CHAPTER XIII
BULLFIGHT IN MADRID
(A LEGEND OF THE CASTANETS)
In the opera, "Carmen," a girl who works in a cigarette factory ofSeville, is loved by a torero, or bullfighter.
The Carmen of this story did not work in a cigarette factory. She was adancer. But she, too, had an admirer who was a torero. His name wasPedro.
In a few days Pedro was going to fight in a most important corrida, orbullfight, in the city of Madrid. He was going to fight a very fierceand savage bull. But, strange to say, Pedro did not want to kill thatbull.
Now, as a general rule, toreros would rather kill bulls than be killedby them, for which you cannot blame the toreros.
In this case, however, it was different. Pedro's father had raised thisgreat bull, Rey, and Pedro was very fond of the animal. In a few days hewas expected to go into the arena and kill his pet.
Often Pedro took his little friend Carmen to visit Rey, who lived in afield outside the city. Today they had come out for the last time beforethe famous bullfight was to take place.
Both were very sad. Carmen, too, had grown to love Rey, and the bigcreature seemed fond of her.
Sometimes the girl would practice upon her castanets out in the field.And always when Rey heard the clicking song of the instruments, he wouldcome up close to the young couple and stand quietly listening.
Do you wonder that this was a sorrowful day in the lives of Carmen andPedro?
"If only we could think of some way to save him!" sighed Carmen.
She and Pedro sat upon a fence in the field. Around them rose mountains,hazy in the sun. Small stone houses cuddled among old scrub oak trees.
Suddenly Pedro's eyes sparkled. "I have it!" he cried. "I have a plan!Do you remember the bull whose life was saved during a bullfight,because he came to his owner when he was called?"
Carmen nodded. She remembered well. All Spain had heard of it.
"Then why should not Rey, too, be given this chance?" asked Pedro. "Whyshould he not be spared if he answers a call?"
"But who will call him?" asked Carmen.
"You," answered Pedro. "You, with your castanets."
"Like this," said Carmen, and she started to play.
Softly she played, then more and more loudly, until the great bullappeared at the other end of the field. He stood looking at the boy andthe girl and, all at once, he started toward them, like a big, friendlydog.
"You see!" exclaimed Pedro joyfully. "Now on Sunday, when I am fightingwith him in the arena, you, from the audience, will play your castanetsas you just did. If he turns and goes to you, I am sure that the judgeswill spare his life."
"This is a wonderful plan, Pedro," smiled the lovely little Carmen. "AndI am certain that it will succeed, because, you see--" She hesitated fora moment. Then she continued, "Because these castanets are enchanted!"
"Enchanted?" Pedro laughed. "That cannot be! Yet when you play them,it is I who am enchanted, my Carmen!"
Carmen did not laugh, however. She looked down soberly at her castanets.
"Legends are told in our family," she said, "about the magic power ofthese castanets. Whenever one of us has lost or sold or given them away,misfortune has overtaken us."
Whereupon, she recited this verse:
"_Castanets, with magic spell, Never lose or give or sell; If you do, then grief and strife Will follow you through all your life._"
"Then whatever happens, do not lose them before next Sunday," warnedPedro, smiling.
As the young couple arose to go, Carmen gave a start.
"Did you see a figure sneak out from behind that tree anddisappear?" she asked Pedro.
"No, I did not," he answered. "And you are full of mystery today, littleCarmen!" He was laughing at her again. "Come. Let us go home now beforeyou see a ghost."
But Carmen had been right. There had indeed been a figure behind thattree--someone with very sharp ears, who had listened to all they hadsaid.
He was no mystery--this figure--but a very real person. He was anothertorero, jealous of Pedro, who had won the love of Carmen--jealous, too,because Pedro had won popularity as a fighter, while he had not.
Carmen thought she recognized this man. Yet she was not altogether sure,and on the way home, Pedro talked her out of her fears.
Happily they started toward Madrid, unaware of the terrible plan whichthis jealous torero was beginning to lay.
MADRID]
On they drove through a flat land of many vineyards. They passed smallwhite houses with tiled hats on, and a village cut out of the landscapeby a lazy hand and colored carelessly. Soon they entered Madrid.
Madrid is a modern city of tram cars and toots and traffic. In thesummer time, Madrid is like a faded, old duchess, who clicks her fan andsquats in the sun. She is dressed in handsome plazas, fountains, andparks.
But should you chance to walk into a narrow side street, you might catchMadrid in her alley mood. Then she is a simple peasant.
Madrid is the capital, center, and heart of Spain. Pedro, the torero,had lived there all his life. But little Carmen had only recentlyarrived in the big city.
Upon the Sunday of Pedro's great bullfight, Carmen awoke early. Herheart pounded with excitement. Today she and her magic castanets were totry to save the life of Pedro's beloved Rey.
But suppose Rey would not listen to her? Suppose he would not come toher when she played? The noisy arena would be far different from thequiet fields where she was accustomed to calling him. He would befrightened, furious, and fierce.
