_Fourth trial of the Ring._
The Echo.
While the prattle of the Toys employed the academy, in other companies
it became the news of the day, and the subject of the morrow, and of
several succeeding days. It was an inexhaustible text. True facts were
blended with false; every thing went down, the prodigy had removed all
incredulity. In conversation people lived on it upwards of six months.
The Sultan had made but three trials of his ring; and yet, in a circle
of ladies who were allowed a stool at the Manimonbanda's, one of them
related a discourse held by the Toy of a president's lady, next that
of a marchioness, then she disclosed the pious secrets of a devotee,
in fine those of several women who were not there: and God knows the
stories that were father'd on their Toys; nor was there any parcimony
of smutty tales. From facts they came to reflections. "I must confess,"
says one of those ladies, "that this witchcraft (for it is a spell
cast on Toys) keeps us in a cruel state. How! to be eternally under
apprehensions of hearing an impertinent voice issuing from one's
self." "But madam," answered another, "this fright astonishes us with
regard to you. When a Toy has nothing ridiculous to tell, what does
it signify, whether it be silent or speak?" "It signifies so much,"
replied the first, "that I would freely give half my jewels, to be
assured that mine will never speak." "Surely," replied the second,
"there must be substantial reasons for keeping measures with people,
to purchase their discretion at so high a price." "I have not better
reasons than another," said Cephisa: "and yet I do not eat my words.
Twenty thousand crowns, is not too large a sum to buy tranquillity: for
I will frankly own, that I have not more confidence in my Toy than in
my mouth, and many silly things have slipt from me in my life. I hear
every day so many incredible adventures unveiled, attested, detailed
by Toys, that even retrenching three fourths, the remaining part is
sufficient to destroy a reputation. If mine should prove but half so
great a lyer as all those, I should be ruined. Was it not enough then
that our conduct was in the power of our Toys, without our reputation
being dependent on their discourses?" "For my part," answered Ismene
smartly, without entering into endless arguments, "I allow things to go
their own way. If it be Brama, that has given the faculty of speech to
Toys, as my Bramin has convinced me, he will not suffer them to lye. It
would be impious to assert the contrary. Wherefore my Toy may talk as
often and much as it will. But after all what will it say?"
Then was heard a hollow voice, which seemed to come out of the ground,
and answered by way of Echo: _Many things_. Ismene, not imagining
whence the answer proceeded, flew into a passion, attack'd her
neighbours, and increased the diversion of the company. The Sultan,
charmed with her mistake, quitted his minister, with whom he was in
conference in a corner, went to her, and said: "I am afraid, madam, you
have heretofore admitted some one of these ladies into your confidence,
and that their Toys are so malicious as to recollect histories, which
your own might have forgot."
At the same time, by moving his ring up and down with dexterity,
Mangogul caused a very singular dialogue between the lady and her
Toy. Ismene, who had always conducted her little affairs well enough,
and had never had a confidante, answer'd the Sultan, that all the
art of calumniators would be ineffectual. "_Perhaps,_" answer'd
the unknown voice. "How, perhaps," reply'd Ismene, piqued at this
injurious doubt, "what have I to fear from them?" "_Every thing, if
they knew as much as I._" "And what do you know?" "_Many things, I
tell you._" "Many things, that says much, but means nothing. Can you
tell any particulars?" "_Without doubt._" "And of what nature? Have
I been really in Love?" "_No._" "Have I had intrigues, adventures?"
"_Exactly._" "And with whom, pray? With Petits-maitres, military men,
senators?" "_No._" "Comedians?" "_No._" "You shall see, it was with my
pages, my footmen, my confessor, or my husband's chaplain." "_No._"
"Mr Impostor, you are at your wits end?" "_Not quite._" "Yet I can see
no other person, with whom one can possibly have adventures. Was it
before, was it after my marriage? Answer me then, impertinent." "_Ah,
madam, spare invectives, if you please. Compel not the best of your
friends to take some disagreeable steps._" "Speak, my dear, tell, tell
all. I value your services as little as I fear your indiscretion.
Explain your self: I not only give you full permission, but even
dare you to it." "_To what do you reduce me, Ismene?_" said the Toy,
breathing a deep sigh. "To render justice to vertue." "_Well then,
virtuous Ismene, have you quite forgot young Osmin, the sangiac Zegris,
your dancing master Alaziel, your music master Almoura?_" "Ah! what
horrid calumnies," cried Ismene. "I had a mother, who was too vigilant
to expose me to such irregularities: and my husband, were he here,
would testify that he found me just such as he could wish." "_Very
true,_" replied the Toy, "_thanks to the secret of your intimate friend
Alcina._"
"This is so extravagantly and so grossly ridiculous," said Ismene,
"that it deserves no refutation. I cannot say," continued she, "which
of these ladies Toys it is, that pretends to be so knowing in my
affairs: but it has related things, of which my own does not know a
syllable." "Madam," answered Cephisa, "I can assure you, that mine
has gone no farther than giving ear." The rest said as much, and they
sate down to play, without precisely knowing the interlocutor of the
conversation above related.