1792- Sel'co, a tale. 221 



■was faithlefs to ker master ! Ihe deserved the name of adul- 

 trefs, and the chastisement with which they are puniihed. 



my dearest mother ! it is for you alone I die ! it is you 

 alone that I willi to think of !" At the same instant the urr- 

 fortunate Berifsa had discerned Selico, Ihe cries out, and 

 calls the priests to her, and declares that the young man 

 at the stake is not the person who broke into the serag- 

 lio, — fhe confirms this by all the most redoubted oaths. 

 The priests are alarmed, — stop the execution, — run to inform 

 the king what had happened, who comes in person to the 

 great square. Anger and indignation are strongly painted on 

 the face of the monarch, as he approaches Berifsa. "Slave I" 

 says he wi.h a tremendous voice, " thou who disdained the 

 love of thy master, thou whom I wiftied to raise to the dig- 

 nity of my first wife, and whom I suffered to live in spite 

 of your refusals, what is thy object in denying the crime of 

 thy accomplice ? Dost thou wilh to save him ? If he is 

 not thy lover, name him then guilty girl, — point him out 

 to my justice, and I will immediately deliver the innocent." 



' King ot Dahomai,' replied Berifsa. ' who was then tied 

 to the stake, I could not accept of thy heart j mine was no 

 longer in ray pofsefsion, and I was not afraid to tell thee 

 so. Dost thou imagine that her who would not tell a 

 falsehood to (hare a throne, could be capable of it at the 

 moment fhe is going to expire ? No ; I have owned 

 every thing, I will repeat all I know. A man pene- 

 trated last night into my apartment ; he only quitted roe 

 at day break, but that prisoner is not the man. Thou 

 afketh me to name him r, — neither my duty nor my will 

 can consent to do so. I know nothing can save me, and 



1 only wifh to prolong these terrible moments to hindtj 

 you frcm committing a crime. I swear again, king of 

 Dahoraai, ii»ut the blood of this innocent man will fall on 

 thine owu head. Let him be released, and let me suffei, 



