evenge. He determin'd
to poison _Astarte_ on a certain Night, and to have _Zadig_
strangled by Break of Day. Orders for that Purpose were expressly
given to a merciless, inhuman Eunuch, the ready Executioner of his
Vengeance. At that critical Conjuncture, there happen'd to be a
Dwarf, who was dumb, but not deaf, in the King's Apartment. Nobody
regarded him: He was an Eye and Ear-witness of all that pass'd, and
yet no more suspected than any irrational Domestic Animal. This
little Dwarf had conceiv'd a peculiar Regard for _Astarte_ and
_Zadig_: He heard, with equal Horror and Surprize, the King's Orders
to destroy them both. But how to prevent those Orders from being put
into Execution, as the Time was so short, was all his Concern. He
could not write, 'tis true, but he had luckily learnt to draw, and
take a Likeness. He spent a good Part of the Night in delineating
with Crayons, on a Piece of Paper, the imminent Danger that thus
attended the Queen. In one Corner, he represented the King highly
incens'd, and giving his cruel Eunuch the fatal Orders; in another,
a Bowl and a Cord upon a Table; in the Center was the Queen,
expiring in the Arms of her Maids of Honour, with _Zadig_ strangled,
and laid dead at her Feet. In the Horizon was the rising Sun, to
denote, that this execrable Scene was to be exhibited by Break of
Day. No sooner was his Design finish'd, but he ran with it to one of
_Astarte's_ Female Favourites, then in waiting, call'd her up, and
gave her to understand, that she must carry the Draught to _Astarte_
that very Moment.

In the mean Time, the Queen's Attendants, tho' it was Dead of Night,
knock'd at the Door of _Zadig's_ Apartment, wak'd him, and deliver'd
into his Hands a Billet from the Queen. At first he could not well
tell whether he was only in a Dream or not, but soon read the
Letter, with a trembling Hand, and a heavy Heart: Words can't
express his Surprise, and the Agonies of Despair which he was in
upon his perusal of the Contents. _Fly_, said she, _Dear_ Zadig,
_this very Moment; for your Life's in the utmost Danger: Fly, Dear_
Zadig, _I conjure you, in the Name of that fatal Passion, with which
I have long struggled, and which I now venture to discover, as I
am to make Atonement for it, in a few Moments, by the Loss of my
Life. Tho' I am conscious to myself of my Innocence, I find I am to
feel the Weight of my Husband's Resentment, and die the Death of a
Traitor._

_Zadig_ was scarce able t