On the other side, the old king, who had many wives and many
concubines, wanted not court-flatterers to insinuate into his heart
a thousand tender thoughts for this young beauty; and who
represented her to his fancy as the most charming he had ever
possessed in all the long race of his numerous years. At this
character, his old heart, like an extinguished brand, most apt to take
fire, felt new sparks of love, and began to kindle; and now grown to
his second childhood, longed with impatience to behold this gay thing,
with whom, alas! he could but innocently play. But how he should be
confirmed she was this wonder, before he used his power to call her to
court (where maidens never came, unless for the king's private use) he
was next to consider; and while he was so doing, he had intelligence
brought him that Imoinda was most certainly mistress to the Prince
Oroonoko. This gave him some chagrin: however, it gave him also an
opportunity, one day, when the prince was a-hunting, to wait on a
man of quality, as his slave and attendant, who should go and make a
present to Imoinda, as from the prince; he should then, unknown, see
this fair maid, and have an opportunity to hear what message she would
return the prince for his present, and from thence gather the state of
her heart, and degree of her inclination. This was put in execution,
and the old monarch saw, and burned: he found her all he had heard,
and would not delay his happiness, but found he should have some
obstacle to overcome her heart; for she expressed her sense of the
present the prince had sent her, in terms so sweet, so soft and
pretty, with an air of love and joy that could not be dissembled,
insomuch that 'twas past doubt whether she loved Oroonoko entirely.
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