him with a hasty and
disordered pace; and OMAR drew back with a cold and distant reverence,
which the power and the character of ALMORAN concurred to excite. HAMET,
not reflecting upon the cause of this behaviour, was offended, and
reproached him with the want of that friendship he had so often
professed: the vehemence, of his expression and demeanor, suited well
with the appearance of ALMORAN; and OMAR, as the best proof of that
friendship which had been impeached, took this opportunity to repeat his
admonitions in the behalf of HAMET: 'What ever evil,' said he, 'thou
canst bring upon HAMET, will be doubled to thyself: to his virtues, the
Power that fills infinitude is a friend, and he can be afflicted only
till they are perfect; but thy sufferings will be the punishment of
vice, and as long as thou are vicious they must increase.

HAMET, who instantly recollected for whom he was mistaken, and the
anguish of whose mind was for a moment suspended by this testimony of
esteem and kindness, which could not possibly be feigned, and which was
paid him at the risque of life, when it could not be known that he
received it; ran forward to embrace the hoary sage, who had been the
guide of his youth, and cried out, in a voice that was broken by
contending passions, 'The face is the face of ALMORAN, but the heart is
the heart of HAMET.'

OMAR was struck dumb with astonishment; and HAMET, who was impatient to
be longer mistaken, related all the circumstances of his transformation,
and reminded him of some particulars which could be known only to
themselves: 'Canst thou not yet believe,' said he, 'that I am HAMET?
when thou hast this day seen me banished from my kingdom; when thou hast
now met me a fugitive returning from the desert; and when I learnt from
thee, since the sun was risen which is not yet set, that more than
mortal powers were combined against me.' 'I now believe,' said OMAR,
'that thou, indeed, art HAMET.' 'Stay me not then,' said HAMET; 'but
come with me to revenge.' 'Beware,' said OMAR, 'lest thou endanger the
loss of more than empire and ALMEIDA.' 'If not to revenge,' said HAMET,'
I may at least be permitted to punish.' 'Thy mind,' says OMAR, 'is now
in such a state, that to punish the crimes by which thou hast been
wronged, will dip thee in the guilt of blood. Why else are we forbidden
to take vengeance for ourselves? and why is it reserved as the
prerogative of the Most High? In Him, and in Him alone, it is good