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bed, comes back reluctantly to her charge, and renews her work and her cares. The lover appears at the door, beckons her away but she points to the child and strokes her head, he coaxes, coming nearer and inviting her to join the merry dance, she is inexorable, he puts his arm around her waist, and persuades her to lovingly, she yields, and they dance out together. 

SCENE 3rd.

The child still sleeps on alone. The window is softly opened, and a dark face peers in.  The old gypsy enters stealthily through he window, glaces fearfully around, creeps to the bed, takes from it the little boy still sleeping, conceals him beneath her cloak. Exist hastily.  Music and the sound of dancing feet heard in the distance all the while, when it stops and the main re-enters, flushed and out of breath, and looking back smiling and throwing a kiss to her lover, but stops in horror to find the bed empty, clasps her hands in dis-pair, then rushes about distractedly, looking under the bed, behind the window curtains, &c., wringing her hands, and expressing the greatest distress, finally rushes out and instantly returns, followed by her lover and other servants, among whom, is a little peasant girl, playmate of the lost. All search about, in great consternation, but finally go out one by one, leaving the poor maid weeping bitterly by the bed-side, and her lover trying to comfort her, whom she repulses reproachfully.  Scene closes. 

SCENE 4th

Maid still weeping and wringing her hand, starts up in terror, at