Was Mangogul in the right?
From the time that Mangogul had received the fatal present of Cucufa,
the ridicules and vices of the sex were become the eternal subject of
his jokes: he was never done with them, and his favorite's patience was
frequently quite tired out. Now, two cruel effects of this teizing on
her, as well as on many others, was to put her into a bad humor, and
to sour her temper. At those times woe to him that came near her: she
made no distinction of persons, and the Sultan himself was not spared.
"Prince," said she to him, in one of these peevish fits, "tho' you are
so knowing in many things, perhaps you do not know the news of the
day."----"What is it?" said Mangogul.----"It is, that every morning
you get by heart three pages of Brantome, or of Ouville: people do not
determine which of these two profound writers you prefer"----"They are
mistaken, madam," answered Mangogul, "'tis Crebillon, that"----"O,
pray don't excuse yourself from that sort of reading," interrupted the
favorite. "The new calumnies that are invented on us, are so insipid,
that it is better to revive the old. Truly there are very good things
in this same Brantome: if to these little stories you add three or
four chapters of Bayle, you alone will in a thrice have as much wit
as the marquiss D'----, and the Chevalier de Mouhi. That would spread
a surprising variety on your conversation. When you have equipped the
ladies from head to foot, you might then fall on the Pagoda's; and from
the Pagoda's you might return on the women. In truth, all that you want
to make you quite diverting, is a small collection of impieties."
"You are in the right, madam," answered Mangogul, "and I will take care
to lay in a good stock. He who is afraid of being duped in this world
and the next, cannot be too much upon his guard against the power of
the Pagoda's, the probity of men, and virtue of women."
"Then, in your opinion, this virtue is a very ambiguous thing?" replied
Mirzoza. "More so than you imagine," answered Mangogul.
"Prince," returned Mirzoza, "you have a hundred times talk'd to me
of your ministers as the honestest men in Congo. I have so often
patiently heard the praises of your Seneschal, of the governors of your
provinces, of your secretaries, of your treasurer, in a word, of all
your officers, that I am able to repeat them by memory word for word.
It is strange, that the object of your tenderness should be the only
person excepted from the good opinion, which you have conceived of
those who have the honor of being near your person."
"And who told you that it is so?" replied the Sultan. "Be perswaded,
madam, that the discourses, true or false, which I make on women, do by
no means concern you, unless you think proper to represent the sex in
general.----"
"I should not advise madam to that," added Selim, who was present at
this conversation. "She would gain nothing by it but defects."
"I do not," answered Mirzoza, "relish compliments which are addressed
to me at the expence of my sex. When any one takes it into his head to
praise me, I could wish that nobody suffered by it. Most of the fine
speeches which are offered to us, are like the sumptuous entertainments
which your highness receives from your Pacha's: they are always at the
expence of the public."
"Let us pass that by," said Mangogul. "But sincerely, are you not
convinced that the virtue of the women of Congo is but a mere chimæra?
Pray observe, my soul's delight, what the present fashionable education
is, what examples mothers set to their daughters, and how the head
of a pretty woman is filled with the notion, that to confine herself
to domestic affairs, to manage her family, and keep to her husband,
is to lead a dismal life, to be eat up with vapors, and to bury
herself alive. And at the same time we men are so forward, and a young
unexperienced girl is so raptured with being attack'd. I have said that
virtuous women were rare, excessively rare; and far from changing my
sentiment, I might add freely, that 'tis surprizing they are not more
so. Ask Selim what he thinks of the matter."
"Prince," answered Mirzoza, "Selim has too great obligations to our
sex, to tear them in pieces without mercy."
"Madam," said Selim, "his highness, who could not possibly meet with
cruel women, ought naturally to think of the sex as he does: and you,
who have the good nature to judge of others by yourself, can hardly
have any other sentiments than those which you defend. I will own
however, that I am apt to believe there are women of sense, to whom
the benefits of virtue are known by experience, and whom a serious
reflection has convinced of the ill consequences of an irregular life;
women happily born, well educated, who have learn'd to feel their duty,
who love it, and will never swerve from it."
"And not to lose ourselves in speculative reasoning," added the
favorite, "is not Egle, with all her sprightliness and charms, a
model of virtue? Prince, you cannot doubt it, and all Banza knows it
from your mouth: now, if there be one virtuous woman, there may be a
thousand."
"Oh! as to the possibility," said Mangogul, "I dispute it not."
"But if you allow it possible," replied Mirzoza, "who has revealed to
you, that they do not actually exist?"
"Nothing but their Toys," answered the Sultan. "And yet I grant that
this evidence does not come up to the strength of your argument. May
I be transform'd into a mole, if you have not borrowed it from some
Bramin. Order the Manimonbanda's chaplain to be called, and he will
tell you that you have proved the existence of virtuous women, much
as he demonstrates that of Brama, in Braminology. _A propos_, have
you not taken a course in that sublime school, before you entered the
Seraglio?"
"No ill-natured jokes," replied Mirzoza. "I do not draw my conclusion
from possibility: I ground it on a fact, on an experiment."
"Yes," continued Mangogul, "on a lame fact, on a single experiment;
while, to your certain knowledge, I have a multitude of trials for my
opinion: but I will not sour your temper by farther contradictions."
"It is a favor," said Mirzoza, "that after two hours teizing, you cease
to persecute me."
"If I have committed the fault," answered Mangogul, "I will endeavour
to make amends for it. Madam, I give up all my past advantages; and if,
in the trials which I shall hereafter make, I light on a single woman
really and constantly virtuous."----"What will you do?" interrupted
Mirzoza smartly.
"I will declare to the world, if you require it, that I am charmed with
your reasoning on the possibility of virtuous women; I will support the
reputation of your logic with all my might; and will give you my castle
of Amara, with all the Saxon Porcelaines which adorn it; even without
excepting the little Sapajou, or red-faced monkey in Enamel, and the
other valuable nick-nacks, which I had out of the cabinet of Madame de
Verue."
"Prince," says Mirzoza, "I will be content with the Porcelaines of the
castle, and the little monkey."
"A bargain," replies the Sultan, "Selim shall be our judge. I only
desire a little respite before I examine Egle's Toy. The court air,
and her husband's jealousy, must be allowed time to operate."
Mirzoza granted a month to Mangogul; which was double the time he
required: and they parted equally filled with hope.
The city of Banza also would have been full of wagers on either side,
if the Sultan's promise had been divulged. But Selim kept the secret,
and Mangogul clandestinely prepared for winning or losing. As he was
quitting the favorite's appartment, he heard her call out to him from
her closet: "Prince, and the little monkey." "And the little monkey,"
answered Mangogul, and went out. He was going directly to the private
lodge of a senator, whither we will attend him.