of the Court, but those Impressions which it was hoped would be as lasting as they were salutary, were by Degrees soon dissipated. His Love for Lenertoula appear'd to have been like a sudden Fire, ready to burst out with greater Vehemence. At first he was sorry for his using her so abruptly; than he began to frown on the Advisers of her disgraceful Removal, and recall'd Kelirieu and others who had sided with his injured Favorite. Kalontil, Governor to the Prince, the presumptive Heir of the Crown, was banished from Court, for Reasons which were never thought fit to be made publick. Some imputed it to his endangering his Pupil, by having brought him to his sick Father, without any such order, and without Attendance. Others charge him with a Project for aggrandizing himself upon the King's Death. But the most knowing conclude, that he must have spoken ill of the Favorite, in order to set the young Prince against her. Zeokinizul seemed afterwards mightily to affect Solitude, nor did even Hunting itself please him, unless when he went without Company; which gave Occasion to suspect, that there were some private Meetings carried on in order to a Reconciliation with the Favourite, and to which Kelirieu was only privy. At last, weary of constraining his Temper, he complained openly of the Abuse put upon him at a Time when he was incapable of Reflection, and of the Indignity offered to his Honour,
in urging him with terrible Threatnings to disgracefully remove, and expose to Contempt and Violences, a Person whose only Fault towards him was an Excess of Love. He restored her to her Rank, Titles, and Privileges; but openly declaring, that all this was only to prevent her former Commerce with him proving her utter Ruin; for that he was determined not to keep her any longer as a Mistress. Yet notwithstanding these Protestations, private Measures were forming in order to procure as fond a Reconciliation as ever. The Reality of these Assurances were soon illustrated, when he broke the solemn Promise he had made to the Mollak, and recall'd his dear Lenertoula. But this was too slender a Reparation for what she had suffered. She required of Zeokinizul, a more complete and signal Triumph. Immediately the pious, but over-zealous Mollak was dismissed the Court, and ordered to his Mosque. A Visier also whom the Favourite particularly hated, having always opposed her Amour, was ordered personally to declare to her, that Zeokinizul again acknowledged her Mistress of his Heart, and only waited her Orders, and a List of her Enemies, in order to revenge her to the utmost. The Visier obeyed; but at the same Time he took secure Measures that he might not be upon the fatal List, and to prevent this imperious Woman from abusing the King's Weakness, an infallible Poison which
he found Means to have given her, worked at the very Instant that he went to perform his Commission. As she was soon violently seiz'd with the Approaches of Death, it was believed by the Generality, who had no Notion of foul Play, that Lenertoula had been overcome by an Excess of Joy, which is always more forcible than that of Grief, especially in Women. Upon this Notion, a Kofiran Wit made four Verses, which may be thus rendered in English.
'Tis needless now my famous Blood to name,
This Act alone will immortalize my Fame.
My King, on gaining Life, return'd my Pow'r,
For which I dy'd his Glory to restore.
It was thought for a long Time, that this would prove an inconsolable Loss to Zeokinizul. He seemed to have no Ease, no Satisfaction, but in heaping Gifts and Favours on all Lenertoula's Relations, to manifest how dear she was to him. However, the Marriage of his only Son, to a Daughter of the King of Jerebi, his Relation, the Magnificence and Diversions at the Celebration of the Ceremony, and the Congratulations from all Parts, at last gave a chearful Turn to his Disposition; and he wisely began to think, that the Honours he conferr'd on the Sister of his dear Mistress, besides sixteen
thousand Tomans which he gave to her Husband; together with a tender Remembrance, which he vow'd always to retain for her Ashes, was amply fulfilling all that the most tender Passion could require. His Courtiers, who were surprised to see his Heart continue for a Time disengag'd and inaccessible to any new Passion, were in daily Expectation of seeing the Liberty which he had so happily recovered, offered up to some youthful Beauty. But the Court Ladies strove so eagerly for this Prize, that their over Forwardness made him averse to having an Intrigue with any. They were ignorant that Resistance inflames Desire, and he at that Time scorned Enjoyments too easily procured. Kelirieu in the mean Time grew uneasy at his Master's Indifference, as it deprived him of the most substantial Emoluments of his Post. He saw his Favours entirely depended on his being subservient to the King's Pleasures, so that he spared for nothing in order to restore that Employment which he had executed so much to his Master's Satisfaction, and his own Advantage. The Nuptials of the young Prince opened a Way to it. Nothing can equal the Joy, Magnificence, and Splendour, which appeared on that Occasion. The City of Kofir distinguished itself above all others in the Kingdom; for as it has not its equal for Largeness and Riches, so
it surpassed them all in the Eclat of its Zeal and Affection for the Royal Family. In twelve of the most remarkable Parts of the City, there were large and superb Saloons, where all without Distinction, were admitted to dance. There was a Profusion of Refreshments of all Kinds. The best Musicians had Orders to attend. The Sound of such an infinite Number of Instruments, accompanied with harmonious Voices, added to the Murmurs of the Fountains of Wine which were playing every where, inspired such a rapturous Gaiety to numberless Crouds of People, that no Stranger, however, acquainted with the Affairs of this Kingdom, could, at that Time of excessive Mirth, have imagined, that it had for many Years been involved in a bloody and expensive War.
