kept from your knowledge because of its cruel circumstances Your informing of me that you love is defective replied the Eunuch except you acquaint me with the Object also Dear Aristan replied the amorous Captive if ever you have observed me when near the amiable Almanzaida you could not but perceive it Almanzaida replied Aristan with an extraordinary emotion Roxana's Slave Yes pursu'd Almanzor it is she that a thousand Charms makes me adore Remember replied the Eunuch that she is destinated to an eternal Servitude and if it be possible fix you heart on some other Object Dear Aristan replied Almanzor can Almanzaida's ill Fate make you forget mine of the same nature Does the glittering of my Apparel so dazel your eyes as that you cannot see the Badge of my Slavery on me And does this Chain because of Jewels alter my Condition It is peradventure that equality of Fortune that unites our Souls Know Aristan that my Griefs are not the effects of Almanzaida's Rigours for we having been both together bred in this Palace with the liberty of seeing and conversing with one another have kindled such Flames as have grown more furious by the difficulties they have encountered and which will prove eternal though of a Slave I should become Master of the whole World For do not imagine that none but my single Heart does justice unto Almanzaida's Beauty the Prince Abdemar Son to the King and to proud Roxana is her Captive also That Rival's he which makes me unfortunate 't is he who envious of those Advantages which Love gives me over Almanzaida's Heart does by a cruel Jealousie disturb the quiet of two Persons whom the Heavens have produced designedly to love one another The change which I see in your face Aristan continued he after a little pause speaks that particular interest which you take in my misfortunes therefore to give you still more occasion of exercising your compassion of my miseries hearken attentively unto the Story of my Love The Eunuch did but cast his eyes towards Heaven and Almanzor thus continued The History of Almanzor and Almanzaida I Need not give you the Pourtraicture of Almanzaida she is too well known to you to be ignorant of it and your eyes have too just a discernment not to inform you that she is more beautiful than any thing else they ever yet saw But Aristan though I am not ignorant of whatsoever her Person has of amiable you are not throughly informed of the excellency of her Soul In the whole World there is not a Vertue more solid than that she is Mistriss of she has a Generosity beyond all example such noble Thoughts such an exact Knowledge and a quaintness of Wit so little common that it may boldly be asserted that her greatest Perfections are wholly unknown to those that have not such familiar Conversations with hâ—r as I have had the happiness to enjoy in which all is spoken wiâ—h absolute Liberty I was yet so young and she so innocent when she was placed with Roxana that all our Pleasures were limited within the bounds of Childrens Sports yet then was I infinitely pleased with them when permitted me and Love was then interwoven with them in a manner proportionable to our age It was still my endeavour to insinuate my self in all places that were bless'd with Almanzaida's presence and the addition of some few years to those I had pass'd already in that agreeable Commerce did give to understand that an innocent complaisancy and some childish enendearments had been the beginners of a most violent Passion After that I had no other thoughts but such as did absolutely confirm me of the certainty thereof and would languish in all places that her presence did not grace I would be out of patience when Abdala would defer some moments in his custom of sending me with an How do you to Roxana and I confess that I would grumble within my self also when you detained me upon some Lesson longer than my Affections thought reasonable of which I could reap no benefit at all but what did happen by meer chance seeing that I could have no other thoughts but of her all my Study was bent in endeavouring to please her and that took up my whole thoughts she could no sooner desire any thing but I would with all the earnestness imaginable effect it And when at last she had learn'd from her own Heart and from my Eyes rather than from my Mouth part of my Intentions she would frequently blush at the receit of any Services from my hands The Prince Abdemar went but too frequently unto Roxana's Apartment not to see her which he could not do without Love and I had but too much Interest in that Love not to take notice of it and the Princes high birth and other Advantages representing daily a thousand Evils in that Concurrency I suffered infinitely by it He was not so reserv'd as I he would speak of his Love to Almanzaida in a most tender manner even in my presence without the least scruple or any thought that his Fathers Slave durst raise his Pretensions to the same object to which he address'd his The young Bond-maid would always answer his Sute with such reservedness as would charm me and conjuring the Prince to spare her gave him to understand that if she had heard him make his Addresses to her he was obliged for it to nothing but his Rank and Almanzaida's evil Fortune Some moments after he went out and I remained singly with her with an impatient desire to learn the