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 a revolt to HAMET, in which Osmyn had refused to concur, he
knew that his life was now in his power; he dreaded lest, for some
slight offence, or in some fit of causeless displeasure, he should
disclose the secret to ALMORAN, who would then certainly condemn him to
death. To secure this fatal secret, and put an end to his inquietude, he
resolved, from the moment that ALMORAN was established upon the throne,
to find some opportunity secretly to destroy Osmyn: in this resolution,
he was confirmed by the enmity, which inferior minds never fail to
conceive against that merit, which they cannot but envy without spirit
to emulate, and by which they feel themselves disgraced without an
effort to acquire equal honour; it was confirmed also by the hope which
Caled had conceived, that, upon the death of Osmyn, he should succeed to
his post: his apprehensions likewise were increased, by the gloom which
he remarked in the countenance of Osmyn; and which not knowing that it
arose from fear, he imputed to jealousy and malevolence.
When ALMORAN, who had now assumed the appearance of Osmyn, had passed
the subterranean avenue to the dungeon in which HAMET was confined, he
was met by Caled; of whom he demanded admittance to the prince, and
produced his own signet, as a testimony that he came with the authority
of the king. As it was Caled's interest to secure the favour of Osmyn
till an opportunity should offer to cut him off, he received him with
every possible mark of respect and reverence; and when he was gone into
the dungeon, he commanded a beverage to be prepared for him against he
should return, in which such spices were infused, as might expel the
malignity which, in that place, might be received with the breath of
life; and taking himself the key of the prison, he waited at the door.
When ALMORAN entered the dungeon, with a lamp which he had received from
Caled, he found HAMET sitting upon the ground: his countenance was
impressed with the characters of grief; but it retained no marks either
of anger or fear. When he looked up, and saw the features of Osmyn, he
judged that the mutes were behind him; and, therefore, rose up, to
prepare himself for death. ALMORAN beheld his calmness and fortitude
with the involuntary praise of admiration; yet persisted in his purpose
without remorse. 'I am come,' said he, by the command of ALMORAN, to
denounce that fate, the bitterness of which I will enable thee to
avoid.' 'And what is there,' said HAMET, 'in my fortunes, that has
prompted thee to the danger of this attempt?' 'The utmost that I can
give thee,' said ALMORAN, 'I can give thee without danger to myself: but
though I have been placed, by the hand of fortune, near the person of
the tyrant, yet has my heart in secret been thy friend. If I am the
messenger of evil, impute it to him only by whom it is devised. The rack
is now preparing to receive thee; and every art of ingenious cruelty
will be exhausted to protract and to increase the agonies of death.'
'And what,' said HAMET, 'can thy friendship offer me?' 'I can offer
thee,' said ALMORAN, 'that which will at once dismiss thee to those
regions, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary rest for
ever.' He then produced the poignard from his bosom; and presenting it
to HAMET, 'Take this,' said he, 'and sleep in peace.'
HAMET, whose heart was touched with sudden joy at the sight of so
unexpected a remedy for every evil, did not immediately reflect, that he
was not at liberty to apply it: he snatched it in a transport from the
hand of ALMORAN, and expressed his sense of the obligation by clasping
him in his arms, and shedding the tears of gratitude in his breast. 'Be
quick,' said ALMORAN: this moment I must leave thee; and in the next,
perhaps, the messengers of destruction may bind thee to the rack. 'I
will be quick,' said HAMET; 'and the sigh that shall last linger upon my
lips, shall bless thee.' They then bid each other farewel: ALMORAN
retired from the dungeon, and the door was again closed upon HAMET.
Caled, who waited at the door till the supposed Osmyn should return,
presented him with the beverage which he had prepared, of which he
recounted the virtues; and ALMORAN received it with pleasure, and having
eagerly drank it off, returned to the palace. As soon as he was alone,
he resumed his own figure, and fate, with a confident and impatient
expectation, that in a short time a messenger would be dispatched to
acquaint him with the death of HAMET. HAMET, in the mean time, having
grasped the dagger in his hand, and raised his arm for the blow, 'This,'
said he, 'is my passport to the realms of peace, the immediate and only
object of my hope!' But at these words, his mind instantly took the
alarm: 'Let me reflect,' said he, 'a moment: from what can I derive hope
in death?--from that patient and persevering virtue, and from that
alone, by which we fulfill the task that is assigned us upon the earth.
Is it not our duty, to suffer, as well as to act? If my own hand
consigns me to the grave, what can it do but perpetuate that misery,
which, by disobedience, I would shun? what can it do, but cut off my
life and hope together?' With this reflection he threw the dagger from
him; and stretching himself again upon the ground, resigned himself to
the disposal of the Father of man, most Merciful and Almighty.
