of it replied Hildezar and can you suspect one of my Age of such Tricks My Love to you must be very ardent seeing no Consideration can restrain me from declaring it O my Lord cried out Axione Wherein have I sinn'd against Heaven that it should expose me to such a Misfortune What! is this Misfortune so great answer'd Hildezar that you should be so much afflicted with it Yes my Lord added she It is one of the most cruel Misfortunes that could befal me and after the Obligations that I have unto you I would for ever abhor my self if I should contribute to distain your Glory What would not people say if You suffer'd Your self to fall in an Errour which the greenest Youth cannot render excusable What Honour could my Alliance do unto You Unknown to my Self and to all the World perhaps of base Blood and unworthy of Your Inclinations Axione interrupted Hildezar That Modesty doth so set off the Lustre of Your Vertue that it would augment my Love if it was capable of any Augmentation I see in You all that can satisfie my Ambition and Tenderness Speak then positively Well then Hildezar continu'd she I must be sincere seeing You desire it and I must tell You that this unknown Blood that swelleth my Veins inspireth me with so Noble Sentiments that I will never do any thing until I be inform'd of my Birth I feel it much better than perhaps I shall ever know it It is not that which determineth You interrupted Hildezar and I owe unto another Cause that Resistance which filleth me with Despair I am neither Young nor a King But Axione I love You and am able to make You very Happy I have Power do not constrain me to have Recourse to it Philing is a Soveraign but his Dignity obligeth him to a great Alliance He amuseth You only with a fleeting Passion for Love is much more short-liv'd in the Hearts of Kings than of other men I leave you and wholly depend upon your Answer asking nothing of you but what is reasonable He retir'd and Axione remain'd alone in liberty to reflect upon what she had heard This Discourse made such an impression upon her Countenance that it was easily perceiv'd notwithstanding the Care that she took to compose her self I found her vex'd full of Distraction and in fine in a condition that I have never before seen her in What aileth you this Morning Axione said I unto her You are no more Your self and I cannot imagine the Cause of this Change My Words roused her up a little she assur'd me that nothing extraordinary had befaln her but I read too well in her Eies whom Love had made me study many Years to be contented with this Answer You are not sincere continued I but if You hide any thing from the tender Interest that I take in You You will be the most cruel Person in the World My Lord replied Axione I ought not to satisfie You in what you ask of me nevertheless I perceive I shall not be able to conceal it from You but upon condition to moderate Your Resentment Know then my Lord that this Hildezar whom Heaven hath made an Instrument to sweeten the first Miseries of my Life hath now done me the most sensible of all Injuries There needed no more to make me comprehend Hildezar's Designs and had it not been for the condition under which Axione made me her Confident I would have made search for him to punish him Hildezar is in love with You replied I and what will become of me Axione if You be favourable unto him My Heart added that fair Girl is not very precious but it is not to Hildezar that my Inclinations have destin'd it I am expos'd to his Discourses and perhaps to his Humours What D' ye make no reckoning of my Authority interrupted I Dy' e think that my Love will suffer his to act in quiet O my dear Axione my Interest in this is greater than Yours and You are too dear unto me to suffer You to be importun'd by a Rival I am a King and ought to be Master of all but Axione You may extend your Dominion even over my Will my Lord replied she seeing Your Generosity will never put upon me any thing that is rude and besides You are All Potent here No Axione added I I will never assume any Power where You are but what You are pleas'd to allow me for You shall alwaies Reign Soveraignly over me Oh Heaven continued that amiable Maid Can it be possible that I should prove ungrateful to so much Goodness and will You not one Day enable me to testifie my Acknowledgment I hope my Lord continued she That my Indifferency or rather Disdain quashing Hildezar's Hopes he will change his manner of acting but if it fall out otherwise I must change mine Yes Axione replied I and besides You must change Your Condition Do not think that I will stick to make You Queen of Thibet The Throne that I possess will never please Me without You and if our