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.
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