the affectionate Kofirans to Zeokinizul, wherever he came. Lenertoula's accompanying him to the Army, seemed not to be minded. The King, the King, was the Cry, and they would see nothing but the King.
This Ardour induced the King unalterably to persevere in his Resolution of committing the Welfare of so loyal a People to none but himself, and during the Remainder of his Reign, whenever he has been advised to ease himself of the Fatigue of Government, by deputing some faithful and able Minister, this has always been his generous Answer, "The Kofirans Love me so as to shed their Blood in my Cause, and they are so dear to me, that I cannot do less in Return than to watch myself over their Welfare." There was not, among all the Generals of the Age, one of more Bravery and Experience than he whom Zeokinizul had appointed to serve under him. Tho' he was a Foreigner, he was not the less belov'd by the Kofirans; for as he was perfectly acquainted with their Customs and Temper, he modell'd his Behaviour accordingly. This great Man was famous for Military Qualifications, only, if so noble an Excess may be term'd a Fault, he was perhaps too brave. But this Intrepidity, which in any other Country would have hindered his Preferment, promoted it among the Kofirans, and raised his Character with that People, who are all Fire and Spirit. His Name was Vameric. He has been reproached with interrupting the Actions of this Campaign, which was not so glorious
as its Opening had promised. It is certain, that this General, to make Zeokinizul more in Love with War, and to animate him by great Successes, had weakened the other Armies, the better to enable that under his Command to perform some signal Exploits, which gave the Enemy an Opportunity to make an unexpected Irruption. A strong Army of the Queen of Ghinoer, forced the Passes of the Nhir, and penetrated into a Province of the Kofirans. This Misfortune stopp'd Zeokinizul in the midst of his rapid Conquests. He chose about twenty eight, or thirty thousand of his best Troops, which he would lead in Person, to reinforce a small Number, who, being far inferior to the Enemy, had been obliged to shelter themselves under a Fortress. To encourage these brave Men in their long and painful Marches, he travelled at their Rate; but he had no sooner reached a Town near the Place appointed for the Junction of his Forces, when he was seized with a Distemper which had a fatal Appearance.
Lenertoula, who never would leave the Prince, was the Cause of it; for how contrary to all Reason is it to attribute it to the Fatigue of the March, Zeokinizul having been inured to much greater in his continual Huntings. As all the Courtiers in this Kingdom are Officers, and as the Expedition these thirty thousand Soldiers were upon, required all their Precaution and Activity, none but the Favourite was left for the Monarch to divert himself with. But Conversation
between two Lovers, who are continually together, would soon become insipid, if they confined themselves to common Topics. These Lovers were not so Phlegmatic, they ardently repeated their Protestations to love each other with an eternal Constancy. They mutually urged that the present Vehemence of their Passions, was a Pledge of its unalterable Permanency. Then they proceeded to sensible Proofs, and demonstrated, that the Conjunction of two Bodies is an Emblem of the inseperable Union of two Souls. With mutual Ardour, they repeated the Demonstration; till at last the Demonstrator quite spent, sunk under the Fatigue of the Arguments. In this Manner Zeokinizul and Lenertoula amused themselves, when he was informed of the Barbarity with which his Enemies carried on the War in his Country, at which he was deeply affected. The Impossibility of quickly meeting them, made him very impatient; the Account of their Forces added to this Uneasiness; in fine, Joy, Grief, Hope and Fear, distracted his Heart, and the Shock of such opposite Motions was too strong for his attenuated Body. A violent Disorder seiz'd upon his whole Constitution, which was succeeded by such a Fever, whose first Symptoms seem'd to presage Death.
This melancholy News was soon spread over the whole Kingdom. The Kofirans seem'd quite stupified at it; they fell into an inexpressible Grief and Consternation at the Thoughts of losing such a Sovereign, and at
such a Juncture. The Queen, who by this Time had seen her Folly, and heartily repented of the superstitious Credulity, by which she had lost the Embraces of a real Husband in seeking those of an imaginary one, left her Palace, and, prompted by Grief and Love, flew to the sick King. She was still in Hopes, that the Deity meant only to alarm the Nation; and therefore she was for forwarding by her Presence, and deserving by her kind Offices, the happy Return of his Affection, which she did not doubt would be the Effect of this Correction. All the People used to gather about the Governor of Kofir's House, and flock to the Palace, where Expresses arriv'd every Hour, shewing such Concern, that their Fate seem'd to depend on the Death or Recovery of Zeokinizul. Never was there such an universal Affliction; never was a Father more lamented by affectionate Children. They looked at each other with Tears in their Eyes, and could not speak for sighing. Paleness and Dejection sat on every Countenance. The Artificers had no Heart to work. All Diversions and Shews were suspended, and that vast and splendid City, which seemed the Center of Gaiety and Pleasure, was now changed into a general Scene of Silence and Melancholy. Yet it was observed, that the Imans and Dervises did not in the least sympathize with this publick Consternation. Some will be apt to imagine, that these pious Men had a divine Intimation that the King would not die. But whoever knows them, will much rather conclude,
that, like Physicians who are never better pleased than in Times of general Sickness, they only concealed a selfish Joy under the Mask of an affected Calmness; and it is really scarce credible what Advantage they drew from this public Calamity. The King, being given over by the Physicians, seemed to be lost without miraculous Relief from Heaven, and as the meanest of his Subjects was not wanting in his Endeavours to procure it, so that Sesems, which in that Country are Devotions of about a Quarter of an Hour, perform'd by the Imans, are known to have risen to such an Extortion, as not to be said under two Tomans each.
During the first Days of his Illness, Lenertoula never left the royal Patient's Bed, who also protested, that Death had nothing bitter to him, but the leaving his Mistress and his Subjects. But no sooner was the Monarch sensible of his desperate Condition, than a Cloud of awful Ideas broke in upon his Mind. The Principles he had imbibed by Education, revived in his Conscience. He reflected on all his Conduct to the present Time, and the Thoughts of his being on the Point of passing into another Life, impress'd on him strongly the Conditions on which his Religion offers eternal Happiness. All Kelirieu's Care to conceal these penitential Dispositions, could not hinder their being known among the Courtiers. The Kam Kertras, Grandson to the Kam of Anserol, late Regent, at the Instance of his Father, who was a very religious Prince, resolv'd to make Use of
them, in order to restore the Queen to her Rights, and deprive the wicked Lenertoula of her Usurpations. Taking with him a Mollak, equally venerable for his Birth and Piety, he went to the sick King's Apartment. Kelirieu knowing how much it concerned both him and her whom he served to hinder this Visit, dared to refuse them Admittance, under Pretence that the King was going to sleep, and would see no Body. Although the Kam and the Mollak plainly saw through the Deceit, yet Regard to the melancholy Juncture, made them quietly withdraw, in Hopes of a more lucky Opportunity, which yet they never would have found, had they contented themselves with such Excuses. They returned the same Day, and Kelirieu gave them the same Answer, which provoked the young Duke beyond Measure, being naturally very fiery. What, said he, with a threatning Air, shall you, who are no better than a Lacquey, dare to deny Admittance to your Master's nearest Relation? and at once kick'd open the Door, and went forward into the Apartment, followed by the Mollak.