Zadig

Chapter 9

The CAPTIVE.

No sooner was _Zadig_ arriv'd at the _Egyptian_ Village

before-mention'd, but he found himself surrounded by a Croud. The

People one and all cried out! See! See! there's the Man that ran

away with the beauteous Lady _Missouf_, and murder'd _Cletofis_.

Gentlemen, said he, God forbid that I should ever entertain a

Thought of running away with the Lady you speak of: She is too much

of a Coquet: And as to _Cletofis_, I did not murder him, but kill'd

him in my own Defence. He endeavour'd all he could to take my Life

away, because I entreated him to take some Pity and Compassion on

the beauteous _Missouf_, whom he beat most unmercifully. I am a

Stranger, who am fled hither for Shelter, and 'tis highly

improbable, that upon my first Entrance into a Country, where I came

for Safety and Protection, I should be guilty of two such enormous

Crimes, as that of running away with another Man's Partner, and that

of clandestinely murdering him on her Account.

The _Egyptians_ at that Time were just and humane. The Populace, tis

true, hurried _Zadig_ to the Town-Goal; but they took care in the

first Place to stop the Bleeding of his Wounds, and afterwards

examin'd the suppos'd Delinquents apart, in order to discover, if

possible, the real Truth. They acquitted _Zadig_ of the Charge of

wilful and premeditated Murder; but as he had taken a Subject's Life

away, tho' in his own Defence, he was sentenc'd to be a Slave, as

the Law directed. His two Beasts were sold in open Market, for the

Service of the Hamlet; What Money he had was distributed amongst the

Inhabitants; and he and his Attendant were expos'd in the

Market-place to public Sale. An _Arabian_ Merchant, _Setoc_ by Name,

purchas'd them both; but as the Valet, or Attendant, was a robust

Man, and better cut out for hard Labour than the Master, he fetch'd

the most Money. There was no Comparison to be made between them.

_Zadig_ therefore was a Slave subordinate to his Valet; they secur'd

them both, however, by a Chain upon their Legs; and so link'd they

accompanied their Master home. _Zadig_, as they were on the Road,

comforted his Fellow-Slave, and exhorted him to bear his Misfortunes

with Patience: But, according to Custom, he made several Reflections

on the Vicissitudes of human Life. I am now sensible, said he, that

my impropitious Fortune has some malignant Influence over thine;

every Occurrence of my Life hitherto has prov'd strangely odd and

unaccountable. In the first Place, I was sentenc'd to die at

_Babylon_, for writing a short Panegyrick on the King, my Master. In

the next, I narrowly escap'd being strangled, for the Queen his

Royal Consort's speaking a little too much in my Favour; and here I

am a joint-Slave with thy self; because a turbulent Fellow of a

Gallant would beat his Lady. However, Comrade, let us march on

boldly; let not our Courage be cast down; all this may possibly have

a happier Issue than we expect. 'Tis absolutely necessary that these

_Arabian_ Merchants should have Slaves, and why should not you and

I, as we are but Men, be Slaves as Thousands of others are? This

Master of ours may not prove inexorable. He must treat his Slaves

with some Thought and Consideration, if he expects them to do his

Work. This was his Discourse to his Comrade; but his Mind was more

attentive to the Misfortunes of the Queen of _Babylon_.

Two Days afterwards _Setoc_ set out with his two Slaves and his

Camels, for _Arabia Deserta_. His Tribe liv'd near the Desert of

_Horeb_. The Way was long and tedious. _Setoc_, during the Journey,

paid a much greater Regard to _Zadig's_ Valet, than to himself;

because the former was the most able to load the Camels; and

therefore what little Distinctions were made, they were in his

Favour. It so happen'd that one of the Camels died upon the Road:

The Load which the Beast carried was immediately divided, and thrown

upon the Shoulders of the two Slaves; _Zadig_ had his Share.

