My kindness and my hate unmasked I wear;
For friends to trust, and enemies to fear.
My heart's so plain

That men on every passing thought may look,

Like fishes gliding in a crystal brook; When troubled most, it does the bottom

show;

Lyndar. Some message from the king. Let him appear.

To her ABDELMELECH; who entering throws off his disguise. She starts.

Abdelm. I see you are amazed that I am here:

But let at once your fear and wonder end.

Aben. Ere he be trusted, let him first be tried;

Who led me to you safe in this disguise. Lyndar. Your danger brings this trouble in my eyes.

To do me justice does to me belong.
Great souls by kindness only can be tied;
Injured again, again I'll leave your side.
Honor is what myself, and friends, I owe;
And none can lose it who forsake a foe.
Since, then, your foes now happen to be
mine,

Though not in friendship, we'll in interest join:

So while my loved revenge is full and high, I'll give you back your kingdom by the by. Boab. [embracing him]. That I so long delayed what you desire,

Was not to doubt your worth, but to admire. Almans. This counsellor an old man's caution shows,

Who fears that little he has left to lose: Age sets to fortune; while youth boldly throws.

But let us first your drooping soldiers cheer; Then seek out danger, ere it dare appear: This hour I fix your crown upon your brow; Next hour fate gives it, but I give it now.

SCENE II LYNDARAXA alone.

[Exeunt.

Lyndar. O, could I read the dark decrees of fate,

That I might once know whom to love, or hate!

For I myself scarce my own thoughts can

guess,

So much I find 'em varied by success.
As in some weather-glass, my love I hold;
Which falls or rises with the heat or cold.
I will be constant yet, if Fortune can;
I love the king,-let her but name the man.

To her HALYMA.

Hal. Madam, a gentleman, to me unknown,

Desires that he may speak with you alone.

Abdelm. The greatest in the world,-the seeing you.

Lyndar. The courage of your love I so admire

That, to preserve you, you shall straight retire. [She leads him to the door. Go, dear! each minute does new dangers bring;

You will be taken; I expect the king.

Abdelm. The king!-the poor usurper of an hour:

His empire's but a dream of kingly power.-
I warn you, as a lover and a friend,
To leave him ere his short dominion end:
The soldier I suborned will wait at night,
And shall alone be conscious of your flight.
Lyndar. I thank you that you so much
care bestow;

But, if his reign be short, I need not go.
For why should I expose my life and yours
For what, you say, a little time assures?

Abdelm. My danger in the attempt is very small;

And, if he loves you, yours is none at all.
But, though his ruin be as sure as fate,
Your proof of love to me would come too
late.

This trial I in kindness would allow;
'Tis easy; if you love me, show it now.

Lyndar. It is because I love you, I refuse;
For all the world my conduct would accuse,
If I should go with him I love away:
And, therefore, in strict virtue I will stay.
Abdelm. You would in vain dissemble love

to me;

Through that thin veil your artifice I see. You would expect the event, and then declare;

But do not, do not drive me to despair:
For, if you now refuse with me to fly,
Rather than love you after this, I'll die;
And therefore weigh it well before you
speak;

My king is safe, his force within not weak. Lyndar. The counsel you have given me̱ may be wise;

But, since the affair is great, I will advise. Abdelm. Then that delay I for denial take. [Is going. Lyndar. Stay; you too swift an exposition make.

If I should go, since Zulema will stay,
I should my brother to the king betray.
Abdelm. There is no fear; but, if there
were, I see

You value still your brother more than me.
Farewell! some ease I in your falsehood find;
It lets a beam in that will clear my mind:
My former weakness I with shame confess,
And, when I see you next, shall love you less.
[Is going again.
Lyndar. Your faithless dealing you may
blush to tell;
[Weeping.
This is a maid's reward, who loves too
well.-
[He looks back.
Remember that I drew my latest breath
In charging your unkindness with my death.
Abdelm. [coming back]. Have I not
swered all you can invent,

an

Even the least shadow of an argument? Lyndar. You want not cunning what you please to prove,

But my poor heart knows only how to love; And, finding this, you tyrannize the more: 'Tis plain, some other mistress you adore; And now, with studied tricks of subtilty, You come prepared to lay the fault on me. [Wringing her hands. But, O, that I should love so false a man! Abdelm. Hear me, and then disprove it, if you can. Lyndar. I'll hear no more; your breach of faith is plain:

You would with wit your want of love maintain.