Laws did permit me I would offer it unto You without a Partner My Lord answered Axione with Looks full of Gratitude You honour too much a miserable Unknown whom Fortune hath hitherto esteem'd unworthy of the least of her Favours It would indeed be a very great One to possess the Affections of an Illustrious Prince and to share his Crown with him But my Lord I will never abuse so generous a Bounty Your Glory shall never be soil'd with an Alliance like mine and to prevent that Misfortune I would abandon my self to the most cruel Miseries and even give my self to Hildezar What! shall it be said that Axione is Queen of Thibet and that all her Dowry is a Descent unknown to all the World I owe unto You and I owe also to my Self a perfect Manifestation of what I am and if there be found added she with an extraordinary Majesty any thing in my Life that is not unworthy of You believe me my Lord there shall none be able to dispute it with You and I would esteem my self too happy O Heaven cried I out charm'd with Axione's Vertue Could you have infus'd so Noble a Grandeur into an ordinary person Ah Madam do not seek for any other Proof of what You are than the Beauty of Your Sentiments They render You worthy of all the Thrones of the World Accept of mine and do not torment me by too modest and obstinate a Denial My Lord replied she with a stronger Tone It is an unalterable Resolution I cannot tell whether I commit a Crime against Decency when I confess unto You that You have touch'd my Heart and that of all that my Eies can behold nothing can be more agreeable to them than You but I will willingly commit this Fault to testifie unto You that the dearer You are unto me and the more highly I esteem You the greater Care I ought to have of Your Glory She blush'd
the Monguls enjoyed by your Valour doth not permit me to live at Molg in perpetual sloth we might one day blush and even perhaps suffer for it 'T is time that I should learn the only Occupation that is worthy of a Prince If there be no War in Asia I must seek it in Europe and return to you with a Name less unknown to the rest of the World This Discourse flatter'd the great Courage of Bahadur but the same time it frightned the tenderness of his Love Zingis replied he to the young Prince Neither your illustrious Ancestors nor the most envious Nations have as yet any thing to reproach you with and you have been employ'd in a diligent Preparation for a glorious riper Age. I love to see you and I fear to lose you But my Son notwithstanding this do not think that I will always detain you in a Country which in the Opinion of the greatest part of Mankind is more proper for Wild Beasts than for Princes whom Heaven hath created with some Merit I do not oppose that noble Emulation which animateth you but my dear Zingis wait a little longer you know that the King of the Tartars doth threaten us he is perhaps ready to declare himself our Enemy The Tributes which he exacteth of several Kings will certainly come as far as us and then we will not want War Alas my Lord said Zingis interrupting him How hard is it for a Man of my Age and Humour to delay such Projects I don't know whether the King of the Tartars confoundeth us with the other Princes whom he would render his Vassals but by what you have done I believe he will consider more than once upon it before he attack you In the end my Lord these are but uncertain Conjectures and if you will not permit me to pass the Limits of Tartary suffer me to run through all the extent thereof that I may instruct my self by sight of many rare things which I have only confusedly heard of The King of the Monguls found so much reason in the Prince's Design that he consented at last to his departure tho' not without doing himself a great deal of Violence but upon Condition that he should not pass the Bounds of Tartary He permitted him to visit Undkan's Court with whom he had not yet any broil and Zingis satisfied with what he had obtained thought on nothing else but to make ready his Equipage He would not carry along with him a great Train of Servants because a profound Peace reigned over all the Countries through which he designed to pass Seeing I had been educated near his Person and favoured with his Friendship I accompanied him and we parted from Molg as if we had left a Prison The first thing we visited was the Burying-place of the Tartarian Princes The Tombs are situated in Hills which do not hinder a Traveller to behold from afar an infinite number of magnificent Pyramids which overlook the tops of the Mountains From thence coasting along by the Desarts of Belgian we saw the Kingdoms of Tanguth and Ergimul without stopping in any place or making our