Hyp. Vict.

So soon?

I found him
Sitting at supper by the tavern door,
And, from a pitcher that he held aloft
His whole arm's length, drinking the blood-red wine.

Hyp. What news from Court ?
l'ict.

He brought this letter only. [Reads.
O cursed perfidy! Why did I let
That lying tongue deceive me! Preciosa,
Sweet Preciosa! bow art thou avenged!

Hyp. What news is this, that makes thy cheek turn pale,
And thy hand tremble ?
Vict.

0, most infamous ! The Count of Lara is a worthless villain!

Hyp. That is no news, forsooth.
Vict.

He strove in vain
To steal from me the jewel of my soul,
The love of Preciosa. Not succeeding,
He swore to be revenged ; and set on foot
A plot to ruin her, which has succeeded.
She has been hissed and hooted from the stage,
Her reputation stained by slanderous lies
Too foul to speak of; and, once more a beggar,
She roams a wanderer over God's green earth,
Housing with Gipsies!
Нур.

To renew again
The Age of Gold, and make the shepherd swains
Desperate with love, like Gaspar Gil's Diana.
Redit et Virgo !
Vict.

Dear Hypolito,
How have I wronged that meek, confiding heart!
I will go seek for her; and with my tears
Wash out the wrong I've done her!
Нур.

O beware!
Act not that folly o'er again.
Vict.

Ay, folly,
Delusion, madness, call it what thou wilt,
I will confess my weakness,- I still love her!
Still fondly love her!

(Enter the PADRE CURA.) Hyp.

Tell us, Padre Cura,
Who are these Gipsies in the neighbourhood ?

Padre. Beltran Cruzado and his crew.
Vict.

Kind Heaven,
I thank thee! She is found! is found again!

Hyp. And have they with them a pale, beautiful girl,
Called Preciosa ?
Padre.

Ay, a pretty girl.
The gentleman seems moved.

Hyp:

Yes, moved with hunger,
He is half-famished with this long day's journey.
Padre. Then, pray you, come this way. The supper waits.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-A post-house on the road to Segovia, not far from the village of Guadarraia.

Enter CHISPA, cracking a whip, and singing the cachucha.] Chis. Halloo! Don Fulano! Let us have horses, and quickly. Alas, poor Chispa! what a dog's life dost thou lead! I thought, when I left my old master Victorian, the student, to serve my new master, Don Carlos, the gentleman, that I, too, should lead the life of a gentleman; should go to bed early, and get up late. For when the abbot plays cards, what can you expect of the friars ? But, in running away from the thunder, I have run into the lightning. Here I am in hot chase after my master and his Gipsy girl. And a good beginning of the week it is, as he said who was hanged on Monday morning.

[Enter Don Carlos. ] Carlos. Are not the horses ready yet?

Chis. I should think not, for the hostler seems to be asleep. Ho! within there! Horses ! horses ! horses! [He knocks at the gate with his whip, and enter MOSQUITO, putting on his jacket.]

Mos. Pray, have a little patience. I'm not a musket.

Chis. Health and pistareens! I'm glad to see you come on dancing, padre! Pray, what's the news?

Mos. You cannot have fresh horses; because there are none.

Chis. Cachiporra! Throw that bone to another dog. Do I look like your aunt?

Mos. No; she has a beard.
Chis. Go to! Go to !
Mos. Are you from Madrid ?
Chis. Yes; and going to Estramadura. Get us horses.
Mos. What's the news at Court ?

Chis. Why, the latest news is, that I am going to set up a coach, and I have already bought the whip.

[Strikes him round the legs.] Mos. Oh! oh! you hurt me!

Carlos. Enough of this folly. Let us have horses. [Gives money to MOSQUITO.] It is almost dark; and we are in haste. But tell me, has a band of Gipsies passed this way of late ?

Mos. Yes; and they are still in the neighbourhood.
Carlos. And where?
Mos. Across the fields yonder, in the woods near Guadarrama.
Carlos. Now this is lucky. We will visit the Gipsy camp.

Chis. Are you not afraid of the evil eye? Have you a stag's horn with you!

Carlos. Fear not. We will pass the night at the village.