But, by my own experience, I can tell, They who love truly cannot argue well.Go, faithless man!

Leave me alone to mourn my misery;
I cannot cease to love you, but I'll die.
[Leans her head on his arm.
Abdelm. What man but I so long un-
moved could hear
[Weeping.

Such tender passion, and refuse a tear!
But do not talk of dying any more,
Unless you mean that I should die before.

Name anything, good dear, but that thing

more.

Abdelm. Now I too late perceive I am undone;

Living and seeing, to my death I run.
I know you false, yet in your snares I fall;
You grant me nothing, and I grant you all.
Lyndar. I would grant all; but I must
curb my will,

Because I love to keep you jealous still.
In your suspicion I your passion find;
But I will take a time to cure your mind.
Halyma. O, madam, the new king is draw-
ing near!

I

Lyndar. Haste quickly hence, lest he should find you here!

Abdelm. How much more wretched than I came, I go!

more my weakness and your falsehood know;

And now must leave you with my greatest foe! [Exit ABDELM. Lyndar. Go!-How I love thee, heaven

can only tell:

II

go.

Abdelm. By heaven, you shall not go!

will not be

O'ercome in love or generosity.

I

All I desire, to end the unlucky strife,
Is but a vow that you will be my wife.
Lyndar. To tie me to you by a vow is
hard;

't shows my love you as no tie regard. Name anything but that, and I'll agree. Abdelm. Swear, then, you never will my rival's be.

Lyndar. Nay, pr'ythee, this is harder than before.

breast,

And the love I would stifle is shown;

But asleep, or awake, I am never at rest, When from my eyes Phyllis is gone. Sometimes a sad dream does delude my sad

mind;

But, alas! when I wake, and no Phyllis I find, How I sigh to myself all alone!

III

Should a king be my rival in her I adore,
He should offer his treasure in vain.
O, let me alone to be happy and poor,
And give me my Phyllis again!

Let Phyllis be mine, and but ever be kind,
I could to a desert with her be confined,
And envy no monarch his reign.

IV

Alas! I discover too much of my love,
And she too well knows her own power!
She makes me each day a new martyrdom

prove,

And makes me grow jealous each hour: But let her each minute torment my poor

mind,

I had rather love Phyllis, both false and unkind,

Than ever be freed from her power.

Enter ABDALLA, with Guards.

Abdal. Now, madam, at your feet a king you see;

Or, rather, if you please, a sceptred slave; 'Tis just you should possess the power you

gave.

Had love not made me yours, I yet had been But the first subject to Boabdelin.

Lyndar. I find you come to quarrel with

me now;

Would you know more of me than I allow? Whence are you grown that great divinity That with such ease into my thoughts can pry?

Indulgence does not with some tempers suit;

I see I must become more absolute.
Abdal. I must submit,

On what hard terms soe'er my peace be bought.

Lyndar. Submit!-you speak as you were not in fault.

'Tis evident the injury is mine;

For why should you my secret thoughts divine?

Abdal. Yet if we might be judged by reason's laws!

Lyndar. Then you would have your reason judge my cause!—

your due;

And had forgot my title, but for you.

Lyndar. Heaven to your merits will, I hope, be kind;

But, sir, it has not yet declared its mind. 'Tis true, it holds the crown above your head;

But does not fix it till your brother's dead. Abdal. All but the Alhambra is within my power;

And that my forces go to take this hour. Lyndar. When, with its keys, your brother's head you bring,

I shall believe you are indeed a king.

Abdal. But since the events of all things doubtful are,

And, of events, most doubtful those of war; I beg to know before, if fortune frown, Must I then lose your favor with my crown? Lyndar. You'll soon return a conqueror again;

And, therefore, sir, your question is in vain. Abdal. I think to certain victory I move; But you may more assure it by your love. That grant will make my arms invincible.

Lyndar. My prayers and wishes your success foretell.

Go then, and fight, and think you fight for

Abdal. Under how hard a law poor lovers live!

Who, like the vanquished, must their right release,

peace.

