my mind to leave Gibraltar without seeing her again. But the moment
the drums began to roll, my courage failed me. I took up my net full of
oranges, and hurried off to Carmen's house. Her window-shutters had been
pulled apart a little, and I saw her great dark eyes watching for me.
The powdered servant showed me in at once. Carmen sent him out with a
message, and as soon as we were alone she burst into one of her fits of
crocodile laughter and threw her arms around my neck. Never had I seen
her look so beautiful. She was dressed out like a queen, and scented;
she had silken furniture, embroidered curtains--and I togged out like
the thief I was!

"'_Minchorro_,' said Carmen, 'I've a good mind to smash up everything
here, set fire to the house, and take myself off to the mountains.' And
then she would fondle me, and then she would laugh, and she danced about
and tore up her fripperies. Never did monkey gambol nor make such faces,
nor play such wild tricks, as she did that day. When she had recovered
her gravity--

"'Hark!' she said, 'this is gipsy business. I mean him to take me to
Ronda, where I have a sister who is a nun' (here she shrieked with
laughter again). 'We shall pass by a particular spot which I shall make
known to you. Then you must fall upon him and strip him to the skin.
Your best plan would be to do for him, but,' she added, with a certain
fiendish smile of hers, which no one who saw it ever had any desire to
imitate, 'do you know what you had better do? Let _El Tuerto_ come up
in front of you. You keep a little behind. The crayfish is brave, and
skilful too, and he has good pistols. Do you understand?'

"And she broke off with another fit of laughter that made me shiver.