Caled had a secret enmity against Osmyn, as his rival in the favour of Almoran; but as he had concealed his own pretensions from Osmyn, Osmyn had no ill will against Caled.  As they were now likely to be involved in one common calamity, by the ruin of the prince whose party they had espoused; Caled’s enmity subsided, and the indifference of Osmyn was warmed into kindness:  mutual distress produced mutual confidence; and Caled, after condoling with Osmyn on their present hopeless situation, proposed that they should draw off their forces, and revolt to Hamet.  This proposition Osmyn rejected, not only from principle, but from interest:  ‘Now we have accepted of a trust,’ said he, ’we ought not to betray it.  If we had gone over to Hamet, when he first declared against his brother, he would have received us with joy, and probably have rewarded our service; but I know, that his virtue will abhor us for treachery, though practised in his favour:  treachery, under the dominion of Hamet, will not only cover us with dishonour, but will probably devote us to death.’

In this reasoning, Caled could not but acquiesce; he felt himself secretly but forcibly reproved, by the superior virtue of Osmyn:  and while he regretted his having made a proposal, which had been rejected not only as imprudent but infamous; he concluded, that Osmyn would ever after suspect and despise him; and he, therefore, from a new cause, conceived new enmity against him.  They parted, however, without any appearance of suspicion or disgust; and, in a short time, they were in circumstances very different from their expectations.

VOLUME SECOND

CHAP.  XI.

Almoran had now reached the gallery; and when the multitude saw him, they shouted as in triumph, and demanded that he should surrender.  Hamet, who also perceived him at a distance, and was unwilling that any violence should be offered to his person, pressed forward, and when he was come near, commanded silence.  At this moment Almoran, with a loud voice, reproached them with impiety and folly; and appealing to the power, whom in his person they had offended, the air suddenly grew dark, a flood of lightning descended from the sky, and a peal of thunder was articulated into these words: 

  Divided sway, the God who reigns alone
  Abhors; and gives to Almoran the throne.

The multitude stood aghast at the prodigy; and hiding their faces with their hands, every one departed in silence and confusion, and Hamet and Omar were left alone.  Omar was taken by some of the soldiers who had adhered to Almoran, but Hamet made his escape.

Almoran, whose wishes were thus far accomplished by the intervention of a power superior to his own, exulted in the anticipation of that happiness which he now supposed to be secured; and was fortified in his opinion, that he had been wretched only because he had been weak, and that to multiply and not to suppress his wishes was the way to acquire felicity.