Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 03.djvu/238

212 her country. The phœnix, afflicted at the evil occasioned by the blackbird's indiscretion, ordered all the blackbirds to quit the country; and from that time none have been met with upon the banks of the Ganges.

The unicorn, in less than eight days, carried Formosanta, Irla, and the phœnix, to Cambalu, the capital of China. This city was larger than Babylon, and in appearance quite different. These fresh objects, these strange manners, would have amused Formosanta could anything but Amazan have engaged her attention.

As soon as the emperor of China learned that the princess of Babylon was at the city gates, he despatched four thousand mandarins in ceremonial robes to receive her. They all prostrated themselves before her, and presented her with an address written in golden letters upon a sheet of purple silk. Formosanta told them, that if she were possessed of four thousand tongues, she would not omit replying immediately to every mandarin; but that having only one, she hoped they would be satisfied with her general thanks. They conducted her, in a respectful manner, to the emperor.