shepherd, her charming Amazan. She proposed embarking at Bassora, and landing in Arabia Felix, to
perform what her deceased bird had commanded.
At the third stage, scarce had she entered into a fine inn, where her harbingers had made all the necessary preparations for her, when she learned that the king of Egypt had arrived there also. Informed by his emissaries of the princess' route, he immediately altered his course, followed by a numerous escort. Having alighted, he placed sentinels at all the doors; then repaired to the beautiful Formosanta's apartment, when he addressed her by saying:
"Miss, you are the lady I was in quest of. You paid me very little attention when I was at Babylon. It is just to punish scornful, capricious women. You will, if you please, be kind enough to sup with me to-night; and I shall behave to you according as I am satisfied with you."
Formosanta saw very well that she was not the strongest. She judged that good sense consisted in knowing how to conform to one's situation. She resolved to get rid of the king of Egypt by an innocent stratagem. She looked at him through the cor- ners of her eyes—which in after ages has been called ogling—and then she spoke to him, with a modesty, grace, and sweetness, a confusion, and a thousand other charms, which would have made the wisest man a fool, and deceived the most discerning:
"I acknowledge, sir, I always appeared with a downcast look, when you did the king, my father,
