“The rest of my youth,” added Selim, “was spent in the like amusements, always women, and of all sorts, seldom any mystery, a number of oaths, and no sincerity.”
“But at this rate,” says the favorite, “you have never been in love?”
“Psha!” replied Selim, “I thought much of love at that time; I aim’d at pleasure only, and at those women who were most likely to afford it me—”
“But,” interrupted the favorite, “is there any pleasure without loving? What can it be, when the heart says nothing?”
“Alas! madam,” rejoined Selim, “is it the heart that speaks at the age of eighteen or twenty?”
“But infine, what is the result of all these experiments? What have you pronounced on women?”
“That most women have no character at all,” says Selim. “That they are most powerfully influenced by three things, interest, pleasure and vanity; that perhaps there is not one of them who is not governed by one of these passions; and that those who join all the three together, are monsters.”
“As for pleasure, that I can allow them,” said Mangogul, who had just then joined the company: “though little dependance can be had on this sort of women, yet they are to be excused. When the constitution is wound up to a certain pitch, it is an unruly horse, which carries his rider over hedges and ditches; and most women are mounted astride on that beast.”
“ ’Tis probably for that reason,” says Selim, “that the dutchess Menega calls the Chevalier Kaidar her master of the horse.”
“But is it possible,” says the Sultana to Selim, “that you have not had the least adventure, in which the heart was concerned. Will your sincerity tend only to dishonour a sex which constituted your pleasures, if you were their darling. What! in so great a number of women, not one that desired, and even deserved to be beloved; that is not to be conceived.”
“Ah! madam,” replied Selim, “I feel, by the readiness with which I obey you, that years have not weakened the empire of a lovely woman over my heart. Yes, madam, I have loved like other folks. You desire to know all; I am going to tell all, and you will judge if I have performed a lover’s part in all the forms.”
“Are there any travels in this part of your history?” says the Sultan. “No, prince,” replied Selim. “So much the better,” says Mangogul, “for I find no propensity to sleep.”
“For my part,” rejoined the favorite, “Selim will allow me to take a little rest.”
“Let him go to bed likewise,” says the Sultan; “and while ye both are reposing, I will interrogate Cypria.”
“But, prince,” answered Mirzoza, “your highness does not reflect, that that Toy will lead you into a string of voyages without end.”
The African author informs us in this place, that the Sultan, struck with Mirzoza’s observation, took care to provide a most powerful antihypnotic. He adds, that Mangogul’s physician, being his intimate friend, had given him the prescription, and that he had put it in to the preface of his book: but of that preface there remains no more than; the three last lines, which are as follow.
Take of—
of—
of—
of Mariamne, and the Paysan Par, four pages.
of the Egaremens du Coeur, one sheet.
of the Confessions, twenty five lines and a half.
XLIV
Twenty-Sixth Trial of the Ring
The Rambling Toy
While the favorite and Selim were reposing after the fatigues of the preceding day, Mangogul was viewing with astonishment the magnificent apartments of Cypria. This woman had, by means of her Toy, made a fortune equal to that of a general farmer of the revenue. After having been through a long row of chambers, each surpassing the other in richness and elegance of furniture, he came to the great salon; where, in the midst of a numerous circle, he distinguished the mistress of the house by the enormous quantity of jewels, which disfigured her; and her husband, by the good-manship painted on his countenance. Two Abbés, a wit, and three academicians of Banza, were posted at the sides of Cypria’s easy chair; and towards the end of the salon fluttered about two Petits-Maîtres, and a young magistrate full of airs, blowing on his ruffles, incessantly adjusting his peruke, visiting his mouth, and complimenting himself in the glass that his paint held on so well. Except these three butterflies, all the company was in profound veneration for the honorable mummy, who was seated in an indecent posture, yawned, spoke while she yawned, judged of everything, judged ill of everything, and was never contradicted. “How,” said Mangogul within himself, who had not talked alone of a long time, and was chagrined at it; “how came she to have
