he was well or he would be shot. Carmen tells him to go to the coast and become a smuggler to earn his keep. He was persuaded easily as it was the only job he could do. He also thought it would bring them closer together. He became a smuggler, and Carmen secretly was his mistress. He eventually found out that a gypsy man was her husband. She had been trying to get him out of prison for 2 years and finally succeeded.
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée. Web Source.
She asked him for his chain to put the key to her strong box on, and he told her it was for his priming-pin. She teased him that she must make lace if he wants pins. She threw the blossom at him and it hit him in between the eyes, and felt like a bullet had struck him. When she went inside the factory, he picked up the blossom and put it in his jacket. He was still thinking about her a few hours later when a porter rushed in ab told the guards that a woman was stabbed in the cigar room. Don Jose took two men and they found 300 women stripped to their shifts, screaming and yelling. One was laying on her back streaming with blood, and X cut on her face by a knife. Opposite her, Carmen was being held by 5 or 6 others as the wounded woman yelled "a confessor, I am killed!" and Carmen said nothing. The injured girl had boasted that she had enough money in her pocket to buy a donkey at the market. Carmen asked why she couldn't do it with a broom, and the girl told her she knew nothing of brooms and that Carmen would meet her donkey when she took it out with 2 lackeys to keep the flies off. Carmen said "I'll make troughs for the flies to drink out of on your cheeks", and she slashed the girl's face with the knife. Don Jose told her to come with him, and she covered her head with her mantilla (lace veil). He told her he was taking her to prison, and she begged him to have pity on her, while complimenting his looks. She whispered that if he let her go, she would give him a loadstone that would make every woman fall in love with him. He told her to stop talking nonsense. Carmen could tell he was from the provinces and started speaking Basque. She was from a district four hours from him, and had been taken to Seville by the gipsies. Don Jose knew that she was lying and told the gentleman that she always lies. He was becoming drunk on her and when she suggested that she could knock him down and get away from the other two men, he told her to try for it. She punched him in the chest and he intentionally fell backwards and she ran for it. He blocked the other men with his lance, then ran after her with them following. She disappeared. The other men told their boss that she had spoken Basque to them and that it had been suspicious, so he lost is corporal's stripes and was put in prison for a month. He would have to work ten times as hard to get back into good graces. He still couldn't stop thinking of her. A loaf of bread was delivered to him from his "cousin". When he cut into it he found a file and 2 coins, a gift from Carmen. He chose not to escape.
When he was released, he was posted at the door of a young colonel who had many visitors. Carmen arrived in a carriage, dressed up and carrying a tambourine. She was with two other gipsy women and a man with a guitar. She recognized him, and he could see the whole performance on the patio from his post, and could hear the things the men were saying to her. He thought he began to love her that night as he kept almost driving his sword through the men. On her way out, she said he should go eat at a restaurant in Triana. He cleaned himself up and went. When he arrived she told her boss she wasn't going to work anymore for the day, and went for a walk with him. He tried to return the coins she had given him in the bread, and she decided they should go spend them. They bought food and wine and sweets, then went to a gipsy house. They spent the day together. He told her he had to get back for roll call, and she called him silly. She talked him into staying, then in the morning suggested that he leave. He asked when he would see her again, and she said he was too much of a simpleton, that she believed she loved him a little but wouldn't marry him because he wasn't a gipsy, and threatened to make him marry a window with wooden legs (the gallows) if he thought about her again.
He couldn't stop thinking of her, and her boss told him she had moved away. It was a lie, and one night she approached where he was guarding. He told her that no one could pass there. She told him not to be spiteful, and she asked him to let some people pass. He said he couldn't because it was his orders, and she mentioned that he didn't consider orders the night they spent together. He agreed to let the gipsies pass if she met him later. She was annoyed that he didn't just do what she wanted and tried to pay him off. He was angry and left, walking around town, going to church and crying hot tears in the corner. Carmen showed up and asked if he was still angry with her. She said she still wanted to come with him. They made up, and she promised to meet him, but didn't, and her boss again lied about her leaving the country. He looked for ever every day, and one day she walked into the restaurant with a young lieutenant in his regiment. She told him to go away in Basque, and the lieutenant told him to go away, and he felt paralyzed. They drew their swords and fought over her. He ended up running, and she ran with him. She found him peasant clothes and brought him to another gipsy house to have his wounds tended to. They told him that he would have to leave town as soon as he was well or he would be shot. Carmen tells him to go to the coast and become a smuggler to earn his keep. He was persuaded easily as it was the only job he could do. He also thought it would bring them closer together. He became a smuggler, and Carmen secretly was his mistress. He eventually found out that a gypsy man was her husband. She had been trying to get him out of prison for 2 years and finally succeeded.
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée. Web Source.
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