t not speak to them, except to require their
services. If you condescend to use the smallest familiarity with any
one of them, further than mere expressions of kindness, if----I must
discover to you a part of my character. I am inclined to be jealous;
and if you make me the subject of this fatal passion, I know not how
far my resentment may carry me against you.'

"'Take courage,' said I, 'my adorable spouse: the strength of my
passion secures you from every indiscretion on my part. I should die
with vexation were I capable of displeasing you; but I am not afraid
that I will ever be so unlucky as to give you offence.'

"The unknown lady burst into tears when she saw the frankness and air
of sincerity with which my protestations were accompanied.
'Halechalbe,' said she, 'we will now be united; but had you hesitated
about accepting them, I would have sacrificed my happiness to my
delicacy, and we would have separated for ever.'

"I tenderly embraced her, and she fainted away in my arms. A slave
was called, and she, the idol of my heart, after a time opened her
beautiful eyes, and with rapture I beheld them turned towards me.

"I pass over the remaining events of my marriage, because they cannot
be interesting to you, and the remembrance of them is still the
torment of my life.

"I was so enchanted by my passion, that I spent a fortnight in total
forgetfulness of the whole world besides; and I will confess, to my
shame, that I even omitted the most essential of all duties, for I
never once thought of the uneasiness of my father and mother on my
account. At last, by little and little, nature resumed her rights, and
I began to think seriously of the grief which I must have occasioned
to my affectionate parents. I uttered some sighs, which proceeded from
the bottom of my heart; and the distress of my mind appeared in my
countenance. My wife, who possessed great discernment, soon perceived
the change which I underwent, got from me the secret, took an interest
in my pain, and pointed out the method of being delivered from its
attacks.

"'Dear Halechalbe,' said she, 'I commend you for your attachment to
your father and mother: they are dear to me on your account. We have
given ourselves laws; but, as we are the judges, we must not allow
them to do injury to nature. You will go to see your parents, spend a
week with them, and also resume your business. There are many reasons
for so doing. First of all, it will serve as a c