" Caesar assured him he
was proof against all the charms of that sex; and that if he
imagined his heart could be so perfidious to love again, after
Imoinda, he believed he should tear it from his bosom. They had no
sooner spoke but a little shock-dog, that Clemene had presented her,
which she took great delight in, ran out; and she, not knowing anybody
was there, ran to get it in again, and bolted out on those who were
just speaking of her: when seeing them, she would have run in again,
but Trefry caught her by the hand, and cried, "Clemene, however you
fly a lover, you ought to pay some respect to this stranger" (pointing
to Caesar). But she, as if she had resolved never to raise her eyes to
the face of a man again, bent 'em the more to the earth, when he
spoke, and gave the prince the leisure to look the more at her.
There needed no long gazing, or consideration, to examine who this
fair creature was; he soon saw Imoinda all over her; in a minute he
saw her face, her shape, her air, her modesty, and all that called
forth his soul with joy at his eyes, and left his body destitute of
almost life: it stood without motion, and for a minute knew not that
it had a being; and, I believe, he had never come to himself, so
oppressed he was with over-joy, if he had not met with this allay,
that he perceived Imoinda fall dead in the hands of Trefry. This
awakened him, and he ran to her aid, and caught her in his arms, where
by degrees she came to herself; and 'tis needless to tell with what
transports, what ecstasies of joy, they both a while beheld each
other, without speaking; then snatched each other to their arms;
then gazed again, as if they still doubted whether they possessed
the blessing they grasped: but when they recovered their speech,
'tis not to be imagined what tender things they expressed to each
other; wondering what strange fate had brought them again together.
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