death; and his life thou art forbidden to
take away: yet mayst thou still arm him against himself; and if he dies
by his own hand, thy wishes will be full.' 'O name,' said ALMORAN, 'but
the means, and it shall this moment be accomplished!' 'Select,' said the
Genius, 'some friend--'

At the name of friend, ALMORAN started and looked round in despair. He
recollected the perfidy of Osmyn; and he suspected that, from the same
cause, all were perfidious: 'While HAMET has yet life,' said he, 'I
fear the face of man, as of a savage that is prowling for his prey.'
'Relinquish not yet thy hopes,' said the Genius; 'for one, in whom thou
wilt joyfully confide, may be found. Let him secretly obtain admittance
to HAMET, as if by stealth; let him profess an abhorrence of thy reign,
and compassion for his misfortunes; let him pretend that the rack is
even now preparing for him; that death is inevitable, but that torment
may be avoided: let him then give him a poignard, as the instrument of
deliverance; and, perhaps, his own hand may strike the blow, that shall
give thee peace.' 'But who,' said ALMORAN, shall go upon this important
errand?' 'Who,' replied the Genius, but thyself? Hast thou not the
power to assume the form of whomsoever thou wouldst have sent?' 'I would
have sent Osmyn,' said ALMORAN, 'but that I know him to be a traitor.'
'Let the form of Osmyn then,' said the Genius, 'be thine. The shadows of
the evening have now stretched themselves upon the earth: command Osmyn
to attend thee alone in the grove, where Solyman, thy father, was used
to meditate by night; and when thy form shall be impressed upon him, I
will there seal his eyes in sleep, till the charm shall be broken; so
shall no evil be attempted against thee, and the transformation shall be
known only to thyself.'

ALMORAN, whose breast was again illuminated by hope, was about to
express his gratitude and joy; but the Genius suddenly disappeared. He
began, therefore, immediately to follow the instructions that he had
received: he commanded Osmyn to attend him in the grove, and forbad
every other to approach; by the power of the talisman he assumed his
appearance, and saw him sink down in the supernatural slumber before
him: he then quitted the place, and prepared to visit HAMET in the
prison.

CHAP. XVIII.

The officer who commanded the guard that kept the gate of the prison,
was Caled. He was now next in trust and power to Osmyn: but as he had
proposed