ch the whole of his servants could not have rendered?"
"Madam," answered Artamene, "you are right in thinking that
some Divinity has led me hither; and it must have been some
one of those beneficent Divinities who do only good to men,
since it has procured me the honour of being known to you,
and the happiness of being chosen by Fortune to render to
the King a slight service, which might, no doubt, have been
better done him by any other man." "Modesty," said the
Princess (smiling and turning towards the ladies who were
nearest her), "is a virtue which belongs so essentially to
our own sex, that I do not know whether I ought to allow
this generous stranger so unjustly to rob us of it, or--not
content with possessing eminently that valour to which we
must make no pretension--to try to be as modest when he is
spoken to of the fineness of his actions as reasonable women
ought to be when they are praised for their beauty. For my
part," she added, looking at Artamene, "I confess I find
your proceeding a little unfair. And I do not think that I
ought to allow it, or to deprive myself of the power of
praising you infinitely, although you cannot endure it."
"Persons like you," retorted Artamene, but with profound
respect, "ought to receive praise from all the earth, and
not to give it lightly. 'Tis a thing, Madam, of which it is
not pleasant to have to repeat; for which reason I beg you
not to expose yourself to such a danger. Wait, Madam, till I
have the honour of being a little better known to you."

There are several pages more of this _carte_ and _tierce_ of compliment;
but perhaps a degenerate and impatient age may desire that we should
pass to the next subject. Whether it is right or not in so desiring may
perhaps be discussed when the three samples have been given.

Artamene has been dismissed with every mark of favour, and lodged in a
pavilion overlooking the garden. When he is alone--

[Sidenote: His soliloquy in the pavilion.]

After having passed and re-passed all these things over
again in his imagination, "Ye gods!" said he, "if, when she
is so lovable, it should chance that I cannot make her love
me, what would become of the wretched Artamene? But," and he
caught himself up suddenly, "since she seems capable of
appreciating glory and services, let us co