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