The Indiscreet Jewels · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Indiscreet Jewels by Denis Diderot.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the book to Zima, urging her to read it secretly and without fear, noting that other scandalous works have been found under her pillow. He reveals that the virtuous Aglaé contributed to the manuscript, providing stories and revisions, and encourages Zima to read everything, including the 'Rambling Toy,' as long as the interpreter is not her spiritual director or lover.
Chapter 2
The Indiscreet Toys
The chapter introduces the fantastical world of the Sultan Mangogul and the magical ring bestowed upon him by the Genius Cucufa, which has the power to make women's most secret thoughts and desires speak aloud. Through a series of comedic and satirical trials, the ring exposes the hypocrisy, vanity, and hidden passions of the court, revealing the gap between public propriety and private truth.
Chapter 3
Birth of Mangogul
Mangogul is born in Congo during a time of political upheaval. His father, Sultan Erguebzed, rejects fairy education and instead summons the astrologer Codindo to cast his son's horoscope. Codindo, however, admits his incompetence in reading the stars, leading to a frustrated exchange where he can only offer a vague prediction about the prince's reign.
Chapter 4
Education of Mangogul
Mangogul's early education under Erguebzed's direction, his rapid acquisition of princely skills, his ascension to the throne, and his successful reign as a great and amiable sultan, including his liberal reforms in the seraglio and his relationship with Mirzoza.
Chapter 5
III: Which May Be Regarded as the First of This History
Mangogul and Mirzoza, having exhausted their passionate confidences and scandalous narratives, find themselves in a rare moment of boredom. Mirzoza diagnoses the Sultan's ennui and suggests consulting the Genius Cucufa for a new diversion, leading Mangogul to invoke him.
Chapter 6
Evocation of the Genius
Mangogul summons the reclusive Genius Cucufa from his ascetic retreat in the Void. After some negotiation, Cucufa bestows a magical silver ring that compels women to speak the truth about their adventures through their 'Toys' rather than their mouths, warning the Sultan against ill-placed curiosities.
Chapter 7
Mangogul's Dangerous Temptation
Mangogul, now in possession of Cucufa's ring, is tempted to test it on his favorite Mirzoza. He enters her bedchamber invisible but hesitates, recalling the Genius's warning. Mirzoza awakens, and Mangogul confesses the ring's power. She pleads with him not to use it on her, and he swears to exempt her. They then jest about which women's Toys he might interrogate, and Mangogul plans to begin at the great Sultana's circle.
Chapter 8
First Trial of the Ring
Sultan Mangogul tests the magical ring on Alcina, a young married woman, causing her 'Toy' to speak aloud and reveal her private thoughts and preparations for her husband. The revelation shocks the court, but Alcina remains composed, while Mirzoza expresses concern about the ring's destructive potential. Mangogul dismisses her worries, determined to continue using the ring for his amusement.
Chapter 9
VII: Second Trial of the Ring
At a private supper in Mirzoza's apartment, the ladies discuss the scandal of Alcina's talking Toy. Mangogul secretly uses the ring to make the Toys of all the women (except Mirzoza) speak, revealing their sexual histories in a chaotic chorus.
Chapter 10
VIII: Third Trial of the Ring
At a private supper, Mangogul uses the ring to expose the secret desires of women, beginning with Husseim's wife, whose Toy reveals her affairs with Valanto and a Bramin. Husseim initially reacts with fury but eventually laughs, though he later confines his wife to a house of veiled maidens. Mangogul visits the convent and uses the ring on the inmates, uncovering the hypocrisies of the supposedly virtuous women, including a novice named Flora.
Chapter 11
IX: The State of the Academy of Sciences at Banza
After Mangogul leaves the recluses, a report spreads in Banza that the virgins of the congregation of Brama's Coccyx speak through their Toys. This phenomenon sparks intense curiosity among the learned, leading to numerous academic works. The Academy of Sciences at Banza, divided between Vorticists and Attractionists, debates the cause. Persiflo the Vorticist offers a weak conjecture linking the phenomenon to tides, while Reciproco the Attractionist presents a flawed theory. Doctor Orcotomus then delivers a detailed anatomical explanation, claiming the Delphys (Toy) can produce speech and song like a wind instrument.
