what can you perform, to recommend you to my service?

Ant. [Making Legs.] Why, madam, I can perform as much as any man, in a fair lady's service. I can play upon the flute, and sing; I can carry your umbrella, and fan your ladyship, and cool you when you are too hot; in fine, no service, either by day or by night, shall come amiss to me; and, besides, I am of so quick an apprehension, that you need but wink upon me at any time to make me understand my duty. [She winks at him.]-Very fine, she has tipt the wink already.

[Aside. Joh. The whelp may come to something in time, when I have entered him into his business.

Muf. A very malapert cur, I can tell him that; I do not like his fawning ---You must be taught your distance, sirrah. [Strikes him.

Joh. Hold, hold. He has deserved it, I confess; but, for once, let his ignorance plead his pardon ; we must not discourage a beginner, Your reverence has taught us charity, even to birds and beasts-here, you filthy brute, you, take this little alms to buy you plasters.

[Gives him a piece of money. Ant. Money, and a love-pinch in the inside of my palm into the bargain.

Enter a Servant.

[Aside.

Serv. Sir, my lord Benducar is coming to wait on you, and is already at the palace gate.

Muf. Come in, Johayma; regulate the rest of my wives and concubines, and leave the fellow to his work.

Joh. How stupidly he stares about him, like a calf new come into the world! I shall teach you, sirrah, to know your business a little better. This

way, you awkward rascal; here lies the arbour; must I be shewing you eternally?

[Turning him about. Muf. Come away, minion; you shall shew him nothing.

Joh. I'll but bring him into the arbour, where a rose-tree and a myrtle-tree are just falling for want of a prop; if they were bound together, they would help to keep up one another. He's a raw gardener, and 'tis but charity to teach him.

Muf. No more deeds of charity to-day; come in, or I shall think you a little better disposed than I could wish you.

Joh. Well, go before, I will follow my pastor. Muf. So you may cast a sheep's eye behind you? in before me;—and you, sauciness, mind your pruning-knife, or I may chance to use it for you.

[Exeunt Mufti and JOHAYMA. Ant. [Alone.] Thank you for that, but I am in no such haste to be made a mussulman. For his wedlock, for all her haughtiness, I find her coming. How far a Christian should resist, I partly know; but how far a lewd young Christian can resist, is another question. She's tolerable, and I am a poor stranger, far from better friends, and in a bodily necessity. Now have I a strange temptation to try what other females are belonging to this family: I am not far from the women's apartment, I am sure; and if these birds are within distance, here's that will chuckle them together. [Pulls out his Flute.] If there be variety of Moors' flesh in this holy market, 'twere madness to lay out all my money upon the first bargain. [He plays. A Grate opens, and MORAYMA, the Mufti's Daughter, appears at it.]Ay, there's an apparition! This is a morsel worthy of a Mufti; this is the relishing bit in secret; this is

the mystery of his Alcoran, that must be reserved from the knowledge of the prophane vulgar; this is his holiday devotion.-See, she beckons too.

[She beckons to him.

Mor. Come a little nearer, and speak softly.

Ant. I come, I come, I warrant thee; the least twinkle had brought me to thee; such another kind syllable or two would turn me to a meteor, and draw me up to thee.

Mor. I dare not speak, for fear of being overheard; but if you think my person worth your hazard, and can deserve my love, the rest this note shall tell you. [Throws down a Handkerchief] No inore, my heart goes with you.

[Exit from the Grate.

Ant. O thou pretty little heart, art thou flown hither? I'll keep it warm, I warrant it, and brood upon it in the new nest.---But now for my treasure trove, that's wrapt up in the handkerchief; no peeping here, though I long to be spelling her Arabic scrawls and pot-hooks. But I must carry off my prize as robbers do, and not think of sharing the booty before I am free from danger, and out of eye-shot from the other windows. If her wit be as poignant as her eyes, I am a double slave. Our northern beauties are mere dough to these; insipid white earth, mere tobacco pipe clay, with no more soul and motion in them than a fly in win,

ter.

Here the warm planet ripens and sublimes
The well-baked beauties of the southern climes.
Our Cupid's but a bungler in his trade;
His keenest arrows are in Africk made.

[Exit.

ACT III.

SCENE I-A Terrace Walk; or some other public place in the castle of Alcazar.

Enter Emperor MULEY-MOLUCH, and BENDUcar.
Emp. Married! I'll not believe it; 'tis imposture;
Improbable they should presume to attempt,
Impossible they should effect their wish.
Bend. Have patience, till I clear it.
Emp. I have none:

Go bid our moving plains of sand lie still,
And stir not, when the stormy south blows high:
From top to bottom thou hast tossed my soul,
And now 'tis in the madness of the whirl,
Requir'st a sudden stop? unsay thy lie;
That may in time do somewhat.

Bend. I have done :

For, since it pleases you it should be forged,
"Tis fit it should: far be it from your slave
To raise disturbance in your sacred breast.
Emp. Sebastian is my slave as well as thou;
Nor durst offend my love by that presumption.
Bend. Most sure he ought not.

Emp. Then all means were wanting :
No priest, no ceremonies of their sect;
Or, grant we these defects could be supplied,
How could our prophet do an act so base,

So to resume his gifts, and curse my conquests,
By making me unhappy? No, the slave,

That told thee so absurd a story, lied.

Bend. Yet till this moment I have found him faithful:

He said he saw it too.

Emp. Dispatch; what saw he?

VOL. VII.

Bend. Truth is, considering with what earnest

ness

Sebastian pleaded for Almeyda's life,

Enhanced her beauty, dwelt upon her praise-
Emp. O stupid, and unthinking as I was!
I might have marked it too; 'twas gross and palpable.
Bend. Methought I traced a lover ill disguised,
And sent my spy, a sharp observing slave,
To inform me better, if I guessed aright.
He told me, that he saw Sebastian's page
Run cross the marble square, who soon returned,
And after him there lagged a puffing friar ;
Close wrapt he bore some secret instrument
Of Christian superstition in his hand :
My servant followed fast, and through a chink
Perceived the royal captives hand in hand;
And heard the hooded father mumbling charms,
That make those misbelievers man and wife;
Which done, the spouses kissed with such a fervour,
And gave such furious earnest of their flames,
That their eyes sparkled, and their mantling blood
Flew flushing o'er their faces.

Emp. Hell confound them!

Bend. The reverend father, with a holy leer, Saw he might well be spared, and soon withdrew: This forced my servant to a quick retreat, For fear to be discovered.-Guess the rest. Emp. I do: My fancy is too exquisite, And tortures me with their imagined bliss.

Some earthquake should have risen and rent the ground,

Have swallowed him, and left the longing bride
In agony of unaccomplished love.

[Walks disorderly.

Enter the Mufti.

Bend. In an unlucky hour