3f8 MELAI, A TALE. May 1 1 , 



ed by the dignity of my ftation, I would have willingly run 

 after her, and difcovered my paffion, by throwing my arms 

 about her delicate neck, and printing a thoufand kifles up- 

 on her coral lips. 



I ordered her, however, to be called back. — She turned 

 about, and it was like the Jppearance of the fun, when in 

 the midlt of feme day of darknefs and of gloom, he breaks 

 forth in his beauty, and the clouds fly before him. 



I have fet thee at liberty, fair Gulmanac, faid I ; and as 

 a proof of thy freedom, it is now in thy option to give to 

 thy fovereign, before all this anerably, either a favourable 

 or an unfavourable *-eply Could you condefcend to ac- 

 cept of a place among my women I 

 She bluflied— 

 " My monarch commands me. 

 " But what if he is not inclined to command ? 

 " It mull always afford the highell happinefs to his flavt, 

 " to be able to gratify the Icall of his wiihes." 



From that moment, (he alone was the miftrefs of my 

 heart. The whole women of mv haram were Immediately 

 difmifled; for I thought it was injuftice todeprive others, from 

 a vain affeftation of magnificence and parade, of that which 

 I myfelf could no longer enjoy. Gu/manac''s power over me, 

 was from henceforth as unlimited, as that which I exercii- 

 ed over any of my fubjefts. 



A man was foon afterwards brought before me, accuferi 

 of an intention to murder his nephew 5 and what made the 

 aflfair peculiarly remarkable, this very nephew appeared as 

 his defender. He contradicted the accufers with warmth 

 and with eagernefs ; related the many good offices his uncle 

 had done him ; and pleaded his caufe in a much more powerful 

 manner, than it was polTible the accufed perfon could have 

 done it himfelf. He delivered this defence with fuch elo- 

 quence and grace, and difplayed, in the courfe of it, fo 

 much knowledge of mankind, and fuch an uncommon at- 

 tachment to humanity and virtue, that he gained at once 

 both my affection and elleem. I railed him immediately 

 from the mediocrity of his ftation j gave him one poft of ho- 

 nour after another ; and found him in each of them fo ufe* 

 ful and incorruptible, that I at lart declared him my grand 

 Vif er, and gave him the name of Ebu Mahraud. 