Exit. Chis. And sleep like the Squires of Hernan Daza, nine ander one blanket.

Carlos. I hope we may find the Preciosa among them.
Chis. Among the Squires ?
Carlos. No; among the Gipsies, blockhead!

Chis. I hope we may; for we are giving ourselves trouble enough on her account. Don't you think so ? However, there is no catching trout without wetting one's trousers. Yonder come the horses.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.- The Gipsy camp in the forest. Night. Gipsies working at a forge. Others

playing cards by the firelight.

GIPSIES (at the forge sing).
On the top of a mountain I stand,
With a crown of red gold in my hand,
Wild Moors come trooping over the lea,
O huw from their fury shall I flee, flee, flee?
O how from their fury shall I flee?

1st Gipsy (playing]. Down with your John-Dorados,* my pigeon. Down with your John-Dorados, and let us make an end.

GIPSIES [at the forge sing).
Loud sang the Spanish cavalier,

And thus his ditty ran:
God send the Gipsy lassie here,

And not the Gipsy man.

1st Gipsy [ playing). There you are in your morocco. 2nd Gipsy. One more game. The Alcalde's doves against the Padre Cura's new moon.

1st Gipsy. Have at you, Chirelin.

GIPSIES [at the forge sing).
At midnight, when the moon began

To shuw her silver flame,
There came to him no Gipsy man,
The Gipsy lassie came.

(Bnter BELTRAN CRUZADO.] Cruz. Come hither, Murcigalleros and Rastilleros ; leave work, leave play; listen to your orders for the night. [Speaking to the right.] You will get you to the village, mark you, by the stone cross.

+ The Gipsy words in this scene may be thus interpreted :John-Dorados, pieces of gold.

Hermit, highway robber. Pigeon, a simpleton.

Planets, candles. In your morocco, stripped.

Commandments, the fingers. Doves, sheets.

Saint Martin asleep, to rob a person asleep. Moon, a shirt.

Lanterns, eyes. Chinelin, a thief.

Goblin, police officer. Murcigalleros, those who steal at nightfall. Papagayo, a spy. Rastilleros, footpads.

Vineyards and Dancing John, to take flight.

Gipsits. Ay!

Cruz. [to the left]. And you, by the pole with the hermit's heaã upon it. Gipsies. Ay!

Cruz. As soon as you see the planets are out, in with you, and be busy with the ten commandments, under the sly, and Saint Martin asleep. D’ye hear ? Gipsies. Ay!

Cruz. Keep your lanterns open, and, if you see a goblin or a papagayo, take to your trampers. “Vineyards and Dancing John is the word. Am I comprehended ? Gipsies. Ay! ay ! Cruz. Away, then!

[Bceunt severally. CRUZADO walks up the stage and disa ppears among the trees.

Enter PRECIOSA.]

Pre. How strangely gleams through the gigantic trees
The red light of the forge! Wild, beckoning shadows
Stalk through the forest, ever and anon
Rising and bending with the flickering flame,
Then fitting into darkness! So within me
Strange hopes and fears do beckon to each other,
My brightest hopes giving dark fears a being
As the light does the shadow. Woe is me!
How still it is about me, and how lonely!

(BARTOLOMÉ rushes in.)
Bart. Ho! Preciosa !
Pre.

O, Bartolomé !
Thou here?

Bart. Lo! I am here.
Pre.

Whence comest tbon ?
Bart. From the rough ridges of the wild Sierra,
From caverns in the rocks, from hunger, thirst,
And fever! Like a wild wolf to the sheepfold,
Come I for thee, my lamb
Pre.

O touch me not!
The Count of Lara's blood is on thy hands!
The Count of Lara's curse is on thy soul !
Do not come near me! Pray, begone from here !
Thou art in danger! They have set a price
Upon thy head!
Bart.

Ay, and I've wandered long
Among the mountains; and for many days
Have seen no human face, save the rough swine-herd's.
The wind and rain have been my sole companions.
I shouted to them from the rocks thy name,
And the loud echo sent it back to me,
Till I grew mad. I could not stay from thee,
And I am here! Betray me, if thou wilt.