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! 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.
Chispa. Go to! go to!
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 woods near Guadarrama.
[Exit.
Don C. Now this is lucky. We will visit the Gypsy camp.
Chispa. Are you not afraid of the evil eye? Have you a stag's horn with you?
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Don C. Fear not. We will pass the night at the village.
Chispa. And sleep like the Squires of Hernan Daza, nine under one blanket.
Don C. I hope we may find the Preciosa among them.
Chispa. Among the Squires?
Don C. No; among the Gypsies, 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 catch-ing trout without wetting one's trousers. Yonder come the horses. [Exeunt.
SCENE V. -- The Gypsy camp in the forest. 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, With a crown of red gold in my hand, Wild Moors come trooping over the lea
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, And thus his ditty ran;
God send the Gypsy lassie here, And not the Gypsy man.
First Gypsy (playing). There you are in your morocco!
Second Gypsy. One more game. The Alcalde's doves against the
Padre Cura's new moon.
First Gypsy. Have at you, Chirelin.
Gypsies (at the forge sing).
At midnight, when the moon began
To show her silver flame,
There came to him no Gypsy man, The Gypsy lassie came.
(Enter 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. 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!
Cruz. Keep your lanterns open, and, if you see a goblin or a papagayo, take to your trampers. Vineyards and Dancing John is the
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word. Am I comprehended? 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 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 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! (BARTOLOME rushes in.)
Bart. Ho! Preciosa! Prec. O Bartolome!
Thou here?
Bart. Lo! I am here.
Prec. Whence comest thou?
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.
Prec. 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 swineherd'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. Prec. Betray thee? I betray thee?
Bart. Preciosa!
I come for thee! for thee I thus brave death! Fly with me o'er the borders of this realm! Fly with me!
Prec. Speak of that no more. I cannot. I'm thine no longer.
Bart. O, recall the time
When we were children! how we played together, How we grew up together; how we plighted
Our hearts unto each other, even in childhood!
Fulfil thy promise, for the hour has come.
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I'm hunted from the kingdom, like a wolf !
Fulfil thy promise.
Prec. 'T was my father's promise.
Not mine. I never gave my heart to thee, Nor promised thee my hand!
Bart. False tongue of woman! And heart more false!
Prec. Nay, listen unto me.
I will speak frankly. I have never loved thee; I cannot love thee. This is not my fault,
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 To make thee love me. Yet I pity thee, And most of all I pity thy wild heart,
That hurries thee to crimes and deeds of blood, Beware, beware of that.
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. Come, come with me. Prec. Hark! I hear footsteps. Bart. I entreat thee, come! Prec. Away! It is