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 fortune with her. The
lady wept, fell into a passion, and at last became more mild and gentle.
They sat longer at supper than at dinner. They now talked with greater
confidence. Azora praised the deceased; but owned that he had many
failings from which Cador was free.

During supper Cador complained of a violent pain in his side. The lady,
greatly concerned, and eager to serve him, c