Benz. He killed my brother in his own defence.
Pity his youth, and spare his innocence.
Selin. Art thou so soon to pardon murder won?
Can he be innocent, who killed my son?
Abenamar shall mourn as well as I;
His Ozmyn, for my Tarifa, shall die.
But since thou plead'st so boldly, I will see
That justice, thou would'st hinder, done by thee.
Here, [Gives her his sword.] take the sword, and do a sister's part:
Pierce his, fond girl, or I will pierce thy heart.
Ozm. To his commands I join my own request;
All wounds from you are welcome to my breast:
Think only, when your hand this act has done,
It has but finished what your eyes begun.
I thought, with silence, to have scorned my doom;
But now your noble pity has o'ercome;
Which I acknowledge with my latest breath,—
The first whoe'er began a love in death.
Benz. to Selin. Alas, what aid can my weak hand afford?
You see I tremble when I touch a sword:
The brightness dazzles me, and turns my sight;
Or, if I look, 'tis but to aim less right.
Ozm. I'll guide the hand which must my death convey;
My leaping heart shall meet it half the way.
Selin to Benz. Waste not the precious time in idle breath.
Benz. Let me resign this instrument of death. [Giving the sword to her father, and then pulling it back.
Ah, no! I was too hasty to resign:
'Tis in your hand more mortal than in mine.
Enter Hamet.
Hamet. The king is from the Alhambra beaten back,
And now preparing for a new attack;
To favour which, he wills, that instantly
You reinforce him with a new supply.
Selin to Benz. Think not, although my duty calls me hence,
That with the breach of yours I will dispense.
Ere my return, see my commands you do:
Let me find Ozmyn dead, and killed by you.—
Gazul and Reduan, attend her still;
And, if she dares to fail, perform my will. [Exeunt Selin and Hamet.
[Benzayda looks languishing on him, with her sword down; Gazul and Reduan standing with drawn swords by her.