Upon reaching the village Zadig generously took the part of a woman attacked by her jealous lover.  The combat grew so fierce that Zadig slew the lover.  The Egyptians were then just and humane.  The people conducted Zadig to the town house.  They first of all ordered his wound to be dressed, and then examined him and his servant apart, in order to discover the truth.  They found that Zadig was not an assassin; but as he was guilty of having killed a man, the law condemned him to be a slave.  His two camels were sold for the benefit of the town; all the gold he had brought with him was distributed among the inhabitants; and his person, as well as that of the companion of his journey, was exposed to sale in the marketplace.

An Arabian merchant, named Setoc, made the purchase; but as the servant was fitter for labor than the master, he was sold at a higher price.  There was no comparison between the two men.  Thus Zadig became a slave subordinate to his own servant.  They were linked together by a chain fastened to their feet, and in this condition they followed the Arabian merchant to his house.

By the way Zadig comforted his servant, and exhorted him to patience; but he could not help making, according to his usual custom, some reflections on human life.  “I see,” said he, “that the unhappiness of my fate hath an influence on thine.  Hitherto everything has turned out to me in a most unaccountable manner.  I have been condemned to pay a fine for having seen the marks of a spaniel’s feet.  I thought that I should once have been impaled on account of a griffin.  I have been sent to execution for having made some verses in praise of the king.  I have been upon the point of being strangled because the queen had yellow ribbons; and now I am a slave with thee, because a brutal wretch beat his mistress.  Come, let us keep a good heart; all this perhaps will have an end.  The Arabian merchants must necessarily have slaves; and why not me as well as another, since, as well as another, I am a man?  This merchant will not be cruel; he must treat his slaves well, if he expects any advantage from them.”  But while he spoke thus, his heart was entirely engrossed by the fate of the Queen of Babylon.

Two days after, the merchant Setoc set out for Arabia Deserta, with his slaves and his camels.  His tribe dwelt near the Desert of Oreb.  The journey was long and painful.  Setoc set a much greater value on the servant than the master, because the former was more expert in loading the camels; and all the little marks of distinction were shown to him.  A camel having died within two days’ journey of Oreb, his burden was divided and laid on the backs of the servants; and Zadig had his share among the rest.