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J6o6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Thb king took his wet cloak, and the rebuke along with 

 it, and, on his return, he fent for the man to Gondar, and 

 raifed him in a lhort time to the firft offices in the ftate. He 

 pofTeiled his entire confidence ; and he deferved it. He was 

 the only man to whom the king had confided his fears of 

 the ufurper Welleta Georgis. While BaeufFa was fuppofed 

 to be ill, the queen and this officer only prefent, he mention- 

 ed, for the firft time, fome furprife that no fuch perfon as 

 Welleta Georgis had appeared during fo long and fo many 

 inquiries, and could not help dropping fome words as if he 

 doubted the truth of this prophecy. 



Badjerund Waragna, for that was the name of the 

 king's friend, maintained modeftly that it might be a temp- 

 tation of the devil to miflead him to his deftrucliion. He 

 told the king, that, by his own account of it, this Welleta 

 Georgis was to have no power over him, as he was only to 

 appear in his fon's time. He begged him, therefore, to lay 

 afide all further thoughts of his prophecy, whilft he trufted 

 his fon's fucceffion to God's mercy, and to the prayers, the 

 charity, and prudence of the queen. The Iteghe all this 

 time was loft in filence. She defired the king to repeat to 

 her the whole circumftances of the prophecy, which he di- 

 ftinclly did. " I wilh," fays fhe laughing, " this Welleta Geor- 

 gis may not be now nearer us than we imagine ; perhaps 

 in the palace." " In the palace !" fays the king, with great 

 emotion. " I doubt fo," fays the queen ; " fuppofe it mould 

 be me your own wife ; for Welleta Georgis was the name 

 given to me in baptifm ; and your late coronation of me, 

 mould a minority happen in the perfon of your fon, or 

 even a grandfon, undoubtedly leaves me regent of the 



kingdom 



