Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-02-08
CHAPTER XIV,


CHAPTER XIV,
THE BAsILIsK.
Crossing a beautiful meadow, Zadig |
saw there many women who appeared to |
be attentively searching for something. |
He took the liberty TO approach one OF |
them aud TO ask her If be could have the |
hon or of assisting her 10 her researches. |
"Take good care not to do 90, sir" an
swered the Syrian woman. "That which |
we seek can only be touched by women"
'That is something very strange" said
Zadig, "permit me to ask what IL Is that
Is only permitted to women to touch"
SIT is basillsk," answered she.
"a basllisk, madam, and for what rea-
son, pray tell me, do you seek for basi-
lisk ~
s'It Is for our lord and master Ogul,
whose palace you may see upon the banks
of this river at the farthest end of the msa-
dow. We are his very humble slaves.
The lord Ogul lie sick his physician has
ordered him to eat basillsk cooked in
rose water, and as II is a very rare animal
which will only allow itself 10 be taken
BY a woman, the lord Ogul has promised
10 choose for his best-beloved wife that
one of us who shall bring to him a basil
lisk. Let me search If you please, for you
see what 1t will cost me If am forestallsd
by one of my companions"
Zadg left the Syrian and her mates
searching for their basilisk, and continued
his course through the meadow. Reach
ing the border of little rlvulet he discov-
cred ano her lady, reclining on the grass
and seeking nothing. Her height appear
ed majestic, but her face was covered by
a veil. She was bending over the rlvulet,
4. hes ha r,rnffsnpA fnka
again and again, She held in her hand
slender iced with which she traced char
acters upon the nne sand between the
grass and the border Of the little stream.
Zadig was curious to sec what the lady
was writing. He approached softly, and
saw her form the letter z, then an A, he
was astonished, then appeared D; he
trembled: never was greater surprise than
his when he saw follow the two last letters
of his name.
He remained come moments immova-
BILE, then breaking the silence with an op-
pressed voice, he said
80 generous lady pardon a stranger,
an unfortunate, who daros 70 ask you by
what astonishing chance | sec hero the
name OF Zadig traced by your fair hand"
At this voice, at these words, the lady
lifted her veil with trembling hama,
ness, of surprise aud joy, and sinking under
the different emotions which at once as
sailed her soul, she sank fainting at his
feet. It was Astarte herself, 1t was the
royal princess of Babylon, she whom Ia
dig 60 adored, for whom he had wept; on
whose account he so reproached his des
tiny. He was fer a moment deprived Of
the use Of his senses, and when he had
fastened his regards upon the eyes of As
tarte, which slowly opened to meet his,
with a languor mingled with confusion
and tenderness 90 powers immortal l'i
cried he, "who preside over weak human.
ity, do you give me Astartei In what time
in what place, In what state do l see hel
again ~
He threw himself upon his knees before
Astarte, and pressed his forehead upor
her feet. The princess raised him and
made him SIT beside her on the border o.
the rivulet. She many times dried he
eyes from which the tears again woult
flow, she began twenty times a discourse
which her emotions interrupted she ques
toned him upon the strange chance whicl
had brought them together, and suddenl,
= prevented his answer With other broker
, questions, she checked herself In the reel
tai of her own misfortunes and wished Il
know those of Zadg.
At last when both had little appease
the tumult of their souls, zadig told her il
} few words how he had happened 10 fin
, her in this meadow.
8 "But oh lovely and beloved Princess
. how is It that hnd you here in this eoun
try, dressed as slave, and accompanie
D by other female slaves who seek for bat
= illsk to be cooked in rose water by tn
order Of physician 7"
G "While they search for their basillsk,
Q said the fair Astarte, 81 will tell you q
f all which have suffered, all which | no'
c pardon my destiny since l again see you
n You know that the king my father counte
!. Il against me as a deadly crime that
i found you the most amiablc of men
It could have been for no other reason this
}. he took, one night, the resolution to STRAIT
v gle y)u and 10 poison me. You kno'
n how heaven permitted my little mute /
y avert the order of his sublime majest,
g Hardly had the faithful Cador forced 70
d to obey me and to depart, when he braVel
d came TO my apartments in the middle {
q the night, by secret passage. He carrie
Ie me of by the same way, and conducte
me to the temple of OrOsmade, where th
le mAgi, his brother, shut me up in a colloss
le statue, whose feet touched the foundatic
le of the temple, while its head lowered
At the dome. was there as If buried aliy
=. but served by the magi, and not lackir
ie anything necessary. Meanwhile, at brea
" of day, the apotheeary of my cruel ia h
ir entered my chamber bearing a poisC
ut mingled of hemlock juice, Of opium,
ne black hellebore, ard of acoDite' Anolh
of officer was despatched to your palace Wi
as the fatal cord of sea-green silk. Tn
Ct found nobody. Cador, the better to d
" ceiye the king, came before him feignil
lie TO accuse us both he said that you HI
Ir- taken the route 10 the Indies, and that
r. had fied 10 Memphis, and satellites we
he seut out af,or you and after me.
m "The couriers that sought me did n
mt know me / had not shown my visage u
nd yeiled, cave to you and the rest OF {
grand council, by the order OF my roy
elf father. They went In pursuit Of me wi
,es no other guide than the description Civ
he them of my person. A woman of I
o. same height as myself, and perhaps han
10 somer than / was seen by them upon I
en- frontiers of Egypt. She was wanderi
m. alone and weeping, and they doubted Z
,re that that woman was the princess Astar
Ere and carried her TO the king Moabdi
NO Their mistake at first threw my father In
pv a violent passion but soon having mt
IL attenliyely considered the Egyptian won
he he found her very beautiful and was &C
nS soled. She was called Missouf, which
have since heard, signifies, In the Egypt
fe. Language, the fair eaprieious. That &
ere really was, but she was as artful as cap
ace cious, she pleased the king, aud though
at had previously vowed, for the sake OF
:. his daughter and the heiress TO the thr'
nnt never TO marry again, he now determi1
I'VE 10 make tue fair Missouri his queen. WI
his was accomplished her character fu
re. developed itself, and she delivered heri
in without fear to all the follies which