cause of a profound reasoning within her self in which she had fallen immediately upon Abdemars departure Her Complexion was altered her Eyes were troubled and her Respiration being more violent than usual gave me to understand that her Heart had a great share in this disorder Good Gods how heavy did my doubts and my restlesness lie upon me I look'd upon her for some time with silence but at last taking the resolution to inform my self of the very center of this business which till then I durst not attempt You are surprized Almanzaida said I and what is most sensible to me is that I perceive with sorrow it immediately follows the Discourses with which Abdemar has entertained you Abdemars Discourses replied she have nothing in them but what is a trouble to me and whether what he has said to me be true or feign'd I think my self very unfortunate in being obliged to hear him Abdemar is so great a Prince I replied that he thinks he may say any thing without caution but if he could be what Almanzor is then acting like a slave he might 't is like less displease the fair Almanzaida in his Addresses Abdemar replied she cannot become a Slave without a wonder but though he is the Son of a great Monarch his Love is no more pleasing to me than if he were in Chains or of a mean Rank For my part added she with the unhappiness of an unknown Birth I
Moroco His unfortunate Death having ruin'd his Fortunes which had not always been one of the happiest he left behind him his Family composed of two Daughters and one Son without Means or assistance His Widow felt most sensibly his loss and finding her self incapable of giving her Son such an Education as would suit with his Birth she came into this Palace followed by her three Children to bring them and her Sorrows at the Feet of Abdala and humbly to implore his Protection and Assistance for the Reliques of a Person who had been so faithful in his Service Those Objects which accompanied Haly's sad Widow were too moving not to prevail The Son was but twelve years of age the Daughter that preceded him thirteen and Cleonisa who was the eldest was going into her sixteenth It is easie for you to imagine that nothing was so beautiful as she the blackness of her Habit added more Charms unto her Face and the King found so much in her Eyes though drowned in Tears that granting both Means and Dignities unto the young Prince Hily he made a Gift far greater and more precious than all this unto Cleonisa since it was of that Heart over which Roxana had till then had an absolute Empire He had too much Love to caution himself and mauger Roxana's Rage and Jealousie some few days after he espoused Cleonisa Thus Roxana had the grief to see her self have a Rival even an adored one As she is ingenious but very dissembling withal she took upon her the Art of feigning she conceal'd her Resentments with policy frequently visited Cleonisa who presently after grew with Child and became almost inseparable from her thus obscuring under a formal and affected Complaisancy a form'd design of ruining her she deceived the King and Cleonisa also I was the only Person that distrusted her real intentions and that feared the evil consequences of this disguised Friendship Roxana's Endearments were always suspected to me because I knew her Inclinations yet all my circumspection could not prevent an accident which had like to have been of a most dreadful consequence The King did love Cleonisa most passionately but he feared Roxana's evil spirit and durst not be wanting in his complaisancy therefore he was highly pleased to see them in a strict union which to promote the more he sought all the means imaginable daily procuring them a thousand various delights Cleonisa's great Belly taking away her appetite towards Flesh-meat she was complaining one day of it to Roxana who caused some Baskets of choice Fruits to be presented unto her of which she did eat with great delight and satisfaction but she was scarce retired to her Apartment when she fell into a Distemper the violence of which did make us despair of her Life I found her in the arms of her Slaves without colour and almost without motion The King almost desperate came in running Roxana was one of the first and of the most busied in her assistance but in her Actions I could observe a malicious Joy mix and examining more nearly all Circumstances I concluded that the had been poysoned I have some skill in the choice of Plants such as I have found divers times by experience to be great enemies to Poysons and after I had administred a Remedy to Cleonisa I was confirmed in the suspicion which I had had of the cause of her Distemper The Heavens blessed the means and the young Princess seconded their strength who after she had vomited the Fruit and Poyson remained without danger of her Life but much fatigated with the Pains she had endured So soon as she could go forth she returned to Roxana's Lodgings with the same assiduity as she did before without the least distrust but apprehending the future by the late experience I resolved to make her Partaker of my jealousies and fears My Fidelity was well known unto her and she had reason to conside in it so that she fell into such an astonishment at my Discourse as would be difficult for me to express I confess said she that not mistrusting in the least Roxana's dissimulation