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Carmen by Prosper Mérimée
page 56 of 82 (68%)
de Ronda_. You once mentioned Jose-Maria to me. Well, it was there I
made acquaintance with him. He always took his mistress with him on his
expeditions. She was a pretty girl, quiet, modest, well-mannered, you
never heard a vulgar word from her, and she was quite devoted to him.
He, on his side, led her a very unhappy life. He was always running
after other women, he ill-treated her, and then sometimes he would take
it into his head to be jealous. One day he slashed her with a knife.
Well, she only doted on him the more! That's the way with women, and
especially with Andalusians. This girl was proud of the scar on her arm,
and would display it as though it were the most beautiful thing in the
world. And then Jose-Maria was the worst of comrades in the bargain.
In one expedition we made with him, he managed so that he kept all the
profits, and we had all the trouble and the blows. But I must go back to
my story. We had no sign at all from Carmen. _El Dancaire_ said: 'One
of us will have to go to Gibraltar to get news of her. She must have
planned some business. I'd go at once, only I'm too well known at
Gibraltar.' _El Tuerto_ said:

"'I'm well known there too. I've played so many tricks on the
crayfish*--and as I've only one eye, it is not overeasy for me to
disguise myself.'

* Name applied by the Spanish populace to the British
soldiers, on account of the colour of their uniform.

"'Then I suppose I must go,' said I, delighted at the very idea of
seeing Carmen again. 'Well, how am I to set about it?'

"The others answered:

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