manner? This house belongs to me--the guineas of that crayfish will
belong to me! I lead him by the nose, and I'll lead him to a place that
he'll never get out of!'

"'And if I catch you doing any gipsy business in this style again, I'll
see to it that you never do any again!' said I.

"'Ah! upon my word! Are you my _rom_, pray that you give me orders? If
_El Tuerto_ is pleased, what have you to do with it? Oughtn't you to
be very happy that you are the only man who can call himself my
_minchorro_?'*

* My "lover," or rather my "fancy."

"'What does he say?' inquired the Englishman.

"'He says he's thirsty, and would like a drink,' answered Carmen, and
she threw herself back upon a sofa, screaming with laughter at her own
translation.

"When that girl begins to laugh, sir, it was hopeless for anybody to try
and talk sense. Everybody laughed with her. The big Englishman began to
laugh too, like the idiot he was, and ordered the servant to bring me
something to drink.

"While I was drinking she said to me:

"'Do you see that ring he has on his finger? If you like I'll give it to
you.'