ALMORAN, who had now resolved to send for the intelligence which he
longed to hear, was dispatching a messenger to the prison, when he was
told that Caled desired admittance to his presence. At the name of
Caled, he started up in an extasy of joy; and not doubting but that
HAMET was dead, he ordered him to be instantly admitted. When he came
in, ALMORAN made no enquiry about HAMET, because he would not appear to
expect the event, which yet he supposed he had brought about; he,
therefore, asked him only upon what business he came. 'I come, my
lord,' said he, 'to apprize thee of the treachery of Osmyn.' 'I know,'
said ALMORAN, 'that Osmyn is a traitor; but of what dost thou accuse
him? 'As I was but now,' said he, 'changing the guard which is set upon
HAMET, Osmyn came up to the door of the prison, and producing the royal
signet demanded admittance. As the command which I received, when he was
delivered to my custody, was absolute, that no foot should enter, I
doubted whether the token had not been obtained, by fraud, for some
other purpose; yet, as he required admittance only, I complied: but that
if any treachery had been contrived, I might detect it; and that no
artifice might be practised to favour an escape; I waited myself at the
door, and listening to their discourse I overheard the treason that I
suspected.' 'What then,' said ALMORAN, 'didst thou hear?' 'A part of
what was said,' replied Caled, 'escaped me: but I heard Osmyn, like a
perfidious and presumptuous slave, call ALMORAN a tyrant; I heard him
profess an inviolable friendship for HAMET, and assure him of
deliverance. What were the means, I know not; but he talked of speed,
and supposed that the effect was certain.'
ALMORAN, though he was still impatient to hear of HAMET; and discovered,
that if he was dead, his death was unknown to Caled; was yet
notwithstanding rejoiced at what he heard: and as he knew what Caled
told him to be true, as the conversation he related had passed between
himself and HAMET, he exulted in the pleasing confidence that he had yet
a friend; the glooms of suspicion, which had involved his mind, were
dissipated, and his countenance brightened with complacency and joy. He
had delayed to put Osmyn to death, only because he could appoint no man
to succeed him, of whom his fears did not render him equally suspicious:
but having now found, in Caled, a friend, whose fidelity had been
approved when there had been no intention to try it; and being impatient
to reward his zeal, and to invest his fidelity with that power, which
would render his services most important; he took a ring from his own
finger, and putting it upon that of Caled, 'Take this,' said he, 'as a
pledge, that to-morrow Osmyn shall lose his head; and that, from this
moment, thou art invested with his power.'
Caled having, in the conversation between ALMORAN and HAMET, discerned
indubitable treachery, which he imputed to Osmyn whose appearance
ALMORAN had then assumed, eagerly seized the opportunity to destroy him;
he, therefore, not trusting to the event of his accusation, had mingled
poison in the bowl which he presented to ALMORAN when he came out from
HAMET: this, however, at first he had resolved to conceal.
In consequence of his accusation, he supposed Osmyn would be questioned
upon the rack; he supposed also, that the accusation, as it was true,
would be confirmed by his confession; that what ever he should then say
to the prejudice of his accuser, would be disbelieved; and that when
after a few hours the poison should take effect, no inquisition would be
made into the death of a criminal, whom the bow-string or the scimitar
would otherwise have been employed to destroy. But he now hoped to
derive new merit from an act of zeal, which ALMORAN had approved before
it was known, by condemning his rival to die, whose death he had already
insured: 'May the wishes of my lord,' said he, 'be always anticipated;
and may it be found, that whatever he ordains is already done: may he
accept the zeal of his servant, whom he has delighted to honour; for,
before the light of the morning shall return, the eyes of Osmyn shall
close in everlasting darkness.'
At these words, the countenance of ALMORAN changed; his cheeks became
pale, and his lips trembled: 'What then,' said he, 'hast thou done?'
Caled, who was terrified and astonished, threw himself upon the ground,
and was unable to reply. ALMORAN, who now, by the utmost effort of his
mind, restrained his confusion and his fear, that 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 supernatural
power which the Genius had enabled him to perform, had brought upon him
some new calamity, though it always promised him some new advantage. As
he would not impute this disappointment to the purposes for which he
employed the power that he had received, he indulged a suspicion, that
it proceeded from the perfidy of the Being by whom it was bestowed; in
his mind, therefore, he thus reasoned with himself: 'The Genius, who has
pretended to be the friend of ALMORAN, has been secretly in confederacy
with HAMET: why else do I yet sigh in vain for ALMEIDA? and why else did
not HAMET perish, when his life was in my power? By his counsel, I
persuaded HAMET to destroy himself; and, in the very act, I was betrayed
to drink the potion, by which I shall be destroyed: I have been led on,
from misery to misery, by ineffectual expedients, and fallacious hopes.
In this crisis of my fate, I will not trust, with implicit confidence,
in another: I will be present at the interview of this powerful, but
suspected Being, with HAMET; and who can tell, but that if I detect a
fraud, I may be able to disappoint it: however powerful, he is not
omniscient; I may, therefore, be present, unknown and unsuspected even
by him, in a form that I can chuse by a thought, to which he cannot be
conscious.'