I should have at some time or other blindly precipitated my self in those ambushes that she laid for me had I not had this timely advertisement Madam you must feign as she doth I replied but let it be so that she may not have the least distrust of it Caress the King who loves you and to whom I have lately given to understand the same as I have now declared unto you Secure your own life and that you go with for I must tell you Madam that Roxana is not onely jealous but highly ambitious also She hates you mortally because she sees that you triumph over her in the Kings Heart and fearing lest you should one day produce a Rival for the Throne unto Abdemar as there are no Crimes black enough to strike horror in her neither will she spare any means to prevent it Cleonisa did rellish my Reasons The King came unto us and we took our measures accordingly That which we thought the surest way was to conceal the time of Cleonisa's delivery that your death might be feigned This took happily you came into the World I delivered you out of the Palace into the hands of such Persons which I knew to be very faithful and which I had managed beforehand to that purpose Cleonisa shed such tears at your absence as confirmed Roxana in the belief of your death which for the present setled her cruel mind but within the term of a year we were again in the same trouble and Cleonisa's second great Belly did set us in a greater confusion than was the first In fine we overcame it Cleonisa is tall her shape easie and cruel Roxana was not the onely Person that was ignorant of her big Belly but every body else of the Palace except the King two Slaves and my self Almanzaida came into the World with the same cautions as we had had for you I took her from hence also though but a Daughter that I might hazard nothing I trusted her unto a Man of my own Country whose Wife had been delivered about the same time as Cleonisa Mean time my Lord the tender Cleonisa was not long without entreating me to have you brought secretly into the Palace I thought my self too weak not to be overcome at some time or other therefore I rather chose to cause some sorrow to Cleonisa for some time than to hazard your Life and Almanzaida's also by telling her that you were dead and that the young Princess had not outlived you above two Months She grieved for you both a long time I told the same story to the King for fear that through his tenderness to Cleonisa he might have undeceived her Six years were expired before I durst introduce you into the Palace A supposed Merchant presented you to Abdala for a Slave you from that very moment did please him and that high Recompence which he gave
to him that had presented you was a sufficient testimony of it He commanded me to take the care upon me of your Education and you may easily imagine what joy I received with that order In fine two years after by other means I got the young Princess also into this Place to whom had been given the name of Almanzaida you bearing that of Almanzor who was presented unto Roxana to endeavour by that means the engagement of her Affections towards her through a familiar frequentation She took great care of her and Almanzaida has rendered her self so worthy the affections of all the World that she could not refuse her hers My dear Prince this is that important Secret of which your particular Interest made me the particular Depositary You perceive the Reasons which made me conceal it though I fear too long but I could not foresee that fatal Engagement the cause of your afflictions Ah cruel Aristan cried out Almanzor seeing him silent why did you not abandon me to Roxana's fury Ton see that the Heavens disapprove of your pity since I am fallen into that sad disaster of loving my own Sister with a more than Brotherly love My Sister added he a moment after Good Gods How can I pronounce that word and live Oh thou too charitable Friend why did you rescue a Victime from Roxana's fury and did not let it fall unto Roxana's satisfaction for the security of Abdemar's future Reign How many evils had you spared me and sorrows to your self What a Life shall I lead for the future What quiet can I ever hope for being thus linked to a Passion which I find that the name of Brother will never extinguish in me Whatever Aristan could oppose to his Passions or that he could alledge to moderate the Princes grief was all in vain he could find nothing in him but a rebellious and disturbed Reason which would not permit him to hearken to any advice He conjur'd Almanzor to continue the Secret and took upon him to inform Almanzaida of all things It is easie to imagine what a restless night this miserable Prince had The next morning he feign'd himself indisposed that he might not be disturbed and Aristan having found out some opportunity of entertaining Almanzaida related unto her the same things which he had done to Almanzor the day before Though she was less passionate than the Prince her Brother yet she was not less sensible and if she fell into no passion before Aristan as he had she it is very probable did it in private and with as much sorrow Aristan exhorted her to silence till he had disposed the minds of the most concerned for the reception of such surprizing News and so he left her as much oppressed with grief as was Almanzor He kept his Chamber three days