selves known and took the way to Cambalu where we design'd to make a longer abode As we drew near to that City we were told that Undkan was gone with all his Court to pass the fairest Season of the Year at Cingui a pleasant Town seated on the River Pazantu Seeing it was only for the Court that my Master was going to Cambalu upon this News he directed his Journey towards Cingui The Palace-royal is without the Town and one of the most magnificent in all Tartary The Gardens are vast and curiously cultivated the Waters add unto them a thousand Embellishments the Trees form a charming obscurity which the Sun in many places can scarce penetrate and there one may walk at all hours We discovered the Royal House from a good distance and Zingis fatigu'd with the heat seeing one of the Gates of the Garden open and kept by none had a mind to enter into it and refresh himself some moments pointing with his hand to a place where he commanded us to wait for him Although he had already made a great Journey there was nothing neglected about him and the magnificence of his Habit setting off the lustre of his good Mien one may say that he appear'd to be something more than humane He admired the Beauty of these Gardens which certainly is extraordinary he walk'd in them with pleasure and thought of returning to us when crossing an Alley he saw at the end thereof several persons together and distinguish'd amongst the rest some Women As he is nothing less than fearful he advanc'd with a great deal of boldness and as he drew nearer he perceiv'd that these Women were of the highest Quality by the respect that was shew'd unto them He was desirous to know more of them and therefore walked faster but a Man breaking off from the rest came up to him and looking upon him with a disdainful air Ho! Who art thou said he unto him haughtily that violating the sacred Laws of the place comest insolently to fail in the respect thou owest to the Majesty of the Princess of Tartary Art thou ignorant that no Stranger dareth to appear before her without being introduced according to the usual Customs and is it to brave those who follow her that thou comest thus to expose thy self to our just Fury Zingis was not accustom'd unto such Discourses and this manner of accosting him surpriz'd him His Action appear'd unto him innocent and the Tartars incivility incensing him I am a Man reply'd he who am not born to give an account of what I pretend to do I would justifie my self to the Princess but I do not know how to give that satisfaction to the Subjects of Undkan He who heard Zingis was too haughty not to be incens'd with that Answer 't was Timur whom the Titles of King of Tendur and Son of the Tartarian Queen had swell'd with Pride even to Insolency and though that Character of Grandeur which appear'd over all the Person of the Mongul Prince ought to have stay'd his hand seeing himself back'd in his base Design he drew his Sword and lifted up his Arm to strike Zingis but how fatal had his Rashness like to have prov'd unto him The terrible Zingis prevented him by so heavy a blow on the Head that he laid him quite stun'd at his Feet and had it not been for the thickness of his Head-Tire he would never have afterwards disturb'd the quiet of my Master The Fall of Timur made a great number of the Guards run thither who would have seiz'd upon Zingis He defended himself valiantly but nevertheless could not have preserv'd himself from proving what Vertue hath cause to fear from persons altogether void of it if Undkan had not appear'd in the same Alley At first he was inform'd of the cause of this Disorder and finding it so small he
her when the time of my Departure was come I will not abandon you to the Indiscretion of Hildezar He is Master of all Power here and my Misfortune hath swell'd his Authority My Lord replied she seeing I am near the Princess and seldom come out of her Presence I do not think that I have cause to fear any thing and it is not his Importunity that disquieteth me it is your Life my Lord which will be expos'd to rebellious Arms it is you your self it is that great Heart that burneth with a Desire to Signalize it self Alas my Lord Sympathize with our Weaknesses do not pursue too ardently that Glory which will alwaies follow you and in the heat of Battels forget not the Care you owe to the Preservation of your own Life This Mark of Axione's Tenderness whose fair Eies appear'd moist touched me sensibly That Life which I have Consecrated unto you fair Axione replied I will not be expos'd to so many Dangers as your Goodness perswadeth you but seeing you Ordain me I will take Care of it as of a Thing that you are not willing to lose For you Axione I entrust