come directly from his Closet, where I was with him above an Hour; and so far from making Love to me, that he did not say the least soft Thing. Is not this Coldness? Is not this slighting? Is this all that raises such a Storm in this poor Bosom, replied Jeflur? Did not I forewarn you, that Zeokinizul's deep Sense of his Duty, would make him be greatly upon the Reserve with you? And that you would think him insensible, tho' he was only immerst in Thought? Why did not you intice him? Come, come, be easy, I will engage to procure you another private Meeting; but take Care not to act the Prude again so unseasonably. Ply him with every alluring Art, and even make Use of a fond Violence to make him yield. He is not to be treated like common Lovers. These Injunctions cannot be disagreeable to you. Zeokinizul is perfectly handsome, and in the Prime of Life. You love him, and therefore must leave no Means untry'd to secure his.

Liamil relish'd this judicious Lesson, and impatiently waited the Performance of Jeflur's Promise; and being resolv'd to make the utmost Efforts to seduce Zeokinizul, she promised herself, that at the next Meeting she should beat down all Resistance, and allure the King to gratify her Desires. Kelirieu soon

brought it about, for the King seeing nothing dangerous to his Freedom in Liamil, was easily prevailed upon by the Entreaties of his Confident, to admit of another Visit from her. Accordingly he sent her a Message to come in the Evening to a certain Chamber in the Palace. It is easy to conceive how welcome this Message was to her. She was there some Time before the King appeared. The Apartment had but a dim Light; however, this rather favoured than prejudiced Liamil, as her Wit was to kindle the first Desires in Zeokinizul. Their Conversation must however, remain a Secret, as neither of them has reveal'd it to any one. What is certain, and also more important, is, that Liamil so charm'd the King by her lively Flights of Wit, heightened by an expressive Air, that he heard her with more Pleasure than he had imagined, that the Inticements of this Woman were too strong for his Virtue, and that at last, she gradually drew him to a Couch, where he gave her the Pledges of his Love, satisfied her longing Desires, and completed the Mollak's Stratagem.

This first Step, at once put an End to all the King's Remorse and Disquietude. He repeated several Times the Pleasure which his experienced Mistress enhanced in such a Manner as his devout Consort was a Stranger to, and at last left this fatal Chamber in such a Temper as Jeflur and Kelirieu had been contriving; that is, passionately in Love. Their Meetings were for some Times a Secret, but Passion soon grew too vehement to be concealed.

It became the common Talk of the Courtiers, and at last it reached the Queen's Ear. But she, instead of endeavouring to reclaim her Spouse by an endearing Carriage, and the Ascendency which she had over him, gave herself up to a fruitless Lamentation for his Misfortune, at the Feet of an Image of Suesi, and this unseasonable Devotion deprived her of all Hopes of ever regaining her Consort's Heart. Liamil's Husband took upon him to resent his Wife's Infidelity, upon which he receiv'd an Order never to have any Commerce with her. Her Father, who was one of the most eminent Bassas in the Kingdom, began also to exclaim against it; but a Quantity of Tomans which he greatly wanted, effectually silenced him. Even Jeflur himself, in order to avoid Suspicion, openly censured the King's Behaviour. The Monarch was offended at his Representations on so delicate a Point, and sharply said, I have indeed made you Master of my Kingdom, but I expect to be Master of myself. This Answer completed the Mollak's Design, and he took Care that it should not be lost to the People. The general Displeasure which it gave, is hardly to be imagined. The King's Amour, which had been so greatly desired, appearing to settle Jeflur's Power, was look'd upon in a very different Light. It was look'd upon as an odious Adultery, an impious Commerce, which would pull down divine Vengeance upon the Kingdom. Satires and Lampoons flew about every where, in which both Lover and Mistress were so

openly exposed, that any one who was a Stranger to their Fickleness, and how suddenly they pass from one Extreme to the other, would have been apprehensive that the most dangerous Commotions were at hand. However, Zeokinizul was so charmed with Liamil, that he was continually with her. He pitched upon the House of an old Bassa of the first Rank, for the more peaceable and secure Enjoyment of the Delights of his new Mistress. All the Inventions of the most refined Luxury, were employed to add new Incentives to Wantonness. The House seemed the very Residence of Love and Delight. Every Thing in it declar'd the Elegance of the Mistress, and the Magnificence of the Lover. Each succeeding Day brought with it the most ravishing Scenes, without any Alarm or Disturbance. The old Bassa and his Family saw no more than the Prologue, only some few Spectators of approved Discretion and Secrecy, were admitted to be present at the Plot of the Play, but for the Conclusion, it was privately transacted between the two chief Actors.

It is a Saying of a great Kofiran Poet, that Virtue is like a steep Island, there is no setting Foot on it again when once one is out of it. Zeokinizul was a sad Instance of this. In the midst of these delightful Meetings, which consisted entirely of Confidence, Liamil obtain'd Leave for one of her Sisters to be admitted. Imprudent Creature! not to see that after she herself had stifled all Remorse in her Lover's Heart,

their being so nearly related would not be Proof against Love, nor hinder her from becoming her Rival. This Lady, who could not boast of more Beauty than her Sister, surpass'd her even in Wit, and was possess'd of all the Arts and Qualities requisite in a Favourite. She was as enterprizing as Liamil was moderate; of unbounded Ambition, haughty, revengeful, entirely bent on her own Interest, and aiming at royal Favour only for its Advantages, such was Leutinemil. She no sooner perceiv'd how easy it would be to supplant her Sister, but she formed the Design, and Zeokinizul who began to be pall'd with the long Enjoyment of so indifferent a Mistress, was easily inclin'd to vary the Object of his Love. He therefore commenced an Amour with Leutinemil, but however, was far from discarding her Sister, his View being only to sharpen his Appetite with Novelty, in order to return with the greater Gust to his first Entertainment. Love is well known to pay no Regard to the Tyes of Nature; Liamil was so exasperated at Leutinemil's being her Rival, that she forgot she was her Sister. She hastened to inform Jeflur, and to engage him to revenge her Quarrel. The Mollak was thunderstruck at this News, for such an Alteration in the King had shipwreck'd all his Hopes. His two thousand Tomans were lost, and he seem'd on the Brink of his Ruin. In this Extremity he had Recourse to Kelirieu.

But it was no longer this Courtier's Interest to serve him. The two thousand Tomans were all he could get of the vast Riches

which had been promised him, and as Liamil had shewn but little Concern for her Friends, he sided with her Sister, who was like to prove a powerful Benefactress to her Creatures. So that all the soothing Speeches of the Mollak made no Impression on him, neither was Jeflur greatly concerned at