第 40 节
作者:指环王      更新:2024-01-24 16:00      字数:9322
  respectable Gitano; without a previous knowledge of the animal and
  his former possessor; the chances being that it is either diseased
  or stolen from a distance。  Of the practices of the females;
  something will be said in particular in a future chapter。
  The Gitanos in general are very poor; a pair of large cachas and
  various scissors of a smaller description constituting their whole
  capital; occasionally a good hit is made; as they call it; but the
  money does not last long; being quickly squandered in feasting and
  revelry。  He who has habitually in his house a couple of donkeys is
  considered a thriving Gitano; there are some; however; who are
  wealthy in the strict sense of the word; and carry on a very
  extensive trade in horses and mules。  These; occasionally; visit
  the most distant fairs; traversing the greatest part of Spain。
  There is a celebrated cattle…fair held at Leon on St。 John's or
  Midsummer Day; and on one of these occasions; being present; I
  observed a small family of Gitanos; consisting of a man of about
  fifty; a female of the same age; and a handsome young Gypsy; who
  was their son; they were richly dressed after the Gypsy fashion;
  the men wearing zamarras with massy clasps and knobs of silver; and
  the woman a species of riding…dress with much gold embroidery; and
  having immense gold rings attached to her ears。  They came from
  Murcia; a distance of one hundred leagues and upwards。  Some
  merchants; to whom I was recommended; informed me that they had
  credit on their house to the amount of twenty thousand dollars。
  They experienced rough treatment in the fair; and on a very
  singular account:  immediately on their appearing on the ground;
  the horses in the fair; which; perhaps; amounted to three thousand;
  were seized with a sudden and universal panic; it was one of those
  strange incidents for which it is difficult to assign a rational
  cause; but a panic there was amongst the brutes; and a mighty one;
  the horses neighed; screamed; and plunged; endeavouring to escape
  in all directions; some appeared absolutely possessed; stamping and
  tearing; their manes and tails stiffly erect; like the bristles of
  the wild boar … many a rider lost his seat。  When the panic had
  ceased; and it did cease almost as suddenly as it had arisen; the
  Gitanos were forthwith accused as the authors of it; it was said
  that they intended to steal the best horses during the confusion;
  and the keepers of the ground; assisted by a rabble of chalans; who
  had their private reasons for hating the Gitanos; drove them off
  the field with sticks and cudgels。  So much for having a bad name。
  These wealthy Gitanos; when they are not ashamed of their blood or
  descent; and are not addicted to proud fancies; or 'barbales;' as
  they are called; possess great influence with the rest of their
  brethren; almost as much as the rabbins amongst the Jews; their
  bidding is considered law; and the other Gitanos are at their
  devotion。  On the contrary; when they prefer the society of the
  Busne to that of their own race; and refuse to assist their less
  fortunate brethren in poverty or in prison; they are regarded with
  unbounded contempt and abhorrence; as in the case of the rich Gypsy
  of Badajoz; and are not unfrequently doomed to destruction:  such
  characters are mentioned in their couplets:…
  'The Gypsy fiend of Manga mead;
  Who never gave a straw;
  He would destroy; for very greed;
  The good Egyptian law。
  'The false Juanito day and night
  Had best with caution go;
  The Gypsy carles of Yeira height
  Have sworn to lay him low。'
  However some of the Gitanos may complain that there is no longer
  union to be found amongst them; there is still much of that fellow…
  feeling which springs from a consciousness of proceeding from one
  common origin; or; as they love to term it; 'blood。'  At present
  their system exhibits less of a commonwealth than when they roamed
  in bands amongst the wilds; and principally subsisted by foraging;
  each individual contributing to the common stock; according to his
  success。  The interests of individuals are now more distinct; and
  that close connection is of course dissolved which existed when
  they wandered about; and their dangers; gains; and losses were felt
  in common; and it can never be too often repeated that they are no
  longer a proscribed race; with no rights nor safety save what they
  gained by a close and intimate union。  Nevertheless; the Gitano;
  though he naturally prefers his own interest to that of his
  brother; and envies him his gain when he does not expect to share
  in it; is at all times ready to side with him against the Busno;
  because the latter is not a Gitano; but of a different blood; and
  for no other reason。  When one Gitano confides his plans to
  another; he is in no fear that they will be betrayed to the Busno;
  for whom there is no sympathy; and when a plan is to be executed
  which requires co…operation; they seek not the fellowship of the
  Busne; but of each other; and if successful; share the gain like
  brothers。
  As a proof of the fraternal feeling which is not unfrequently
  displayed amongst the Gitanos; I shall relate a circumstance which
  occurred at Cordova a year or two before I first visited it。  One
  of the poorest of the Gitanos murdered a Spaniard with the fatal
  Manchegan knife; for this crime he was seized; tried; and found
  guilty。  Blood…shedding in Spain is not looked upon with much
  abhorrence; and the life of the culprit is seldom taken; provided
  he can offer a bribe sufficient to induce the notary public to
  report favourably upon his case; but in this instance money was of
  no avail; the murdered individual left behind him powerful friends
  and connections; who were determined that justice should take its
  course。  It was in vain that the Gitanos exerted all their
  influence with the authorities in behalf of their comrade; and such
  influence was not slight; it was in vain that they offered
  extravagant sums that the punishment of death might be commuted to
  perpetual slavery in the dreary presidio of Ceuta; I was credibly
  informed that one of the richest Gitanos; by name Fruto; offered
  for his own share of the ransom the sum of five thousand crowns;
  whilst there was not an individual but contributed according to his
  means … nought availed; and the Gypsy was executed in the Plaza。
  The day before the execution; the Gitanos; perceiving that the fate
  of their brother was sealed; one and all quitted Cordova; shutting
  up their houses and carrying with them their horses; their mules;
  their borricos; their wives and families; and the greatest part of
  their household furniture。  No one knew whither they directed their
  course; nor were they seen in Cordova for some months; when they
  again suddenly made their appearance; a few; however; never
  returned。  So great was the horror of the Gitanos at what had
  occurred; that they were in the habit of saying that the place was
  cursed for evermore; and when I knew them; there were many amongst
  them who; on no account; would enter the Plaza which had witnessed
  the disgraceful end of their unfortunate brother。
  The position which the Gitanos hold in society in Spain is the
  lowest; as might be expected; they are considered at best as
  thievish chalans; and the women as half sorceresses; and in every
  respect thieves; there is not a wretch; however vile; the outcast
  of the prison and the presidio; who calls himself Spaniard; but
  would feel insulted by being termed Gitano; and would thank God
  that he is not; and yet; strange to say; there are numbers; and
  those of the higher classes; who seek their company; and endeavour
  to imitate their manners and way of speaking。  The connections
  which they form with the Spaniards are not many; occasionally some
  wealthy Gitano marries a Spanish female; but to find a Gitana
  united to a Spaniard is a thing of the rarest occurrence; if it
  ever takes place。  It is; of course; by intermarriage alone that
  the two races will ever commingle; and before that event is brought
  about; much modification must take place amongst the Gitanos; in
  their manners; in their habits; in their affections; and their
  dislikes; and; perhaps; even in their physical peculiarities; much
  must be forgotten on both sides; and everything is forgotten in the
  course of time。
  The number of the Gitano population of Spain at the present day may
  be estimated at about forty thousand。  At the commencement of the
  present century it was said to amount to sixty thousand。  There can
  be n