A murmur of approbation followed this denunciation; and the rest of the gipsies retiring to their several fires, their carousings were renewed, while Pharold related to those who more particularly surrounded him a variety of melancholy facts relative to the degeneracy of various gipsy tribes, who had fallen into the iniquity of fixed dwelling-places, and many other abominations. He spoke of much that he had seen in his own wanderings, and much that he had heard from others; and his story became so interesting that a good many of the younger of the race crept round to listen. This, however, did not seem to suit his purpose; for he speedily broke off his discourse, and, looking round him, exclaimed, in a voice loud enough to be heard at each of the neighbouring fires, "Come, my men, we are sad to-night, and that must not be. Will," he added, speaking to the young man who, as we have said, presided over the younger circle,--"Will, you are a songster, let us hear your voice." William obeyed without hesitation; and while he went on with his song, the old dame at the other fire continued conversing eagerly with her favourite Dickon, in tones which were low in themselves, and which were the better cut off from other ears by the rich fine voice of the singer. SONG. In the gray of the dawn, when the moon has gone down, Ere the sun has got up over country and town, 'Tis the time for the lover to steal to his dear, In the heart-beating May of the incoming year. _Chorus_.--In the gray of the dawn, &c. In the gray of the dawn, when the fox is asleep, And the foxes of cities in slumber are deep, 'Tis the time for the wise from his tent to walk out, And to see what the rest of the world is about. In the gray of the dawn, &c. In the gray of the dawn, ere the milkmaid trips by, To bring home the milk from the bright-coated kye, Some earlier hand may have taken the pain To render her milking all labour in vain. In the gray of the dawn, &c. In the gray of the dawn, if you'll meet me down by, My own pretty maid with the dark gleaming eye, We'll wander away far o'er mountain and plain, And leave the old fools to look for us in vain. In the gray of the dawn, &c. In the gray of the dawn, if you'll not come to me, My own pretty maid, by the green hawthorn tree, You may stumble by chance o'er the corpse of your love, As you trip with some other along the dim grove. In the gray of the dawn, &c. "You have changed the song, Will," said Pharold, as the other ended; "you have added and taken away."