I recovered my sight, memory and reason, at the same instant; whether it
was owing to the common effect which the fear of death has, or to the
property of the sea, or, to judge better, the work of heaven: but all I
had said, or done, or thought, came into my mind, and I found myself so
guilty against you and my husband, that the first sign of life that my
deliverers perceived in me, was by shedding an excessive shower of
tears; which was the more violent, because I had never wept since that
fatal adventure in the forest: and indeed I thought, as did all about
me, that they would have suffocated me; but so much care was taken of
me, that without putting an end to my affliction, my life was out of
danger.

* * * * *
* * * *

"The people of the ship had placed about me a young woman extremely
amiable;--the tenderness she expressed for the griefs she saw I was
involved in, made me conceive a very great friendship for her; and,
indeed, as she was the only woman there, it was natural for us to be
more than ordinarily pleased with each other. When she found me a little
composed, she informed me that we were with Flemish merchants, who were
trading to the Levant; that having perceived from deck my extraordinary
tomb, the hope of finding something valuable in it, had made them take
it aboard; but having opened it, they were surprised to see a woman
richly habited: that at first they thought me dead, because I was very
much swelled, but having placed me in the open air, a little motion of
my heart gave them hope of recovering me; that accordingly, with great
difficulty, they effected it; and finding, as they thought, some beauty
in me, they resolved, at the expence of my liberty, to make themselves
amends for having found nothing but me in the tun. ''Tis with this
design,' added she, 'that we are sailing towards Almeria, where these
merchants design to sell you to the Sultan of that place: it is now six
months since they took me away from the coast of France, which is my
native country, on the same account; but I very well foresee that your
beauty will preserve me from being exposed to the Sultan's desires: yet,
as I cannot avoid slavery, I beg, madam, that you will not let me be
separated from you. The Sultan will without doubt buy you; contrive it
so, that he may think I am a dependant of yours.' I was very glad to
have a French woman with me, so promised her, that wh