ed from the arts that have been practised against
me, to return evil for evil; if I had not disdained a secret and
unavowed revenge, and the unhallowed pleasures of a brutal appetite; I
might have possessed thee in the form of ALMORAN, and have wronged
irreparably myself and thee: for how could I have been admitted, as
HAMET, to the beauties which I had enjoyed as ALMORAN? and how couldst
thou have given, to ALMORAN, what in reality had been appropriated by
HAMET?'

CHAP. XVII.

But while ALMEIDA and HAMET were thus congratulating each other upon the
evils which they had escaped, they were threatened by others, which,
however obvious, they had overlooked.

ALMORAN, who was now exulting in the prospect of success that had
exceeded his hopes, and who supposed the possession of ALMEIDA before
the end of the next hour, was as certain as that the next hour would
arrive, suddenly entered the apartment; but upon discovering HAMET, he
started back astonished and disappointed. HAMET stood unmoved; and
regarded him with a fixed and steady look, that at once reproached and
confounded him. 'What treachery,' said ALMORAN, 'has been practised
against me? What has brought thee to this place; and how hast thou
gained admittance?' 'Against thy peace,' said HAMET, 'no treachery has
been practised, but by thyself. By those arts in which thy vices have
employed the powers of darkness, I have been brought hither; and by
those arts I have gained admittance: thy form which they have imposed
upon me, was my passport; and by the restoration of my own, I have
detected and disappointed the fraud, which the double change was
produced to execute. ALMEIDA, whom, as HAMET, thou couldst teach to
hate thee, it is now impossible that, as ALMORAN, thou shouldst teach to
love.'

ALMEIDA, who perceived the storm to be gathering which the next moment
would burst upon the head of HAMET, interposed between them, and
addressed each of them by turns; urging HAMET to be silent, and
conjuring ALMORAN to be merciful. ALMORAN, however, without regarding
ALMEIDA, or making any reply to HAMET, struck the ground with his foot,
and the messengers of death, to whom the signal was familiar, appeared
at the door. ALMORAN then commanded them to seize his brother, with a
countenance pale and livid, and a voice that was broken by rage. HAMET
was still unmoved; but ALMEIDA threw herself at the feet of ALMORAN, and
embracing his knees was about to speak, but he br