Les Bijoux Indiscrets, or, The Indiscreet ToysDiderot, Denis
General
Les Bijoux Indiscrets, or, The Indiscreet Toys
Diderot, Denis
Erotic fiction; Louis XV, King of France, 1710-1774 -- Fiction
Mangogul, curious of learning the circumstances of Zinzolina's death,
revived the electrical power of his ring by rubbing it on the skirt
of his doublet, pointed it at Haria, and the Toy resumed: "Haria,
Ramadec's widow, coiffed herself with Sindor. This youth was of good
birth, had no other fortune, but a certain merit which pleases the sex,
and was, after dogs, Haria's predominant taste. Sindor's indigence
conquered his repugnance to Haria's years and dogs. Twenty thousand
crowns a year blinded his eyes with regard to the wrinkles of his
mistress, and the inconveniency of the pug-dogs; and he married her.
"He was in hopes of getting the better of our beasts by his talents,
and complaisant behavior; and to bring them into disgrace from the very
commencement of his reign; but he was deceived. After the expiration of
some months, when he thought he had merited much by his services; he
took into his head to remonstrate to madam, that her dogs were not as
good company in bed for him as for her; that it was ridiculous to have
more than three; and that to admit more than one at a time, was turning
the nuptial bed into a kennel.
"'I advise you,' said Haria, in a furious tone, 'to attack me with such
speeches. Truly it well becomes a pitiful younger son from Gascony,
whom I have taken from a garret, which was not good enough for my dogs,
to give himself airs of nicety! To be sure, your sheets were perfumed,
my little squire, when you dwelt in furnish'd lodgings. Know this once
for all, that my dogs were long before you in possession of my bed, and
that you may choose either to quit it, or be content to share it with
them.'
"The declaration was peremptory, and our dogs remain'd masters of
their post. But one night, as we were all asleep, Sindor, in turning
unluckily kick'd Zinzolina. The hound, not used to such treatment,
bit the calf of his leg; and madam was immediately awaked by Sindor's
cries. 'What is the matter with you, Sir, one would think your throat
was cutting: you dream.' 'It is your dogs, madam, that devour me, and
your grey-hound has just torn off a piece of my leg.' 'Is that all?'
says Haria, turning from him. 'You make a vast noise for nothing.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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