ortionably increased;
yet he found means not only to conceal it from HAMET, but from ALMEIDA,
by affecting an air of levity and merriment, which is not less
incompatible with the pleasures than the pains of love. After they had
been regaled with coffee and sherbet, they parted; and HAMET
congratulated himself, that his apprehensions of finding in ALMORAN a
rival for ALMEIDA'S love, were now at an end.

But ALMORAN, whose passions were become more violent by restraint, was
in a state of mind little better than distraction: one moment he
determined to seize upon the person of ALMEIDA in the night, and secrete
her in some place accessible only to himself; and the next to
assassinate his brother, that he might at once destroy a rival both in
empire and in love. But these designs were no sooner formed by his
wishes, than they were rejected by his fears: he was not ignorant, that
in any contest between him and HAMET, the voice of the public would be
against him; especially in a contest, in which it would appear, that
HAMET had suffered wrong.

Many other projects, equally rash, violent, and injurious, were by turns
conceived and rejected: and he came at last to no other determination,
than still carefully to conceal his passion, till he should think of
some expedient to gratify it; lest HAMET should have a just reason for
refusing to let him see the lady again, and remove her to some place
which he might never be able to discover.

CHAP. VIII.

In the mean time, OMAR, to whom HAMET had from time to time disclosed
the minutest particulars of his situation and design, kept his eye
almost continually upon ALMORAN; and observed him with an attention and
sagacity, which it was difficult either to elude or deceive. He
perceived, that he was more than usual restless and turbulent; that in
the presence of HAMET he frequently changed countenance; that his
behaviour was artificial and inconsistent, frequently shifting from
gloomy discontent and furious agitation, to forced laughter and noisy
merriment. He had also remarked, that he seemed most discomposed after
he had been with HAMET to ALMEIDA, which happened generally once in a
week; that he was become fond of solitude, and was absent several days
together from the apartment of his women.

OMAR, who from this conduct of ALMORAN had begun to suspect his
principles, determined to introduce such topics of discourse, as might
lead him to discover the state of his mind; and