Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 02.djvu/269

Rh me seven years ago. When a father has sworn to behead his daughter, he must either fulfil his oath or sink into hell forever, and I will not damn myself out of love for you."

The fair Princess Amasidia replied to the King Amasis:

"My dear father, whom it pleases you go and behead, but it shall not be me. I am now in the territories of Isis, Osiris, Horus, and Apis. I will never forsake my beautiful white bull, and I will continue to kiss him, till I have seen his apotheosis in his stable in the holy city of Memphis. It is a weakness pardonable in a young lady of high birth."

Scarce had she spoken these words, when the ox Apis cried out:

"My dear Amasidia, I will love you whilst I live!"

This was the first time that the god Apis had been heard to speak during the forty thousand years that he had been worshipped.

The serpent and the she-ass cried out, "The seven years are accomplished!" And the three magpies repeated, "The seven years are accomplished!"

All the priests of Egypt raised their hands to heaven.

The god on a sudden was seen to lose his two hind legs, his two fore legs were changed into two human legs; two white muscular arms grew from