Trefry, a man of great wit and fine learning, was attracted by the noble
bearing of Oroonoko, and treated him more as a friend than as a servant.
And when, to his great astonishment, he found that the young prince was
his equal in scholarship, and could converse with him in English,
French, and Spanish, he asked him how it was he had become a slave.
Oroonoko then related the story of the slave-dealer's treachery, and
Trefry was so moved by it that he promised to find the means to free him
from slavery and enable him to return to Coromantien.

When Oroonoko arrived at our plantation, all our negroes left off work
and came to see him. When they saw that he was really the great prince
of Coromantien, who had conquered them in battle and sold them into
slavery, they cast themselves at his feet, crying out in their own
language: "Live, O king! Long live, O king!" They kissed his feet and
paid him divine homage--for such is the nature of this people, that
instead of bearing him any grudge for selling them into captivity, they
were filled with awe and veneration for him.

Mr. Trefry was glad to find Oroonoko's statement of his royal rank
confirmed by the adoration of all the slaves.

"There's one girl," he said, "who did not come to greet you. I am sure
you will be delighted to find you have so beautiful a subject. If it is
possible for anyone to console you for the loss of Imoinda, she will do
so. To tell the truth, I've been in love with her myself, but I found
that I could not win her."

"I do not want to see her," said Oroonoko. "If I go back to Coromantien,
I will not take any woman with me. I vowed to Imoinda that I would never