the end be my husband. In this idea, and looking on him already
as heir to the crown, they made their court to him, and every one
endeavoured to gain his favour. He soon saw into their designs,
grew conceited of himself, and forgetting the distance there was
between our conditions, flattered himself with the hopes that my
father was fond enough of him, to prefer him before all the
princes in the world. He went farther; for the sultan not
offering me to him as soon as he could have wished, he had the
boldness to ask me of him. Whatever punishment his insolence
deserved, my father was satisfied with telling him he had other
thoughts in relation to me, and shewed him no further resentment.
The youth was incensed at this refusal; he resented the contempt,
as if he had asked some maid of ordinary extraction, or as if his
birth had been equal to mine. Nor did he stop here, but resolved
to be revenged on the sultan, and with unparalleled ingratitude
conspired against him. In short, he murdered him, and caused
himself to be proclaimed sovereign of Deryabar. The first thing
he did after the murder of my father was to come into my
apartment, at the head of a party of the conspirators. His
design was either to take my life or oblige me to marry him. The
grand vizier, however, who had been always loyal to his master,
while the usurper was butchering my father, came to carry me away
from the palace, and secured me in a friend's house, till a
vessel he had provided was ready to sail. I then left the
island, attended only by a governess and that generous minister,
who chose rather to follow his master's daughter, and share her
misfortunes, than to submit to a tyrant.

The grand vizier designed to carry me to the courts of the
neighbouring sultans, to implore their assistance, and excite