_Ninth Trial of the Ring._
Of Things lost and found.
_To serve as a Supplement to the learned Treatise of Pancirollus, and
to the Memoirs of the Academy of Inscriptions._
Mangogul returning to his palace, pondering on the ridiculous airs
which women give themselves, found himself, whether thro' absence of
mind, or some blunder of his ring, under the portico of the sumptuous
building, which Thelis has decorated with the rich spoils of her
lovers. He embraced the opportunity, to interrogate her Toy.
Thelis was the wife of the Emir Sambuco, whose ancestors had reign'd
in Guinea. Sambuco had acquired a high reputation in Congo, by five or
six signal victories, which he had gain'd over Erguebzed's enemies.
As he was not a less able negotiator than a great captain, he had
been employ'd in embassies of the greatest consequence, and executed
his high trust with superior talents. On his return from Loango he
saw Thelis, and was smitten. He was then upon the brink of fifty, and
Thelis was not above twenty-five. She was rather agreeable than a
beauty: the women said she was well enough, and the men thought her
charming. Powerful matches sought her; but whether she had already
fix'd her notions, or that there was too great a disproportion of
fortune between her and her admirers, they were all rejected. Sambuco
saw her, laid at her feet immense riches, a great name, laurels, and
titles inferior to none but those of sovereigns, and obtain'd her.
Thelis was, or appear'd virtuous for six whole weeks after her
marriage. But a Toy born voluptuous, seldom conquers itself; and a
quinquagenarian husband, tho' otherwise ever so great a hero, is a
madman, if he flatters himself with conquering such an enemy. Altho'
Thelis mix'd prudence with her conduct, her first adventures were
not unknown. This was sufficient for supposing afterwards, that she
had others undisclosed: and Mangogul, desirous of full information,
hastened to pass from the porch of her palace into her appartment.
It was then the middle of summer. The heat was excessive, and Thelis,
after dining, had thrown herself on a couch, in a back closet adorned
with glasses and paintings. She was a-sleep, her hand leaning on a
collection of Persian tales, which had lull'd her to repose.
Mangogul view'd her some time, allowed that she had charms, and
turn'd his ring on her. "I remember it as perfectly as if it had
been yesterday: nine proofs of love in four hours. Ah! what moments!
Zermounzaid is a divine man! He is not the old frozen Sambuco.--Dear
Zermounzaid, I had been ignorant of true pleasures, real good: you
alone made me sensible of them."
Mangogul, desirous of learning the particulars of Thelis's commerce
with Zermounzaid, which the Toy kept from him, by dwelling on what
affects a Toy the most feelingly, rubb'd the stone of his ring for
some time against his waistcoat, and levell'd it, quite sparkling
with light, at Thelis. Its influence soon reach'd her Toy, which being
thereby better informed of what was required of it, re-assumed its
discourse in a more historical strain.
"Sambuco commanded the Monoémugian army, and I followed him to the
field. Zermounzaid served under him in quality of a colonel, and the
general, who honoured him with his confidence, had put us under his
escort. The zealous Zermounzaid did not abandon his post: he thought it
too pleasing, to resign it: and the danger of losing it was the only
one he fear'd during the whole campaign.
"While we were in winter quarters, I entertained a few new guests;
Cacil, Jekia, Almamoun, Jasub, Selim, Manzora, Nereskim, all military
men, who were commended by Zermounzaid, but were inferior to him.
The credulous Sambuco relied for his wife's virtue on herself, and
on Zermounzaid's care: and being entirely taken up with the immense
business of the war, and the great operations which he was meditating
for the glory of Congo, he never had the least suspicion either of the
treachery of Zermounzaid, or the infidelity of Thelis.
"The war continued; the armies took the field, and we our litters. As
they went a very slow pace, the main body of the army gain'd ground of
us, and we found ourselves in the rear, which Zermounzaid commanded.
This gallant youth, whom the sight of the greatest dangers had never
made to swerve a foot from the path of glory, could not resist that
of pleasure. He entrusted a subaltern with the care of watching the
motions of the enemy, who harrassed us; and got up into our litter:
but he was hardly there, when we heard a confused noise of arms and
outcries. Zermounzaid, leaving his business half done, attempts to jump
out: but he is level'd with the ground, and we become a prey to the
conqueror.
"Thus I began by swallowing up the honor and services of an officer,
who from his valour and merit might have expected the highest military
employments, if he had never known his general's wife. Upwards of
three thousand men fell in this action; and therefore of so many good
subjects have we robb'd the nation."
Let any one, if he can, imagine Mangogul's surprize at this discourse.
