educated at court, I must now think of marrying the daughter of a
citizen." He pitched upon Azora, a lady of the greatest prudence, and
of the best family in town. He married her and lived with her for three
months in all the delights of the most tender union. He only observed
that she had a little levity; and was too apt to find that those young
men who had the most handsome persons were likewise possessed of most
wit and virtue.

THE NOSE

One morning Azora returned from a walk in a terrible passion, and
uttering the most violent exclamations. "What aileth thee," said he,
"my dear spouse? What is it that can thus have discomposed thee?"

"Alas," said she, "thou wouldst be as much enraged as I am hadst thou
seen what I have just beheld. I have been to comfort the young widow
Cosrou, who, within these two days, hath raised a tomb to her young
husband, near the rivulet that washes the skirts of this meadow. She
vowed to heaven, in the bitterness of her grief, to remain at this tomb
while the water of the rivulet should continue to run near it."

"Well," said Zadig, "she is an excellent woman, and loved her husband
with the most sincere affection."

"Ah," replied Azora, "didst thou but know in what she was employed when
I went to wait upon her!"

"In what, pray, beautiful Azora? Was she turning the course of the
rivulet?"

Azora broke out into such long invectives and loaded the young widow
with such bitter reproaches, that Zadig was far from being pleased with
this ostentation of virtue.

Zadig had a friend named Cador, one of those young men in whom his wife
discovered more probity and merit than in others. He made him his
confidant, and secured his fidelity as much as possible by a
considerable present. Azora, having passed two days with a friend in
the country, returned home on the third. The servants told her, with
tears in their eyes, that her husband died suddenly the night before;
that they were afraid to send her an account of this mournful event;
and that they had just been depositing his corpse in the tomb of his
ancestors, at the end of the garden. She wept, she tore her hair, and
swore she would follow him to the grave.

In the evening Cador begged leave to wait upon her, and joined his
tears with hers. Next day they wept less, and dined together. Cador
told her that his friend had left him the greatest part of his estate;
and that he should think himself extremely happy in sharing his fortun