“‘My lover!’ she said; ‘did you really guess that all by yourself? And you are jealous of this simpleton? You are more of a fool than you were before our evenings in Rue de Candilejo. Don’t you see, blockhead that you are, that I am doing the business of Egypt at this moment, and in the most brilliant fashion too? This house is mine, the lobster’s guineas will be mine; I lead him by the end of the nose, and I will lead him to a place he will never come out of.’ “‘And I,’ I said, ‘if you go on doing the business of Egypt in this way, I will see to it that you won’t do it again.’ “‘Ah! indeed! Are you my _rom_, to give me orders? The One-Eyed thinks it’s all right, what business is it of yours? Oughtn’t you to be content to be the only man who can say that he’s my _minchorrò?_’[37] “‘What does he say?’ asked the Englishman. “‘He says that he is thirsty and would like to drink a glass,’ Carmen replied. “And she threw herself on a couch, roaring with laughter at her translation. “When that girl laughed, señor, it was impossible to talk sense. Everybody laughed with her. The tall Englishman began to laugh too, like the fool that he was, and ordered something to be brought for me to drink. “While I was drinking: “‘Do you see that ring he has on his finger?’ she asked me; ‘I will give it to you if you want.’ “I replied: “‘I would give a finger to have your lord on the mountains, each of us with a _maquila_ in his hand.’ “‘_Maquila_--what does that mean?’ asked the Englishman. “‘_Maquila_,’ said Carmen, still laughing, ‘is an orange. Isn’t that a curious word for orange? He says that he would like to give you some _maquila_ to eat.’ “‘Yes?’ said the Englishman. ‘Well! bring some _maquila_ to-morrow.’ “While we were talking, the servant entered and said that dinner was ready. Thereupon the Englishman rose, gave me a piastre and offered Carmen his arm, as if she could not walk alone. Carmen, still laughing, said to me: “‘I can’t invite you to dinner, my boy; but to-morrow, as soon as you hear the drums beating for the parade, come here with some oranges. You will find a room better furnished than the one on Rue de Candilejo, and you will see whether I am still your Carmencita. And then we will talk about the business of Egypt.’ “I made no reply, and after I was in the street I heard the Englishman calling after me: “‘Bring some _maquila_ to-morrow!’ and I heard Carmen’s shouts of laughter.