He had heard Zermounzaid's funeral oration, and did not know him by
these features. His father Erguebzed had regretted this officer:
the news-papers, after lavishing the highest eulogies on his fine
retreat, had attributed his defeat and death to the enemy's superior
numbers, which, as they said, were found to be six to one. All
Congo had lamented a man, who had done his duty so well. His wife
obtain'd a pension: his regiment was given to his eldest son, and an
ecclesiastical preferment promised to his younger.
"What horror!" cried Mangogul, but softly. "A husband dishonor'd, the
state betray'd, subjects sacrificed, crimes not only concealed, but
even rewarded as virtues: and all that for a Toy."
Thelis's Toy, which had stopt to take breath, continued: "Thus am
I abandoned to the enemy's discretion. A regiment of dragoons was
ready to fall upon us. Thelis seem'd quite frighted, and yet wish'd
nothing more ardently: but the charms of the prey sowed discord among
the plunderers. The scimiters were drawn, and thirty or forty men
were massacred in the twinkling of an eye. The noise of this disorder
reach'd the general officer. He ran thither, calmed the furious
soldiers, and sequestrated us under a tent; where we had not time
to know ourselves, when he came and demanded the price of his good
services. 'Woe to the vanquished,' cried Thelis, falling backward on a
bed: and the whole night was spent in feeling her misfortune.
"The next day we found ourselves on the banks of the Niger. A saick
was waiting for us, and my mistress and I set out, in order to be
presented to the emperor of Benin. In this twenty-four hours voyage the
captain of the vessel offer'd himself to Thelis, and was accepted: and
I found by experience, that the sea service is infinitely brisker than
the land service.
"We saw the emperor of Benin. He was young, ardent, voluptuous. Thelis
made a conquest of him: but those of her husband affrighted the
monarch. He demanded peace: and the price, at which he purchased it,
was but three provinces and my ransom.
"Different times, different fatigues. Sambuco came to know, I can't
tell how, the reason of the misfortunes of the preceding campaign; and
during this, he deposited me with a friend of his, a chief of the
Bramins, on the frontiers. The holy man made but a weak defence: he was
ensnared by the wiles of Thelis, and in less than six months devoured
his immense income, three lakes and two forests."
"Mercy," cried Mangogul, "three lakes and two forests! What an appetite
for a Toy!"
"'Tis a mere trifle," resumed the Toy. "Peace was made, and Thelis
accompanied her husband in his embassy to Monomotapa. She gamed, and
very fairly lost a hundred thousand sequins in one day, which I won
back again in an hour. A minister, whose master's affairs did not fill
up all his time, fell into my clutches; and in three or four months
I eat him up a fine landed estate, together with his castle well
furnish'd, a park, and equipage, with the little pyed horses. A favor
of four minutes duration, but well spun out, brought us in feasts,
presents and jewels: and the blind or politic Sambuco did not disturb
us.
"I shall not bring into the accompt," added the Toy, "the marquisats,
counties, titles, coats of arms, &c. which have been eclipsed at my
appearance. Apply to my secretary, who will tell you what is become of
them. I have close-pared the horns of the dominions of Biafara, and
am in possession of an entire province of Beleguanza. Erguebzed made
overtures to me a little before his death." At these words Mangogul
turn'd off his ring, and silenced this gulph: he respected his father's
memory, and would hear nothing that might tarnish the splendor of the
great qualities, which he knew were in him.
Returning to the seraglio, he entertained the favorite with the
vapored ladies, and with the trial of his ring on Thelis. "You admit
this woman," said he, "to your familiarity: but in all probability
you do not know her as well as I." "I understand you, sir," answered
the Sultana. "Her Toy has perhaps been foolish enough to give you
a narrative of her adventures with the general Micokof, the Emir
Feridour, the senator Marsupha, and the great Bramin Ramanadanutio.
But pray, who is ignorant, that she keeps young Alamir, and that old
Sambuco, who speaks not a word, is as well apprized of it as you."
"You have not hit the mark," replied Mangogul. "I have compell'd
her Toy to make a full discharge." "Had it swallowed any thing of
yours," said Mirzoza. "No," said the Sultan, "but much belonging to my
subjects, to the grandees of my empire, to the neighbouring potentates;
as estates, provinces, castles, lakes, forests, diamonds, equipages,
with the little pyed horses." "Without reckoning their reputation and
virtue, sir," added Mirzoza. "I cannot tell what benefit you will reap
by your ring; but the more you try it, the more odious my sex becomes
to me: even those, whom I thought I justly held in some esteem, are not
expected. They have thrown me me into such an humor, that I beg your
highness will allow me to indulge it alone for some moments." Mangogul,
who knew that the favorite was an enemy to all constraint, kiss'd her
right ear thrice, and retired.