Chapter 12
X: Less Learned and Less Tedious Than the Preceding. Continuation of the Academical Sitting
The chapter continues the academic debate over Orcotomus's theories about talking toys. Objections are raised regarding the naturalness and consistency of the phenomenon, and Orcotomus attempts to defend his position with various arguments. The debate becomes increasingly heated and disorderly, ultimately devolving into insults and chaos, ending the session.
Chapter 13
XI: Fourth Trial of the Ring
The Sultan Mangogul uses the ring to make Ismene's Toy speak, revealing her past lovers and causing a scandal among the ladies at the Manimonbanda's gathering.
Chapter 14
XII: Fifth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul, at Mirzoza's suggestion, visits the gambler Manilla early in the morning and uses the ring to make her Toy speak. The Toy reveals Manilla's obsessive gambling, her debts, her pawning of the Toy itself, and her manipulative relationships with men like Turcares and a Bramin to fund her play. The chapter satirizes the ruinous passion for gaming among the court ladies.
Chapter 15
XIII: Of the Opera at Banza
At the opera in Banza, the rival musicians Utmiutsol and Utremifasolasiututut are compared. During a performance attended by Mangogul and Mirzoza, the Sultan uses the ring to silence the actresses while their Toys sing lewd songs, causing chaos. The ring is turned off, the play resumes, and Orcotomus sees his theories confirmed.
Chapter 16
XIV: Orcotomus's Experiments
Orcotomus presents his experiments on the tattle of Toys before the academy, but they fail miserably. Mangogul, observing invisibly, grows angry and leaves. He vents his frustration to Mirzoza, criticizing the pensions given to such charlatans while deserving officers suffer. The chapter then shifts to public criticism of the Sultan's governance, with various citizens complaining about taxes, pensions, and luxury, culminating in an old officer defending the prince.
Chapter 17
XV: The Bramins
After the learned fail to explain the talking Toys, the Bramins (priests of Brama) claim the phenomenon as supernatural. They convene a general assembly and debate whether the chitchat comes from Brama or Cadabra, a mischievous deity. Mangogul and Mirzoza attend a major religious service where a Bramin delivers a fiery sermon attributing the Toys to divine punishment for societal sins, though the Sultan and Sultana know the true secret of the ring. The sermon divides the audience: some see it as seditious, others as prophetic.
Chapter 18
XVI: The Muzzles
While the Bramins attempt to exploit the talking Toys for religious reform, a clever inventor named Eolipila markets 'muzzles' or portable gags to silence the Toys. The muzzles become a fashionable accessory among women of all ranks, undermining the Bramins' moral campaign. Despite the Bramins' condemnation of the muzzles as infernal, women continue to use them until they grow tired or find them ineffective.
Chapter 19
XVII: The Two Devouts
Two devout women, Zelida and Sophia, fear exposure of their secret affairs as the Sultan's ring causes Toys to speak. They discuss the impending loss of their reputations and consider using a muzzle invented by Frenicol to silence their Toys.
Chapter 20
XVIII: The Toyman's Return
Frenicol returns with muzzles for the ladies, who protest their size but eventually purchase them. Zelida and Sophia each acquire muzzles, though Zelida finds hers too small. The secret becomes public, leading to Zelida's retreat to a convent and Sophia's embrace of a scandalous public life.
Chapter 21
XIX: Seventh Trial of the Ring
Mangogul tests his ring on Zelais, whose Toy is stifled by a muzzle, causing her to nearly suffocate. Orcotomus claims to cure her, but the Sultan's intervention and the ring's power discredit muzzles and expose Orcotomus as a quack, leading women to abandon muzzles altogether.
Chapter 22
XX: Eighth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul investigates the fashionable affliction of 'the vapors' among the women of Banza, using the ring to expose the true thoughts behind their affected melancholy. He first visits Salica, who feigns vapors for her physician Farfadi, then Arsinoe, whose Toy reveals a comedic oscillation between laughter and lamentation over her absent lover Narces.
Chapter 23
XXI: Ninth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul uses the ring to interrogate the Toy of Thelis, wife of the Emir Sambuco. The Toy reveals a series of adulterous affairs and betrayals, including with Zermounzaid, military officers, and others, leading to the loss of honor, estates, and lives. Mangogul is horrified by the revelations and silences the Toy when it begins to speak of his father Erguebzed. He then recounts the trial to Mirzoza, who becomes disillusioned with her own sex.
