"I said to her: 'Be rational, I implore you; listen to me. All the
past is forgotten. Yet you know it is you who have been my ruin--it is
because of you that I am a robber and a murderer. Carmen, my Carmen, let
me save you, and save myself with you.'

"'Jose,' she answered, 'what you ask is impossible. I don't love you
any more. You love me still, and that is why you want to kill me. If
I liked, I might tell you some other lie, but I don't choose to give
myself the trouble. Everything is over between us two. You are my _rom_,
and you have the right to kill your _romi_, but Carmen will always be
free. A _calli_ she was born, and a _calli_ she'll die.'

"'Then, you love Lucas?' I asked.

"'Yes, I have loved him--as I loved you--for an instant--less than I
loved you, perhaps. But now I don't love anything, and I hate myself for
ever having loved you.'

"I cast myself at her feet, I seized her hands, I watered them with my
tears, I reminded her of all the happy moments we had spent together,
I offered to continue my brigand's life, if that would please her.
Everything, sir, everything--I offered her everything if she would only
love me again.

"She said:

"'Love you again? That's not possible! Live with you? I will not do it!'

"I was wild with fury. I drew my knife, I would have had her look
frightened, and sue for mercy--but that woman was a demon.