Lyndar. Fortune, at last, has chosen with my eyes;
And, where I would have given it, placed the prize. 
You see, sir, with what hardship I have kept
This precious gage, which in my hands you left. 
But ’twas the love of you which made me fight,
And gave me courage to maintain your right. 
Now, by experience, you my faith may find,
And are to thank me that I seemed unkind. 
When your malicious fortune doomed your fall,
My care restrained you then from losing all;
Against your destiny I shut the gate,
And gathered up the shipwrecks of your fate;
I, like a friend, did even yourself withstand,
From throwing all upon a losing hand.

Abdal. My love makes all your acts unquestioned go,
And sets a sovereign stamp on all you do. 
Your love I will believe with hood-winked eyes;—­
In faith, much merit in much blindness lies. 
But now, to make you great as you are fair,
The Spaniards an imperial crown prepare.

Lyndar. That gift’s more welcome, which with you I share. 
Let us no time in fruitless courtship lose,
But sally out upon our frighted foes. 
No ornaments of power so please my eyes,
As purple, which the blood of princes dies. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.—­The Alhambra.

  BOABDELIN, ABENAMAR, ALMAHIDE, and Guards, &c.  The Queen wearing a
  scarf.

Aben. My little journey has successful been,
The fierce Almanzor will obey the queen. 
I found him, like Achilles on the shore,
Pensive, complaining much, but threatening more;
And, like that injured Greek, he heard our woes,
Which, while I told, a gloomy smile arose
From his bent brows:  And still, the more he heard,
A more severe and sullen joy appeared. 
But, when he knew we to despair were driven,
Betwixt his teeth he muttered thanks to heaven.

Boab. How I disdain this aid! which I must take, Not for my own, but Almahide’s sake.

Aben. But when he heard it was the queen who sent,
That her command repealed his banishment,
He took the summons with a greedy joy,
And asked me how she would his sword employ: 
Then bid me say, her humblest slave would come,
From her fair mouth with joy to take his doom.

Boab. Oh that I had not sent you! though it cost My crown! though I, and it, and all were lost!

Aben. While I, to bring this news, came on before, I met with Selin—­

Boab. I can hear no more.

  Enter HAMET.

Hamet. Almanzor is already at the gate, And throngs of people on his entrance wait.

Boab. Thy news does all my faculties surprise;
He bears two basilisks in those fierce eyes;
And that tame daemon, which should guard my throne,
Shrinks at a genius greater than his own.
                              [Exit BOAB. with ABEN. and Guards.