upon him with many marks of anger in her eyes) you do not know me? Pardon me, Ma∣dam, answered he, I know you very well, and cannot be ignorant, that you are the fairest, and most amiable in the world: but it is you Madam, added he, who knows not the unfor∣tunate Artabes; he, I say, who adores you, as devoutly as men adore the Gods; he, whose thoughts are all upon you; and who seeks nothing upon earth else; I say, who will die, and die a thousand deaths rather then live without the love of Amestris: Then you must pre∣pare your self for death (replied she and broke off his discourse) for Amestris will not be∣stow her esteem esteem nor love, nor friendship upon any, who want those respects unto me which are fitting. It to adore you to want respect? replied he: To tell me as much, is, answered she: Do as the Gods do then (answered Artabes) and know my thoughts, and like them, receive my praiers, and grant me that which it is your pleasure I should not ask: I'le grant nothing, said she, unto them who render themselves unworthy, no not my compassion, which I seldom refuse unto any in misery: But Artabes (said Amestris) I desire no more of your company, and forbid you ever visiting me any more: In saying so, she would have gone away, but he staied her: Since this is the last time (said he unto her) that I must have the blesledness of your company, you may very well hear me all I would speak, and it is but fit I should let you know what Artabes is; to the end, that before you do absolutely destroy him, you may consider well whether you have any reason for doing it: I know but too much, replied she, and it would have been better for him if I had known less: You do not yet know Madam, said he, that he who speaks unto you does love you so extream violently, that there is no crime which he hath not committed for your sake; he hath betraied his friends, he hath cosened his kindred, he hath dishonoured himself, and there is nothing which he hath not done, which might make him rest capable of getting your affection, and to hinder all others from possessing it. The reason, Madam, why I tell you what I have done, is, that you may know what I can do: If there be any of my Rivals which displeases you, do but seem to wish, and I shall presently rid you of them; but (continued he) Megabises and Aglatidas they are more fortunate then I, if you desire to preserve them, hide so all your advantagious thoughts of both of them, that I do not perceive them, and that they themselves do not perceive them. Megabises and Aglatidas, replied she, are wiser then you are, in my opinion: I know not Madam, answared he, whether they be wiser; but I know very well, that if they be more happy then I, they shall not be so long: At these words Amestris grew so extreamly angry, that she used all the vile and ill terms she could in∣vent against Artabes, who doubtles did often repent him of his violence, though in vain: This crafty and subtle man, by the violence of his passion and sorrow, had lost all policy and craft upon this occasion. As they were upon these terms, a servant came in and told Ame∣stris that there were a great number coming to visit her; but since she found her spirits a lit∣tle disordered, and left any signs of anger or sorrow should appear in her face, she left Artabes upon a sudden, and went into her Closet to compose her countenance. Mean while Artabes went out of the chamber, but in such a fury, and so desperate as possible a man could be: Sorrow so possessed him, that because he could not resolve to see either Me∣gabises or me: he took his horse and went for some certain daies into the Çountry, leaving order to tell every one, that important business so hapned that he was forced to go without bidding adieu to any of his friends, or seeing us: Mean while, Megabises and I, who knew nothing of the truth, and who were in absolute dispute, because Artabes had rendred us no account of the discourse which he had with Amestris, we would go the next day unto her; but we were told that she was not well, and would not be seen: The next day we went again and saw her, but much more melancholike then accustomed: Methought she treated us more coldly then formerly she was accustomed. I leave you to imagine Sir, how troubled I was; for as I beleeved that Artabes had spoken to her concerning me, the last time he was with her, so I expounded this coldness in her, in a cruel sense: Megabises, as I have heard since, he was at no more rest then I, and therefore passed all that afternoon in much melancholy: But here may be admired Sir, how Fortune disposes of things; All the while I was thus tormenting my self, and had trusted the conduct of my Love unto a Friend who had betraied me, my Father, I knowing nothing of it, was an earnest solicitor for my happiness, as you shall know. I was then very melancholike both at the absence of Artabes, and the coldness which I observed in the Countenance of Ame∣stris; when my Father sent for me, and propounded unto a Marriage, with the Daughter of Artambaces, not only as a thing which he wished might be, but as a thing al∣ready done up amongst them. Sir, Replied I, this which you propose is too advantagious to