Mart. (surprised). How know you that? Hyp. O, I know more than that. What a soft, little hand! And then they said, A cavalier from court, handsome, and tall And rich, should come one day to marry you, And you should be a lady. Was it not? He has arrived, the handsome cavalier. Tries to kiss her. She runs off. Enter VICTORIAN, with a letter.) Vict. The muleteer has come. So soon? I found him Hyp. Hyp. What news from Court? O cursed perfidy! Why did I let Vict. O, 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 Gypsies! To renew again The Age of Gold, and make the shepherd swains SCENE IV.A post-house on the road to Segovia, not far from the village of Guadarrama. Enter CHISPA, cracking a whip, and singing the cachucha. Chispa. Halloo! Don Fulano! Let us have horses, and quickly. Alas, poor Chispa! what a dog's life dost thou lead! Victorian, the student, to serve my new I thought, when I left my old master master Don Carlos, the gentleman, that 1, too, should lead the life of a gentleman; For when the abbot plays cards, what should go to bed early, and get up late. can you expect of the friars? But, in run into the lightning. Here I am in running away from the thunder, I have hot chase after my master and his Gypit is, as he said who was hanged on Monsy girl. And a good beginning of the week day morning. (Enter DON CARLOS.) Don C. Are not the horses ready yet? Chispa. 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.) Mosq. Pray, have a little patience. I'm not a musket. Chispa. Health and pistareens! I'm glad to see you come on dancing, padre! | Wild Moors come trooping over the lea, Pray, what's the news? Mosq. You cannot have fresh horses; because there are none. Chispa. Cachiporra ! Throw that bone to another dog. Do I look like your aunt? Mosq. No; she has a beard. Mosq. Are you from Madrid? Chispa. Yes; and going to Estramadura. Get us horses. Mosq. What's the news at Court? Chispa. 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.) Mosq. Oh! oh! you hurt me ! Don C. 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 Gypsies passed this way of late? Mosq. Yes; and they are still in the neighborhood. Don C. And where? Mosq. Across the fields yonder, in the [Exit. Don C. Now this is lucky. We will visit the Gypsy camp. Chispa. Are you not afraid of the evil Have you a stag's horn with you? Don C. Fear not. We will pass the night at the village. woods near Guadarrama. eye? Chispa. And sleep like the Squires of Hernan Daza, nine under one blanket. Don C. I hope we may find the Pre ciosa among them. Chispa. Among the Squires? blockhead! Chispa. 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 Gypsy camp in the for est. Night. Gypsies working at a forge. Others playing cards by the firelight. Gypsies (at the forge sing). On the top of a mountain I stand, O how from their fury shall I flee, flee, flee? O how from their fury shall I flee? First Gypsy (playing). Down_with your John-Dorados, my pigeon. Down with your John-Dorados, and let us make an end. Gypsies (at the forge sing). Loud sang the Spanish cavalier, God send the Gypsy lassie here, First Gypsy (playing). There you are in your morocco ! Second Gypsy. One more game. The Alcalde's doves against the Padre Cura's Gypsies. Ay! Cruz. (to the left). And you, by the pole with the hermit's head upon it. Gypsies. 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? Gypsies. Ay! if you see a goblin or a papagayo, take Cruz. Keep your lanterns open, and, to your trampers. Vineyards and DanAm I comprecing John is the word. hended? Gypsies. Ay ay Cruz. Away, then! (Exeunt severally. CRUZADO walks up the stage, and disappears among the trees. Enter PRECIOSA.) Prec. How strangely gleams through The red light of the forge! Wild, beckthe gigantic trees oning shadows Stalk through the forest, ever and anon Rising and bending with the flickering flame, Then flitting 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 ! Prec. Thou here? Bart. Prec. Fulfil thy promise. Prec. 'T was my father's promise, O Bartolomé ! Not mine. I never gave my heart to Lo! I am here. Whence comest thou? Bart. From the rough ridges of the wild Sierra, From caverns in the rocks, from hunger, thirst, thee, Nor promised thee my hand! And fever! Like a wild wolf to the I cannot love thee. This is not my It is my destiny. Thou art a man Restless and violent. What wouldst thou with me, A feeble girl, who have not long to live, Whose heart is broken? Seek another wife, Better than I, and fairer; and let not Thy rash and headlong moods estrange her from thee. Thou art unhappy in this hopeless passion. I never sought thy love; never did aught thee, Yet I pity And most of all I pity thy wild heart, Bart. For thy dear sake I will be gentle. Thou shalt teach me patience. Prec. Then take this farewell, and depart in peace, Thou must not linger here. Bart. Bart. Prec. Away! Bart. Prec. Never! Bart. upon thee! Come, come with me. I hear footsteps. I entreat thee, come! It is in vain. Wilt thou not come ? Then woe, eternal woe, Vict. Prec. All holy angels keep me in this No, 't is gold. Prec. There's a fair lady at the Court, And for yourself alone. You are passionate; And this same passionate humor in your blood Has marred your fortune. Yes; I see it now; The line of life is crossed by many marks. Shame! shame! O you have wronged the maid who loved you! How could you do it? Vict. I never loved a maid; For she I loved was then a maid no more. Prec. How know you that? Vict. A little bird in the air Whispered the secret. Prec. There, take back your gold! Your hand is cold, like a deceiver's hand! There is no blessing in its charity! Make her your wife, for you have been abused; And you shall mend your fortunes, mending hers. Vict. (aside). How like an angel's speaks the tongue of woman, When pleading in another's cause her own! That is a pretty ring upon your fingerPray give it me. (Tries to take the ring.) Prec. No; never from my hand Shall that be taken! Vict. Why, 't is but a ring. I'll give it back to you; or, if I keep it, Will give you gold to buy you twenty such. Prec. Why would you have this ring? As a memento of the Gypsy camp No, never! never! I will not part with it, even when I die; But bid my nurse fold my pale fingers thus, That it may not fall from them. "T is a token Of a beloved friend, who is no more. He is estranged! And yet I keep this ring. I will rise with it from my grave hereafter, To prove to him that I was never false. Vict. (aside). Be still, my swelling heart! one moment, still! Why, 't is the folly of a love-sick girl. Come, give it me, or I will say 't is mine, And that you stole it. Prec. O, you will not dare To utter such a falsehood! Vict. I not dare? Look in my face, and say if there is aught I have not dared, I would not dare for thee! stars Have winked at, as the natural course Have been surpassed here by my friend, of things, And this sweet Gypsy lass, fair Precithe student, osa! Prec. Señor Hypolito! I kiss your Pray, shall I tell your fortune? And My send me back to marry maids for wedding day would last from now lorn, till Christmas. Chispa (within). What ho! the GypHalloo! halloo ! halloo ! halloo! sies, ho! Beltran Cruzado! (Enters booted, with a whip and lantern.) Vict. What now? Why such a fearful din? Hast thou been robbed ? Chispa. Ay, robbed and murdered; and good evening to you, My worthy masters. Vict. Speak; what brings thee here? The Count of the Calés, is not your fa ther, |