And with the loss of reason buy their [Aside. Madam, to show that you my power command,

I put my life and safety in your hand.
Dispose of the Albayzin as you please,
To your fair hands I here resign the keys.
Lyndar. I take your gift, because your
love it shows,

And faithful Selin for alcalde choose.

Abdal. Selin, from her alone your orders take.

This one request, yet, madam, let me make, That from those turrets you the assault will

see;

And crown, once more, my arms with victory. [Leads her out.

SELIN remains with GAZUL and REDUAN, his

servants.

Selin. Gazul, go tell my daughter that I You, Reduan, bring the prisoner to his fate. wait.

[Exeunt GAZ. and RED. Ere of my charge I will possession take, A bloody sacrifice I mean to make: The manes of my son shall smile this day, While I, in blood, my vows of vengeance pay.

Enter at one door BENZAYDA, with GAZUL; at the other, OZMYN bound, with REDUAN. Selin. I sent, Benzayda, to glad your eyes: These rites we owe your brother's obsequies.—

To one man's portion, to have life and you. Benz. Sure, at our births,

Death with our meeting planets danced above,

Or we were wounded by a mourning love! [Shouts within. Red. The noise returns, and doubles from behind;

It seems as if two adverse armies joined.Time presses us.

If longer you delay,

Gaz. We must, though loth, your father's will obey.

Ozm. Haste, madam, to fulfil his hard commands,

And rescue me from their ignoble hands. Let me kiss yours, when you my wound begin,

Then easy death will slide with pleasure in. Benz. Ah, gentle soldiers, some short time allow! [To GAZ. and RED. My father has repented him ere now; Or will repent him, when he finds me dead. My clue of life is twined with Ozmyn's thread.

Red. 'Tis fatal to refuse her, or obey.
But where is our excuse? what can we say?
Benz. Say anything-

Say that to kill the guiltless you were loth;
Or if you did, say I would kill you both.
Gaz. To disobey our orders is to die.-
I'll do't: who dare oppose it?
Red.

That dare I.
[REDUAN stands before OzмYN, and fights
with GAZUL. BENZAYDA unbinds Oz-
MYN, and gives him her sword.

Benz. Stay not to see the issue of the fight; [RED. kills GAZ. But haste to save yourself by speedy flight. Ozm. [kneeling to kiss her hand]. Did all mankind against my life conspire, Without this blessing I would not retire. But, madam, can I go and leave you here? Your father's anger now for you I fear: Consider, you have done too much to stay. Benz. Think not of me, but fly yourself

away.

Ozm. [kneeling to his father]. No, sir, your Ozmyn lives; and lives to own A father's piety to free his son.

Aben. [embracing him]. My Ozmyn!-0, thou blessing of my age!

And art thou safe from their deluded rage!—
Whom must I praise for thy deliverance?
Was it thy valor, or the work of chance?
Ozm. Nor chance, nor valor, could deliver
me;

But 'twas a noble pity set me free.
My liberty, and life,

And what your happiness you're pleased to call,

We to this charming beauty owe it all.

Aben. [to her]. Instruct me, visible divinity!

Instruct me by what name to worship thee!
For to thy virtue I would altars raise,
Since thou art much above all human praise.
But see-

Enter ALMANZOR, his sword bloody, leading in
ALMAHIDE, attended by ESPERANZA.

My other blessing, Almahide, is here! I'll to the king, and tell him she is near: You, Ozmyn, on your fair deliverer wait, And with your private joys the public celebrate. [Exeunt ABEN., OZM., and BENZ. Almanz. The work is done; now, madam, you are free;

At least, if I can give you liberty: But you have chains which you yourself have chose;

And, O, that I could free you too from those! But you are free from force, and have full

power

To go, and kill my hopes and me, this hour. I see, then, you will go; but yet my toil May be rewarded with a looking-while.

Almah. Almanzor can from every subject raise

New matter for our wonder and his praise. You bound and freed me; but the difference is,

That showed your valor; but your virtue this.

Almanz. Madam, you praise a funeral victory,

Almah. Conquest attends Almanzor everywhere;

I am too small a foe for him to fear:
But heroes still must be opposed by some,
Or they would want occasion to o'ercome.

Almanz. Madam, I cannot on bare praises live;

Those who abound in praises seldom give. Almah. While I to all the world your worth make known,

May heaven reward the pity you have shown!

Almanz. My love is languishing, and starved to death;