Setoc, charmed with the happy issue of this affair, made his slave his
intimate friend. He had now conceived as great esteem for him as ever the
King of Babylon had done; and Zadig was glad that Setoc had no wife. He
discovered in his master a good natural disposition, much probity of
heart, and a great share of good sense; but he was sorry to see that,
according to the ancient custom of Arabia, he adored the host of heaven;
that is, the sun, moon, and stars. He sometimes spoke to him on this
subject with great prudence and discretion. At last he told him that these
bodies were like all other bodies in the universe, and no more deserving
of our homage than a tree or a rock.
"But," said Setoc, "they are eternal beings; and it is from them we derive
all we enjoy. They animate nature; they regulate the seasons; and,
besides, are removed at such an immense distance from us that we cannot
help revering them."
"Thou receivest more advantage," replied Zadig, "from the waters of the
Red Sea, which carry thy merchandise to the Indies. Why may not it be as
ancient as the stars? And if thou adorest what is placed at a distance
from thee, thou oughtest to adore the land of the Gangarides, which lies
at the extremity of the earth."
"No," said Setoc, "the brightness of the stars commands my adoration."
At night Zadig lighted up a great number of candles in the tent where he
was to sup with Setoc; and the moment his patron appeared, he fell on his
knees before these lighted tapers, and said, "Eternal and shining
luminaries! be ye always propitious to me." Having thus said, he sat down
at table, without taking the least notice of Setoc.
"What art thou doing?" said Setoc to him in amaze.
"I act like thee," replied Zadig, "I adore these candles, and neglect
their master and mine." Setoc comprehended the profound sense of this
apologue. The wisdom of his slave sunk deep into his soul; he no longer
offered incense to the creatures, but adored the eternal Being who made
them.
There prevailed at that time in Arabia a shocking custom, sprung
originally from Leythia, and which, being established in the Indies by the
credit of the Brahmans, threatened to overrun all the East. When a married
man died, and his beloved wife aspired to the character of a saint, she
burned herself publicly on the body of her husband. This was a solemn
feast and was called the Funeral Pile of Widowhood, and that tribe in
which most women had been burned was the most respected.
An Arabian of Setoc's tribe being dead, his widow, whose name was Almona,
and who was very devout, published the day and hour when she intended to
throw herself into the fire, amidst the sound of drums and trumpets. Zadig
remonstrated against this horrible custom; he showed Setoc how
inconsistent it was with the happiness of mankind to suffer young widows
to burn themselves every other day, widows who were capable of giving
children to the state, or at least of educating those they already had;
and he convinced him that it was his duty to do all that lay in his power
to abolish such a barbarous practice.
"The women," said Setoc, "have possessed the right of burning themselves
for more than a thousand years; and who shall dare to abrogate a law which
time hath rendered sacred? Is there anything more respectable than ancient
abuses?"
"Reason is more ancient," replied Zadig; "meanwhile, speak thou to the
chiefs of the tribes and I will go to wait on the young widow."
Accordingly he was introduced to her; and, after having insinuated himself
into her good graces by some compliments on her beauty and told her what a
pity it was to commit so many charms to the flames, he at last praised her
for her constancy and courage. "Thou must surely have loved thy husband,"
said he to her, "with the most passionate fondness."
"Who, I?" replied the lady. "I loved him not at all. He was a brutal,
jealous, insupportable wretch; but I am firmly resolved to throw myself on
his funeral pile."
"It would appear then," said Zadig, "that there must be a very delicious
pleasure in being burned alive."
"Oh! it makes nature shudder," replied the lady, "but that must be
overlooked. I am a devotee, and I should lose my reputation and all the
world would despise me if I did not burn myself."
Zadig having made her acknowledge that she burned herself to gain the good
opinion of others and to gratify her own vanity, entertained her with a
long discourse, calculated to make her a little in love with life, and
even went so far as to inspire her with some degree of good will for the
person who spoke to her.
"Alas!" said the lady, "I believe I should desire thee to marry me."
Zadig's mind was too much engrossed with the idea of Astarte not to elude
this declaration; but he instantly went to the chiefs of the tribes, told
them what had passed, and advised them to make a law, by which a widow
should not be permitted to burn herself till she had conversed privately
with a young man for the space of an hour. Since that time not a single
woman hath burned herself in Arabia. They were indebted to Zadig alone for
destroying in one day a cruel custom that had lasted for so many ages and
thus he became the benefactor of Arabia.