ancient," replied Zadig; "meanwhile, speak thou to the
chiefs of the tribes and I will go to wait on the young widow."

Accordingly he was introduced to her; and, after having insinuated himself
into her good graces by some compliments on her beauty and told her what a
pity it was to commit so many charms to the flames, he at last praised her
for her constancy and courage. "Thou must surely have loved thy husband,"
said he to her, "with the most passionate fondness."

"Who, I?" replied the lady. "I loved him not at all. He was a brutal,
jealous, insupportable wretch; but I am firmly resolved to throw myself on
his funeral pile."

"It would appear then," said Zadig, "that there must be a very delicious
pleasure in being burned alive."

"Oh! it makes nature shudder," replied the lady, "but that must be
overlooked. I am a devotee, and I should lose my reputation and all the
world would despise me if I did not burn myself."

Zadig having made her acknowledge that she burned herself to gain the good
opinion of others and to gratify her own vanity, entertained her with a
long discourse, calculated to make her a little in love with life, and
even went so far as to inspire her with some degree of good will for the
person who spoke to her.

"Alas!" said the lady, "I believe I should desire thee to marry me."

Zadig's mind was too much engrossed with the idea of Astarte not to elude
this declaration; but he instantly went to the chiefs of the tribes, told
them what had passed, and advised them to make a law, by which a widow
should not be permitted to burn herself till she had conversed privately
with a young man for the space of an hour. Since that time not a single
woman hath burned herself in Arabia. They were indebted to Zadig alone for
destroying in one day a cruel custom that had lasted for so many ages and
thus he became the benefactor of Arabia.

THE SUPPER

Setoc, who could not separate himself from this man, in whom dwelt wisdom,
carried him to the great fair of Balzora, whither the richest merchants in
the earth resorted. Zadig was highly pleased to see so many men of
different countries united in the same place. He considered the whole
universe as one large family assembled at Balzora.

Setoc, after having sold his commodities at a very high price, returned to
his own tribe with his friend Zadig; who learned upon his arrival that he
had been tried in his absence and was now going to be burned by a slow
fi