you to your self resist the Arrogancy of Hildezar at my Return resolve with your self to put an eternal obstacle in the way of his presumptuous Pretensions in giving your self to a Prince that liveth only for you Go my Lord continued the fair Maid whither the Rigour of Fate commandeth you to carry your Arms and if I be Mistress of any of your Interests assure your self that they can never fall into more faithful hands In this manner I took my leave of Axione and having tenderly Recommended her to my Sister I went out of the Palace accompanied with Benzid Othrize and several other Persons of Quality Hildezar said I to that Traytour when he came to receive my last Orders you have been desirous to remain at Kachen remember alwaies that I Reign there and reign justly do not abuse the Power that I have suffer'd you to assume render unto my Sister what you owe unto her Dignity and above all respect Axione all whose Interests are mine Excite no new Broils whilst I go to calm these that are already set on foot I dare assure you that I will return speedily Adieu He answer'd me only with a Salutation and I began to march but not without anxious Apprehensions I may boldly say Almundzar that I rush'd like a Torrent upon the Rebels They were animated by no couragious Captain and their Revolt being only an Effect of Hildezar's Treachery I had no great Trouble or Glory to vanquish Men that were overcome at the first sight of our Standards My Anger permitted some of them to perish for an Example to others and how much soever I was inclin'd to Clemency I could not without Resentment consider that they were the cause of my Absence from Axione In the end almost without the loss of a Man or renewing the least Wound though I did not spare my self I had in less than three Months quieted all things The Conquer'd submitted themselves to my Pleasure and I took the way to Kachen from whence I had received many Letters none of which acquainted me with any thing that could make me suspect the Misery that waited for me But arriving at that Town I neither found Hildezar nor Axione The Traytour had carried her away and how exact soever Thamarize had been in observing her she could perceive nothing and appear'd unto me desperate at the Accident Alzine her self the innocent Daughter of so criminal a Father protested that she had no hand in Hildezar's Action and couragiously offer'd her Blood unto me as an Atonement for the Offence I had receiv'd I assur'd her as afflicted as I was that not confounding her with the Traytor that gave her Life I would have held her guiltless of all In fine Almundzar without staying at Kachen I run through all Thibet and even exposed my self to dismal Wandrings in the howling Desarts of Xama and after having consum'd a great deal of time in an useless Quest I return'd to Kachen to settle Things for a longer Voyage entrusting the Government to my Sister leaving her to the Conduct of Benzid and Othriz in important Affairs I departed from Thibet unable to live without Axione I saw almost all Asia I met with Adventures which I do not relate unto you because they have no direct Relation to my Love and after a vain Search of two Years being in Tartary and passing through a Forest that pertaineth to the King of Ergimul I found Hildezar at the Root of a Tree pierc'd with several mortal Wounds in a condition worthy of his Treasons He breathed as yet and easily knew me His Misery asswag'd my Anger and I went to help him No my Lord said he You ought not to lavish your Goodness for a Man that hath but too much abused it I am Guilty nor is it Death that extorts this Acknowledgment from me and it 's a great while since a just Remorse hath executed Vengeance upon me for my Treacheries This Death is too sweet for a Man that hath merited the worst of Punishments seeing it permitteth me to ask Pardon of my Master At these Words he would have made an Effort to raise himself upon his Knees but I hinder'd him and ask'd News of Axione He told me with a mournful Sigh That he had been almost two Years separated from her That after he had made her wander up and down a long time he was assaulted in Tartary by persons that carried her away That after that he had search'd for her to no purpose and that the same Robbers had now left him in the Condition in which I found him because he knew them and endeavoured to make them confess what they had done with Axione After that he breath'd his last and having caus'd my Followers to cover his Body with a little Earth I came straight hither where in the end I unexpectedly found Axione I made my self known to Undkan I have ever continued to see Axione she loveth me I am certain of it but her severe Vertue