and Almanzaida her Bed during the same time the better to conceal a trouble which she could not overcome She feared to see a Brother whom she loved with too much passion and this unfortunate Prince still fearing to confound his Sister with his Mistriss had not the power to go towards Roxana's Apartment though carried on by such powerful Motives At last he resolved it Three days of violent sorrow had made such an impression on Almanzor as was sufficient to perswade any one that he had been sick and Almanzaida's tears had rendered her eyes so languid as if she had thus punished them for having carried her Charms into her Brothers very Heart The disconsolate Almanzor found her alone in Roxana's Chamber and never two Persons that feared and yet passionately longed to see one another did feel more equal Passions at their approch The Princess did cast down her looks and Almanzor who under the name of a Lover as well as of a Brother did still take the same delight in beholding her fixed his upon her Face and after some moments of silence which were employed in sighing Madam said he have you forgot me have you not one word for me will you not speak to me at this time specially that I have so much need of your Vertue to consolate a Soul so overcome with sorrow and grown even desperate by that very advantage which will prove fatal to me though in the same moment infinitely glorious If I had that pitch of Vertue which you speak of replied the Princess it would be very useful to my sef at present and you may well imagine that being no less surprized nor less overcome with Sorrow than you are Consolation would be as necessary for me as for you But dear Brother we must seek for comfort in constancy and if I cannot be an example of Fortitude at the receit of so unfortunate a knowledge as we have lately come to by Aristan but too long concealed from us I will at least serve you in helping you to forget that criminal tenderness which ought not to consist between such Persons as are animated with one and the same Blood Oh cruel one replied the Prince looking languishingly upon her I find that it will be easie for you to effect what you say since that you can pronounce with so little concern that Name which shall never be expressed by me What added he shall a few moments be capable to extinguish those Fires that I have had so much pains in a long assidnity to kindle And I foresee that you will easily be brought to look with some indifferency upon that Person who though a Slave you had preferred to a Prince I see Almanzaida that you onely thought you loved me but never did it really I shall profit but little of the advice you would give me and though the merciless Fates have determined that I must never be more than a Brother to you yet they shall never force my passionate affections from you but that I shall ever love you as I have always done For it is but just that since you have changed onely in Name but have preserved all your Beauties I shou'd likewise preserve my Love after the loss of all my Hopes The Heavens replied Almanzaida sighing would punish you should you do what you say and being what we are such a Love can remain no longer innocent Alas what more cruel Griefs than those I suffer at present can happen to me repli'd the Prince It is not death that I wish for though it would be far more welcom to me than life as I look upon it at present Know Madam that the more I reflect upon what has past the more horror I have for the future You know that through your bounty forgetting the obscurity of my Birth and all that could afflict a Man whose Soul was sufficiently raised above the Vulgar I was become sensible to my Passion onely You are not ignorant also Madam that proud of that preferency which you had given me above Abdemar I esteemed my self incomparably more happy than him with all his Dignities And can you think that this so passionate and constant Heart
resist it and those tender affections which he always had for Almanzor were convincing proofs that he was his Blood It would be difficult to express his grief and the first word that he spake was to bid Abdemar hasten to render him a Service more important than his Life in endeavouring with all diligence to prevent Cleonisa's death and Almanzor's also if it were yet time bidding him remember that he was his Brother and worthy of that Title by a thousand Vertues Abdemar deferred not a moment to obey he was generous and really moved with what he had but just learned he flew to Cleonisa's Apartment Mean time Roxana seeing Abdala busied in giving Almanzaida some Testimonies of his Affections was reflecting with an inward rage on the sudden change that some few words had brought to this business and was seeking in her Heart and Spirit ingenious to all evil some means by which she might invalidate Aristan's Testimony and render it of no effect by making it pass for a feigned Story who in a days space did bring again to life not onely that Child of Cleonisa's which she her self had thought dead coming into the World but another also of whose Life she was wholly ignorant Abdemar came happily to Cleonisa's rescue who constant in her adversities was writing her last thoughts unto Abdala He staid with her no longer than to make known that the Orders were reversed and run immediately to Almanzor's Lodgings but it was too