,
give it me, and when my husband the doctor comes you shall have it
again."

"I have one," replied Contreras, "but it is pledged for two-and-twenty
maravedis for my supper; give me so much and I will fly to fetch it."

"We have not a quarto amongst us all," said Dona Clara, "and you ask
for two-and-twenty maravedis? Go your ways, Contreras, for a tiresome
blockhead, as you always were."

One of the damsels present, seeing the penury of the house, said to
Preciosa, "Nina, will it be of any use to make the cross with a silver
thimble?"

"Certainly," said Preciosa; "the best crosses in the world are made with
silver thimbles, provided there are plenty of them."

"I have one," said the doncella; "if that is enough, here it is, on
condition that my fortune be told too."

"So many fortunes to be told for a thimble!" exclaimed the old gipsy.
"Make haste, granddaughter, for it will soon be night." Preciosa took
the thimble, and began her sooth saying.

Pretty lady, pretty lady,
With a hand as silver fair,
How thy husband dearly loves thee
'Tis superfluous to declare.

Thou'rt a dove, all milk of kindness;
Yet at times too thou canst be
Wrathful as a tiger, or a
Lioness of Barbary.

Thou canst show thy teeth when jealous;
Truly the lieutenant's sly;
Loves with furtive sports to vary
Magisterial gravity.

What a pity! One worth having
Woo'd thee when a maiden fair.
Plague upon all interlopers!
You'd have made a charming pair.

Sooth, I do not like to say it,
Yet it may as well be said;
Thou wilt be a buxom widow;
Twice again shalt thou be wed.

Do not weep, my sweet senora;
We gitanas, you must know,
Speak not always true as gospel
Weep not then sweet lady so.

If the thought is too distressing,
Losing such a tender mate,
Thou hast but to die before him,
To escape a widow's fate.

Wealth abundant thou'lt inherit,
And that quickly, never fear:
Thou shalt have a son, a canon,
--Of what church does not appear;

Not Toledo; no, that can't be;
And a daughter--let me see--
Ay, she'll rise to be an abbess;
--That is, if a nun she be.

If thy husband do not drop off
From this moment in weeks four,
Burgos him, or Salamanca,
Shall behold corregidor.

Meanwhile keep thyself from tripping:
Where