This Season of universal Joy, Love chose to captivate again Zeokinizul, after such an Interval of boasted Liberty. The chief Inhabitants of Kofir, who are a distinct Body from the Nobility, the Magistracy, and the Citizens, had decorated in the most superb Manner the Sessions House for a Ball, to which they invited the King and royal Pair. Every one was admitted in their Mask Habits, to give the Citizens an Opportunity of shewing their Wives the Magnificence, Gallantries, and Diversions of the Court, which at other Times is out of their Power. Accordingly
Zeokinizul, attended by all his Courtiers, came to this Ball, in Habits as strange as they were elegant. The Sight of such a beautiful Assembly, struck him with a delightful Surprise. Here was no painted Allurements, no artificial Charms, such as he was daily conversant with in his Palace. All here was pure Nature, which seem'd to have chosen this Day to present him with a Sight of her most beautiful Productions. The Beauty, the Air, the Motion, and Youth of these lovely Objects was so enchanting, that they looked like the heavenly Houris. Zeokinizul was enchanted at the Sight of such a brilliant Assembly, his Eyes wandered from Beauty to Beauty, till they seemed at once to fix on a young Lady of a distinguished Appearance. She was in the Habit of an Amazon, with her Bow and Quiver hanging at her Shoulders. Her flaxen Hair, which shone with Diamonds, floated in Ringlets, and her charming Breast half naked, ravish'd the Sight. "Lovely Huntress," said the Monarch, "unhappy those whom your Arrows pierce, their Wounds are Mortal."—— This Speech gave the Charmer a fair Field for returning such an Answer as might inflame Zeokinizul; but whether she did not dream of such a Conquest, or Presence of Mind failed her, she ran and hid herself among the Maskers. This Disappointment was in some Measure relieved by a Company of
twenty young Persons, who began a Dance, which was much in Vogue at that Time, but first invented in the King of Alniob's Country. They perform'd it so gracefully, that he stood like a Man deprived of his Senses. The Charms of each of these beautiful Dancers, threw him into his first Hesitation, which would soon have been ended, had any one of them uncovered her Face. It is past all Doubt, that the Heart of Zeokinizul, which longed for an Object, would have received the Impression with Transport. He went to one of the Ends of the Saloon, where Women of an ordinary Rank were seated in a Kind of Amphitheatre. Their Dress was in nothing inferior to those of a higher Rank; and besides, they had those fresh healthful Countenances, which being the Result of Temperance, and a plain Way of living, was not to be found among the Quality. Zeokinizul stood viewing them, but his Hour was come. Love waited for him under a Mask, and she who wore it was now going to let this mischievous Deity fly into Zeokinizul's Heart. She was a young Woman, of a brown Complexion, lately married to a freedman, who having deserv'd his Master's Favour by nocturnal Services, had, together with his Liberty, obtained a Post among those who robb'd the Prince, and plunder'd the People. They are called Omeriserufs, or Rogues of the second Class. She, whom Love had already appointed for