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The verge 'twixt mortal and immortal beings.
It mocks our thoughts! On this side all is life;
And when we have reach'd it, in that very instant,
"Tis past the thinking of! Oh! if it be

The pangs, the throes, the agonizing struggles
When soul and body part, sure I have felt it,
And there's no more to fear.

Dar. [Aside.] Suppose I now

Despatch him!-Right-What need to stay for or

ders?

I wish I durst!-Yet what I dare I'll do.

Your jewels, christian-You'll not need these trifles

[Searching him. Pho. I pray thee, slave, stand off-My soul's too

busy

To lose a thought on thee.

Enter ABUDAH.

Abu. What's this?-forbear!

Who gave thee leave to use this violence?

[Takes the Jewels from him, and lays them on a Table.

Dar. [Aside.] Deny'd my booty! curses on his head!

Was not the founder of our law a robber?

Why, 'twas for that I left my country's gods,
Menaph and Uzza. Better still be pagan,
Than starve with a new faith.

Abu. What, dost thou mutter?

Daran, withdraw, and better learn thy duty.

Phocyas, perhaps thou know'st me not

Pho. I know

[Exit DARAN.

Thy name Abudah, and thy office here,

The second in command. What more thou art,
Indeed I cannot tell.

E

Abu. True, for thou yet

Know'st not I am thy friend.

Pho. Is't possible?

Thou speak'st me fair.

Abu. What dost thou think of life?

Pho. I think not of it; death was in my thoughts. On hard conditions, life were but a load,

And I will lay it down.

Abu. Art thou resolv'd?

Pho. I am, unless thou bring'st me better terms Than those I have rejected.

Abu. Think again.

Caled by me once more renews that offer.

Pho. Thou say'st thou art my friend: Why dost
thou try

To shake the settled temper of my breast?
My soul has just discharg'd her cumb'rous train
Of hopes and fears, prepar'd to take her voyage
To other seats, where she may rest in peace;
And now thou call'st me back, to beat again
The painful road of life-Tempt me no more
To be a wretch, for I despise the offer.

Abu. The general knows thee brave, and 'tis for that

He seeks alliance with thy noble virtues.

Pho. He knows me brave!-Why does he then thus treat me?

No; he believes I am so poor of soul,
That, barely for the privilege to live,

I would be bought his slave..But, go, tell him,
The little space of life, his scorn bequeath'd me,
Was lent in vain, and he may take the forfeit.

Abu. Why wilt thou wed thyself to misery,
When our faith courts thee to eternal blessings!
When truth itself is, like a seraph, come

To loose thy bands ?-The light divine, whose beams Pierc'd through the gloom of Hera's sacred cave,

And there illumin'd the great Mahomet,
Arabia's morning star, now shines on thee.
Arise, salute with joy the guest from heaven,
Follow her steps, and be no more a captive.

Pho. But whither must I follow ?-answer that.
Is she a guest from heaven? What marks divine,
What signs, what wonders, vouch her boasted mission?
Abu. What wonders!-turn thy eye to Mecca!
mark

How far from Caaba first, that hallow'd temple,
Her glory dawn'd!-then look how swift its course,
As when the sun beams, shooting through a cloud,
Drive o'er the meadow's face the flying shades!
Have not the nations bent before our swords,
Like ripen'd corn before the reaper's steel?
Why is all this? Why does success still wait
Upon our laws, if not to show, that Heaven
First sent it forth, and owns it still by conquest.
Pho. Dost thou ask why is this !-O, why indeed ?
Where is the man, can read Heaven's secret coun-
sels ?-

Why did I conquer in another cause,

Yet now am here

Abu. I'll tell thee-thy good angel

Has seiz'd thy hand unseen, and snatch'd thee out
From swift destruction; know, ere day shall dawn,
Damascus will in blood lament its fall!

We've heard what army is design'd to march
Too late to save her. Now, e'en now, our force
Is just preparing for a fresh assault.

Now too thou might'st revenge thy wrongs-so Caled
Charg'd me to say, and more— -that he invites thee;
Thou know'st the terms-to share with him the con-
quest.

Pho. Conquest?-Revenge!-Hold, let me think-
O, horror!

Revenge! O, what revenge? Bleed on, my wounds,
For thus to be reveng'd, were it not worse

Than all that I can suffer?-But, Eudocia―
Where will she then-Shield her, ye pitying powers,
And let me die in peace!

Abu. Hear me once more,

"Tis all I have to offer; mark me now! Caled has sworn Eudocia shall be safe.

Pho. Ha! safe-but how! A wretched captive too! Abu. He swears she shall be free, she shall be thine. Pho. Then I am lost indeed

Abu. The time draws near, and I must quickly leave thee;

But first reflect, that, in this fatal night,
Slaughter and rapine may be loos'd abroad,
And, while they roam with unextinguish'd rage,
Should she thou lov'st-(well may'st thou start)-be

made,

Perhaps unknown, some barb'rous soldier's prey;
Should she then fall a sacrifice to lust-

Or brutal fury

Pho. Oh-this pulls my heart strings! [Falls. Earth open-save me, save me from that thought. Abu. Nay, do not plunge thyself in black despair; Look up, poor wretch, thou art not shipwreck'd yet, Behold an anchor; am not I thy friend?

Pho. [Rising.] Ha! Who, what art thou? [Raving. My friend that's well; but, hold-are all friends

honest?

What's to be done?-Hush, hark! what voice is that? Abu. There is no voice; 'tis yet the dead of night, The guards, without, keep silent watch around us. Pho. Again-it calls—'tis she-O, lead me to her— Abu. Thy passion mocks thee with imagin'd sounds. Pho. Sure 'twas Eudocia's voice, cry'd out-Forbear,

What shall I do?—O, Heaven!

Abu. Heaven shows thee what.

Nay, now it is too late; see, Caled comes

With anger on his brow. Quickly withdraw
To the next tent, and there-

Pho. [Rising.] What do I see?

Damascus! conquest! ruin! rapes and murder! Villains!-Is there no more- -O, save her, save her! [Exeunt PHOCY AS and ABUDAH.

Enter CALED and DARAN.

Dar. Behold, on thy approach, they shift their ground.

Cal. Tis as thou say'st; he trifles with my mercy. Dar. Speak, shall I fetch his head ?

Cal. No, stay you here,

I cannot spare thee yet. Raphan, go thou.

[To an OFFICEr.
But, hold-I've thought again-he shall not die.
Go, tell him he shall live, till he has seen
Damascus sink in flames; till he behold
That slave, that woman idol he adores,
Or given a prize to some brave mussulman,
Or slain before his face; then if he sue
For death as for a boon-perhaps we'll grant it.

Dar. The captains wait thy orders.
Cal. Are the troops

Ready to march?

Dar. They are.

Cal. Mourn, thou haughty city!

[Exit RAPHAN.

The bow is bent, nor canst thou 'scape thy doom. Who turns his back henceforth, our prophet curse him!

Dar. But who commands the trusty bands of Mecca? Thou know'st their leader fell in the last fight.

Cal. 'Tis true; thou, Daran, well deservs't that
charge;

I've mark'd what a keen hatred, like my own,
Dwells in thy breast against these christian dogs.
Dar. Thou dost me right.

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