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Les Bijoux Indiscrets, or, The Indiscreet Toys
CHAP. LI.
Thirtieth and last trial of the Ring.
Mirzoza
While Mangogul was entertaining himself with the favorite and Selim, news was brought him of the death of Sulamek. Sulamek's rise began by being appointed the Sultan's dancing-master, and that even contrary to the intentions of Erguebzed: but some intriguing ladies, whom he had taught certain dangerous steps, pushed him with all their might, and so bestirred themselves, that he was preferred to Marcel and others, whose deputy he was not worthy of being. He possessed the spirit of trifling, the court jargon, the gift of telling diverting stories, and of amusing children; but he knew nothing of the high dance. When the post of Grand Vizir became vacant, by dint of cringing, he supplanted the great Seneschal, who was an indefatigable dancer, but stiff-necked, and bowed with a bad grace. His ministry was not signalized by any events glorious to the nation. His enemies, (and who is there without them? true merit has many) accused him of playing ill on the violin, and of having no knowledge of choregraphy; of having suffered himself to be duped by the Pantomimes of Prester John, and to be affrighted by a bear from Monoémugi, who danced one day before him; of having given millions to the emperor of Tombur to keep him from dancing, at a time when he had the gout, and spent yearly five hundred thousand Zecchins in resin, and more in persecuting all the fidlers, who played any other minuets but his own: in a word, of having slept fifteen years of a stretch, at the sound of a cymbal of a clumsy native of Guinea, who accompanied his instrument with some Congo songs. True it is, that he had introduced the fashion of Dutch lime trees, &c.
Mangogul had an excellent heart: he regretted Sulamek, and ordered him a magnificent burial, with a funeral oration, which the orator Brrrouboubou was ordered to make.
On the day appointed for the ceremony, the chief Bramins, the whole Divan in a body, and the Sultanas led by their eunuchs, went to the great mosque. Brrrouboubou proved for two hours together, with surprizing rapidity, that Sulamek had risen to his high station by superior talents, made prefaces on prefaces, did not forget either Mangogul or his exploits during the administration of Sulamek; and he had almost spent himself in exclamations, when Mirzoza, to whom a lye gave the vapors, fell into a fit of the lethargy.
Her officers and women ran to her assistance; she was put into her palanquine, and instantly carried to the Seraglio. Mangogul, being informed of the danger she was in, ran to her; and the whole Pharmacopoeia was rummaged. The Garus, general la Motte's drops, the English drops, were all tried, but to no purpose. The distressed Sultan, one moment weeping over Mirzoza, the next swearing at Orcotomus, at length was deprived of all hopes, except some glimmerings which might remain in his ring. "If I have lost you, delight of my soul," cried he, "your Toy, as well as your mouth, must keep eternal silence."
In an instant he commanded every body to withdraw: he was obeyed; and being alone with the favorite, he turned his ring on her. But Mirzoza's Toy, which was tired at the sermon, as it happens to others every day, and besides had probably a touch of the lethargy, at first only mutter'd some confused and ill articulated words. The Sultan repeated the experiment, and the Toy then very distinctly said: "Separated from you, Mangogul, what would become of me? – Faithful even to the grave, I would have sought you; and if love and constancy have any recompence among the dead, dear prince, I would have found you – Alas! without you the delightful palace where Brama dwells, and which he has promised to his true believers, would prove a disagreeable residence to me."
Mangogul, transported with joy, did not perceive that the favorite was recovering from her lethargy; and that, if he did not turn off his ring, she would hear the last words of her Toy: which happened accordingly. "Ah! prince," said she, "what is become of your oaths? You have then cleared up your unjust suspicions? Nothing has withheld you, neither the condition I was in, the injury you were doing me, nor the word you had given me?"
"Madam," replied the Sultan, "impute not to a shameful curiosity, an impatience, which the despair for having lost you, has alone suggested to me. It was not an usual trial of my ring, that I made on you; but I believed that I might, without breach of promise, make use of a resource, which restores you to my vows, and secures my heart to you for ever."
"Prince," says the favorite, "I believe you; but pray restore the ring to the Genius, and let not his fatal present disturb your heart or empire for the future."
Mangogul immediately made a prayer, and Cucufa appeared. "Almighty Genius," said Mangogul, "take back your ring, and continue me your protection". "Prince," answered the Genius, "divide your days between love and glory. Mirzoza will certainly afford you the first of these blessings; and I promise you the second."
At these words the hooded spectre closed the tails of his owls, and went off, as he came, in a whirling motion.