will not permit her to consent to my Happiness till she know her self perfectly she inform'd me that Hildezar carried her very privily and by a subtle Stratagem that he did not shew himself to her till long after their departure from Kachen that he had conjur'd her to pardon his Love that made him sacrifice all for her that she reproached him bitterly with his Treachery but that nothing could make him alter his Resolutions and that in the end She was violently taken from him in Tartary and sold to some Tartars who gave her to the Princess Taxila Philing left off speaking Almundzar admir'd his Generosity and Axione's Vertue Afterwards returning to the Interests of Zingis they discours'd of the Troops that he had about Cambalu and of the measures that were most proper to be taken to avert the Misfortune that
encouraged him from the Windows with all that Grief and Rage hath most violent She blasphemed Heaven and Men and even revil'd her Husband falling into Convulsions that betoken'd the cruelty of her Passions Whilst Zingis Philing Zerbin the Unknown and the Mogols with a part of the Tartars compleated the Victory Almundzar seeing the Princesse's Apartment without Guards run thither and found her frighted at the noise which she heard without knowing the Cause thereof Ah Almundzar said she to him Is the King of the Mogols dead No Madam answered the Tartar and I hope you shall see him shortly in a Condition to put an end to all your Alarm Then he related to her all that had past and seeing she was no Lover of Blood the Death of Timur did not please her how great soever the Advantage was that she receiv'd by it But of all that which touch'd her in Favour of Zingis nothing had so great an Influence upon her as the glorious Action which had afforded the Tartars so great a cause of Admiration O Heaven said she If Zingis persecuted and ready to succumb under the pitiless Sword of his Enemies defendeth the Father of Taxila against those whom Generosity arm'd to save him from the Fury of Vndkan what doth not she owe to so strong Marks of so pure a Love Axione being interested for her Lover and for a Prince whom she tenderly lov'd reassumed Hope with the Princess and they redoubled their Vows Fortune had entirely declar'd against Zamar The loss of her dear Timur was followed with the Death of several thousands of Souldiers The King of Cerguth Tenguth Ergimul and Vng fighting faintly without Valour and Courage perish'd by the Arms of Zingis and Philing and the Tartars that came from the Suburbs were constrained to give back Zingis had no design upon Vndkan's Crown Seeing that Prince stunn'd with the Disorder re-enter his Palace he embrac'd the King of Thibet with whom the affectionate Zerbin made him acquainted and after having said unto him all that a just Acknowledgment can dictate to a generous Heart he turn'd toward the valiant Man that had fought with so much advantage and seeing his Head discover'd he knew him to be the Prince of Brema Then it was that their mutual Embraces express'd their Friendship Zingis prais'd the Mogols and Tartars that had serv'd him with all the affection that their Valour oblig'd him to His Friends advised him to go into the Palace but whatsoever Impatience he had to see Taxila he judg'd that out of respect to her he ought not to leave Vndkan and retir'd to the same House where he had lain sometime absconded Philing and Omir accompanied him thither and Zerbin took care of the remainder of the Mogols But scarce had they been two Hours in that place when Almundzar came to seek them Come valiant Princes said he to them with immoderate transports of Joy come and enjoy the Fruits of your Valour you have no more enemies to fear Fury hath executed upon Zamar what your Arms have done upon the rest She is dead and Vndkan freed from the Bondage in which her Artifices had enthral'd him recalleth that Vertue which she had banished out of his Soul and with ardent Breathings desireth a Reconciliation with you These Words which inspir'd them with Hopes of an agreeable Revolution did not at first find a perfect belief in those to whom they were address'd but in the end they were oblig'd to give Faith unto them and follow Almundzar to the Palace Peace was already re-established there all the People made Vows for Zingis there were none found lamenting for Zamar and much less for her wicked Son Coming to Vndkan Zingis found there the Princess and Philing the charming Axione The King of Tartary with open Arms received the King of the Mogols and that Prince humbled himself respectfully to receive his Embraces Will you forget the Cruelties that cover me with an eternal Shame My Lord said he to Vndkan and can you pardon