leave thee to provide for thy own safety, as thou art advised by thy
friends."

  At these words they departed, and left the prince to take a short
and sad leave of his Imoinda; who, trusting in the strength of her
charms, believed she should appease the fury of a jealous king, by
saying she was surprised, and that it was by force of arms he got into
her apartment. All her concern now was for his life, and therefore she
hastened him to the camp, and with much ado prevailed on him to go.
Nor was it she alone that prevailed; Aboan and Onahal both pleaded,
and both assured him of a lie that should be well enough contrived
to secure Imoinda. So that at last, with a heart sad as death, dying
eyes, and sighing soul, Oroonoko departed, and took his way to the
camp.

  It was not long after, the king in person came to the otan; where
beholding Imoinda, with rage in his eyes, he upbraided her
wickedness and perfidy; and threatening her royal lover, she fell on
her face at his feet, bedewing the floor with her tears, and imploring
his pardon for a fault which she had not with her will committed; as
Onahal, who was also prostrate with her, could testify: that,
unknown to her, he had broke into her apartment, and ravished her. She
spoke this much against her conscience; but to save her own life,
'twas absolutely necessary she should feign this falsity. She knew
it could not injure the prince, he being fled to an army that would
stand by him against any injuries that should assault him. However,
this last thought, of Imoinda's being ravished, changed the measures
of his revenge; and whereas before he designed to be himself her
executioner, he now resolved she should not die. But as it is the
greatest crime in nature amongst 'em to touch a woman after having
been possessed by a son, a father, or a brother, so now he looked on
Imoinda as a polluted thing, wholly unfit for his embrace; nor would
he resign her to his grandson, because she had received the royal
veil: he therefore removes her from the otan, with Onahal; whom he put
into safe hands, with order they should be both sold off as slaves
to another country, either Christian or heathen, 'twas no matter
where.

  This cruel sentence, worse than death, they implored might be
reversed; but their prayers were vain, and it was put in execution
accordingly, and that with so much secrecy that none, either without
or within the otan, knew anything of their absence or their destiny.

  The old king nevertheless executed this with a great deal of
reluctancy; but he believed he had made a very great conquest over
himself when he had once resolved, and had performed what he resolved.
He believed now that his love had been unjust; and that he could not
expect the gods, or Captain of the Clouds (as they call the unknown
Power), would suffer a better consequence from so ill a cause. He
now begins to hold Oroonoko excused; and to say, he had reason for
what he did: and now everybody could assure the king how
passionately Imoinda was beloved by the prince; even those confessed
it now who said the contrary before his flame was not abated. So
that the king being old, and not able to defend himself in war, and
having no sons of all his race remaining alive, but only this, to
maintain him on his throne; and looking on this as a man disobliged,
first by the rape of his mistress, or rather wife, and now by
depriving him wholly of her, he feared, might make him desperate,
and do some cruel thing, either to himself or his old grandfather
the offender, he began to repent him extremely of the contempt he had,
in his rage, put on Imoinda. Besides, he considered he ought in
honor to have killed her for this offense, if it had been one. He
ought to have had so much value and consideration for a maid of her
quality as to have nobly put her to death, and not to have sold her
like a common slave; the greatest revenge, and the most disgraceful of
any, and to which they a thousand times prefer death, and implore
it; as Imoinda did, but could not obtain that honor. Seeing
therefore it was certain that Oroonoko would highly resent this
affront, he thought good to make some excuse for his rashness to
him; and to that end, he sent a messenger to the camp, with orders
to treat with him about the matter, to gain his pardon, and to
endeavor to mitigate his grief; but that by no means he should tell
him she was sold, but secretly put to death: for he knew he should
never obtain his pardon for the other.

  When the messenger came, he found the prince upon the point of
engaging with the enemy; but as soon as he heard of the arrival of the
messenger, he commanded him to his tent, where he embraced him, and
received him with joy: which was soon abated by the downcast looks
of the messenger, who was instantly demanded the cause by Oroonoko;
who, impatient of delay, asked a thousand questions in a breath, and
all concerning Imoinda. But there needed little return; for he could
almost answer himself of all he demanded from his sighs and eyes. At
last the messenger, casting himself at the prince's feet, and
kissing them with all the submission of a man that had something to
implore which he dreaded to utter, he besought him to hear with
calmness what he had to deliver to him, and to call up all his noble
and heroic courage, to encounter with his words, and defend himself
against the ungrateful things he must relate. Oroonoko replied, with a
deep sigh, and a languishing voice, "I am armed against their worst
efforts- for I know they will tell me Imoinda is no more- and after
that, you may spare the rest." Then, commanding him to rise, he laid
himself on a carpet, under a rich pavilion, and remained a good
while silent, and was hardly heard to sigh. When he was come a
little to himself, the messenger asked him leave to deliver that
part of his embassy which the prince had not yet divined, and the
prince cried, "I permit thee." Then he told him the affliction the old
king was in, for the rashness he had committed in his cruelty to
Imoinda; and how he deigned to ask pardon for his offense, and to
implore the prince would not suffer that loss to touch his heart too