Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 1.djvu/103

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CARMEN
25

form me that she was very fond of the smell of tobacco, and that she even smoked herself, when she could get very mild papelitos. I fortunately happened to have some such in my case, and at once offered them to her. She condescended to take one, and lighted it at a burning string which a child brought us, receiving a copper for its pains. We mingled our smoke, and talked so long, the fair lady and I, that we ended by being almost alone upon the quay. I thought I might venture, without impropriety, to suggest our going to eat an ice at the nevería.[1] After a moment of modest demur, she agreed. But before finally accepting, she desired to know what o'clock it was. I struck my repeater, and this seemed to astound her greatly.

"What clever inventions you foreigners do have! What country do you belong to, sir? You're an Englishman, no doubt!"[2]

"I'm a Frenchman, and your devoted servant. And you, señorita, or señora, you probably belong to Cordova?"

"No."

  1. A café to which a depot of ice, or rather of snow, is attached. There is hardly a village in Spain without its nevería.
  2. Every traveller in Spain who does not carry about samples of calicoes and silks is taken for an Englishman (inglesito). It is the same thing in the East. At Chalcis I had the honour of being announced as a Μιλὸρδοσ Φραντςέοος.