Act 3 A wild and deserted rocky place; a smugglers hide-out; night The smugglers, along with Carmen and José, are returning with contraband ("Écoute, écoute, compagnons"). Carmen has grown tired of José and his incessant jealousy and controlling ways. She taunts him to return to his village and the couple argues violently. Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès read tarot cards ("Mêlons! Coupons!"): Frasquita and Mercédès foresee love and romance, wealth and luxury; but Carmen's cards foretell death for both her and José ("En vain pour éviter les réponses amères"). The smugglers ask the girls to come and charm the customs officers ("Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire") and everyone goes off, leaving the jealous José to guard the goods. Micaëla arrives with a guide seeking José. Terrified but steadfast, she sends the guide away. She prays to God for protection and vows to take Don José away from Carmen ("Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante"). Believing that he sees an intruder, José fires his gun, narrowly missing Micaëla, who hides among the rocks. José as actually firing at Escamillo, but when he introduces himself, José welcomes him; that is until he says he is infatuated with Carmen. Escamillo tells José the story of Carmen’s affair with a soldier and that she is done with him, not realizing José is that soldier. Crazed with anger and jealousy, José challenges Escamillo to a knife-fight. Escamillo holds back and refuses to use all of his skill; he fights defensively, infuriating José. They start again and José finds himself at the mercy of Escamillo who releases him, saying his trade is killing bulls, not men. They fight a third time and Escamillo’s knife breaks, but he is saved by Carmen and the return of the smugglers ("Holà, holà José"). Escamillo leaves, but invites Carmen and the smugglers to his next bullfight in Seville. Remendado finds Micaëla hiding and threatens her. José goes to her side and she tells him that his mother wishes to see him. Carmen mocks him and he refuses to go ("Non, je ne partirai pas!"). Finally, seeing that it is the only way José will listen to her, Micaëla tells him that his mother is dying. José is devastated. He demands that Carmen wait for him, vowing that he will return and he leaves with Micaëla. As José is leaving, Escamillo is heard singing in the distance. Carmen rushes to the sound of his voice.
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