late and his Executioners more diligent than Cleonisa's having found him upon his Bed had mercilesly strangled him there Abdemar moved at so deplorable a fate could not stay his Eyes on so dreadful a Spectacle and too certain of a Truth which so afflicted him he returned to Roxana's Apartment I have staid too long Sir said he to the King Cleonisa lives but Almanzor is breathless At these fatal words he King resented his Sorrows to the quick and repented that he had so lightly given credit to Roxana's perfidiousness The beauteous Almanzaida found her self in the heighth of extremity also Abdemar whose affections unto her had given way to a real tenderness did wholly lay upon himself the cause of all these evils and being moved with a sincere penitency did reproch unto Roxana her barbarousness unto which the King added his resentments and certainly nothing in the world could be more touching than to hear all that passed between them In fine Abdala retired from a place in which Roxana's presence did but augment his sorrow and went to Cleonisa's Apartment leading the most aflicted Almanzaida along with him where they found the Princess as composed as if she had had nothing to fear but she soon ceased to be so when she learned at once both the Life and Death of her dear Son It was her Hand that had sacrificed him and without that fatal Note Roxana could not have destroyed him In vain did the King endeavour to recal her Fortitude by his Embraces Almanzor was no more and though innocent of his death she looked upon her self as the cause of it Since that your unjust distrusts said she to the King have caused me so much sorrow as nothing can ever consolate me and that the unfortunate Almanzor was not rescued from furious Roxana 's rage but to become a more noble Victime to her cruelty and that without enjoying the happiness of his Life I have all the sorrows that such a death could produce suffer at least that I may give unto his Heart as cold as it is such Embraces as I could not give unto him living At these words without staying for Abdala's Answer she went towards the Slaves Quarters and had already crossed some Galleries that made the distance between the Kings and the Womens Apartment when she perceived Aristan with that beloved Son which she was lamenting and whose supposed loss was going in all probability to cause hers effectually She was no sooner certain of his Life but that she gave a full scope to all her Joys and to the tenderness of her Affections the King was no less sensible of this Happiness But Almanzaida notwithstanding her resolutions to the contrary did resent it in a manner which it is like was yet more eminent than the rest Aristan in few words did clear more amply that Mystery which had preserved two such precious Lives and did receive such Eulogies from all as his Fidelity did deserve Almanzor surprised at so many Accidents could not be taken off from reflecting on the dangers unto which Cleonisa had been exposed As for his part he found his Soul in such a condition as made him look upon Death as a refuge and not as an evil Embraces and expressions of tenderness were often repeated on all sides but the Princess Almanzaida who knew by her own experience what Sorrows Almanzor did yet feel for her durst scarcely look upon him Mean time it was unhappy Yoxana who had received that sad fate which was intended for Almanzor He had found the Princes Chamber open and while he was walking with Aristan in the Garden he had thrown himself upon his Bed where the Executioners had strangled him taking him for Almanzor Toxara's loss was not significant enough to disturb so much joy After Abdala had left Cleonisa in her Apartment where he also parted with Almanzaida he retired himself unto his also and Abdemar who had nothing but Brotherly Affection for Almanzor would not part from him he being not capable of so strong a Passion as his Brother his Reason overcame his Love But Almanzor was less conformable he was more in love than ever and while the rest were at quiet his share was Tears and Sighs The next morning he rendered his Dovoirs unto the King and in the next place to Cleonisa who seeing now her Happiness above her own desires and hopes did continually ply Almanzaida with Caresses That amiable Princess did answer her favoors with a world of affection but with as much sadness so that Cleonisa was perswaded that the knowledge of her Fortune had not restored her Heart to its Liberty and that Almanzor did still hold there a larger place than the name of a Brother would admit of Almanzor's presence did confirm her in that Opinion and notwithstanding Almanzaida's reservedness her Eyes would speak another Language than that of Friendship unto the passionate Almanzor This mutual Affection did not trouble Cleonisa further than as it had relation to their quiet and being confident in both their Vertues she knew that she had no cause to fear of that side therefore she busied her thoughts in healing of such Evils which a long Error had contracted But he was incapable of it neither Time nor Cleonisa's and Aristan's Cares could obtain any thing upon his strong Impressions but forgetting every moment that Almanzaida was his Sister he did speak to her of his Love and the young Princess being sometimes deluded by a too powerful Charm did hearken unto him without