r Don Juan, said to the corregidor, "Since Don Juan
is a person of such rank, and is so much attached to our daughter, I
think, senor, it would not be amiss to bestow her upon him."

"Hardly have we found her to-day," he replied, "and already would you
have us lose her? Let us enjoy her company for a while at least, for
when she marries she will be ours no longer but her husband's."

"You are right, senor," said the lady, "but give orders to bring out Don
Juan, for he is probably lying in some filthy dungeon."

"No doubt he is," said Preciosa, "for as a thief and homicide, and above
all as a gipsy, they will have given him no better lodging."

"I will go see him," said the corregidor, "as if for the purpose of
taking his confession. Meanwhile, senora, I again charge you not to let
any one know this history until I choose to divulge it, for so it
behoves my office." Then embracing Preciosa he went to the prison where
Don Juan was confined, and entered his cell, not allowing any one to
accompany him.

He found the prisoner with both legs in fetters, handcuffed, and with
the iron fork not yet removed from beneath his chin. The cell was dark,
only a scanty gleam of light passing into it from a loop-hole near the
top of the wall. "How goes it, sorry knave?" said the corregidor, as he
entered. "I would I had all the gipsies in Spain leashed here together
to finish them all at once, as Nero would have beheaded all Rome at a
single blow. Know, thou thief, who art so sensitive on the point of
honour, that I am the corregidor of this city, and come to know from
thee if thy betrothed is a gitanilla who is here with the rest of you?"

Hearing this Andrew imagined that the corregidor had surely fallen in
love with Preciosa; for jealousy is a subtle thing, and enters other
bodies without breaking or dividing them. He replied, however, "If she
has said that I am her betrothed, it is very true; and, if she has said
I am not her betrothed, she has also spoken the truth; for it is not
possible that Preciosa should utter a falsehood."

"Is she so truthful then?" said the corregidor. "It is no slight thing
to be so and be a gitana. Well, my lad, she has said that she is your
betrothed, but that she has not yet given you her hand; she knows that
you must die for your crime, and she has entreated me to marry her to
you before you die, that she may have the honour of being the widow of
so great a thief as yourself."

"Then, let your w