Who art
thou,' said HAMET, and for what purpose art thou come?' 'I am,' replied
the Genius, 'an inhabitant of the world above thee; and to the will of
thy brother, my powers have been obedient: upon him they have not
conferred happiness, but they have brought evil upon thee. It was my
voice, that forbad thy marriage with ALMEIDA; and my voice, that decreed
the throne to ALMORAN: I gave him the power to assume thy form; and, by
me, the hand of oppression is now heavy upon thee. Yet I have not
decreed, that he should be happy, nor that thou shouldst be wretched:
darkness as yet rests upon my purpose; but my heart in secret is thy
friend.' 'If thou art, indeed my friend,' said HAMET, 'deliver me from
this prison; and preserve HAMET for ALMEIDA.' Thy deliverance,' said the
Genius, must depend upon thyself. There is a charm, of which the power
is great; but it is by thy will only, that this power can be exerted.'

The Genius then held out towards him a scroll, on which the seal of
seven powers was impressed. 'Take, said he, 'this scroll, in which the
mysterious name of Orosmades is written. Invoke the spirits, that reside
westward from the rising of the sun; and northward, in the regions of
cold and darkness: then stretch out thy hand, and a lamp of sulphur,
self kindled, shall burn before thee. In the fire of this lamp, consume
that which I now give thee; and as the smoke, into which it changes,
shall mix with the air, a mighty charm shall be formed, which shall
defend thee from all mischief: from that instant no poison, however
potent, can hurt thee; nor shall any prison confine: in one moment, thou
shalt be restored to the throne, and to ALMEIDA; and the Angel of death,
shall lay his hand upon thy brother; to whom, if I had confided this
last best effort of my power, he would have secured the good to himself,
and have transferred the evil to thee.'

ALMORAN, who had listened unseen to this address of the Genius to HAMET,
was now confirmed in his suspicions, that evil had been ultimately
intended against him; and that he had been entangled in the toils of
perfidy, while he believed himself to be assisted by the efforts of
friendship: he was also convinced, that by the Genius he was not known
to be present. HAMET, however, flood still doubtful, and ALMORAN was
kept silent by his fears. 'Whoever thou art,' said HAMET, the condition
of the advantages which thou hast offered me, is such as it is not
lawful to fulfill: these h