_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.
The End.