'
ALMORAN, though he appeared to listen with attention, and offered
nothing against the reasoning of OMAR, yet secretly despised it as
sophistry; which cunning only had rendered specious; and which he was
unable to confute, merely because it was subtil, and not because it was
true: he had been led, by his passions, first to love, and then to adopt
different opinions; and as every man is inclined to judge of others by
himself, he doubted, whether the principles which OMAR had thus laboured
to establish; were believed even by OMAR himself.
Thus was the mind of ALMORAN to the instructions of OMAR, as a rock
slightly covered with earth, is to the waters of heaven: the craggs are
left bare by the rain that washes them; and the same showers that
fertilize the field can only discover the sterility of the rock.
OMAR, however, did not yet disclose his suspicions to HAMET, because he
did not yet see that it could answer any purpose. To remove ALMEIDA from
her apartment, would be to shew a distrust, for which there would not
appear to be any cause; and to refuse ALMORAN access to her when he
desired it, might precipitate such measures as he might meditate, and
engage him in some desperate attempt: he, therefore, contented himself
with advising HAMET, to conceal the time of his marriage till the
evening before he intended it should take place, without assigning the
reason on which his advice was founded.
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