brought before him,
and that his two friends and the lady should be set at liberty. Zadig
fell prostrate on the ground before the king and queen; humbly begged
their pardon for having made such bad verses and spoke with so much
propriety, wit, and good sense, that their majesties desired they might
see him again. He did himself that honor, and insinuated himself still
farther into their good graces. They gave him all the wealth of the
envious man; but Zadig restored him back the whole of it. And this
instance of generosity gave no other pleasure to the envious man than
that of having preserved his estate.

The king's esteem for Zadig increased every day. He admitted him into
all his parties of pleasure, and consulted him in all affairs of state.
From that time the queen began to regard him with an eye of tenderness
that might one day prove dangerous to herself, to the king, her august
comfort, to Zadig, and to the kingdom in general. Zadig now began to
think that happiness was not so unattainable as he had formerly
imagined.

THE GENEROUS

The time now arrived for celebrating a grand festival, which returned
every five years. It was a custom in Babylon solemnly to declare at the
end of every five years which of the citizens had performed the most
generous action. The grandees and the magi were the judges. The first
satrap, who was charged with the government of the city, published the
most noble actions that had passed under his administration. The
competition was decided by votes; and the king pronounced the sentence.
People came to this solemnity from the extremities of the earth. The
conqueror received from the monarch's hand a golden cup adorned with
precious stones, his majesty at the same time making him this
compliment:

"Receive this reward of thy generosity, and may the gods grant me many
subjects like to thee."

This memorable day being come, the king appeared on his throne,
surrounded by the grandees, the magi, and the deputies of all nations
that came to these games, where glory was acquired not by the swiftness
of horses, nor by strength of body, but by virtue. The first satrap
recited, with an audible voice, such actions as might entitle the
authors of them to this invaluable prize. He did not mention the
greatness of soul with which Zadig had restored the envious man his
fortune, because it was not judged to be an action worthy of disputing
the prize.

He first presented a judge who, having