_Twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth trial of the ring._
Masquerade, and sequel of the masquerade.
The most extravagant Toys of Banza did not fail flocking whither
pleasure called them. Some came in city-coaches, some in public
vehicles, and some few on foot. "I should never finish," says the
African author, whose trainbearer I have the honour to be, "if I
enter'd into a detail of the tricks which Mangogul play'd on them."
He gave more exercise to his ring that night alone, than it ever had
had, since the Genius presented him with it. He turn'd it sometimes on
one, sometimes on another, and frequently on twenty together; and then
it was, that the noise they made was ravishing; One cried out with a
squeaking voice, "Violins, pray give us _le Carillon de Dunkerque_;"
another in a hoarse voice, "I will have the _Sautriots_;" "and I the
_Tricotets_," said a third: and a multitude at once call'd for old
country-dances, such as _la Bourée, les quatre faces, la Calotine, la
Chaine, le Pistolet, la Mariée, le Pistolet, le Pistolet, le Pistolet_.
All these cries were interlarded with a million of extravagances.
On one side was heard: _Plague take the noodle, let him be sent to
school._ On another, _Must I return then without my earnest?_ Here,
_who pays my coach?_ There, _he has slipt away from me, but I'll hunt
him till I find him._ And again, _till to-morrow; but twenty Louis's
at least, or there's nothing to be done._ And every where in short,
speeches, which expressed desires or exploits.
In the crowd, a citizen's daughter, young and pretty, singled out
Mangogul, pursued him, and provoked him so, that he turned his ring
on her. Then was her Toy heard to cry out: "Why do you fly me? Stop,
charming mask, be not insensible to the ardor of a Toy, which burns
for you." The Sultan shock'd at this rash declaration, was determined
to punish the forward creature. He disappear'd, and sought among his
guards some one who was pretty much of his make, gave him his mask and
Domino, and abandoned him to the pursuits of the little female cit;
who being still deceived by appearances, continued to say a thousand
ridiculous things to him, whom she took for Mangogul.
The sham Sultan was no fool, he was one of those who could talk by
signs: he made one, which drew the _Belle_ into a lonesome place,
where, for above an hour, she imagined herself the favorite Sultana,
and God knows what mighty projects were working in her brain. But the
enchantment lasted not long. After she had surfeited the pretended
Sultan with caresses, she pray'd him to unmask; which he did, and
shewed a physiognomy armed with a large pair of whiskers, which did not
belong to Mangogul. "Oh! fy," cried the little wench, "fie"--"Fell mine
little Shoul," answered the Swiss, "fat you ail? Me tought mee done
you kood services enof, dat you no be angry at nowing mee." But his
goddess, without answering him, slipt nimbly thro' his hands, and was
lost in the crowd.
But even such of the Toys as did not aspire to so great honours, did
not fail of lighting on pleasure: and they all took the road back to
Banza, thoroughly satisfied with their journey.
As the company was withdrawing, Mangogul overheard two of his principal
officers at high words. "She is my mistress," says one, "I have kept
her these twelve months, and you are the first who has taken it into
his head to tread on my heels. Why do you make me uneasy? Nasses, my
friend, apply elsewhere; you will find a hundred lovely women, who will
think themselves too happy to possess you." "I love Amina," replied
Nasses. "I see none but her, who takes my fancy. She has given me
hopes, and you will give me leave to pursue them." "Hopes!" replied
Alibeg----"Yes, hopes"----"Zounds, that is not"----"I tell you, Sir,
that it is, and I expect satisfaction this moment for the lye you give
me." Down they went immediately into the court yard; their scymeters
were already drawn, and they were on the point of ending their dispute
in a tragical manner, when the Sultan stop'd them, and forbid them to
fight, before they had consulted their _Helena_.
They obeyed, and went to Amina's house, and Mangogul close after them.
"The ball has quite spent me," said she: "my eyes are dropping out of
my head. You are very cruel folks, to come the moment I was ready to
get into bed: but both of ye look very oddly. May I be informed what
brings ye hither?"----"A trifle," replied Alibeg. "This gentleman
boasts, and even loftily," added he, shewing his friend, "that you
give him hopes. Madam, how stands this matter?"--Amina was opening
her mouth, but the Sultan turning his ring that very instant, she
closed it, and her Toy answered for her----"In my opinion Nasses is
mistaken: no, it is not he that madam chooses. Has he not a lusty
footman who is a better man? Oh! how foolish these men are in imagining
that dignities, honours, titles, names, words void of meaning, impose
on Toys. Every one has his own philosophy, and ours consists in
distinguishing personal merit, true merit, from that which is but
imaginary. With Monsieur de Claville's leave, he knows less of that
subject than we; which I will prove.
"You are both acquainted," continued the Toy, "with the marchioness
Bibicosa. You know her amours with Cleandor, as also her disgrace, and
the high devotion she professes at this day. Amina is a good friend;
she has constantly kept up her former intimacy with Bibicosa, and
has not ceased frequenting her house, where all sorts of Bramins are
met with. On a certain day one of these pressed my mistress to speak
to Bibicosa in his favor. 'Pray, what would you have me ask of her?'
replied Amina. 'She is a drowned woman, who can do nothing for herself.
To be sure, she will be much obliged to you for treating her still as
a person of consequence. Believe me, my friend, prince Cleandor and
Mangogul will never do any thing for her, and you may freeze in the
anti-chambers.'----'But, madam,' replied the Bramin, 'the affair is but
a trifle, which entirely depends on the marchioness: and this it is.
She has built a little chapel in her house, doubtless for the Sala,
which supposes an Iman: and 'tis this place which I ask'----'What say
you?' says Amina. 'An Iman: you don't consider: the marchioness wants
only a Marabou, whom she will call from time to time, when it rains,
or when she chooses to have the Sala, before she goes to bed: but an
Iman lodged, cloathed, dieted in her house, with a salary, does not
suit Bibicosa. I know her affairs. The poor woman has not six thousand
Zecchins a year, and you expert her to give two thousand of it to an
Iman. Surely this is a strange fancy.'----'By Brama,' replied the
holy man, 'I am sorry for it: for if I had once got to be her Iman,
I should soon become more necessary to her; and when one is got
thus far, it rains gold and pensions. Howsoever I may appear to you,
I am of Monomotapa, and do my duty extremely well.'----'Upon second
thoughts,' answered Amina, with panting interruptions, 'your affair is
not perhaps impossible. Pity it is, that the merit you speak of is not
known.'----'One runs no risque in doing good offices to persons of my
country,' replied the Monomotapan, 'pray behold.'----He forthwith gave
Amina a complete proof of such surprising merit, that from that moment
you lost in her eyes half the value she put on you. Well! long live the
Monomotapans."
Alibeg and Nasses made long faces, and look'd on each other without
uttering a word: but when they had recovered from their astonishment,
they mutually embraced; and casting disdainful looks on Amina, they
ran prostrate themselves at the Sultan's feet, and thank him for having
undeceived them with regard to this woman, and preserved their lives
and reciprocal friendship. They arrived just as Mangogul, return'd to
the favorite, was relating Amina's history to her. It made Mirzoza
laugh, but did not augment her esteem for the court ladies and the
Bramins.