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Abdal. I think to certain victory I move; But you may more assure it, by your love. That grant will make my arms invincible.

Lyndar. My prayers and wishes your success foretell.

Go then, and fight, and think you fight for me;)
I wait but to reward your victory.

Abdal. But if I lose it, must I lose you too? Lyndar. You are too curious, if you more would know.

I know not what my future thoughts will be: ww Poor women's thoughts are all extempore.

Wise men, indeed,

Beforehand a long chain of thoughts produce;
But ours are only for our present use.

Abdal. Those thoughts, you will not know, too well declare,

You mean to wait the final doom of war.

Lyndar. I find you come to quarrel with me now; Would you know more of me than I allow? Whence are you grown that great divinity, That with such ease into my thoughts can pry? Indulgence does not with some tempers suit; I see I must become more absolute.

Abdal. I must submit,

On what hard terms soe'er my peace be bought. Lyndar. Submit!-you speak as you were not in fault.

"Tis evident the injury is mine;

For why should you my secret thoughts divine? Abdal. Yet if we might be judged by reason's laws

Lyndar. Then you would have your reason judge my cause!

Either confess your fault, or hold

your tongue; For I am sure I'm never in the wrong.

Abdal. Then I acknowledge it.
Lyndar. Then I forgive.

Abdal. Under how hard a law poor lovers live! Who, like the vanquished, must their right release, And with the loss of reason buy their peace.

[Aside. Madam, to show that you my power command, I put my life and safety in your hand :Dispose of the Albayzyn as you please, To your fair hands I here resign the keys. Lyndar. I take your gift, because your love it shows,

And faithful Selin for alcade chuse.

Abdal. Selin, from her alone your orders take.This one request, yet, madam, let me make, That, from those turrets, you the assault will see; And crown, once more, my arms with victory.

[Exeunt, leading her out. [SELIN remains with GAZUL and REDUAN,

his servants.

Selin. Gazul, go tell my daughter that I wait. You, Reduan, bring the prisoner to his fate. [Exeunt GAZ. and RED.

Ere of my charge I will possession take,

A bloody sacrifice I mean to make:

The manes of my son shall smile this day,
While I, in blood, my vows of vengeance pay.

Enter at one door BENZAYDA, with GAZUL; at the other, OZMYN bound, with REduan.

Selin. I sent, Benzayda, to glad your eyes: These rites we owe your brother's obsequies.You two [To GAZ. and RED.] the cursed Abencerrago bind:

You need no more to instruct you in my mind. [They bind him to a corner of the stage.

.1

Benz. In what sad object am I called to share? Tell me, what is it, sir, you here prepare?

Selin. 'Tis what your dying brother did bequeath; A scene of vengeance, and a pomp of death! Benz. The horrid spectacle my soul does fright I want the heart to see the dismal sight.

Selin. You are my principal invited guest, Whose eyes I would not only feed, but feast: You are to smile at his last groaning breath, And laugh to see his eye-balls roll in death; To judge the lingering soul's convulsive strife, When thick short breath catches at parting life. Benz. And of what marble do you think me made?

Selin. What! can you be of just revenge afraid? Benz. He killed my brother in his own defence. Pity his youth, and spare his innocence.

Selin. Art thou so soon to pardon murder won? Can he be innocent, who killed my son? Abenamar shall mourn as well as I;

His Ozmyn, for my Tarifa, shall die.

But since thou plead'st so boldly, I will see
That justice, thou would'st hinder, done by thee.
Here, [Gives her his sword.] take the sword, and do
a sister's part:

Pierce his, fond girl, or I will pierce thy heart.

Ozm. To his commands I join my own request; All wounds from you are welcome to my breast: Think only, when your hand this act has done, It has but finished what your eyes begun.

I thought, with silence, to have scorned my doom;
But now your noble pity has o'ercome;

Which I acknowledge with my latest breath,
The first whoe'er began a love in death.

--

Benz. to Selin. Alas, what aid can my weak hand

afford?

You see I tremble when I touch a sword:

The brightness dazzles me, and turns my sight;
Or, if I look, 'tis but to aim less right.

Ozm. I'll guide the hand which must my death

convey;

My leaping heart shall meet it half the

way.

Selin to Bens. Waste not the precious time in idle breath.

Benz. Let me resign this instrument of death. [Giving the sword to her father, and then pulling it back.

Ah, no! I was too hasty to resign:

'Tis in your hand more mortal than in mine.

Enter HAMET.

Hamet. The king is from the Alhambra beaten back,

And now preparing for a new attack;

To favour which, he wills, that instantly
You reinforce him with a new supply.

Selin to Benz. Think not, although my duty calls me hence,

That with the breach of yours I will dispense.
Ere my return, see my commands you do:
Let me find Ozmyn dead, and killed by you.-
Gazul and Reduan, attend her still;

And, if she dares to fail, perform my will.

[Exeunt SELIN and HAMET. [BENZAYDA looks languishing on him, with her sword down; GAZUL and REDUAN standing with drawn swords by her.

Ozm. Defer not, fair Benzayda, my death:
Looking on you,

I should but live to sigh away my breath.
My eyes have done the work they had to do:
I take your image with me, which they drew;
And, when they close, I shall die full of you.

Bens. When parents their commands unjustly lay,
Children are privileged to disobey;
Yet from that breach of duty I am clear,
Since I submit the penalty to bear.
To die, or kill you, is the alternative;
Rather than take your life, I will not live.
Ozm. This shows the excess of generosity;
But, madam, you have no pretence to die.
I should defame the Abencerrages race,
To let a lady suffer in my place.

But neither could that life, you would bestow,
Save mine; nor do you so much pity owe

To me, a stranger, and your house's foe.

Benz. From whencesoe'er their hate our houses drew,

I blush to tell you, I have none for
you.
"Tis a confession which I should not make,
Had I more time to give, or you to take:

But, since death's near, and runs with so much force,

We must meet first, and intercept his course.

Ozm. Oh, how unkind a comfort do you give! Now I fear death again, and wish to live. Life were worth taking, could I have it now; But 'tis more good than heaven can e'er allow To one man's portion, to have life and you. Benz. Sure, at our births, Death with our meeting planets danced above, Or we were wounded by a mourning love!— [Shouts within. Red. The noise returns, and doubles from behind; It seems as if two adverse armies joined.—

Time presses us.

Gaz. If longer you delay,

We must, though loth, your father's will obey.

Ozm. Haste, madam, to fulfil his hard commands,

And rescue me from their ignoble hands.

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