_Emp._ Slave, have I raised thee to this pomp and power, To preach against my will?--Know, I am law; And thou, not Mahomet's messenger but mine!-- Make it, I charge thee, make my pleasure lawful; Or, first, I strip thee of thy ghostly greatness, Then send thee post to tell thy tale above. And bring thy vain memorials to thy prophet, Of justice done below for disobedience. _Muf._ For heaven's sake hold!--The respite of a moment!-- To think for you-- _Emp._ And for thyself. _Muf._ For both. _Bend._ Disgrace, and death, and avarice, have lost him! [_Aside._ _Muf._ 'Tis true, our law forbids to wed a Christian; But it forbids you not to ravish her. You have a conqueror's right upon your slave; And then the more despite you do a Christian, You serve the prophet more, who loathes that sect. _Emp._ O, now it mends; and you talk reason, Mufti.-- But, stay! I promised freedom to Sebastian; Now, should I grant it, his revengeful soul Would ne'er forgive his violated bed. _Muf._ Kill him; for then you give him liberty: His soul is from his earthly prison freed. _Emp._ How happy is the prince who has a churchman, So learned and pliant, to expound his laws! _Bend._ Two things I humbly offer to your prudence. _Emp._ Be brief, but let not either thwart my love. _Bend._ First, since our holy man has made rape lawful, Fright her with that; Proceed not yet to force: Why should you pluck the green distasteful fruit From the unwilling bough, When it may ripen of itself, and fall? _Emp._ Grant her a day; though that's too much to give Out of a life which I devote to love. _Bend._ Then, next, to bar All future hopes of her desired Sebastian, Let Dorax be enjoined to bring his head. _Emp._ [_To the Mufti._] Go, Mufti, call him to receive his orders.-- [_Exit Mufti._ I taste thy counsel; her desires new roused, And yet unslaked, will kindle in her fancy, And make her eager to renew the feast. _Bend._ [_Aside._] Dorax, I know before, will disobey: There's a foe's head well cropped.-- But this hot love precipitates my plot, And brings it to projection ere its time. _Enter_ SEBASTIAN _and_ ALMEYDA, _hand in hand; upon sight of the Emperor, they separate, and seem disturbed._ _Alm._ He breaks at unawares upon our walks, And, like a midnight wolf, invades the fold. Make speedy preparation of your soul, And bid it arm apace: He comes for answer, And brutal mischief sits upon his brow. _Seb._ Not the last sounding could surprise me more, That summons drowsy mortals to their doom, When called in haste to fumble for their limbs, And tremble, unprovided for their charge: My sense has been so deeply plunged in joys, The soul out-slept her hour; and, scarce awake, Would think too late, but cannot: But brave minds, At worst, can dare their fate. [_Aside._ _Emp._ [_Coming up to them._] Have you performed Your embassy, and treated with success? _Seb._ I had no time.