_Setoc_, couldn't forbear laughing to see his two Slaves crouching

under their Burthen. _Zadig_ took the Liberty to explain the Reason

thereof; and convinc'd him of the Laws of the Equilibrium. The

Merchant was a little startled at his philosophical Discourse, and

look'd upon him with a more favourable Eye than at first. _Zadig_,

perceiving he had rais'd his Curiosity, redoubled it, by instructing

him in several material Points, which were in some Measure,

advantageous to him in his Way of Business: Such as, the specific

Weight of Metals, and other Commodities of various Kinds, of an

equal Bulk; the Properties of several useful Animals, and the best

Ways and Means to make Such as were wild, tame by Degrees, and fit

for Service: In short, _Zadig_ was look'd upon by his Master, as a

perfect Oracle. _Setoc_ now thought the Master the much better Man

of the two. He us'd him courteously, and had no Room to repent of

his Indulgence towards him.

Being got to their Journey's End, the first Step that _Setoc_ took

was to claim a Debt of five hundred Ounces of Silver of a _Jew_, who

had borrow'd it in the Presence of two Witnesses; but both of them

were dead; and as the _Jew_ was conscious he couldn't be cast for

Want of Evidence, appropriated the Merchant's Money to his own Use,

and thank'd God that it lay in his Power for once to bite an

_Arabian_ with Impunity. _Setoc_ discover'd to _Zadig_ the unhappy

Situation of his Case, as he was now become his Confident. Where was

it, pray, said _Zadig_, that you lent this large Sum to that

ungrateful Infidel? Upon a large Stone, said the Merchant, at the

Foot of Mount _Horeb_. What sort of a Man is your Debtor, said

_Zadig_? Oh! he is as errand a Rogue as ever breath'd, reply'd

_Setoc_. That I take for granted; but, says _Zadig_, is he a lively,

active Man, or is he a dull heavy-headed Fellow? He is one of the

worst of Pay-masters in the World, but the merriest, most sprightly

Fellow I ever met with. Very well! said _Zadig_, let me be one of

your Council when your Cause comes to be heard. In short, he

summon'd the _Jew_ to attend the Court; where, when the Judge was

sat, _Zadig_ open'd the Cause: Thou impartial Judge of this Court of

Equity, I am come here, in behalf of my Master, to demand of the

Defendant five hundred Ounces of Silver, which he refuses to pay,

and would fain traverse the Debt. Have you, Friend, your Witnesses

ready to prove the Loan, said the Judge? No, they are dead; but

there is a large Stone still subsisting, on which the Money was

deposited; and if your Excellence, will be pleas'd to order the

Stone to be brought in Court, I don't doubt but the Evidence it will

give, will be Proof sufficient of the Fact. I hope your Excellence

will order, that the _Jew_ and myself shall be oblig'd to attend the

Court, till the Stone comes, and I'll dispatch a special Messenger

to fetch it, at my Master's Expence. Your Request is very

reasonable, said the Judge. Do as you propose; and so call'd another

Cause.

When the Court was ready to break up, Well! said the Judge to

_Zadig_, is your Stone come yet? The _Jew_, with a Sneer, replied,

your Excellence may wait here till this Time To-morrow, before the

Stone will appear in Court; for 'tis above six Mile off, and it will

require fifteen Men to remove it from its Place. 'Tis well! replied

_Zadig_. I told your Excellence that the Stone would be a very

material Evidence. Since the Defendant can point out the Place where

the Stone lies, he tacitly confesses, that it was upon that Stone

the Money was deposited. The _Jew_ thus unexpectedly confuted, was

soon oblig'd to acknowledge the Debt. The Judge order'd that the

_Jew_ should be tied fast to the Stone, without Victuals or Drink,

till he should advance the five hundred Ounces of Silver, which were

soon paid accordingly, and the _Jew_ releas'd. The Slave _Zadig_,

and this remarkable Stone-Witness, were in great Repute all over

_Arabia_.