"'Selim,' replied she seriously, 'I have no secret for you, and you shall have none for me, if you please. How far are you advanced?'——'Almost to the end of the novel'——'And with whom?' said she earnestly——'You know Marteza'—'Yes, sure; she is a very amiable woman.' 'Well then, after having in vain tried all means to please you, I turned to that side. I was wished for above half a year; two interviews levell'd the outworks, a third will compleat my happiness; and this very night Marteza expects me to supper. Her conversation is amusing, light, and a little caustic; but, that excepted, she is the best creature in the world. A person transacts his little affairs better with those giggling women, than with those lofty dames, who.'——'But, my Lord,' interrupted Cydalisa with a down-cast look, 'in complimenting you on your choice, may one observe to you, that Marteza is not new, and that before you, she has reckoned lovers?'——'What is that to me, madam?' replied I. 'If Marteza loves me sincerely, I look on myself as her first. But the hour of my appointment draws near, permit me.'——'One word more, my Lord. Is it really true that Marteza loves you?——'I believe it.'——'And you love her?' added Cydalisa.——'Madam,' answered I, ''tis you that have thrown me into the arms of Marteza: I need say no more to you.'——I was departing, but Cydalisa pull'd me by my Doliman, and turned back in a hurry.——'Does madam want to speak with me? Has she any commands for me?'——'No, Sir, how, are you there still? I thought you were a good way off by this time.'——'Madam, I will double my pace.'——'Selim'——'Cydalisa.'——'Then you are going?'——'Yes, madam.'——'Ah! Selim, to whom do you sacrifice me? Was not Cydalisa's esteem of greater value than the favors of a Marteza?'——'Without doubt, madam,' replied I, 'if I had nothing more than esteem for you. But I loved you.'——'It is not so,' cried she with transport: 'if you had loved me, you would have distinguished my real sentiments; you would have been prepossessed with them, you would have flattered yourself, that your perseverance would in time get the better of my pride: but you grew tired, you have abandoned me, and perhaps in the very moment'——At this word Cydalisa stopt short, a sigh slipt from her, and her eyes were wet.—'Speak, madam,' said I, 'make an end. If my tenderness lasted still, notwithstanding your rigorous treatment, could you.'——'I can do nothing, you do no longer love me, and Marteza waits for you.'——'If Marteza was indifferent to me; if Cydalisa was dearer to me than ever, what would you do?'—'It would be folly to explain myself on suppositions.'——'Cydalisa, I beseech you to answer me, as if I had supposed nothing. If Cydalisa was constantly the most lovely of her sex in my eyes; and if I never had the least design on Marteza; once again what would you do?'——'What I have always done, ingrateful man,' answered at length Cydalisa: 'I would love you.'—'And Selim adores you,' said I, falling on my knees, and kissing her hands which I water'd with my tears. Cydalisa was struck dumb, this unexpected change threw her into the utmost confusion: I took advantage of her disorder, and our reconciliation was sealed by certain marks of tenderness, which she had not power to refuse."
"And what did the good natured Ostaluk say to this?" interrupted Mangogul. "Doubtless he allowed his dear half to be generous to a man, to whom he was indebted for his lieutenancy of the Spahi's."
"Prince," replied Selim, "Ostaluk shewed great gratitude, whilst I was not listened to; but no sooner was I made happy, but he became troublesome, ill-humour'd, insupportable to me, and brutal to his wife. Not content with disturbing us in person, he caused us to be watched, we were betrayed, and Ostaluk, convinced of his pretended dishonour, had the impudence to challenge me to a duel. We fought in the great park of the Seraglio: I gave him two wounds, and obliged him to own himself indebted to me for his life.
"While he was under cure of his wounds, I never quitted his wife: but the first use that he made of his recovery, was to part us and ill-use Cydalisa. She sent me a pathetic account of her unhappy situation: I proposed carrying her off, to which she consented, and our jealous pate, returning from the chase, wherein he attended the Sultan, was vastly surprized to find himself a widower. Ostaluk, instead of giving vent to his passion in useless complaints against the author of the rape, instantly meditated revenge.
"I had Cydalisa in a country house, two leagues from Banza; and every other night I stole out of town, and went to Cisara. Mean while Ostaluk set a price on the head of his false one, bribed my servants, and was let into my park. That evening I was enjoying the refreshing breeze there with Cydalisa; we were got to the remoter end of a dark walk, and I was on the point of lavishing the most tender caresses on her, when an invisible hand pierced her breast with a ponyard before my eyes. It was the hand of cruel Ostaluk. The same fate hung over my head: but I prevented Ostaluk, I drew my dagger, and Cydalisa was revenged. I ran to the dear woman: her heart still panted: I hastened to carry her to the house, but before I reached it she expired, her mouth closely pressing on mine.
"When I perceived Cydalisa's limbs to grow stiff in my arms, I cryed out with vehemence: my people ran to me, and forced me away from this place of horror. I returned to Banza, and shut myself up in my palace, excessively grieved at Cydalisa's death, and loading myself with the most cruel reproaches. I loved Cydalisa sincerely, and was passionately beloved by her; and I was at full leisure to consider the greatness of the loss, which I had sustained, and to mourn for her."
"But at length," said the favorite, "you comforted your self?" "Alas! madam," replied Selim, "I thought I never should; but this one thing I have learnt by it, that there is no grief eternal."
"Well," said Mirzoza, "let me hear no more of the men: there they are all. That is to say, Signor Selim, that this poor Cydalisa, whose history has moved us to compassion, and whom you have so much regretted, was a great fool to rely on your oath; and that, while Brama perhaps chastises her severely for her credulity, you pass your time pleasantly enough in the arms of another."
"Pray, madam," replied the Sultan, "calm your self: Selim loves again, Cydalisa will be revenged." "Sir," answered Selim, "your highness may possibly be misinformed. Ought I not to have learnt, once for my whole life, by my adventure with Cydalisa, that true love was too prejudicial to happiness?"—"Without doubt," interrupted Mirzoza, "and yet I would lay a wager, notwithstanding your philosophical reflections, that you actually love another more ardently than—"
"More ardently," replied Selim, "I dare not assert: these five years past I am attached, but attached from my heart to a charming woman. It was not without difficulty, that I made her listen to me, for she had always been of a virtue!"—"Virtue!" cried the Sultan; "courage, my friend, I am charmed, when one talks to me of the virtue of a court lady." "Selim," said the favorite, "continue your story:" "and always believe, as a good mussulman, in the fidelity of your mistress," added the Sultan. "Ah! prince," replied Selim with vivacity, "Fulvia is faithful to me:" "faithful, or not," answered Mangogul, "what is that to your happiness? You believe it, and that is sufficient?" "Oh then! 'tis Fulvia that you are now in love with," said the favorite. "Yes, madam," answered Selim. "So much the worse, my friend," added Mangogul: "I have not a grain of faith in her. She is perpetually beset by Bramins, and these Bramins are terrible fellows: besides, I find she has little Chinese eyes, with a turn'd up nose; and an air thoroughly inclining to the side of pleasure. Between us, is this true?" "Prince," answered Selim, "I believe she has no aversion to it." "Well," replied the Sultan, "every thing gives way to that charm: which you ought to know better than I, or you are not"—"You are mistaken," replied the favorite, "a man may have all the sense in the world, and not know that. I wager"—"Always wagers," interrupted Mangogul: "I am out of all patience; those women are incorrigible. Pray, madam, win your castle, and lay wagers afterward."