As Zadig was traversing a verdant Meadow, he perceiv’d several young Female Syrians, intent on searching for something very curious, that lay conceal’d, as they imagin’d, in the Grass. He took the Freedom to approach one of them, and ask her, in the most courteous Manner, if he might have the Honour to assist her in her Researches. Have a care, said she. What we are hunting after, Sir, is an Animal, that will not suffer itself to be touch’d by a Man. ’Tis somewhat surprizing, said Zadig. May I be so bold, pray, as to ask you what you are in Pursuit after, that shuns the Touch of any Thing but the Hands of the Fair Sex. ’Tis, Sir, said she, the Basilisk: A Basilisk, Madam, said he! And pray, if you will be so good as to inform me, with what View, are you searching after a Creature so very difficult to be met with? ’Tis, Sir, said she, for our Lord and Master Ogul, whose Castle, you see, situate on the River-side, at the Bottom of the Meadow. We are all his Vassals. Ogul, you must know, is in a very bad State of Health, and his first Physician has order’d him, as a Specific, to eat a Basilisk, boil’d in Rose water: And as that Animal is very hard to be catch’d, and will suffer nothing to approach it, but one of our Sex, our dying Sovereign Ogul has promis’d to honour her, that shall be so happy as to catch it for him, so far as to make her his Consort. The Case, being thus circumstantiated, Sir, I hope you will not interrupt me any longer, lest my Rivals here in the Field should happen to circumvent me.

Zadig withdrew, and left the Syrian Ladies in Quest of their imaginary Booty, in order to pursue his intended Journey. But as he came to the Banks of a Rivulet, at the remotest part of the Meadow, he perceiv’d another young Lady, reclin’d on the Grass, and entirely disengag’d. Her Stature seem’d majestic, but her Face was cover’d with a Vail; and her Eyes were fixt, as one at her Looking-glass, on the River. Every now and then a Sigh burst out, as if her Heart were breaking. In her Hand she held a little Wand or Rod, with which she was tracing out some Characters on the dry Sand, that lay between the flow’ry Bank she sat on, and the purling Current. Zadig’s Curiosity induc’d him, unperceiv’d, to observe her Operations at some Distance. But approaching nearer, and perceiving very distinctly the first Character to be an Z. the next an A. and the third a D. he started; but when he saw the additional Capitals of I and G. his Astonishment was too great for Words to express. He stood for some Time perfectly thunder-struck, and as motionless as a Statue; At last, in a soft, faultring Tone, he broke Silence: O generous Lady, said he, forgive a Stranger, one overwhelm’d with Sorrows like yourself, if he asks you, by what amazing Accident he finds the Name of Zadig delineated by so angelick a Hand. Thus unexpectedly interrupted, and at the Sound of those Words, she turn’d her Head; and with a trembling Hand, lifting up her Vail, she espy’d Zadig himself. Upon which, she shriek’d; and as her Heart was flutter’d between the two Extreams of Transport and Surprize, she fainted away, and gently dropp’d into his Arms. ’Twas, it seems Astarte her self; ’twas the Queen of Babylon; ’twas the very Goddess whom Zadig ador’d; ’twas, in short, the very identical Lady, whose hard Fate he had so long deplor’d; and for whose sake he had felt so many agonizing Pains. For a few Minutes he stood speechless, and depriv’d, as it were, of all his senses, whilst his Eyes were fixt on his Astarte, who began to revive; and cast a wishful Glance at him, attended with some Confusion. O ye immortal Powers, cried he, who preside over the Destiny of us frail Mortals! Ye have restor’d me my Astarte; but alas! at what a Conjuncture, in what a Place, and in what a State and Condition do I view her? He threw himself prostrate on the Ground, and kiss’d the Dust of her Feet. The Queen of Babylon rais’d him up, and oblig’d him to sit by her on the flow’ry Bank whereon she was repos’d. Every now and then she wip’d her Eyes, as the Tears trickl’d down afresh her lovely Cheeks. Twenty times she endeavour’d to renew her Discourse; but was interrupted by her Sighs; she ask’d him over and over to relate to her the Hardships he had ran thro’ since their parting, and by what Chance he came to traverse that solitary Meadow; but prevented him at the same Time from returning any Answer, by repeating Question upon Question. At last, she gave him a particular Detail of her own Misfortunes, and again requested to know his. Both of them, in short, having, in some Measure, appeas’d the Tumult of their Souls; Zadig, in a few Words, inform’d her of the Motives that brought him thither.

But tell me, O unfortunate, tho’ ever-venerable Queen, how I came to find you out, reclining on this verdant Bank, dress’d in this servile Habit, accompanied by other Female Slaves, who, I find, have been all Day long in Quest after a Basilisk, which, as I understand, is by Order of a celebrated Physician, to be dissolv’d in Rose-water, as a specific Medicine for his dying Patient.

