Selim open’d, and at the same time presented the favorite with a gold box, of exquisite work, and richly adorn’d with jewels. “The present is gallant,” says Mangogul.

“What I esteem most in it,” added the favorite, “is the portrait. What eyes! What a mouth! what a neck! But is not all this heightened?”

“So little, madam,” replied Selim, “that Oropeza would probably have fixed me at Madrid, if her husband, informed of our commerce, had not disturbed it by his threats. I loved Oropeza, but I loved life better still. Besides, my governor was not of opinion, that I should expose myself to be poniarded by the husband, for the sake of enjoying his wife some few months more. Wherefore I wrote to the fair Spanish Donna a very moving farewell letter, which I stole out of some romance of that country, and set out for France.