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第39章

the zincali-第39章

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observing the greatest secrecy; otherwise the money will take wings 



and fly away。  Every morning during the three days it will be well 



to open the bundle; for your own satisfaction; to see that no 



misfortune has befallen your treasure; be always careful; however; 



to fasten it again with the three knots。  On my return; we will 



place the bundle; after having inspected it; in the chest; which 



you shall yourself lock; retaining the key in your possession。  



But; thenceforward; for three weeks; you must by no means unlock 



the chest; nor look at the treasure … if you do it will fly away。  



Only follow my directions; and you will gain much; very much; 



baribu。







The Gitana departs; and; during the three days; prepares a bundle 



as similar as possible to the one which contains the money of her 



dupe; save that instead of gold ounces; dollars; and plate; its 



contents consist of copper money and pewter articles of little or 



no value。  With this bundle concealed beneath her cloak; she 



returns at the end of three days to her intended victim。  The 



bundle of real treasure is produced and inspected; and again tied 



up by the Gitana; who then requests the other to open the chest; 



which done; she formally places A BUNDLE in it; but; in the 



meanwhile; she has contrived to substitute the fictitious for the 



real one。  The chest is then locked; the lady retaining the key。  



The Gitana promises to return at the end of three weeks; to open 



the chest; assuring the lady that if it be not unlocked until that 



period; it will be found filled with gold and silver; but 



threatening that in the event of her injunctions being disregarded; 



the money deposited will vanish。  She then walks off with great 



deliberation; bearing away the spoil。  It is needless to say that 



she never returns。







There are other ways of accomplishing the hokkano baro。  The most 



simple; and indeed the one most generally used by the Gitanas; is 



to persuade some simple individual to hide a sum of money in the 



earth; which they afterwards carry away。  A case of this 



description occurred within my own knowledge; at Madrid; towards 



the latter part of the year 1837。  There was a notorious Gitana; of 



the name of Aurora; she was about forty years of age; a Valencian 



by birth; and immensely fat。  This amiable personage; by some 



means; formed the acquaintance of a wealthy widow lady; and was not 



slow in attempting to practise the hokkano baro upon her。  She 



succeeded but too well。  The widow; at the instigation of Aurora; 



buried one hundred ounces of gold beneath a ruined arch in a field; 



at a short distance from the wall of Madrid。  The inhumation was 



effected at night by the widow alone。  Aurora was; however; on the 



watch; and; in less than ten minutes after the widow had departed; 



possessed herself of the treasure; perhaps the largest one ever 



acquired by this kind of deceit。  The next day the widow had 



certain misgivings; and; returning to the spot; found her money 



gone。  About six months after this event; I was imprisoned in the 



Carcel de la Corte; at Madrid; and there I found Aurora; who was in 



durance for defrauding the widow。  She said that it had been her 



intention to depart for Valencia with the 'barias;' as she styled 



her plunder; but the widow had discovered the trick too soon; and 



she had been arrested。  She added; however; that she had contrived 



to conceal the greatest part of the property; and that she expected 



her liberation in a few days; having been prodigal of bribes to the 



'justicia。'  In effect; her liberation took place sooner than my 



own。  Nevertheless; she had little cause to triumph; as before she 



left the prison she had been fleeced of the last cuarto of her ill…



gotten gain; by alguazils and escribanos; who; she admitted; 



understood hokkano baro much better than herself。







When I next saw Aurora; she informed me that she was once more on 



excellent terms with the widow; whom she had persuaded that the 



loss of the money was caused by her own imprudence; in looking for 



it before the appointed time; the spirit of the earth having 



removed it in anger。  She added that her dupe was quite disposed to 



make another venture; by which she hoped to retrieve her former 



loss。







USTILAR PASTESAS。 … Under this head may be placed various kinds of 



theft committed by the Gitanos。  The meaning of the words is 



stealing with the hands; but they are more generally applied to the 



filching of money by dexterity of hand; when giving or receiving 



change。  For example:  a Gitana will enter a shop; and purchase 



some insignificant article; tendering in payment a baria or golden 



ounce。  The change being put down before her on the counter; she 



counts the money; and complains that she has received a dollar and 



several pesetas less than her due。  It seems impossible that there 



can be any fraud on her part; as she has not even taken the pieces 



in her hand; but merely placed her fingers upon them; pushing them 



on one side。  She now asks the merchant what he means by attempting 



to deceive the poor woman。  The merchant; supposing that he has 



made a mistake; takes up the money; counts it; and finds in effect 



that the just sum is not there。  He again hands out the change; but 



there is now a greater deficiency than before; and the merchant is 



convinced that he is dealing with a witch。  The Gitana now pushes 



the money to him; uplifts her voice; and talks of the justicia。  



Should the merchant become frightened; and; emptying a bag of 



dollars; tell her to pay herself; as has sometimes been the case; 



