r you must see him; 'tis our emperor's will,
And strict command.

_Dor._ I laugh at that command.

_Bend._ You must do more than see; serve, and respect him.

_Dor._ See, serve him, and respect! and after all
My yet uncancelled wrongs, I must do this!--
But I forget myself.

_Bend._ Indeed you do.

_Dor._ The emperor is a stranger to my wrongs;
I need but tell my story, to revoke
This hard commission.

_Bend._ Can you call me friend,
And think I could neglect to speak, at full,
The affronts you had from your ungrateful master?

_Dor._ And yet enjoined my service and attendance!

_Bend._ And yet enjoined them both: would that were all!
He screwed his face into a hardened smile,
And said, Sebastian knew to govern slaves.

_Dor._ Slaves are the growth of Africk, not of Europe.--
By heaven! I will not lay down my commission;
Not at his foot, I will not stoop so low:
But if there be a part in all his face
More sacred than the rest, I'll throw it there.

_Bend._ You may; but then you lose all future means
Of vengeance on Sebastian, when no more
Alcayde of this fort.

_Dor._ That thought escaped me.

_Bend._ Keep your command, and be revenged on both:
Nor sooth yourself; you have no power to affront him;
The emperor's love protects him from insults;
And he, who spoke that proud, ill-natured word,
Following the bent of his impetuous temper,
May force your reconcilement to Sebastian;
Nay, bid you kneel, and kiss the offending foot,
That kicked you from his presence.--
But think not to divide their punishment;
You cannot touch a hair of loathed Sebastian,
While Muley-Moluch lives.

_Dor._ What means this riddle?

_Bend._ 'Tis out;--there needs no OEdipus to solve it.
Our emperor is a tyrant, feared and hated;
I scarce remember, in his reign, one day
Pass guiltless o'er his execrable head.
He thinks the sun is lost, that sees not blood:
When none is shed, we count it holiday.
We, who are most in favour, cannot call
This hour our own.--You know the younger brother,
Mild Muley-Zeydan?

_Dor._ Hold, and let me think.

_Bend._ The soldiers idolize you;
He trusts you with the castle,
The key of all his kingdom.

_Dor._ Well; and he trusts you too.

_Bend._ Else I were mad,
To hazard such a daring enterprize.

_Dor._ He trusts us both; mark that!--Shall we betray him;
A master, who reposes life and empire
On our fidelity:--I grant he is a tyrant,
That hated name my nature most abhors:
More,--as y