“Now for this good spirit you have shown, Senor Don Juan de Carcamo, I will in fitting time make Preciosa your lawful wife, and at present I bestow her upon you in that expectation, as the richest jewel of my house, my life, and my soul; for in her I bestow upon you Dona Constanza de Acevedo Menesis, my only daughter, who, if she equals you in love, is nowise inferior to you in birth.”

Andrew was speechless with astonishment, while in a few words Dona Guiomar related the loss of her daughter, her recovery, and the indisputable proofs which the old gipsy woman had given of the kidnapping.  More amazed than ever, but filled with immeasurable joy, Don Juan embraced his father and mother-in-law, called them his parents and senores, and kissed Preciosa’s hands, whose tears called forth his own.  The secret was no longer kept; the news was spread abroad by the servants who had been present, and reached the ears of the alcalde, the dead man’s uncle, who saw himself debarred of all hope of vengeance, since the rigour of justice could not be inflicted on the corregidor’s son-in-law.  Don Juan put on the travelling dress which the old woman had preserved; his prison and his iron chain were exchanged for liberty and chains of gold; and the sadness of the incarcerated gipsies was turned into joy, for they were all bailed out on the following day.  The uncle of the dead man received a promise of two thousand ducats on condition of his abandoning the suit and forgiving Don Juan.  The latter, not forgetting his comrade Clement, sent at once in quest of him, but he was not to be found, nor could anything be learned of him until four days after, when authentic intelligence was obtained that he had embarked in one of two Genoese galleys that lay in the port of Cartagena, and had already sailed.  The corregidor informed Don Juan, that he had ascertained that his father, Don Francisco de Carcanio, had been appointed corregidor of that city, and that it would be well to wait until the nuptials could be celebrated with his consent and approbation.  Don Juan was desirous to conform to the corregidor’s wishes, but said that before all things he must be made one with Preciosa.  The archbishop granted his license, requiring that the banns should be published only once.

The city made a festival on the wedding-day, the corregidor being much liked, and there were illuminations, bullfights, and tournaments.  The old woman remained in the house of her pretended grandchild, not choosing to part from Preciosa.  The news reached Madrid, and Don Francisco de Carcamo learned that the gipsy bridegroom was his son, and that Preciosa was the gitanilla he had seen in his house.  Her beauty was an excuse in his eyes for the levity of his son, whom he had supposed to be lost, having ascertained that he had not gone to Flanders.  Besides, he was the more reconciled when he found what a good match Don Juan had made with the daughter of so great and wealthy a cavalier as was Don Fernando de Acevedo.  He