Chapter 24
A Sketch of Mangogul's Moral Philosophy
Mangogul visits Mirzoza early in the morning and questions her about the prevalence of lapdogs among the women of his court. Mirzoza defends the keeping of dogs as a harmless fancy, but Mangogul suggests that the true explanation lies in the 'Toys' of women, which the ring has allowed him to hear. He then presents a series of definitions of female character types based on the behavior of their Toys, omitting the 'tender woman.' Mirzoza challenges him, offers her own definition of the tender woman, and hints at her own philosophical ideas, which she promises to share another time.
Chapter 25
Tenth Trial of the Ring: The Dogs
Mangogul visits Haria, a woman known for her devotion to her four dogs, and uses the ring to make her 'Toy' speak. The Toy reveals Haria's past, including her marriage to the young Sindor, her refusal to banish her dogs from the marital bed, and the tragic death of her beloved greyhound Zinzolina at Sindor's hands.
Chapter 26
Eleventh Trial of the Ring
Mangogul uses the ring to expose the infidelities and hypocrisies of widows seeking pensions for their supposedly fallen husbands, revealing that many were unfaithful or that their husbands died from other causes. The trial ends with the widows fleeing in shame, and the government becomes reluctant to grant pensions.
Chapter 27
Twelfth Trial of the Ring
In this chapter, Mangogul uses the ring to expose the truth behind a rape accusation. Kerfael, a young man, is falsely accused of raping Fatme, his former lover, after he leaves her for a dancer named Bimbreloqua. Fatme's Toy reveals her vengeful plot, leading Mangogul to declare Kerfael innocent and punish Fatme by clamping her Toy with a padlock.
Chapter 28
XXVI: Mirzoza's Metaphysics
Mirzoza delivers a philosophical lecture to Mangogul and his courtiers, arguing that the soul's primary residence is in the feet, not the head, and that its location shifts throughout life, influencing character and behavior. Her playful yet pointed discourse challenges conventional wisdom and ends with a tender exchange with the Sultan.
Chapter 29
Sequel of the Preceding Conversation
Mangogul and Mirzoza continue their philosophical debate on the nature of souls. Mirzoza is surprised that Mangogul did not interrupt her lecture, and when she asks his opinion, he declares her system false, arguing that most men and all women are mere machines without souls. Mirzoza defends her position, but Mangogul becomes increasingly absurd, finally proposing to test his theory by using Cucufa's ring on his mare to make her speak like a woman. Mirzoza laughs at the idea, and Mangogul, vexed, leaves to attempt the experiment.
Chapter 30
XXVIII: Thirteenth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul tests his ring on his mare, causing her to speak. His secretary Ziguezague refuses to transcribe the mare's discourse and is banished. A Provençal deputy writes it down. The text is then analyzed by scholars who offer absurd interpretations, until Gulliver translates it as the amorous history of a Pacha and the mare.
Chapter 31
The Best Perhaps, and the Least Read of This History
Mangogul recounts a dream in which he travels to the Region of Hypotheses, a fantastical building suspended in emptiness where decrepit old men blow bubbles from a rostrum. He meets Plato, who explains that the place was once the temple of philosophy and that the scraps of cloth the systematics wear are torn from Socrates' robe. A child representing Experience grows into a colossal figure that destroys the portico, and Mangogul awakens. Mirzoza praises the dream, and Mangogul hints at using his ring to cure his headache.
Chapter 32
XXX: Fourteenth Trial of the Ring
The Sultan uses the ring to test the fidelity of Egle, who has been exiled by her jealous husband Celebi based on false rumors. The ring reveals only that Egle loves Celebi and has never loved another, proving her innocence. Mangogul orders her return to court, warning her against imprudence.
Chapter 33
Was Mangogul in the Right?
Mangogul and Mirzoza engage in a heated philosophical debate about the virtue of women, with Mangogul arguing that virtuous women are extremely rare based on his trials with the ring, while Mirzoza defends the possibility of genuine virtue, citing Egle as an example. The argument culminates in a wager: if Mangogul finds a single truly and constantly virtuous woman, he will concede and give Mirzoza his castle of Amara with its porcelains and a little monkey. Mirzoza grants him a month to test Egle's virtue.
Chapter 34
The Fifteenth Trial of the Ring
Sultan Mangogul, curious about the private lodges of senators, visits the lodge of Senator Hippomanes. There, he uses his ring on Alphana, who is waiting for Hippomanes. Her 'Toy' reveals Alphana's background and her reluctant affair with the senator. The chapter satirizes the hypocrisy and debauchery of the judiciary.
