The Amours of Zeokinizul, King of the Kofirans | Page 8

was
he long without it. One Day as Zeokinizul was negligently leaning upon
a Sopha, involv'd in melancholy Thoughts on the Alteration of his
Spouse, the Lord came towards him, throwing himself at his Feet.
Permit, said he, a faithful Subject, to presume to enquire into the
Secrets of your Highness. You know, Sire, my respectful Attachment to
your august Person. You also know, that your Glory and Satisfaction
are dearer to me than my very Life. Vouchsafe then, Sire, to disclose to
me the Cause of that Sorrow which incessantly preys upon you. Let the
Heart of a faithful Servant be the Depository of all your Disquietudes.
Possibly Means may be discover'd to mitigate them.--Kelirieu,
perceiving that his Discourse made no Impression upon the King, who
indeed continued in the same Posture, without seeming to give the least
Attention to it, proceeded thus. But, Sire, I see my Presumption offends
you. I have lost the Confidence of my Sovereign. It is enough, let your
Highness speak, and decide the Fate of a Subject, who is become
hateful to himself, by being hateful to you.
The Firmness with which Kelirieu pronounced these last Words, roused
the King from his Lethargy. No, my dear Friend, said he, raising him
up, I still love you, and the only Reason why I do not impart my
Sorrows to you, is, because they are without Remedy, and you would
only have the Trouble of knowing them, without the Power of
redressing them.--The Queen.--Ah! enquire no farther? I must either
forfeit my everlasting Happiness, or lose the Esteem of my Subjects.
But I am fully determined, there is no room for Hesitation, for I am
unalterably fixed in my Choice. Withdraw, and leave me to strengthen
my Resolutions.
Kelirieu insisted no farther, but hastened to acquaint the Mollak, that he

had already search'd the King's Wound. And since, added he, I have
drawn out of his Heart the fatal Secret which was lodg'd in it, I flatter
myself, that in a short Time, I shall entirely complete the Cure. 'Tis a
good Step, replied Jeflur, to have comforted Zeokinizul, but that is not
enough. You must still induce him to bestow his Heart upon the Person
I shall name to you. Carry but this Point, and I promise you a thousand
Tomans as the first Token of my Acknowledgement.
The King, in the mean Time, felt some Relief from the Confidence
which he had placed in Kelirieu. He looked for him all the Remainder
of the Day. But this Artful Mediator found Means to avoid a private
Meeting. Nor did he appear before his Master till after some Days, and
the King was obliged to send for him, and demand his immediate
Attendance. No sooner were they alone, but the King said, did I not tell
you, my dear Kelirieu, that my Sufferings were past Remedy, and that
you would only have the Grief of hearing them without having the
Power of relieving them? Sire, interrupted the crafty Courtier, with a
bashful Air, I know a Remedy, but I dare not mention it, and yet it is
the only one practicable. Ah! said the King, eagerly embracing him,
declare it, and tho' I should refuse to make use of it, yet I shall always
acknowledge myself oblig'd to your Zeal for the Discovery. Sire,
replied Kelirieu, one Woman is the Cause of your Highness's
Melancholy, and another Woman must be the Remedy. How dost thou
dare to offer me such infamous Advice, answer'd Zeokinizul in a Rage,
when I have already told you, that I had rather perish than lose the
Esteem of my Subjects? Must I, being the Interpreter, and Protector of
the Laws, only make a Parade of my Prerogative, by licentiously
violating them?
I beseech your Highness to hear me, replied Kelirieu, not in the least
daunted at the King's Anger, I swear by your royal Head, that it was not
my Intention to offend you. But a too precipitate Construction of my
Advice has led you to resent it as base and criminal. But, Sire, can your
Highness harbour a Suspicion that Kelirieu would offer to eclipse your
Glory? No, Heaven is my Witness, that I would rather die a thousand
Deaths. When I intimated to your Highness, that the Remedy of your
Sorrows was too be found only in the Conversation of Women, I meant

no other than what the Laws both human and divine admit of. And that
as Solitude only serves to augment your Grief, the entertaining Wit and
Sprightliness of the Fair Sex, in their Conversations, was the only
Antidote against your growing Affliction, in which a whole Nation
participates.
There may be Danger in such a Step, replied the King, when once a
Woman has charmed the Mind,