And greater faith in woman.
Lara.
I have the greatest faith; for I believe
Victorian is her lover. I believe
That I shall be to-morrow; and there-
after

Another, and another, and another,
Chasing each other through her zodiac,
As Taurus chases Aries.

(Enter FRANCISCO with a casket.) Well, Francisco,

What speed with Preciosa ?

Fran.

None, my lord. She sends your jewels back, and bids me tell you

She is not to be purchased by your gold. Lara. Then I will try some other way to win her.

Pray, dost thou know Victorian?
Fran.
Yes, my lord;
I saw him at the jeweller's to-day.
Lara. What was he doing there?
Fran.
I saw him buy
A golden ring, that had a ruby in it.
Lara. Was there another like it?
Fran.
One so like it
I could not choose between them.
Lara.
It is well.
To-morrow morning bring that ring to

me.

Do not forget. Now light me to my bed. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. A street in Madrid. Enter CHISPA, followed by musi cians, with a bagpipe, guitars, and other instruments.

Chispa. Abernuncio Satanas! and a plague on all lovers who ramble about at night, drinking the elements, instead of sleeping quietly in their beds. Ev ery dead man to his cemetery, say I ; and every friar to his monastery. Now, here's my master, Victorian, yesterday a cow-keeper, and to-day a gentleman; yesterday a student, and to-day a lover; and I must be up later than the nightingale, for as the abbot sings so must the sacristan respond. God grant ha may soon be married, for then shall all this serenading cease. Ay, marry! marry! marry! Mother, what does marry mean? It means to spin, to bear children, and to weep, my daughter! And, of a truth, there is something more in matrimony than the weddingring. (To the musicians.) And now, gentlemen, Pax vobiscum! as the ass said to the cabbages. Pray, walk this way; and don't hang down your heads. It is no disgrace to have an old father and a ragged shirt. Now, look you, you are gentlemen who lead the life of crickets; you enjoy hunger by day and noise by night. Yet, I beseech you, for this once be not loud, but pathetic; for it is a serenade to a damsel in bed, and not to the Man in the Moon. Your object is not to arouse and terrify, but to soothe and bring lulling dreams. Therefore, each shall not play upon his instrument as if it were the only one in the universe, but gently, and with a certain modesty, according with the others. Pray, how may I call thy name, friend?

First Mus. Gerónimo Gil, at your

service.

Chispa. Every tub smells of the wine that is in it. Pray, Gerónimo, is not Saturday an unpleasant day with thee?

First Mus. Why so?

Chispa. Because I have heard it said that Saturday is an unpleasant day with those who have but one shirt. Moreover, I have seen thee at the tavern, and if thou canst run as fast as thou canst drink, I should like to hunt has with thee. What instrument is ] that?

First Mus. An Aragonese bagpipe. Chispa. Pray, art thou related to the bagpiper of Bujalance, who asked a maravedí for playing, and ten for leaving off?

First Mus. No, your honor. Chispa. I am glad of it. What other instruments have we?

Second and Third Mus. We play the bandurria.

Chispa. A pleasing instrument. And thou?

Fourth Mus. The fife.

Chispa. I like it; it has a cheerful, soul-stirring sound, that soars up to my lady's window like the song of a swallow. And you others?

Other Mus. We are the singers, please your honor.

Chispa. You are too many. Do you think we are going to sing mass in the cathedral of Córdova? Four men can make but little use of one shoe, and I see not how you can all sing in one song. But follow me along the garden wall. That is the way my master climbs to the lady's window. It is by the Vicar's skirts that the Devil climbs into the belfry. Come, follow me, and make no noise. [Exeunt.

Moon of the summer night!

Far down yon western steeps,
Sink, sink in silver light!
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
Sleeps!

Wind of the summer night!
Where yonder woodbine creeps,
Fold, fold thy pinions light!
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
Sleeps!

Dreams of the summer night!
Tell her, her lover keeps
Watch! while in slumbers light
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
Sleeps!

(Enter VICTORIAN by the balcony.) Vict. Poor little dove! Thou tremblest like a leaf!

Prec. I am so frightened! 'T is for thee I tremble!

I hate to have thee climb that wall by night!

Did no one see thee?

Vict. None, my love, but thou. Prec. 'Tis very dangerous; and when thou art gone

I chide myself for letting thee come here

Thus stealthily by night. Where hast thou been?

Since yesterday I have no news from thee.

Vict. Since yesterday I've been in

Alcalá.

Erelong the time will come, sweet Preciosa,

When that dull distance shall no more divide us;

And I no more shall scale thy wall by night

To steal a kiss from thee, as I do now, Prec. An honest thief, to steal but what thou givest.

Vict. And we shall sit together unmolested,

And words of true love pass from tongue

to tongue,

As singing birds from one bough to another.

