Chapter 15

The BASILISK.

As _Zadig_ was traversing a verdant Meadow, he perceiv'd several
young Female _Syrians_, intent on searching for something very
curious, that lay conceal'd, as they imagin'd, in the Grass. He took
the Freedom to approach one of them, and ask her, in the most
courteous Manner, if he might have the Honour to assist her in her
Researches. Have a care, said she. What we are hunting after, Sir,
is an Animal, that will not suffer itself to be touch'd by a Man.
'Tis somewhat surprizing, said _Zadig_. May I be so bold, pray, as
to ask you what you are in Pursuit after, that shuns the Touch of
any Thing but the Hands of the Fair Sex. 'Tis, Sir, said she, the
_Basilisk_: A _Basilisk_, Madam, said he! And pray, if you will be
so good as to inform me, with what View, are you searching after a
Creature so very difficult to be met with? 'Tis, Sir, said she, for
our Lord and Master _Ogul_, whose Castle, you see, situate on the
River-side, at the Bottom of the Meadow. We are all his Vassals.
_Ogul_, you must know, is in a very bad State of Health, and his
first Physician has order'd him, as a Specific, to eat a _Basilisk_,
boil'd in Rose water: And as that Animal is very hard to be catch'd,
and will suffer nothing to approach it, but one of our Sex, our
dying Sovereign _Ogul_ has promis'd to honour her, that shall be so
happy as to catch it for him, so far as to make her his Consort. The
Case, being thus circumstantiated, Sir, I hope you will not
interrupt me any longer, lest my Rivals here in the Field should
happen to circumvent me.

_Zadig_ withdrew, and left the _Syrian_ Ladies in Quest of their
imaginary Booty, in order to pursue his intended Journey. But as he
came to the Banks of a Rivulet, at the remotest part of the Meadow,
he perceiv'd another young Lady, reclin'd on the Grass, and entirely
disengag'd. Her Stature seem'd majestic, but her Face was cover'd
with a Vail; and her Eyes were fixt, as one at her Looking-glass, on
the River. Every now and then a Sigh burst out, as if her Heart were
breaking. In her Hand she held a little Wand or Rod, with which she
was tracing out some Characters on the dry Sand, that lay between
the flow'ry Bank she sat on, and the purling Current. _Zadig's_
Curiosity induc'd him, unperceiv'd, to observe her Operations at
some Distance. But approaching nearer, and perceiving very
distinctly the first Character to be an _Z_. the next an _A_. and
the third a _D_. he started; but when he saw the additional Capitals
of _I_ and _G_. his Astonishment was too great for Words to express.
He stood for some Time perfectly thunder-struck, and as motionless
as a Statue; At last, in a soft, faultring Tone, he broke Silence: O
generous Lady, said he, forgive a