time gave order the dead Souldier should not be buried till the Evening He recommended to Assen the care of his Affairs with his Mistress gave him Clarices Letter to produce in justification of him and after a great deal of Civility and Kindness on both sides they parted to meet again at Dinner at Assen's for fear their long Conferences in the Castle might occasion suspicion in the Garrison being extreamly jealous and mistrustful Laura who had scarce rested all night for Dreams which troubled her was very joyful to see Assen come so early to divert her from the thoughts of them Well dear Assen says she shall we be once eased of our Chains and must we carry this Traytor along with us Traytor Madam answers Assen he is the most honest and most passionate of Lovers Ah! says she I foresaw he would corrupt even your fidelity I know too well the power he hath to gain affection and had reason enough to distrust him Be not so hasty Madam replies the Turk to condemn a man unheard Why what says she can he offer against what I have seen Did not I find him with the Vice-Queen Was it not he that help'd the Traytor Alphonso to abuse me No Madam I assure you answers Assen be pleased to let me tell you what you know well enough that he loved you too well to be capable of an action of that kind and to clear all your doubts adds he shewing her Clarices Letter Know you that Character Well said she somewhat surpriz'd 't is my Chamber-maids Read it replies Assen and you shall see who was guilty of the Treason Laura read it and had scarce done when relenting at the Injury done Hippolito or troubled for the Treachery of a Maid she had so much confided on O God of Vengeance cry'd she with tears wilt thou leave unpunished a Wretch so treacherous and one who hath been the cause of so many disasters No sure says Assen for she is already dead if not as her Treason deserved yet for grief of having committed it With that he related to her what she knew not of the Story of the Marquess and found it not difficult business to appease the great wrath she had express'd against him to procure him her general pardon and obtain her consent for his going along with them Assen like a dexterous Confident said not a word of what concerned the Vice-Queen and Laura who had no desire to be any more angry with her dear Servant was not very curious to question him on that point she was content to believe him innocent of one side and to be furnished with a pretence not to hate him so hard a matter is it to use ill those we love how criminal soever Assen then told her of the resolution taken by the Aga and him to have her carried out in a Chair and found her disposed to do what-ever they should think fit but with condition there should be no more danger for them than for her Assen undertook it and told her she had no more to do but make ready against the first Watch whilst the Aga and he took Orders for other things Assen went home where Beyran-Aga came shortly after and gave him an account of all he had done Assen laboured with much diligence and dexterity to see the Brigandine well stored with Necessaries you may believe Beyran failed not as busie as he was to desire an account of what most concerned him the state of his Affair with his Mistress His dear Confident acquainted him with what success he had discharged the Commission he gave him which Beyran was so glad of as it was not in his power to express his Acknowledgment All was ready and Assen had given out the necessary Orders as well for the Brigandine as for Horses and Men. The Aga and he went together to the Castle where the Aga made him a Present of all the Jewels he had received at several times from the Dey and entreated him to accept them not as a satisfaction but a pledge of the assurance he had given him to be ever his Friend and serve him on all occasions Assen who endeavoured but in vain to refuse his liberality would not accept of it but on condition the Aga would make use on all occasions of what he had bestowed as still his own and believe Assen sensible he had not sufficiently obliged him to merit so rich a Present They went from the Castle to make their Court to the Dey and the hour being come Assen first changed Laura's Guards relieving them by three of his Servants whom he was to take with him that none might be left behind to discover the Design or the Road they should take The Aga quickly followed him longing to see Laura he fell down at her feet in such a Transport of Joy and Love it moved her to that tenderness she could not forbear embracing him As she raised him from the Ground they were falling into amorous Discourse but Assen told them it was not a time to discourse but to put their Design in execution unless they had a mind to see it miscarry and that when they should be once out of danger they should have leisure enough to say what they pleased Laura and Beyran who desired nothing more than to see themselves at liberty were easily persuaded to follow his Advice And the Chair being brought by the Aga's Order who had hidden the Corps they wrapt up Laura in a clean Sheet and without saying a word of the Bier put her in it and caused it to be carried out of her Chamber where having according to the custom of the Place thrown a Carpet over her one of Assen's men took the Lanthorn and the other two carried the Bier Beyran leading the Van and Assen bringing up the Rear A Corps is a sacred thing among the Turks nor would any of the Guard have thought of searching the Bier though neither Beyran nor Assen had been with it They went to the Church-yard where having taken Laura out of her Grave they marched towards the Carthage-gate which the Aga commanded to be opened that they might take Horse which attended them hard by Laura and the Aga whom we will hereafter call by their names could not yet take any pleasure to see themselves out of the Castle and City for fear of ill Accidents but long'd to see themselves at Sea however they were glad they got happily so far in hopes Fortune would in favour of Love improve that lucky beginning to a suitable end But this small Lightning of Joy quickly vanished being dash'd out by the cruelty of their Fate for being arriv'd where they expected to take Horse they found by Assen's Servants the Bassa's Sophies had taken them away In what perplexity then was this unfortunate Company they were five or six Leagues distant from the Cape of Carthage where the Brigandine was they had no time to lose and knew not what to resolve on when
