The Amours Of Zeokinizul: King of the Kofirans

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 [Pg 24] 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, she soon makes her Way to the Heart, and since the Queen has been pleased to return me mine, which I had so affectionately given her, I will be always upon my Guard to keep it free and insensible. [Pg 25]

And at the same Time he changed the Discourse, and soon after dismissed his Confident, who was impatient till he had related his Progress to Jeflur. The Mollak, embracing him a thousand Times, cried, thy Services are inestimable, neither shall I be ungrateful. Liamil, Wife to the Bassa of the same Name, is she whom you are to propose to Zeokinizul. Kelirieu could not conceal his Surprise at her Name.

How, says he to the Minister, can you conceive that he is to be captivated by a Person of her Age? Would your Holiness but reflect on the Nature of Zeokinizul's Scruples. It must be some enchanting Beauty which can transport him to commit an Infidelity which he accounts no small Crime. And you are for seducing him by Liamil, who has as few Charms as any Court Lady, and who, besides, is under conjugal Engagements. How shocking will the Idea of this complicated Guilt appear to the Prince, who cannot bear the Thoughts of a single Infidelity? Ah! learned Mollak, you require of me what is beyond my Power, and out of the Course of Nature. Furnish me with a proper Instrument, let the Person to be recommended be young, gay, handsome, and artful, and then I will be answerable for the Success.

Surely you must be very little acquainted with Zeokinizul, interrupted the Minister, is it not apparent that this Prince, who has been used to an antiquated Beauty, and was so excessively fond of her, will think nothing lovely but as it resembles his Spouse? Besides, he will have no Time to attend to the [Pg 26] Suggestions of his Scruples. And Liamil's small Share of Beauty will prevent any Mistrust in him. I rely more upon her Wit than on her personal Charms, in which she has few Equals, and that is the Talent by which I suppose she shall commence the Intrigue; Opportunity will forward it. Besides, do you think that I am so blind to mine own Interest, as to provide Zeokinizul with a young ambitious Mistress, who will be for monopolizing the royal Favour, and never be satisfied till she has grasp'd the Disposal of all Offices and Honours? No, no, my dear Kelirieu, Liamil is the Woman for the King, 'tis she whom you must bring him to like, if you value my Friendship, and whose Friendship can equal mine? Any other than she would give me too much Umbrage for me to bear with it long. There is a Bill for a Thousand Tomans, go and receive them at the Treasury. A thousand more shall recompense your Success.

Jeflur was quite void of true Liberality, but this Matter concerned him too nearly to lose such a dexterous Manager, who had taken it into his Hands, by an unseasonable Parsimony. Kelirieu appear'd the next Day at the King's Levee, who took him into his Closet, and renewing their last Conversation; what a feeble Remedy, says he, do you propose for my violent Agitations! Such Sufferings as mine require something more than Words. I know a Person, replied Kelirieu, whose Conversation is so charming, that I am sure your Highness upon a [Pg 27] Tryal, will be so delighted with it, that it would recover your former Chearfulness. The King seeming to question it, the Lord flew away to the Queen's Apartment, to tell Liamil, that the King had sent for her.

Liamil, full of Joy, as having already been instructed, made no less Haste thither. But how was she surprised and mortified, when Zeokinizul, having ask'd her what she wanted, view'd her for some Time without speaking a Word more. Tho' she was prepared to act her Part, she could not forbear blushing, tho' more out of Spite than Bashfulness. And as she could not presume to speak first, after staying about a Quarter of an Hour in the Apartment, she made a low Courtesy, and withdrew, full of Confusion and Rancour.

The Mollak, who was waiting for her Return, used his utmost to appease her. Believe me, says he to her, Zeokinizul is smitten, only allow him Time to get the better of some troublesome Scruples, and every Thing will be according to our Desires. And indeed, she was scarce out of Sight, but Zeokinizul was sorry for the cold Reception he had given her. He blamed himself for his Incivility; and, to make her some Amends, he went to the Queen's Apartment. Now was the critical Instant, the decisive Moment for this Princess. Could she have suspended her excessive Devotion to receive the King her Husband in a becoming Manner, there had been an End of all Jeflur's Schemes, and Kelirieu's thousand Tomans had been saved to [Pg 28] the Treasury; but her sending him Word, that she begg'd his Highness would suffer her to finish her Devotion before she waited on him, gave him Time enough to talk to Liamil, who did not fail of exerting all her Talents, which charm'd the King to that Degree, that he thought Kelirieu had not exceeded in his high Enconiums, the Wit and agreeable Qualities of this Lady. And under Pretence of being extremely taken with her Conversation, he desired her Company in his Closet that very Evening.

Jeflur's Exultations at hearing this News from Liamil, were beyond all Description. He made her repeat the Oath, which she had at first swore, never to require the Rights of the Favorite Sultana, but be satisfied with the Honours of the Handkerchief. He drew her a Plan for her Rule of Life, regulated her Behaviour to the Queen, and instructed her in the King's Temper. In fine, he imitated the fond Mother, who, upon her Daughters being soon to be delivered up to a Bridegroom, prepares her for the Conflict, represents to her the Pleasures and Sorrows attendant on the Marriage State, and instructs her how to heighten the one, and alleviate the other. When he came to be alone, he applauded his happy Choice, and really he never could have met with a Person so fit for the Purpose, nor who would have submitted to his Directions with less Ambition, and more Pliantness and Punctuality.

Besides, her singular Wit, Liamil had a Serenity of Temper which excited Love, [Pg 29] though she was in her thirty sixth Year. The Minister before this, was under no Apprehension that she would fail in her Aim at Zeokinizul's Heart. The artificial Charms with which she concealed the Loss, or want of natural ones, the exquisite Neatness and Elegancy of her Dress, with the Gracefulness of her Deportment, rendered the Conquest certain. Besides, it was no Novelty for a Kofiran King to keep a Mistress older than himself, and some have been even known to retain the Affections from Father to Son, to the third Generation.

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