Les Bijoux Indiscrets, or, The Indiscreet ToysDiderot, Denis
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Les Bijoux Indiscrets, or, The Indiscreet Toys
Diderot, Denis
Erotic fiction; Louis XV, King of France, 1710-1774 -- Fiction
These stories at length came to her husband's ears. Celebi loved his
wife, but still with such decency, that no body had the least suspicion
of it. He repulsed the first reports, but they return'd to the charge
from so many quarters, that he thought his friends more clear-sighted
than himself: and the more liberty he had granted to Egle, the more
he suspected that she had abused it. Jealousy took possession of his
soul. He began by cramping his wife. Egle bore this change of behaviour
with the greater impatience, as she was conscious of her innocence.
Her vivacity and the advices of her female friends, hurried her into
inconsiderate deportment, which made all the appearances turn against
her, and had like to cost her her life. The violent Celebi for some
time rack'd his brain with a thousand projects of revenge, steel,
poison, the fatal noose, &c. and at length resolved on a slower and
more cruel punishment, by confining her to his country seat: which is
death indeed to a court lady. In a word, orders are given: Egle is
inform'd of her destiny: he is insensible to her tears and deaf to her
reasons, and she is banish'd two hundred miles from Banza, to an old
castle, where she is allowed no other company than two maids and four
black eunuchs, who continually watch her.
Scarcely was she set out, when she was innocent. The _Petits-Maitres_
forgot her adventures; the women forgave her her wit and charms, and
all the world bemoaned her. Mangogul was apprized, from Celebi's own
mouth, of his motives for the dreadful resolution he had taken against
his wife, and seem'd to be the only person that approved it.
The wretched Egle had already groaned near six months under her exile,
when Kerfael's adventure happened. Mirzoza wish'd she might prove
innocent, but durst not indulge those flattering hopes. However, she
one day said to the Sultan: "Prince, might not your ring, which has
saved Kerfael's life, put an end to Egle's banishment? But I forget
myself: in order to that, her Toy should be consulted; and the poor
recluse is dying with grief two hundred miles hence."----"You interest
yourself much," answered Mangogul, "in Egle's fate." "Yes Prince," said
Mirzoza; "especially if she is innocent." "You shall have tydings of
this affair within an hour," replied Mangogul. "Do you not remember the
properties of my ring?"----At these words, he went into the garden,
turn'd his ring, and in less than fifteen minutes was in the park of
the castle wherein Egle dwelt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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