Bullfights do not start until four o'clock in the afternoon. Then thesun is getting ready to go to bed, and Spaniards are getting up fromtheir siestas, or naps.
Carmen drove to the bullfight with Pedro's mother.
As they passed the Prado (prae'd[=o]), Madrid's beautiful art gallery,Carmen thought, "This Prado is a heaven of art, while the corrida,only a few blocks away, is a hades of suffering!"
She began to worry. And what girl would not have worried? For no matterhow brave a torero may be, it is never certain that he will come out ofthe arena alive. Why, even Rey, his own pet, might today take Pedro'slife!
_From a Painting by Goya_DONA ISABEL CORBO DE PORCEL]
Trough the many fine streets of Madrid they drove, and at last theyreached the bull ring. Crowds were swarming in through the gates of thebig, round arena. Carmen and Pedro's mother, silent and sad-faced, madetheir way to their box.
The old lady wore a tall comb in her hair and a lace mantilla over it.She opened her fan with a click and started to fan herself. Carmen didthe same, as, indeed, everyone else was doing. The sun had been veryslow about going to bed.
Over on the opposite side of the arena, the poor people sat in the sun,because those seats were cheaper. There was an air of excitement. Theband played the "Toreador's (t[)o]r'[+e]-ae-dor') Song" from "Carmen,"and then the fight began.
There were five toreros and five bulls before Pedro's turn came. Pedrowas to be last on the program.
Everything seemed to swim before Carmen's eyes during the performancesof these other men and bulls. The whole thing was a sea of flutteringfans, sickly blue light, and waving red cloaks.
Then at last Pedro entered the ring. How big and handsome he looked inhis colorful costume! He carried the red cape with which he was going totease the bull.
But before that time, the bull would first be angered by men with sharpsticks and by other men on horseback.
Look! The gate is swinging open now, and here is Rey! Snorting, rollinghis fine eyes, the magnificent creature gallops into the center of thearena and stands, bewildered.
Suddenly Carmen cannot look to see her dear friend tortured. She hidesher eyes, her delicate little white hands held in front of her face.
But when she hears the crowd yelling, "Pedro! Pedro! Ole! Ole!" sheknows that she must uncover her eyes, for soon it will be her turn toact.
A cry from the crowd. The bull has charged and has caught young Pedro bythe
coat. But Pedro is quick. He finds his feet and twists himself tosafety. The crowd cheers loudly.
Backward and forward he dances like a graceful reed, playing with thegreat beast, and the crowd are wild at his skill. Some throw their hatsinto the ring.
But Carmen sees the fury and the pain in Rey's eyes. He is wounded. Heis frantic. She knows that now her turn has really come and she mustcall to him with her castanets. There is no time to lose.
BULLFIGHT, MADRID]
Oh, will he remember those peaceful fields and come to her when sheplays? For if he does, it has been arranged that he shall live.
But should he not, the end must be the same with Rey as with every otherbull in every other fight. Pedro will have to plunge a dagger into thehead of his friend.
"Oh, let us win!" prays little Carmen, and she opens her bag where shekeeps her castanets.
The magic castanets are gone!
For a moment the world turns around in a crazy whirl. Fear clutchessharply at Carmen's heart. The beast is blind with rage. Soon Pedro willbe obliged to make the final dagger thrust or--!
What must Pedro think? That she, his faithful little Carmen, hasbetrayed him and Rey?
Where are the castanets? Carmen knows well that she brought them withher. Someone has stolen them.
Suddenly Carmen remembers the figure she saw behind the tree that day inthe meadow.
Down there, close to the fence, she sees the same man! It is the jealoustorero.
He passes by, his set face wickedly content, and to Carmen's keen earscomes a familiar sound. From the man's pocket, faint, yet unmistakable,she hears the click of her castanets.
Carmen is out of her seat, past the guards, and inside that dangerousarena. A gasp goes through the audience--a horrified shudder. ButCarmen, her black eyes snapping, is as dangerous now as any wild bull.
She has caught the man by the arm, swung him around, and snatched fromhis pocket her castanets.
Now she stands very still. With her small body drawn up straight andtaut, she begins to play.
Pedro is fighting desperately. But everybody knows that soon it must beman or beast. The torero must kill or be killed. The audience isbreathless.
Carmen's castanets sing shrilly, with a rolling trill, and, all at once,Rey lifts his massive head and listens. The call is sweet. It speaks tohim of pleasant things.
What shall he do? Obey that call and follow? Or shall he stay and fightit out with all his sharp-horned strength until the end?
A frenzied murmur issues from the crowd. Slowly the people rise togetherin their seats, as if a mountain heaved. The bull has turned and nowbegins to trot toward Carmen's side.
A woman shrieks. Another faints. But proudly Carmen stands, bringingmagic rhythm out of her magic castanets. And then she starts to walkaway, her wooden clappers coaxing like the Piper's reed and urging Reyto follow her.
He does. The huge beast, like a docile dog, allows the girl with hercharm-sound, to lead him out of the arena--out of death and into life.
Little Carmen has won.
THE PRADO, MADRID]
The Little Spanish Dancer Page 14