venge. He one night resolved to poison the queen, and to make Zadig die by the bow-string; his revenge was to be executed at break of day, and the order was given to a merciless eunuch, the ready executioner of his vengeance, There was, at this time, a little dwarf in the king's chamber, who was dumb, but not deaf. He was suffered to go where he pleased; and was a witness of whatever passed in secret, without being more suspected than any domestic animal. This little dwarf had an extraordinary affection both for the queen and Zadig. He heard, with equal horror and surprize, the orders given for their death; but how to prevent those orders from being put in execution, as the time was so short, was his principal concern. It is true he could not write; but then he had learned to draw, and knew how to form a resemblance. Accordingly, he spent part of the night in delineating on a piece of paper what he wished to inform the queen. His design represented the king agitated with fury, who stood in a corner of the picture, giving orders to his eunuch; a bow-string and a cup were placed on a table; and in the midst of the picture was the queen expiring in the arms of her women, and Zadig strangled at her feet. In the horizon he represented a rising sun, to shew that this horrible execution was to be performed by break of day. As soon as he had finished this piece, he ran to one of Astarte's women, awaked her, and made her understand that she was that very instant to carry it to the queen.

In the middle of the night there was a knocking at Zadig's door; he was awaked, and a note presented him from the queen; he doubted whether it was not

in a dream, and opened the letter with a trembling hand: but what was his surprize, and who can express his consternation and despair, when he read these words- Fly, dear Zadig, at this very instant, in which they are going to take away your life! Fly, I conjure you, in the name of that fatal passion with which I have long struggled and which I at last confess, when on the point of expiating it by my death. Although I am not conscious of having committed any crime, I find that I am doomed to suffer as a traitor.'

Zadig had scarce power to speak. He ordered his friend Cador to be called, and gave him the paper without uttering a word. Cador pressed him to obey the contents, and immediately take the road to Memphis. If you should dare go in search of the queen,' said he, 'you will hasten her death; if you should speak to the king, you will infallibly ruin her. I will myself endeavour to avert the stroke which threatens her; it will be sufficient for you to provide for your own safety. It shall be instantly spread abroad, that you are gone to the Indies; and as soon as the pursuit of you shall be given up, I will follow after, and inform you of every occurrence.'

Cador immediately ordered two of the swiftest dromedaries to be ready at one of the private doors of the palace, and made Zadig mount that which was to carry him, though he was scarce able to sit up. He had but one trusty servant to attend him; and Cador, overwhelmed with grief, in a few moments lost sight of his friend.

This illustrious fugitive, having reached the summit of a hill from whence he might take a view of Babylon, turned his eyes towards the queen's palace, and immediately fainted away: when he recovered his senses, his cheeks were bathed with tears, and he eagerly wished for death. At length, having employed his thoughts in contemplating the deplorable fate of the most amiable woman and greatest queen upon earth, he for a moment turned his views on himself, and exclaimed-What, then, is human life! O virtue, virtue! what hast thou availed me! I have been basely betrayed by two females: yet a third, who is innocent, and ten thousand times more lovely, is on the point of being murdered for her partiality to me. Whatever good I have done, has been to me a constant source of disappointment and misery: I have been only raised to the height of grandeur, that my fall might be the greater down the horrible precipice of misfortune. Had I been as wicked and abandoned as others, I should, like them, have been happy!' With a mind agitated by these fatal reflections, his eyes covered with the veil of grief, the paleness of death on his countenance, and his soul plunged in the blackest despair, he continued his journev towards Egypt.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE WIFE BEATEN.

ZADIG directed his course by the stars. The constellation Orion, and the shining Dog-star, guided him towards the pole of Canopæa. He reflected with admiration on those vast globes of light which appear to our eyes no more than faint sparks; while the earth, which in reality is but an imperceptible point in nature, seems to our fond imaginations far more great and noble. He then reflected on the whole race of mankind, and considered them, truly, as insects that devour each other on an atom of earth. This dea seemed greatly to alleviate his misfortunes, by making him retrace the nothingness of his own being, and even that of Babylon. His capacious soul now soared into infinity, and contemplated, while detached from her earthly partner, the immutable order of the universe. But the moment he returned to himself, and again searched into his own heart, he began to consider that Astarte might possibly have died for him: the universe vanished from his sight, and he beheld nothing throughout all nature but Astarte dying, and Zadig unfortunate. As he gave himself up to this flux and reflux of sublime philosophy and distressing sorrow, he insensibly arrived on the frontiers of Egypt; and his faithful attendant was already in the first hamlet, seeking a lodging. Zadig, in the mean time, approached the surrounding gardens, when he saw, at a small distance from the highway, a woman in tears, calling heaven and earth to her assistance, and a man in a violent rage pursuing after her. He now came up with her, and she fell prostrate before him, imploring his forgiveness; but he gave her only blows and reproaches. By the violence of the Egyptian, and the reiterated entreaties for pardon uttered by the lady, Zadig judged that the one was jealous, and the other unfaithful. But when he beheld the exquisite beauty of the woman, and considered that she bore some little resemblance to the unhappy Astarte, he felt himself filled with compas

sion for her, and horror for the Egyptian. 'For Heaven's sake, Sir, assist me!' cried she to Zadig, with the deepest sighs; 'deliver me from the hands of the most barbarous man living ! Save me; save my life!' At these words, Zadig ran to throw himself between the lady and this barbarian; and as he had some knowledge of the Egyptian language, said to him, in that tongue-Dear Sir, if you have any humanity, let me beg you to pay some regard to her beauty and weakness: how can you be so enraged at the masterpiece of nature, who lies at your feet, and has no defence but her tears?'- Ah, ah?' cried the jealous man, 'you are, I suppose, one of her admirers, and I will be revenged on you this moment.' So saying, he left the lady, whom he had before held by the hair; and, taking his lance, attempted to wound the stranger. Zadig, however, who was in cool blood, easily avoided the blow aimed by the enraged Egyptian, and seized the lance near the point. One strove to draw it back, the other to wrest it from him; and, in the scuffle, it broke in their hands. The Egyptian then drew his sabre; and Zadig arming himself with his, they attacked each other. This gave a hundred precipitate blows; that warded them off with address. Meanwhile the lady sat on the ground, adjusting her head-dress, and looking at the combatants. The Egyptian was more robust than his adversary, but Zadig was the most expert. This acted like a person whose arm was conducted by his judgment; that like a man whose passion made him fight at random. In short, Zadig soon closed, and disarmed him; and while the Egyptian became more furious, and attempted to throw himself upon him,