begged he would moderate
them, lest they should cost him his life. The corregidor assented, and
called out to the confessor that he should first marry the gipsy to
Preciosa, after which the prisoner would confess, and commend himself
with all his heart to God, who often rains down his mercies at the
moment when hope is most parched and withering. Andrew was then removed
to a room where there was no one but Dona Guiomar, the corregidor,
Preciosa, and two servants of the family. But when Preciosa saw Don Juan
in chains, his face all bloodless, and his eyes dimmed with recent
weeping, her heart sank within her, and she clutched her mother's arm
for support. "Cheer up, my child," said the corregidora, kissing her,
"for all you now see will turn to your pleasure and advantage." Knowing
nothing of what was intended, Preciosa could not console herself; the
old gipsy was sorely disturbed, and the bystanders awaited the issue in
anxious suspense.

"Senor Vicar," said the corregidor, "this gitano and gitana are the
persons whom your reverence is to marry."

"That I cannot do," replied the priest, "unless the ceremony be preceded
by the formalities required in such cases. Where have the banns been
published? Where is the license of my superior, authorising the
espousals?"

"The inadvertance has been mine," said the corregidor; "but I will
undertake to get the license from the bishop's deputy."

"Until it comes then, your worships will excuse me," said the priest,
and without another word, to avoid scandal, he quitted the house,
leaving them all in confusion.

"The padre has done quite right," said the corregidor, "and it may be
that it was by heaven's providence, to the end that Andrew's execution
might be postponed; for married to Preciosa he shall assuredly be, but
first the banns must be published, and thus time will be gained, and
time often works a happy issue out of the worst difficulties. Now I want
to know from Andrew, should matters take such a turn, that without any
more of those shocks and perturbations, he should become the husband of
Preciosa, would he consider himself a happy man, whether as Andrew
Caballero, or as Don Juan de Carcamo?"

As soon as Don Juan heard himself called by his true name, he said,
"Since Preciosa has not chosen to confine herself to silence, and has
discovered to you who I am, I say to you, that though my good fortune
should make me monarch of the world, she would still be the sole obje