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 Cordova?  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.

Scene III. —­ Preciosa’s chamber.  She stands at the open window.

Prec.  How slowly through the lilac-scented air
Descends the tranquil moon!  Like thistle-down
The vapory clouds float in the peaceful sky;
And sweetly from yon hollow vaults of shade
The nightingales breathe out their souls in song. 
And hark! what songs of love, what soul-like sounds,
Answer them from below!

Serenade.

Stars of the summer night! 
    Far in yon azure deeps,
Hide, hide your golden light! 
    She sleeps! 
My lady sleeps! 
    Sleeps!

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.  ’T is 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 have been in Alcala. 
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?