_A discourse on marriage between Peter and Georigetti--Peter proposes Stygee--The king accepts it--Relates his transactions at Norbon--The marriage is consummated--Account of the marriage-ceremony--Peter goes to Norbon--Opens a free trade to Mount Alkoe--Gets traders to settle at Norbon--Convoys cattle to Mount Alkoe._ AT my return to Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, I went directly to the king, and giving him an account of the settlement, and my proceedings thereon, he told me his whole kingdom would not be an equivalent for the services I had done him. I begged of him to look on them in no other light than as flowing from my duty; but if, when I should be no more, he or his children would be gracious to my family, it was all I desired. "This, father," says the king, "I can undertake for myself; but who's to come after me, nobody knows, for I shall never marry. No! Yaccom-bourse has given me a surfeit of womankind; and unless the states will settle the kingdom on you, to which I will consent, it will probably be torn to pieces again by different competitors, for I am the last of the line of Begsurbeck, and of all the blood-royals; and indeed who is so proper to maintain it flourishing as he who has brought it to the present perfection?" "Great sir," says I, "my ambition rises no higher than to abound in good deeds whilst I live, and to perfect my children in the same principle; and this, I hope, will entitle them to a support when I am gone. But," says I, "why is your majesty so averse from marriage, merely on account of a woman you could not expect to be true to you?"--"Not expect it!" says he; "what stronger tie upon earth could she have had to be true than my affection, and all that my kingdom could afford her?"--"Weak things all, sir," says I.--"Why, what could she have had?" said he, in some warmth.--"Honour, sir," says I, "and virtue, both which she abandoned to become yours; and those once lost, how could you expect her to be true?"--"You are too hard for me, father," says he; "but they are all alike, and I don't believe there's a grain of honour in any of them."--"In any of them like Yaccombourse, I admit, sir," says I; "but think not so of others, for no part of our species abounds more with it, or is more tender of it, than a good woman; and take my word for it, sir, there is more real sincerity in an ordinary wife than in the most extraordinary mistress. We are all biassed naturally by interest, and as there can be but one real interest between the man and wife, so the interest of a mistress is, and ever will be, to accommodate herself; for 'tis all one to her with whom she engages, so she can raise but the market by a change. Now if your majesty could find an agreeable and virtuous wife, one deserving of your royal person and bed, and perhaps with a kingdom for her dowry, a partner fit to share your cares as well as glory, would it not be a great pleasure to you to be possessed of'