Confirms my guilt, I wear a heart as true
As Sadi's to my king.

Sadi. Why then beneath

This cursed roof, this black usurper's palace,
Dar'st thou to draw infected air, and live
The slave of insolence!

O shame to dwell

With murder, lust, and rapine! did he not
Come from the depths of Barca's solitude,
With fair pretence of faith and firm alliance?
Did not our grateful king, with open arms,
Receive him as his guest? O fatal hour!
Did he not then with hot, adul'trous eye,
Gaze on the Queen Zaphira? Yes, 'twas lust,
Lust gave th' infernal whisper to his soul,
And bade him murder, if he would enjoy!
Yet thou, pernicious traitor, unabash'd
Canst wear the murd'rer's badge.

Oth. Mistaken man!

Yet still I love thee:

Still unprovok'd by thy intemperate zeal,
Could passion prompt me to licentious speech,
Bethink thee-might I not reproach thy flight
With the foul names of fear and perfidy?
Didst thou not fly, when Barbarossa's sword
Reek'd with the blood of thy brave countrymen?
What then did I?-Beneath this hated roof,
In pity to my widow'd queen-

Sadi. In pity?

Oth. Yes, Sadi! Heav'n is witness, pity sway'd me.

With honest guile I did inroll my name

In the black list of Barbarossa's friends:

In hope, that some propitious hour might rise,

When Heav'n would dash the murd'rer from his

throne,

And give young Selim to his orphan'd people.
Sadi. Indeed! canst thou be true?

Oth. By Heav'n, I am.

Sadi. Why then dissemble thus?

Oth. Have I not told thee?

I held it vain, to stem the tyrant's pow'r,
By the weak efforts of an ill-tim'd rage.
Sadi. I find thee honest: and with pride
Will join thy counsels.

Can aught, my friend, be done?

Can aught be dar'd?

Oth. We

groan

beneath the scourge.

This very morn, on false pretence of vengeance,
For the foul murder of our honour'd king,
Five guiltless wretches perish'd on the rack.
Sadi. O my devoted country!

But say, the widow'd queen-my heart bleeds for her. Oth. Hemm'd round by terrors,

Within this cruel palace, once the seat

Of ev'ry joy, thro' seven long tedious years,
She mourns her murder'd lord, her exil'd son,
Her people fall'n: the murd'rer of her lord,
Returning now from conquest o'er the Moors,
Tempts her to marriage; but with noble firmness,
Surpassing female, she rejects his vows,
Scorning the horrid union. Meantime he,
With ceaseless hate, pursues her exil'd son,
The virtuous youth, ev'n into foreign climes.
Ere this, perhaps, he bleeds. A murd'ring ruffian
Is sent to watch his steps, and plunge the dagger
Into his guiltless breast.

Sadi. Is this thy faith!

Tamely to witness to such deeds of horror!
Give me thy poignard; lead me to the tyrant.
What tho' surrounding guards-

Oth. Repress thy rage,

Thou wilt alarm the palace, wilt involve

Thyself, thy friend, in ruin. Haste thee hence;
Haste to the remnant of our loyal friends,

And let maturer councils rule thy zeal.

Sadi. Yet let us ne'er forget cur prince's wrongs.

Remember, Othman, (and let vengeance rise)
How in the pangs of death, and in his gore
Welt'ring, we found our prince!
His royal blood,

The life-blood of his people, o'er the bath
Ran purple! Oh, remember! and revenge!

Oth. Doubt not my zeal. But haste, and seek our friends.

Near to the western port Almanzor dwells,
Yet unseduc'd by Barbarossa's power.
He will disclose to thee, if aught be heard
Of Selim's safety, or (what more I dread)

Of Selim's death. Thence best may our resolves
Be drawn hereafter. But let caution guide thee.

Sudi. I obey thee.

Near to the western port, thou say'st?

Oth. Ev'n there.

Close by the blasted palm-tree, where the mosque
O'erlooks the city. Haste thee hence, my friend.
I would not have thee found within these walls.

[Flourish.
And hark-these warlike sounds proclaim th' approach
Of the proud Barbarossa, with his train.
Begone

Sadi. May dire disease and pestilence Hang o'er his steps!-Farewell-Remember, Othman, Thy queen's, thy prince's, and thy country's wrong. [Exit SADI. Oth. When I forget them, be contempt my lot!

Enter BARBAROSSA, GUARDS, &c.

Bar. Valiant Othman,

Are these vile slaves impal'd?

Oth. My lord, they are.

Bar. Did not the rack extort confession from them? Oth. They died obdurate: While the melting crowd

Wept at their groans and anguish.

Bar. Curse on their womanish hearts!

But why sits

That sadness on thy brow: For oft I find thee
Musing and sad; while joy for my return,

My sword victorious, and the Moors o'erthrown,
Resounds through all my palace.

Oth. Mighty warrior!

The soul, intent on offices of love,
Will oft neglect or scorn the weaker proof,
Which smiles or speech can give.

Bar. Well: Be it so.

To guard Algiers from anarchy's misrule,
I sway the regal sceptre.

But 'tis strange,

That when with open arms, I would receive

Young Selim; would restore the crown, which death
Reft from his father's head-He scorns my bounty.
And proudly kindles war in foreign climes,
Against my power, who sav'd his bleeding country.
Enter ALADIN.

Aladin. Brave prince, I bring thee tidings
Of high concernment to Algiers and thee.
Young Selim is no more.

Oth. Selim no more!

Bar. Why that astonishment?
He was our bitterest foe.

Oth. So perish all thy causeless enemies!
Bar. How died the prince, and where?
'Aladin. The rumour tells,

That flying to Oran, he there begg'd succours
From Ferdinand of Spain, t' invade Algiers.
Bar. From christian dogs!

Oth. How! league with infidels!

Aladin. And there held council with the haughty Spaniard,

To conquer and dethrone thee: But in vain :

For in a dark encounter with two slaves,

Wherein the one fell by his youthful arm,

Selim at length was slain.
Bar. Ungrateful boy!

Oft have I courted him to meet my kindness;
But still in vain; he shunn'd me like a pestilence:
Nor could I e'er behold him, since the down

Cover'd his manly cheek.-How many years
Number'd he?

Oth. I think, scarce thirteen, when his father died, And, now, some twenty.

Bar. Othman, now for proof

Of undissembled service,

-Well I know,

Thy long experienc'd faith hath plac'd thee high

In the queen's confidence:

Othman, she must be won.

Plead thou my cause of love:

Make her but mine,

And such unsought reward shall crown thy zeal,

As shall outsoar thy wishes.

Oth. Mighty king,

Where duty bids, I go.

Bar. Then haste thee, Othman,

Ere yet the rumour of her son's decease

Hath reach'd her ear;

Tell her, I come, borne on the wings of love!-

Haste--fly—I follow thee.

Now Aladin,

[Exit OTHMAN.

Now fortune bears us to the wish'd for port:
This was the rock I dreaded. Dost not think
Th' attempt was greatly daring?

Aladin. Bold as need ful.

What booted it, to cut the old serpent off,

While the young adder nested in his place?
Bar. True: Algiers is mine,

Without a rival.

Yet I wonder much,

Omar returns not: Omar, whom I sent

On this high trust. I fear, 'tis he hath fall'n.
Didst thou not say, two slaves encounter'd Selim?