Amours of Zeokinizul - Page 39/43

She was piqued at his Refusal, but making a Virtue of Necessity, she endeavoured to efface the sudden Impression which he had made upon her Heart. Fruitless Endeavours, his Idea was always present to her Imagination. Neither Gratitude to the King, Diversions, nor Resentment, could remove it, 'till by a most fortunate Accident, this haughty Rebel became her Admirer, which soon terminated in the Gratification of her Desires. But as the History of this Amour has no necessary Connection with that which I am writing, I shall leave the several Incidents with which it was attended, to be taken Notice of by some other Writer, only observing, that this young Alniobian returning some Years after, into the Country of the Kofirans, it was his Fortune to be united for ever to his generous Benefactress, whom the Death of her Husband, and Zeokinizul's Indifference, left at her own Disposal. This Prince perceived some Alterations in the Favourite, which were at first excused, under Pretence of some feign'd Indispositions, and the Monarch was so easy as to take her Word without any farther Examination into the Truth of her Excuses.

At the End of the Campaign, Zeokinizul return'd to his Palace, to exchange the Fatigues of War, for the Embraces of Love, and make Preparations for new Conquests, if his Enemies should reject the Peace which he had offered them, on such equitable Conditions as contained nothing of the Haughtiness of a Conqueror. The King's Presence brought back to the Court all the Pleasures and Diversions, of which there had been no Appearance during his Expedition. There was nothing but Balls, Feasts, and magnificent Parties of Pleasure. His Fondness would not allow him at any Time to be long absent from his Favourite. He endeavoured by every Token of Affection to convince her that she had found the Means to fix his Heart unalterably, and this might have been really the Case, had he been taken up continually with Affairs of the War, so as to have had but a small Portion of Time for his Pleasures. But this not being the Season for Military Operations allowed him too much Time for Indulgence, and the Monarch's Heart was not to be fixed by any single Passion. The beautiful Vorompdap exerted herself to the utmost, in order to prolong the Continuance of her Reign; but this was the very Occasion of her Overthrow.

The Daughter of one of the first Noblemen of the Kingdom appear'd at Court. This angelic Creature had spent the first Years of her Youth in a Mosque of holy Women, who, to make themselves amends for the Vow they have taken to renounce the World, employ themselves in breeding up young Ladies according to its current Maxims, and most fashionable Practices. There was no beholding her youthful Charms, tho' not yet arrived at their full Perfection, without Admiration. A Bassa of the first Rank, thought her entirely deserving of his Homage. Accordingly he paid his Addresses to her, and in a short Time was so happy as to gain her Consent. Some weighty Motives however, oblig'd them to keep their Intimacy private; but Love cannot be conceal'd, Discretion and Tenderness being seldom found together. Zeokinizul perceiv'd that the young Bassa, who till then had talked loudly against Love, was become more pensive than usual. He himself had too much Experience not to guess the Source of this Alteration. He mildly banter'd him upon it, and diverted himself with raillying him for a Sensibility, which he often had boasted he would ever resist. There was no Way for the young Bassa to make the King give over these stinging Ironies, but by discovering his Passion. The Excess of his Love made him unhappily Eloquent in the Description of its charming Object. Zeokinizul, was inflamed by such a beautiful Description; and, having designedly provoked him, by saying, that as the Picture was drawn by the Pencil of a Lover, he suspected the Likeness; the imprudent Bassa forgot to whom he was speaking, and how reserv'd he ought to have been with a Prince of such amorous Disposition, he offered to justify all he had said of his Mistress.