Tenth Trial of the Ring
The Dogs
Mangogul went immediately to Haria’s house; and as he took pleasure in soliloquy, he said within himself: “This woman never goes to bed without her four dogs, and either Toys know nothing of those animals, or hers will give me some account of them; for, thank God, ’tis well known that she loves her dogs to admiration.” At the end of this monology he found himself in Haria’s antechamber, and his olfactory organ already informed him of madam having her usual company in bed with her. These were a little shag-dog, a spaniel, and two pug-dogs. The Sultan drew out his snuffbox, took two pinches of Spanish by way of preservative, and approached Haria. She was asleep, but the pack, who were upon the watch, hearing some noise, fell to barking, and woke her. “Peace, my children,” said she, but in so mild a tone, that she could not be suspected of speaking to her daughters, “go to sleep, go to sleep, and don’t disturb my rest nor your own.”