all that Countrey could afford for the Pleasures of Life and could not imagine the cause of the grief but fancied at last that to compleat his Divertisements Alexander might want the conversation of a Woman The Bassa being a Person much given to Gallantry was the more easily inclined to believe he had found the true cause of his Melancholy And looked upon it as no incurable Disease but presently resolved to find out a Remedy by furnishing him with a Mistress which was a high strain of complaisance in a Person of his Character but there were no limits to the Love he had for his Alexander The Law of Mahomet is very severe in this Point against Persons of another Religion though very indulgent to those of his own Those who fall into the hands of the Turks and will make love to their Women are under the necessity of changing their Religion or Burning these Extremities are hard yet of the many Christians reduced to those straits I know not one who hath thought Martyrdom so charming as not to prefer Circumcision before Burning the Bassa though no zealous observer of the Law was willing however to avoid the Scandal that might follow if the Intrigue were discovered and therefore design'd to marry him to a Christian There was with the Sultaness his Wife an Italian Slave a young Maid of good quality lovely and witty it was not long since the Bassa had been in love with her but without any success whether it proceeded from the respect she bore to the Sultaness her Mistress who loved her intirely or from scruple of Conscience in point of Religion with which she excused her self certain it is his addresses were vain and after three Months eager persuit of his design being not accustom'd to so much resistance he quitted her and cast his eyes on other less difficult conquests he hoped that one Christian with another might have better success and that Alexander being very lovely and young needed only to shew himself for gaining the love of a Maid of his Country professing the same Religion with him he endeavour'd to dispose her for the purpose by raising in her an esteem for the Gallant he provided her he had often spoken of him in the Chamber of the Sultaness where Laura the Slave we are discoursing of did constantly attend And having formed the design he seldom entertained them with any thing else but Alexander did this or Alexander said that of which he gave them so pleasant Descriptions that he could not fail of making some impressions of love for him in a Woman though never so little susceptible The Count knew nothing of all these good Offices the Bassa smiling sometimes at his sadness would tell him he should shortly see him in a different humor One having disposed all things on Laura 's side who had told him she would not be displeas'd to see this Christian he took him into the Garden of the Seraglio to walk and after a turn or two asked him if he had ever been in love The question did very much surprize him apprehending that being among a People naturally suspicious the Bassa might perhaps have had some Jealousie of him though he could not imagine the cause But to disabuse him he held it necessary to affect great indifference in the business of Women and the truth is to that day he had not been in love And though it were ill courtship to the Bassa who was an admirer of Women to tell him he had never been in Love yet he chose rather to commit a solaecism in courtship than to give him the least cause of suspition The Bassa advised him to have a care of himself lest Love should one day be revenged of him and told him he despaired not of seeing him a Lover in Barbary You are said he handsom and witty and there are here as in Europe dangerous Ladies who perhaps may have designs on your liberty and you are not yet got out of Tunis This Discourse unexpected and spoken with such an Air so troubled the Count he knew not what answer to make The Bassa much pleased at the disorder he had put him to What said he doth Love appear so terrible to you that you dare not encounter it can a Man of your bravery be afraid of a Passion Recollect your self and think it not so dreadful here as in Italy you arm your Cupid with weapons of War we dress ours with Flowers nothing is less cruel than Love among the Turks our Women are kind and good natured and never are the cause of any mans death by coyness and disdain the sole difficulty is in getting a sight of them gain but that point and nothing can be more easie than the rest your Ladies are scrupulous and shy of shewing favour to their Lovers and ours make a conscience of seeing their Languish it is not so odious to be fond and coming with you as 't is to be cruel and insensible here We follow in the first place the Law of nature preferring it to Mahomets as being Men before we are Mussulmans We hold our selves obliged to pay kind regard and affectionate tenderness to Female Beauty and expect from it a return of complacency And those who approve not these Maxims we esteem unworthy to taste the pleasures of Love I know that in Europe you use this Passion an extraordinary way making that Martyrdom which should be a delight but I would fain know what the design of that Woman can be who sees a man every day on his knees at her feet sighing for that which she also desires and it may be more passionately Why then must he be tormented Why so many sighs why so many tears expected from him when the passion of both Sexes is equal if that of the Female may not pass for the greater The Count having in this time recollected himself answered I believe Sir that in Love as in other matters every one may have his particular fancy and different Maxims for conduct but if I who was never in Love may be allow'd to deliver my opinion of it I conceive that Men born under a Law are insensibly disposed to bear it with ease And I dare confidently affirm there is more sweetness and charming delight in the torments we endure in our way of Loving than in those easie pleasures that cost you nothing think not Sir those torments so cruel as our Lovers represent them they aggravate them only to affect their Mistresses the more and to make them more sensible It would certainly surprize you to hear them cry Increase O love Increase so sweet a pain their sufferings are pleasures The Bassa was so charmed with hearing him speak that he would not interrupt him so that he proceeded What satisfaction can you find in a Love that is fulsom and dull without any pique to make it poynant and season it for relish What divertisement to be expected from an innocent Cupid a Child without wit without