she will have a fine opportunity to exercise her powers; and whilst 



taking the change will contrive to convey secretly into her sleeves 



five or six dollars at least; after which she will depart with much 



vociferation; declaring that she will never again enter the shop of 



so cheating a picaro。







Of all the Gitanas at Madrid; Aurora the fat was; by their own 



confession; the most dexterous at this species of robbery; she 



having been known in many instances; whilst receiving change for an 



ounce; to steal the whole value; which amounts to sixteen dollars。  



It was not without reason that merchants in ancient times were; 



according to Martin Del Rio; advised to sell nothing out of their 



shops to Gitanas; as they possessed an infallible secret for 



attracting to their own purses from the coffers of the former the 



money with which they paid for the articles they purchased。  This 



secret consisted in stealing a pastesas; which they still practise。  



Many accounts of witchcraft and sorcery; which are styled old 



women's tales; are perhaps equally well founded。  Real actions have 



been attributed to wrong causes。







Shoplifting; and other kinds of private larceny; are connected with 



stealing a pastesas; for in all dexterity of hand is required。  



Many of the Gitanas of Madrid are provided with large pockets; or 



rather sacks; beneath their gowns; in which they stow away their 



plunder。  Some of these pockets are capacious enough to hold; at 



one time; a dozen yards of cloth; a Dutch cheese and a bottle of 



wine。  Nothing that she can eat; drink; or sell; comes amiss to a 



veritable Gitana; and sometimes the contents of her pocket would 



afford materials for an inventory far more lengthy and curious than 



the one enumerating the effects found on the person of the man…



mountain at Lilliput。







CHIVING DRAO。 … In former times the Spanish Gypsies of both sexes 



were in the habit of casting a venomous preparation into the 



mangers of the cattle for the purpose of causing sickness。  At 



present this practice has ceased; or nearly so; the Gitanos; 



however; talk of it as universal amongst their ancestors。  They 



were in the habit of visiting the stalls and stables secretly; and 



poisoning the provender of the animals; who almost immediately 



became sick。  After a few days the Gitanos would go to the 



labourers and offer to cure the sick cattle for a certain sum; and 



if their proposal was accepted would in effect perform the cure。







Connected with the cure was a curious piece of double dealing。  



They privately administered an efficacious remedy; but pretended to 



cure the animals not by medicines but by charms; which consisted of 



small variegated beans; called in their language bobis; (56) 



dropped into the mangers。  By this means they fostered the idea; 



already prevalent; that they were people possessed of supernatural 



gifts and powers; who could remove diseases without having recourse 



to medicine。  By means of drao; they likewise procured themselves 



food; poisoning swine; as their brethren in England still do; (57) 



and then feasting on the flesh; which was abandoned as worthless:  



witness one of their own songs:…











'By Gypsy drow the Porker died;



I saw him stiff at evening tide;



But I saw him not when morning shone;



For the Gypsies ate him flesh and bone。'











By drao also they could avenge themselves on their enemies by 



destroying their cattle; without incurring a shadow of suspicion。  



Revenge for injuries; real or imaginary; is sweet to all 



unconverted minds; to no one more than the Gypsy; who; in all parts 



of the world; is; perhaps; the most revengeful of human beings。







Vidocq in his memoirs states; that having formed a connection with 



an individual whom he subsequently discovered to be the captain of 



a band of Walachian Gypsies; the latter; whose name was Caroun; 



wished Vidocq to assist in scattering certain powders in the 



mangers of the peasants' cattle; Vidocq; from prudential motives; 



refused the employment。  There can be no doubt that these powders 



were; in substance; the drao of the Spanish Gitanos。







LA BAR LACHI; OR THE LOADSTONE。 … If the Gitanos in general be 



addicted to any one superstition; it is certainly with respect to 



this stone; to which they attribute all kinds of miraculous powers。  



There can be no doubt; that the singular property which it 



possesses of attracting steel; by filling their untutored minds 



with amazement; first gave rise to this veneration; which is 



carried beyond all reasonable bounds。







They believe that he who is in possession of it has nothing to fear 



from steel or lead; from fire or water; and that death itself has 



no power over him。  The Gypsy contrabandistas are particularly 



anxious to procure this stone; which they carry upon their persons 



in their expeditions; they say; that in the event of being pursued 



by the jaracanallis; o

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