Prec. That were a life to make time envious!

I knew that thou wouldst come to me to-night.

I saw thee at the play.

Vict. Sweet child of air! Never did I behold thee so attired And garmented in beauty as to-night! What hast thou done to make thee look so fair?

Prec. Am I not always fair? Vict. Ay, and so fair That I am jealous of all eyes that see thee,

And wish that they were blind.

Prec. I heed them not; When thou art present, I see none but thee!

Vict. There's nothing fair nor beautiful, but takes

Something from thee, that makes it beautiful.

Prec. And yet thou leavest me for

Vict.

It was at Córdova, In the cathedral garden. Thou wast sitting

Under the orange-trees, beside a fountain.

Prec. 'T was Easter-Sunday. The full-blossomed trees

Filled all the air with fragrance and with joy.

The priests were singing, and the organ sounded,

And then anon the great cathedral bell.
It was the elevation of the Host.
We both of us fell down upon our knees,
Under the orange boughs, and prayed
together.

I never had been happy till that mo

sound,

So fall our thoughts into the dark Hereafter,

And their mysterious echo reaches us. Prec. I have felt it so, but found no words to say it!

I cannot reason; I can only feel! But thou hast language for all thoughts and feelings.

Thou art a scholar; and sometimes I think

We cannot walk together in this world! The distance that divides us is too great!

Henceforth thy pathway lies among the stars;

I must not hold thee back.

Vict. Thou little sceptic ! Dost thou still doubt? What I most

To scare thee from me!

Vict. As the hunter's horn Doth scare the timid stag, or bark of hounds

The moor-fowl from his mate.

Prec. Pray, do not go ! Vict. I must away to Alcalá to-night. Think of me when I am away.

Prec. Fear not! I have no thoughts that do not think of thee.

Vict. (giving her a ring). And to remind thee of my love, take this;

A serpent, emblem of Eternity; A ruby, say, a drop of my heart's blood.

Prec. It is an ancient saying, that the ruby

Brings gladness to the wearer, and pre

serves

The heart pure, and, if laid beneath the pillow,

Drives away evil dreams. But then, alas!

It was a serpent tempted Eve to sin. Vict. What convent of barefooted Carmelites

Taught thee so much theology?

It is my benison !

Vict. And brings to me Srveet fragrance from thy lips, as the soft wind

Wafts to the out-bound mariner the breath

Of the beloved land he leaves behind.
Prec. Make not thy voyage long.
Vict.
To-morrow night
Shall see me safe returned. Thou art
the star

To guide me to an anchorage. Good night!

My beauteous star! My star of love,
good night!
Prec. Good night!

Watchman (at a distance). Ave
Maria Purissima!

SCENE IV. - An inn on the road to Alcalá. BALTASAR asleep on a bench. Enter CHISPA.

Chispa. And here we are, half-way to Alcalá, between cocks and midnight. Body o' me! what an inn this is! The lights out, and the landlord asleep. Holá! ancient Baltasar !

Bal. (waking). Here I am.
Chispa. Yes, there you are, like a

one-eyed Alcalde in a town without inhabitants. Bring a light, and let me have supper.

Bal. Where is your master?

Chispa. Do not trouble yourself about him. We have stopped a moment to breathe our horses; and, if he chooses to walk up and down in the open air, looking into the sky as one who hears it rain, that does not satisfy my hunger, you know. But be quick, for I am in a hurry, and every man stretches his legs according to the length of his coverlet. . What have we here?

Stewed rabbit.

Bal. (setting a light on the table). Chispa (eating). Conscience of Portalegre! Stewed kitten, you mean! Bal. And a pitcher of Pedro Ximenes, with a roasted pear in it.

Chispa (drinking). Ancient Baltasar, amigo! You know how to cry wine and sell vinegar. I tell you this is nothing but Vino Tinto of La Mancha, with a tang of the swine-skin.

Bal. I swear to you by Saint Simon and Judas, it is all as I say.

Chispa. And I swear to you by Saint Peter and Saint Paul, that it is no such thing. Moreover, your supper is like the hidalgo's dinner, very little meat and a great deal of tablecloth.

Bal. Ha ha! ha!

Chispa. And more noise than nuts. Bal. Ha ha ha! You must have your joke, Master Chispa. But shall I not ask Don Victorian in, to take a draught of the Pedro Ximenes?

Chispa. No; you might as well say, "Don't-you-want-some? to a dead

man.

Bal. Why does he go so often ta Madrid?

Chispa. For the same reason that he eats no supper. He is in love. Were you ever in love, Baltasar?

Bal. I was never out of it, good Chispa. It has been the torment of my life.

Chispa. What! are you on fire, too, old hay-stack? Why, we shall never be able to put you out.

Vict. (without). Chispa!