at he might learn the
truth from Caled without dissimulation or disguise, raised him from the
ground and repeated his enquiry. 'If I have erred,' said Caled, 'impute
it not: when I had detected the treachery of Osmyn, I was transported by
my zeal for thee. For proof that he is guilty, I appeal now to himself;
for he yet lives: but that he might not escape the hand of justice, I
mingled, in the bowl I give him, the drugs of death.'

At these words, ALMORAN, striking his hands together, looked upward in
an agony of despair and horror, and fell back upon a sofa that was
behind him. Caled, whose astonishment was equal to his disappointment
and his fears, approached him with a trembling though hasty pace; but as
he stooped to support him, ALMORAN suddenly drew his dagger and stabbed
him to the heart; and repeated the blow with reproaches and execrations,
till his strength failed him.

In this dreadful moment, the Genius once more appeared before him; at
the sight of whom he waved his hand, but was unable to speak. 'Nothing,'
said the Genius, 'that has happened to ALMORAN, is hidden from me. Thy
peace has been destroyed alike by the defection of Osmyn, and by the
zeal of Caled: thy life may yet be preserved; but it can be preserved
only by a charm, which HAMET must apply.' ALMORAN, who had raised his
eyes, and conceived some languid hope, when he heard that he might yet
live; cast them again down in despair, when he heard that he could
receive life only from HAMET. 'From HAMET,' said he, 'I have already
taken the power to save me; I have, by thy counsel, given him the
instrument of death, which, by thy counsel also, I urged him to use: he
received it with joy, and he is now doubtless numbered with the dead.'
'HAMET,' said the Genius, 'is not dead; but from the fountain of virtue
he drinks life and peace. If what I shall propose, he refuses to
perform, not all the powers of earth, and sea, and air, if they should
combine, can give thee life: but if he complies, the death, that is now
suspended over thee, shall fall upon his head; and thy life shall be
again delivered to the hand of time.' 'Make haste then,' said ALMORAN,
'and I will here wait the event.' 'The event,' said the Genius, 'is not
distant; and it is the last experiment which my power can make, either
upon him or thee: when the star of the night, that is now near the
horizon, shall set, I will be with him.'

When ALMORAN was alone, he reflected, that every act of s