beg you to
think and believe that he who gives you this would fain have the wealth
of Midas to bestow upon you."

Preciosa took the paper, and feeling a crown within it, she said, "This
paper bids fair to live long, for it has two souls within it, that of
the crown and that of the verses, which, of course, are full of souls
and hearts as usual. But please to understand, Senor Page, that I do not
want so many souls; and that unless you take back one of them, I will
not receive the other on any account. I like you as a poet and not as a
giver of gifts; and thus we may be the longer friends, for your stock of
crowns may run out sooner than your verses."

"Well," said the page, "since you will have it that I am poor, do not
reject the soul I present to you in this paper, and give me back the
crown, which, since it has been touched by your hand, shall remain with
me as a hallowed relic as long as I live."

Preciosa gave him the crown, and kept the paper, but would not read it
in the street. The page went away exulting in the belief that Preciosa's
heart was touched, since she had treated him with such affability.

It being now her object to find the house of Andrew's father, she went
straight to the street, which she well knew, without stopping anywhere
to dance. About half way down it, she saw the gilded iron balcony which
Andrew had mentioned to her, and in it a gentleman of about fifty years
of age, of noble presence, with a red cross on his breast. This
gentleman seeing the gitanilla, called out, "Come up here, ninas, and we
will give you something." These words brought three other gentlemen to
the balcony, among whom was the enamoured Andrew. The instant he cast
his eyes on Preciosa he changed colour, and well nigh swooned, such was
the effect her sudden appearance had upon him. The girls went up stairs,
whilst the old woman remained below to pump the servants with respect to
Andrew. As they entered the room, the elder gentleman was saying to the
others, "This is no doubt the handsome gitanilla who is so much talked
of in Madrid."

"It is," said Andrew; "and she is unquestionably the most beautiful
creature that ever was seen."

"So they say," said Preciosa, who had overheard these remarks as she
came in; "but indeed they must be half out in the reckoning. I believe I
am pretty well, but as handsome as they say--not a bit of it!"

"By the life of Don Juanico, my son," said the elder gentleman, "you are
far more