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,