me for what the unjust Empire that a Woman had usurp'd over my Weakness hath made me commit against you notwithstanding the many Services that you had so generously render'd unto me By your first Actions you merited the Crown to Tartary and all that you have added unto it and by preserving my Life for the sake of Taxila you deserve also that Princess I give her unto you Zingis and with her Tartary and all that is subjected to my Scepter being sensible of no other Pleasure than in seeing you two Reign together At these words he took the Princess by the Hand who full of Joy receiv'd that of Zingis My Lord said he to Vndkan Your Goodness surpasseth infinitely my Hopes and the Merit of my Services I receive with all due respect the precious Advantage of being united to the Princess but for the Crown of Tartary I will not joyn mine to it but to the end that I may make you Master of both Reign my Lord Reign in Peace and receive my Homages No no interrupted Vndkan I have been King too long since I have been guilty of so great Injustice in that quality whilst I Reign in you you shall Reign for me and I will reap from thence both Pleasure and Glory Then he asked Pardon of the King of Thibet prais'd his Generosity and was perfectly reconcil'd to him But casting his Eyes upon the Prince of Brema who had not yet chang'd his Habits he knew him to be that terrible Man against whom Zingis had defended him He was somewhat mov'd at the sight of him but the rising Vertue which begun to chase from his Soul all that approach'd to Vice would not permit him to entertain any Resentment He embrac'd him then as he would have done a Son The King of the Mogols would not suffer you to take Vengeance on me Omir said he unto him and I will not find fault with one that attack'd me in so just a Cause Omir answer'd with a great deal of submission Almundzar received also new Marks of Vndkan's Friendship and this King spoke with much sweetness to all those that took Arms for Zingis Mean-time Love triumph'd and Zingis and Taxila perceiv'd it mutually in their contented Eyes and received from one another the most tender Assurances thereof Philing told Axione all that he had suffered during a few Days absence and conjur'd that scrupulous person to be somewhat less fix'd in her Resolutions and to yield at last to make them happy She thanked him for what he had done for Zingis and after this first Interview the Princes having received some slight Wounds that had need to be look'd after went out together with Almundzar They were not considerable enough to oblige them to keep their Chamber and they prepar'd themselves to visit the Princess when the Prince of Brema spoke in this manner to the King of Thibet I know not my Lord whether what hath happen'd unto me in your Dominions will draw
conducted me to Thibet where I abide that I may evite greater Evils unknown to all your People without Protection and without Friends I have already past some sad Days here but Madam they will be hereafter more pleasant and the Happiness that I have this Day received will make me forget all my past Pains Thamirize looked upon me attentively all the while I spoke and offering her hand to me with an Air full of Goodness I am sorry said she to me that Fortune hath been so ungrateful to your Merit as to expose you to any cross Adventures but at the same time I am glad that she affordeth me an Occasion to assist you You may abide with us and nothing that dependeth on us shall be wanting to make your Life easie I cast my self at the Princesse's Feet transported with Love and delight and having thanked her for the Favour she did me I entertain'd her with a recital of my Adventure as my Fancy at that instant dictated to me still keeping within the bounds of probability and told her that my Name was Irmise This was the success of my Stratagem of Love I abode in the Palace among Thamirize's Maids and forgot no Precautions that might serve to conceal my Secret and to continue me in a quiet possession of the Advantage that I enjoyed In a little time I acquir'd a considerable rank in the Princesse's Friendship she gave me a thousand innocent marks thereof and seem'd delighted to hear me talk but my greatest trouble was to hide my Love which received new augmentations every moment I had this advantage in my Happiness that it did not excite any Envy against me and that all Thamirize's Maids were my Friends Alzine the Daughter of one Hildezar a Fugitive and the cause of the King's Absence did often bewail her Father's Crime before the Princess who inform'd me that it was Axione who had obliged their Brother to leave his Kingdom and she was not a little joy'd when I told her news of that lovely