Read "The Indiscreet Jewels" by Denis Diderot online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
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 tomorrow; but twenty Louis's at least, or there's nothing to be done. And everywhere 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 someone 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.