Chapter 35
XXXIII: Sixteenth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul and Mirzoza host a salon where the petits-maîtres boast of their gallant exploits. Mangogul uses the ring to make the Toys of the accused women speak, revealing the truth behind the men's claims. The sultan threatens the liars but spares them at the ladies' request.
Chapter 36
Seventeenth Trial of the Ring
During a theatrical performance at the Seraglio, Mangogul uses his ring to expose a woman's hidden passion for the actor Orgogli. The Toy reveals her infatuation, causing a scandal. Mangogul later witnesses Eriphila's private encounter with the actor, confirming the ring's revelation. Mirzoza reacts with disgust at the degradation of women, renouncing her good opinion of her sex and vowing to avoid female company for a time.
Chapter 37
Conversation on Literature
Mirzoza, Mangogul, Selim, and Ricaric engage in a literary debate covering the nature of eloquence, the state of modern drama, the value of ancient versus modern works, and the role of academic panegyrics. Mirzoza critiques theatrical conventions, while Ricaric defends classical rules and Selim champions modern genius.
Chapter 38
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Trials of the Ring
Mangogul recounts the eighteenth and nineteenth trials of the ring, involving the flatted Spheroïd, a woman obsessed with geometry, and Girgiro the Entangled, whose Toy delivers a long-winded, self-important discourse on the nature of Toys. Mirzoza interrupts with impatience, comparing the speech to the chiromancer of the Manimonbanda.
Chapter 39
XXXVII: Mirzoza’s Dream
Mirzoza recounts a vivid dream to Mangogul, in which she is transported to a gallery filled with busts of ancient poets and philosophers. A majestic female guide explains the significance of each bust, representing figures like Homer, Virgil, and others. She witnesses a group of black-gowned men offering incense and garlands, followed by pygmies who try to damage the busts but only harm themselves. Another group of pygmies mutilates heads with razors and scissors, while a few try to restore them. The dream ends abruptly as the guide is about to explain further, and Mangogul suggests consulting Bloculocus to interpret it.
Chapter 40
Twenty-First and Twenty-Second Trials of the Ring
Mangogul reports to Mirzoza that he has tested Fricamona's Toy, which initially remained silent but then revealed her secret passion for Acaris. Mirzoza disputes the validity of the trial, suspecting Fricamona is not truly virtuous. Mangogul then tests Callipiga's Toy, which murmurs ambiguously about Mirolo. Mirzoza insists on a more definitive proof of virtue, and the chapter ends with Selim and Bloculocus arriving to judge the wager in Mirzoza's favor.
Chapter 41
XXXIX: Dreams
Mangogul recounts a disturbing dream in which Mirzoza's body is topped with a dog's head, prompting a philosophical discussion with Bloculocus on the nature of dreams. Bloculocus argues that dreams are precipitate judgments formed by combining objects with distant qualities, a view Mirzoza extends to madness as a continual dream. Selim shares two illustrative dreams, and Mangogul jests about Bloculocus's plan to translate a Greek author without knowing Greek.
Chapter 42
Twenty-Third Trial of the Ring
Mangogul visits Fannia to test his ring. He finds her in bed with Alonzo and turns the ring on her 'Toy,' which speaks, revealing Fannia's past affair with Amisadar. The Toy recounts their seduction and a subsequent conversation about love and inconstancy, all while Alonzo listens.
Chapter 43
The History of Selim's Travels
Selim recounts his travels through Europe, detailing his amorous adventures in France, England, Germany, and Italy, and the manners of women in each country. Meanwhile, Mangogul plans a ball to summon city 'Toys' for his ring trials, and news arrives of Codindo's death from a comet-obsessed mania.
Chapter 44
Twenty-Fourth and Twenty-Fifth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul uses his ring extensively at a masquerade, causing chaos among the attendees. He punishes a forward young woman by tricking her with a Swiss guard. Later, he intervenes in a dispute between Alibeg and Nasses over Amina, using the ring to reveal her infidelity with a Monomotapan Bramin, which reconciles the two men and amuses Mirzoza.
Chapter 45
XLIII: Selim at Banza
Selim continues his amorous history for Mirzoza, recounting his youthful exploits among women of quality, citizen's wives, and a scandalous adventure disguised as a widow in a convent. He concludes that most women are governed by interest, pleasure, and vanity, and that he never truly loved. Mangogul joins and comments on women's passions, then proposes to interrogate Cypria, but Mirzoza warns him that the ring will lead to endless voyages.