Whilst they busy in their fruitless Search, said the beauteous Astarte, I’ll tell you the whole Series of Sorrows which I have undergone since last we parted; and since Heav’n has thus unexpectedly blest my Eyes once more with the Sight of my dear Zadig, I’ll no longer exclaim against my impropitious Stars.

You are not insensible, that the jealous King my Spouse, was disgusted to find you the most amiable of all Mortals, and that for no other Reason he determin’d to strangle you, and poison me. You know very well too, that indulgent Heav’n inspir’d, as it were, my little Dwarf, with artful Means to give me timely Notice of the rash Resolutions of the King, my cruel Husband.

No sooner had the faithful Cador oblig’d you to obey my Orders, and to fly the Court, but he ventur’d to enter my Apartment in the Dead of Night thro’ a private Door. He snatch’d me up, and convey’d me directly into the Temple of Orosmades, where the holy Magus, who was his Brother, lock’d me up in that august and awful Statue, that stands erect upon the Pavement of the Temple, and Colossus-like, touches the lofty Ceiling with his Head. There I lay conceal’d, or rather buried for some Time; tho’ taken all imaginable Care of, and furnish’d with all the Necessaries of Life by that venerable, and loyal Priest. In the mean Time, his Apothecary enter’d at Break of Day into my Apartment, with a Potion in his Hand, compos’d of Opium, black Hellebore, Aconite, and other Ingredients still more baneful. Whilst this mercenary Officer of the King’s Vengeance was thus employ’d, another as inhuman as himself, went to your Lodgings with the silken Cord. Both, however, were disappointed, as both of us were fled. Cador, very officious, flew to the King, in order the more artfully to blind him; and in a feign’d Passion, rail’d at us both, and charg’d us both as perfidious Traitors. As for that Villain Zadig, said he, he has taken his Flight towards India; and your false, ungrateful Consort, Sire, said he, is fled to Memphis. The Guards were order’d that Moment to pursue us both.

The Couriers, who flew after me, knew nothing of me. I had never expos’d my Face unveil’d to any one but your self, and that too in the Presence, and by the express Order of my Royal Master. As they had no other Marks to distinguish me from others but my Stature, as it had been describ’d, a young Lady, just of my Size, but in all Probability much more handsome, presented herself to their View, on the Frontiers of Egypt. She was found alone, and in a very disconsolate Condition. This Lady must, doubtless, said they to themselves, be the Queen of Babylon: And without listning to her Complaints, convey’d her instantly to my Husband Moabdar. Their gross Blunder at first incens’d his Majesty to the last Degree; but after he had view’d the Lady with an attentive Eye, he found she was extremely pretty, and was soon pacify’d. Her Name was Missouf. I have been since inform’d, that her Name in the Egyptian Language signifies the Fair Coquet. And in Effect, she was so: She had as much Art, however, as Caprice. For she pleas’d the King of Kings: In short, she had such an Ascendancy over him, that he didn’t scruple in publick to own her as his Wife. When she had secur’d him thus far in her Toils, she never conceal’d her Power, but play’d the Part of a perfect Humourist. She indulg’d herself in every Whim that came in her Head, without Fear of being brow-beat. In the first Place, She insisted that the Chief Magus, who was old and gouty, should dance a Saraband before her; and upon his modest Refusal to comply with so preposterous a Request, she persecuted him without Mercy: Nothing would serve her Turn, in the next Place, but his Majesty’s grand Master of the Horse must make her a Minc’d-pye. The Gentleman took the Liberty to let her know, that he was no profess’d Cook; a Tart, however, he must make for her, and she got him turn’d out of his Place for being so monstrously careless, as to burn one Corner of the Crust. Whereupon she gave his Post to her favourite Dwarf, and made her Fop of a Page the Keeper of his Majesty’s great Seal, and Confidence. Thus she reign’d arbitrary, and was the Female Tyrant of Babylon. All the World deplor’d the Loss of me their former Queen. The King, who never acted the Part of a Tyrant, till the Moment he would have imprison’d me, and strangled you, seem’d to have drown’d all his good Qualities in his Dotage on that capricious Enchantress. He came to the Temple on the solemn Festival of the sacred Fire. I saw him prostrate on the Pavement before the Statue, wherein I was enclos’d, imploring the Gods to show’r down their choicest Blessings on his beauteous Missouf. I, with an audible and distinct, but hollow Tone, address’d my self thus, like an Oracle, to the King of Kings. The Gods reject the Vows of a Monarch, that acts the Tyrant o’er his Subjects; One, who could think of murdering an innocent Wife; and admit of a worthless Beauty to supply her Place. Moabdar was so startled at this unexpected Answer from the God he ador’d, that he was just at the ............