"Hemjunah," said he, "the Prince of Georgia is my friend, and I intend to give my daughter to his arms."
Shocked at these successive declarations of my fate, which I had no reason to suspect the day before, I fainted away, and when I recovered, found myself on a sofa, with Eloubrou at my feet.
"My lovely Princess," said Eloubrou, "how little am I able to see you thus! and yet I fear the news I have to impart to you may reduce you to your former condition."
"Alas," said I, "nurse, what new evil has befallen me? What worse can happen than my marriage with a stranger?"
"Princess," replied Eloubrou, "the Prince is to see you this night: nay, the ceremonies are preparing, the changes of vestment, the dessert, and the choral bands."
"Ah," said I, "cruel Eloubrou! what hast thou said? Am I to be sacrificed this night to my father's policy? Am I to be given as a fee to the plunderer of cities?—for such they are whose profession is arms."
"No, Princess," said a young female slave who attended on Eloubrou; "trust but to me, and the Prince of Georgia shall in vain seek the honour of your alliance."
The faithful Eloubrou shrieked at the words of the female slave, and endeavoured to clap her hands and bring the chief of the eunuchs to her assistance; but the female slave waved her left hand, and Eloubrou and the rest of the slaves stood motionless before her.
"Most lovely Princess," said she, "I am the friend of the distressed, and love to prevent the severe and ill-natured authority of parents: give me your hand, and I will deliver you from that monster, the Prince of Georgia."
"What!" answered I, "shall I trust to a stranger, whom I know not, and fly from my father's Court? No!"