Sultaness that is there It was not long ere they arrived at the Palace The Bassa who took all that the General had said to be fabulous and vain would not so much as have sent to the Seraglio to know how things stood thinking it foolery to doubt of the Sultaness being there However in complaisance and by way of raillery he ordered Aly to wait on the Sultaness and to Complement her for him upon the displeasure she took for the departure of Laura The Captain of the Guard not fancying his Master ignorant of what was past took his Order for a meer matter of Address and a colour only to hide the truth of what he would have conceal'd and approve himself able to manage the intrigue as one who could penetrate into the desires of the Person who employ'd him he went to the Seraglio where he presently learnt what he formerly knew that 't was Laura was there and returning to the Bassa made him a civil answer as from the Sultaness This put the General into very great disorder and gave the Bassa new occasion to laugh telling him he did not understand the design of the Dey in raising those Reports to procure him the ill will of his Friends and hatred of People and renew their former broyls with greater violence than ever but that he should find the means to bring him to Reason and that in the first place he would expose the Sultaness to view of all the People and then send her home to the Dey to let him see how unwilling he was to have any Alliance with a man who made it his business to find occasions to ruin him As they were Discoursing they heard a great noise on the sudden in the Palace followed by Vollies of Musquet-shot and People crying to Arms to Arms. The Bassa went presently out of his Chamber to see what the matter was and met Aly coming to tell him that the Palace was invested on all sides and that an attempt had been made to enter it by force but that he had beat them back with ten or twelve Souldiers of the Guard who by good Fortune hapned to be with him The Bassa of all men the least subject to fear and of a ready Wit and admirable Judgment in the most surprizing occasions knowing himself destitute then of Forces to make any resistance and hearing them threaten to set fire on the Palace if the Gate were not opened order'd they should cry out at the Windows that the Gate should be open'd that those who had begirt the Palace round and were for the most part drawn thither with hopes of Plunder might run all to the Gate and give him opportunity to make his escape another way This Stratagem took according to his desire and he made his escape by a private way form his Enemies who had shewed him no Mercy had he fallen into their hands But he with the General of the Gallies and Captain of the Guard got safe to the Mountains Inhabited by the Moors who had great love for him He no sooner gave them notice of the need he had of their help but they came to him that Night so that by break of day he found himself at the Head of 8000 Men Armed some with Musquets some with Pikes both equally useful to them Poor Laura was alone abandoned to the Mercy of this Popular Torrent who having pillaged in a moment that Rich and Sumptuous Palace without respect to the place or the Sex entred the Seraglio by Order from the Dey and took out thence the unfortunate Slave leaving the rest exposed to the will of the Rabble It was Laura's good Fortune that he who had the Commission to take her was a Person of great honesty and worth a private Friend of the Bassa and one who express'd as much respect for her as she could wish in such a Conjuncture She was carried to the Castle where she was committed to the same Officers Custody being a Secretary and generally esteemed by all the Divan And being the only Person could speak to her without danger of being heard he confidently told her the first time he saw her that the Bassa whose Conduct till then appeared admirable had committed a fact no less difficult to be repaired than generally condemn'd by the best of his Friends but that he feared the greatest smart would be hers The poor Slave sufficiently Alarm'd by seeing her self forced out of the Bassa's Seraglio and made the Dey's Prisoner was frightned much more by the Discourse of this Turk who appeared to her a very credible Person she prayed him for Heavens sake to tell her what the matter was what fault the Bassa had committed and how she was concern'd in it that she must be thus handled If you are ignorant of the passages this day answered the Secretary I will let you know them I believe continues he that you know Chabania or at least have heard talk of her all the World is convinced of the Malignity of her Nature and illness of Disposition But to the business in hand that which she affirms is grounded on Proofs so pregnant and Reasons so clear that her Malice hath compassed the effect she desired Whether she was jealous of you or in disgust with the Bassa I know not but she is the cause of the disorder you have seen which if not remedied may prove the ruin of the Kingdom The Dey was at Chess when word was brought him that a Lady from the Bassa's Seraglio desired to speak with him on business of great importance Instantly he quitted his Game and retiring into a Chamber to give the Woman Audience he sees Chabania enter attended with her Eunuchs who Usher'd her who falling before him on her knees spake to this purpose Sir I bring you News which doubtless will trouble you But if I deserve Death for not being able to endure an injury done to your Royal Blood and the whole Nation without giving you Advertisement I am content to suffer for it having the satisfaction to see you Revenge the wrong has been done you which is that your Daughter is gone that she is delivered over into the hands of that Christian who sailed away this Morning and that a pitiful Slave is to succeed in her place to the infinite dishonour of your Highness and the Nation Take your Revenge of the Author of this disorder and execute that Justice which you ought against so cruel an attempt acted to the dishonour of God the injury of your Blood and dishonour of your Country Scarce had she made an end but the Dey inflamed with Anger and extreamly enraged called in those who had waited in the Anti-chamber and scarce able to speak for the Passion he was in made Chabania repeat before them all that she had said to him It unhappily fell out that all who were there were Enemies to the Bassa and instead of appeasing the Dey took the present occasion to animate and encourage him to