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But, though his ruin be as sure as fate,

Your proof of love to me would come too late.
This trial I in kindness would allow;

if you love me, show it now.

"Tis easy; if

Lyndar. It is because I love you, I refuse;
For all the world my conduct would accuse,
If I should go with him I love away;
And, therefore, in strict virtue, I will stay.

Abdelm. You would in vain dissemble love to me;
Through that thin veil your artifice I see.
You would expect the event, and then declare;
But do not, do not drive me to despair:
For, if you now refuse with me to fly,
Rather than love you after this, I'll die;
And, therefore, weigh it well before you speak;
My king is safe, his force within not weak.
Lyndar. The counsel, you have given me, may be
wise;

But, since the affair is great, I will advise.
Abdelm. Then that delay I for denial take.

[Is going. Lyndar. Stay; you too swift an exposition make. If I should go, since Zulema will stay,

I should my brother to the king betray.

Abdelm. There is no fear; but, if there were, I

see

You value still your brother more than me.-
Farewell! some ease I in your falsehood find;
It lets a beam in, that will clear my mind:
My former weakness I with shame confess,
And, when I see you next, shall love you less.

[Is going again.

Lyndar. Your faithless dealings you may blush to

tell: [Weeping. This is a maid's reward, who loves too well.

[He looks back.

Remember that I drew my latest breath,

In charging your unkindness with my death. Abdelm. [coming back.] Have I not answered all you can invent,

Even the least shadow of an argument?

Lyndar. You want not cunning what you please. to prove,

But my poor heart knows only how to love;
And, finding this, you tyrannize the more:
'Tis plain, some other mistress you adore;
And now, with studied tricks of subtlety,
You come prepared to lay the fault on me.

[Wringing her hands.

But, oh, that I should love so false a man!
Abdelm. Hear me, and then disprove it, if you

can.

Lyndar. I'll hear no more; your breach of faith is plain:

You would with wit your want of love maintain.
But, by my own experience, I can tell,

They, who love truly, cannot argue well.—
Go, faithless man!

Leave me alone to mourn my misery;

I cannot cease to love you, but I'll die.

[Leans her head on his arm. Abdelm. What man but I so long unmoved could

hear

Such tender passion, and refuse a tear!—
But do not talk of dying any more,
Unless you mean that I should die before.

[Weeping.

Lyndar. I fear your feigned repentance comes too late;

I die, to see you still thus obstinate:

But yet, in death my truth of love to show,
Lead me; if I have strength enough, I'll go.

Abdelm. By heaven, you shall not go! I will not be

O'ercome in love or generosity.

All I desire, to end the unlucky strife,
Is but a vow, that you will be my wife.
Lyndar. To tie me to you by a vow is hard;
It shows, my love you as no tie regard.—
Name any thing but that, and I'll agree.

Abdelm. Swear, then, you never will my rival's be.

Lyndar. Nay, pr'ythee, this is harder than be

fore.

Name any thing, good dear, but that thing more.
Abdelm. Now I too late perceive I am undone;
Living and seeing, to my death I run.

I know you false, yet in your snares I fall;
You grant me nothing, and I grant you all.
Lyndar. I would grant all; but I must curb
will,

Because I love to keep you jealous still.

In your suspicion I your passion find;
But I will take a time to cure your mind.

my

Halyma. O, madam, the new king is drawing

near!

Lyndar. Haste quickly hence, lest he should find you here!

Abdelm. How much more wretched than I came,
I go!

I more my weakness and your falsehood know;
And now must leave you with my greatest foe!
[Exit ABDELM.
Lyndar. Go!-How I love thee heaven can only

tell:

And yet I love thee, for a subject, well.—
Yet, whatsoever charms a crown can bring,
A subject's greater than a little king.

I will attend till time this throne secure;
And, when I climb, my footing shall be sure.

[Music without.

Music! and, I believe, addressed to me.

SONG.

I.

IVherever I am, and whatever I do,
My Phyllis is still in my mind;
When angry, I mean not to Phyllis to go,
My feet, of themselves, the way find:
Unknown to myself I am just at her door,
And, when I would rail, I can bring out no more,
Than, Phyllis too fair and unkind!

II.

When Phyllis I see, my heart bounds in my breast,
And the love I would stifle is shown;
But asleep, or awake, I am never at rest,
When from my eyes Phyllis is gone.
Sometimes a sad dream does delude my sad mind;
But, alas! when I wake, and no Phyllis I find,
How I sigh to myself all alone!

III.

Should a king be my rival in her I adore,
He should offer his treasure in vain:
O, let me alone to be happy and poor,
And give me my Phyllis again!
Let Phyllis be mine, and but ever be kind,
I could to a desart with her be confined,
And envy no monarch his reign.

IV.

Alas! I discover too much of my love,

And she too well knows her own power! She makes me each day a new martyrdom prove, And makes me grow jealous each hour: But let her each minute torment my poor mind, I had rather love Phyllis, both false and unkind, Than ever be freed from her power.

Enter ABDALLA, with guards.

Abdal. Now, madam, at your feet a king you see; Or, rather, if you please, a sceptered slave: "Tis just you should possess the power you gave. Had love not made me yours, I yet had been But the first subject to Boabdelin.

Thus heaven declares the crown I bring your due; And had forgot my title, but for you.

Lyndar. Heaven to your merits will, I hope, be kind;

But, sir, it has not yet declared its mind.
'Tis true, it holds the crown above your head;
But does not fix it 'till your brother's dead.

Abdal. All, but the Alhambra, is within my power; And that my forces go to take this hour.

Lyndar. When, with its keys, your brother's head you bring,

I shall believe you are indeed a king.

Abdal. But since the events of all things doubt

ful are,

And, of events, most doubtful those of war;
I beg to know before, if fortune frown,
Must I then lose your favour with my crown?
Lyndar. You'll soon return a conqueror again;
And, therefore, sir, your question is in vain.

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