Take friendship; or, if that too small appear,
Take love,--which sisters may to brothers bear.

_Almanz._ A sister's love! that is so palled a thing,
What pleasure can it to a lover bring?
'Tis like thin food to men in fevers spent;
Just keeps alive, but gives no nourishment.
What hopes, what fears, what transports can it move?
'Tis but the ghost of a departed love.

_Almah._ You, like some greedy cormorant, devour
All my whole life can give you in an hour.
What more I can do for you is to die,
And that must follow, if you this deny.
Since I gave up my love, that you might live,
You, in refusing life, my sentence give.

_Almanz._ Far from my breast be such an impious thought!
Your death would lose the quiet mine had sought.
I'll live for you, in spite of misery;
But you shall grant that I had rather die.
I'll be so wretched, filled with such despair,
That you shall see, to live was more to dare.

_Almah._ Adieu, then, O my soul's far better part!
Your image sticks so close,
That the blood follows from my rending heart.
A last farewell!
For, since a last must come, the rest are vain,
Like gasps in death, which but prolong our pain.
But, since the king is now a part of me,
Cease from henceforth to be his enemy.
Go now, for pity go! for, if you stay,
I fear I shall have something still to say.
Thus--I for ever shut you from my sight. [_Veils._

_Almanz._ Like one thrust out in a cold winters night,
Yet shivering underneath your gate I stay;
One look--I cannot go before 'tis day.--
[_She beckons him to be gone._
Not one--Farewell: Whate'er my sufferings be
Within, I'll speak farewell as loud as she:
I will not be out-done in constancy.-- [_She turns her back._
Then like a dying conqueror I go;
At least I have looked last upon my foe.
I go--but, if too heavily I move,
I walk encumbered with a weight of love.
Fain I would leave the thought of you behind,
But still, the more I cast you from my mind,
You dash, like water, back, when thrown against the wind. [_Exit._

_As he goes off, the_ KING _meets him with_ ABENAMAR; _they stare at
each other without saluting._

_Boab._ With him go all my fears: A guard there wait,
And see him safe without the city gate.

_To them_ ABDELMELECH.

Now, Abdelmelech, is my brother dead?

_Abdelm._ Th' usurper to the Christian camp is fled;
Whom as Granada's lawful king they own,
And vow, by