Chapter 46
XLIV: Twenty-Sixth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul visits Cypria's opulent apartments and observes her shallow, jewel-bedecked appearance and her sycophantic circle of admirers. Using the ring, he forces her Toy to speak, which recounts a scandalous, multilingual history of her sexual adventures across Morocco, France, England, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Constantinople, culminating in her marriage to her current husband. The chapter ends with the African author's warning to virtuous ladies about the Toy's licentious narratives.
Chapter 47
Cydalisa
Selim recounts his passionate but ultimately tragic affair with Cydalisa, the wife of the jealous and brutal Ostaluk. After a long and artful seduction, Selim wins her love, but Ostaluk discovers the affair and challenges Selim to a duel. Selim wounds him but spares his life. The chapter ends with Mangogul proposing to test Fulvia's fidelity using the ring, with Selim agreeing to the trial.
Chapter 48
Twenty-Seventh Trial of the Ring: Fulvia
Selim, a distinguished courtier, is tormented by jealousy over his mistress Fulvia. Despite his long experience and her reassurances, he agrees to the Sultan's trial of the ring. When Mangogul activates the ring, Fulvia's Toy reveals her numerous infidelities with many men, shattering Selim's illusions. After a bitter confrontation, Selim resolves to leave court, but Mirzoza and Mangogul persuade him to stay, valuing his counsel and company.
Chapter 49
Prodigious Events of the Reign of Kanaglou, Mangogul’s Grandfather
Mirzoza, curious about the wonders of Kanaglou's reign, asks Selim to recount the prodigies wrought by the genius Cucufa. Selim describes the golden age of Kanaglou as a time of luxury, military victories, and economic mismanagement, marked by fanatical edicts and the expulsion of subjects. He then narrates a series of enchantments: the transformation of the seraglio into a gallery of Pantins, a plague of disagreeable buttocks that drove many to religious conversions, a mysterious affliction of young girls' fingers, and the rise of round shoulders, whirling motions, and short-sightedness among courtiers. He also recounts how the ladies were cursed with ugliness, leading to the invention of cosmetics. Mirzoza finds these follies amusing and asks Selim if he participated; he admits he did, following the fashions as they came and went. The chapter ends with Mangogul's appearance, the author noting that princes sometimes do unremarkable things.
Chapter 50
Twenty-Eighth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul recounts to Mirzoza and Selim the story of Olympia, who bargained with Selim to keep her lover Gabalis from departing with the army. The trial of the ring reveals that Egle, whom Mirzoza had trusted, is not virtuous, leading to Mirzoza's embarrassment and her struggle to name another woman she believes is virtuous.
Chapter 51
Chapter XLIX: Twenty-Ninth Trial of the Ring
Mangogul and Zaide visit Zaide's private closet, where Mangogul witnesses her deep love for Zuleiman through her tears, letters, and portrait. Using the ring, he hears her toy echo her declarations of love for Zuleiman. Mangogul becomes obsessed with Zaide, neglecting Mirzoza and returning to find Zaide and Zuleiman in a passionate embrace. Overwhelmed with sorrow, he witnesses their tender exchange and later builds hopes on Zuleiman's impotence, but Zaide rejects his secret proposals.
Chapter 52
Platonic Love
Mangogul, after dismissing thoughts of Zaide, walks with Mirzoza and Selim in the seraglio groves. A philosophical debate arises about the nature of love: Mirzoza argues for love based on esteem and character, while Mangogul and Selim insist that love is fundamentally driven by physical desire and enjoyment. Selim recounts the story of Hilas, a handsome young man cursed by a Pagoda to lose his virility until a woman loves him despite his defect, and of Iphis, a maiden similarly cursed. They meet, love platonically, and are both cured, but Hilas is later threatened with a relapse.
Chapter 53
Thirtieth and Last Trial of the Ring
Mirzoza falls into a lethargy after a tedious funeral oration for Sulamek. Mangogul, in despair, uses the ring on her despite his promise, causing her Toy to speak of eternal faithfulness. Mirzoza wakes, reproaches him, and he returns the ring to Cucufa, who blesses his future reign.
Chapter 54
Endnotes
This chapter consists of endnotes referencing the second volume of the original edition, including a note about a great fortune and a reference to a hill near Paris famous for asses.
