(Sound of a village belt in the distance.)

Vict.  Ave Maria!  I hear the sacristan
Ringing the chimes from yonder village belfry! 
A solemn sound, that echoes far and wide
Over the red roofs of the cottages,
And bids the laboring hind a-field, the shepherd,
Guarding his flock, the lonely muleteer,
And all the crowd in village streets, stand still,
And breathe a prayer unto the blessed Virgin!

Hyp.  Amen! amen!  Not half a league from hence
The village lies.

  Vict.  This path will lead us to it,

Over the wheat-fields, where the shadows sail Across the running sea, now green, now blue, And, like an idle mariner on the main, Whistles the quail.  Come, let us hasten on.
                                    [Exeunt.

Scene ii. —­ Public square in the village of Guadarrama.  The Ave Maria still tolling.  A crowd of villagers, with their hats in their hands, as if in prayer.  In front, a group of Gypsies.  The bell rings a merrier peal.  A Gypsy dance.  Enter Pancho, followed by Pedro Crespo.

Pancho.  Make room, ye vagabonds and Gypsy thieves! 
Make room for the Alcalde and for me!

Pedro C. Keep silence all!  I have an edict here
From our most gracious lord, the King of Spain,
Jerusalem, and the Canary Islands,
Which I shall publish in the market-place. 
Open your ears and listen!

(Enter the padre Cura at the door of his cottage.)

Padre Cura,
Good day! and, pray you, hear this edict read.

Padre C. Good day, and God be with you!  Pray, what is it?

Pedro C. An act of banishment against the Gypsies!

(Agitation and murmurs in the crowd.)

Pancho.  Silence!

Pedro C. (reads).  “I hereby order and command,
That the Egyptian an Chaldean strangers,
Known by the name of Gypsies, shall henceforth
Be banished from the realm, as vagabonds
And beggars; and if, after seventy days,
Any be found within our kingdom’s bounds,
They shall receive a hundred lashes each;
The second time, shall have their ears cut off;
The third, be slaves for life to him who takes them,
Or burnt as heretics.  Signed, I, the King.” 
Vile miscreants and creatures unbaptized! 
You hear the law!  Obey and disappear!

Pancho.  And if in seventy days you are not gone,
Dead or alive I make you all my slaves.

(The Gypsies go out in confusion, showing signs of fear and discontent.  Pancho follows.)

Padre C. A righteous law!  A very righteous law! 
Pray you, sit down.

Pedro C. I thank you heartily.

(They seat themselves on a bench at the padre CURAS door.  Sound of guitars heard at a distance, approaching during the dialogue which follows.)

A very righteous judgment, as you say. 
Now tell me, Padre Cura,—­you know all things,
How came these Gypsies into Spain?