Chapter 9 - Page 2

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