Axione My greatest care was not to abuse the Princesse's Goodness by allowing too great a liberty to my Eyes I shunn'd her Presence at those Hours that Decency forbids us to see Women in I never went to her Chamber till she was dress'd and came out of it always before they put her to Bed In this manner then I past my time the first Month but I could not expect to remain still without trouble The absence of the King and Hildezar who was the most considerable after that Prince swell'd the Courage of several persons that dared not to pretend to any thing before For believing that neither of them would ever return and seeing the Princess destin'd to Reign after Philing Othrize and Benzide who were of the quality of Princes appeared in love with her and declar'd it openly The King had judged them capable to give advice to Thamirize the youngest of them being above 30 Years of Age at his departure from Thibet recommended unto them the State and a Sister whom he dearly loved and they made a tyrannical use of this Recommendation Though Thamirize was desirous to shun all Men these two had Priviledges that she could not oppose As soon as they knew one another to be Rivals Jealousie set them at odds they had both Pride and very little Merit and a Soul so delicate as that of the Princess could not be touch'd in their Favour For me I soon perceiv'd that their Love was interested and void of respect They had heard of my Adventures and seeing the Credit that I had with Thamirize both of them endeavour'd to gain me to their side and entreated me to promote the Interest of their Loves As they both made the same Harangues unto me I return'd to both a like Answer My Lord said I to Benzide who was oldest and as I believ'd wisest the Princess is too judicious her self to ask Advice of me concerning your Proposals but though she should do it and address her self to me I would send her back to consult her own Heart and Reason which are alone capable to regulate the Sentiments of such a Person as she But seeing you honour me with your Confidence permit me to tell you that of the humour I take her to be declared Lovers will meet with no good Reception from her especially in the King's absence Philing replied Benzide will never return to Kachen and the cause that carried him hence will doubtless prove his ruine It is not that which perplexeth me and all the cause of my disquiet is that I am ignorant of the difference that Thamirize putteth between Othrize and me I believe said I that she putteth none at all Well then continued Benzide not well satisfied with me I must make a difference and I hope shall be able enough to do it He left me and the Princess perceiving that he went away vox'd approach'd to rescue me out of a thoughtfulness into which this Discourse had put me Are you my Rival Irmise said she to me smiling and hath Benzide been making a Love-declaration to you Ah! how would I be obliged to your Beauty if it had freed me from his Importunities I am only Benzide's Confident Madam answered I He solicites me to promote his Interest with you and wisheth that I could render him agreeable unto you My dear Irmise replied she sighing I fear Benzide and Othriz will perplex me sadly Nor was this Fear groundless and never two ambitious Men push'd their Timerity to a greater height For me I liv'd with more equitable but no less disquieting Desires The Beauties of Thamirize flatter'd the present time but they gave me no Hopes for the future I was guilty of deceiving her by a criminal Artifice and however pure my Intentions were I had cause to believe that she would not leave my Fallacy unpunished After I had satisfied blindly the first motions of my Love these Reflections rack'd my Soul the least look of the Princess alarm'd me I still fancied that she read the Truth in my Heart and that she had discover'd my Sex This plung'd me into so profound a Melancholy that I was often in a doubt whether I should declare my Crime and expose my self to her just Indignation and receive the Punishment that I merited or banish my self from her and preserve my Crime eternally secret These Agitations made a great impression both on my Body and Mind Thamirize who lov'd me perceived this alteration with Grief Irmise said she to me one Evening when I was alone with her I am thinking on you though I believe you do not think on me It is doubtless the ill Fortune that brought you into Thibet that inspireth you with that Melancholy which I cannot see without trouble and which I wish I was able to remove at any rate Madam replied I Since you have sweetned or rather fix'd that cruel Fortune which crost my tenderer Years it is impossible that I can be one moment without