rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第15章

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　of　them　timorously　laid　her　hand　　upon　the　embroidery。　　She　then　went　out；　and　in　a　short　time　came　　back　with　another　woman；　who　seemed　to　be　of　higher　rank　and　　greater　authority。　　She　did；　at　her　entrance；　the　usual　act　of　　reverence；　and；　taking　me　by　the　hand　placed　me　in　a　smaller　tent；　　spread　with　finer　carpets；　where　I　spent　the　night　quietly　with　my　　maids。
〃In　the　morning；　as　I　was　sitting　on　the　grass；　the　chief　of　the　　troop　came　towards　me。　　I　rose　up　to　receive　him；　and　he　bowed　with　　great　respect。　　'Illustrious　lady；'　said　he；　'my　fortune　is　better　　than　I　had　presumed　to　hope：　　I　am　told　by　my　women　that　I　have　a　　princess　in　my　camp。'　　'Sir；'　answered　I；　'your　women　have　deceived　　themselves　and　you；　I　am　not　a　princess；　but　an　unhappy　stranger　　who　intended　soon　to　have　left　this　country；　in　which　I　am　now　to　　be　imprisoned　for　ever。'　　'Whoever　or　whencesoever　you　are；'　　returned　the　Arab；　'your　dress　and　that　of　your　servants　show　your　　rank　to　be　high　and　your　wealth　to　be　great。　　Why　should　you；　who　　can　so　easily　procure　your　ransom；　think　yourself　in　danger　of　　perpetual　captivity？　　The　purpose　of　my　incursions　is　to　increase　　my　riches；　or；　more　property；　to　gather　tribute。　　The　sons　of　　Ishmael　are　the　natural　and　hereditary　lords　of　this　part　of　the　　continent；　which　is　usurped　by　late　invaders　and　low…born　tyrants；　　from　whom　we　are　compelled　to　take　by　the　sword　what　is　denied　to　　justice。　　The　violence　of　war　admits　no　distinction：　　the　lance　　that　is　lifted　at　guilt　and　power　will　sometimes　fall　on　innocence　　and　gentleness。'
〃'How　little；'　said　I；　'did　I　expect　that　yesterday　it　should　have　　fallen　upon　me！'
〃'Misfortunes；'　answered　the　Arab；　'should　always　be　expected。　　If　　the　eye　of　hostility　could　learn　reverence　or　pity；　excellence　like　　yours　had　been　exempt　from　injury。　　But　the　angels　of　affliction　　spread　their　toils　alike　for　the　virtuous　and　the　wicked；　for　the　　mighty　and　the　mean。　　Do　not　be　disconsolate；　I　am　not　one　of　the　　lawless　and　cruel　rovers　of　the　desert；　I　know　the　rules　of　civil　　life；　I　will　fix　your　ransom；　give　a　passport　to　your　messenger；　　and　perform　my　stipulation　with　nice　punctuality。'
〃You　will　easily　believe　that　I　was　pleased　with　his　courtesy；　and　　finding　that　his　predominant　passion　was　desire　for　money；　I　began　　now　to　think　my　danger　less；　for　I　knew　that　no　sum　would　be　　thought　too　great　for　the　release　of　Pekuah。　　I　told　him　that　he　　should　have　no　reason　to　charge　me　with　ingratitude　if　I　was　used　　with　kindness；　and　that　any　ransom　which　could　be　expected　for　a　　maid　of　common　rank　would　be　paid；　but　that　he　must　not　persist　to　　rate　me　as　a　princess。　　He　said　he　would　consider　what　he　should　　demand；　and　then；　smiling；　bowed　and　retired。
〃Soon　after　the　women　came　about　me；　each　contending　to　be　more　　officious　than　the　other；　and　my　maids　themselves　were　served　with　　reverence。　　We　travelled　onward　by　short　journeys。　　On　the　fourth　　day　the　chief　told　me　that　my　ransom　must　be　two　hundred　ounces　of　　gold；　which　I　not　only　promised　him；　but　told　him　that　I　would　add　　fifty　more　if　I　and　my　maids　were　honourably　treated。
〃I　never　knew　the　power　of　gold　before。　　From　that　time　I　was　the　　leader　of　the　troop。　　The　march　of　every　day　was　longer　or　shorter　　as　I　commanded；　and　the　tents　were　pitched　where　I　chose　to　rest。　　　We　now　had　camels　and　other　conveniences　for　travel；　my　own　women　　were　always　at　my　side；　and　I　amused　myself　with　observing　the　　manners　of　the　vagrant　nations；　and　with　viewing　remains　of　ancient　　edifices；　with　which　these　deserted　countries　appear　to　have　been　　in　some　distant　age　lavishly　embellished。
〃The　chief　of　the　band　was　a　man　far　from　illiterate：　　he　was　able　　to　travel　by　the　stars　or　the　compass；　and　had　marked　in　his　　erratic　expeditions　such　places　as　are　most　worthy　the　notice　of　a　　passenger。　　He　observed　to　me　that　buildings　are　always　best　　preserved　in　places　little　frequented　and　difficult　of　access；　for　　when　once　a　country　declines　from　its　primitive　splendour；　the　more　　inhabitants　are　left；　the　quicker　ruin　will　be　made。　　Walls　supply　　stones　more　easily　than　quarries；　and　palaces　and　temples　will　be　　demolished　to　make　stables　of　granite　and　cottages　of　porphyry。'〃

CHAPTER　XXXIX　…　THE　ADVENTURES　OF　PEKUAH　（CONTINUED）。

〃WE　wandered　about　in　this　manner　for　some　weeks；　either；　as　our　　chief　pretended；　for　my　gratification；　or；　as　I　rather　suspected；　　for　some　convenience　of　his　own。　　I　endeavoured　to　appear　contented　　where　sullenness　and　resentment　would　have　been　of　no　use；　and　that　　endeavour　conduced　much　to　the　calmness　of　my　mind；　but　my　heart　　was　always　with　Nekayah；　and　the　troubles　of　the　night　much　　overbalanced　the　amusements　of　the　day。　　My　women；　who　threw　all　　their　cares　upon　their　mistress；　set　their　minds　at　ease　from　the　　time　when　they　saw　me　treated　with　respect；　and　gave　themselves　up　　to　the　incidental　alleviations　of　our　fatigue　without　solicitude　or　　sorrow。　　I　was　pleased　with　their　pleasure；　and　animated　with　their　　confidence。　　My　condition　had　lost　much　of　its　terror；　since　I　　found　that　the　Arab　ranged　the　country　merely　to　get　riches。　　　Avarice　is　a　uniform　and　tractable　vice：　　other　intellectual　　distempers　are　different　in　different　constitutions　of　mind；　that　　which　soothes　the　pride　of　one　will　offend　the　pride　of　another；　　but　to　the　favour　of　the　covetous　there　is　a　ready　way　…　bring　　money；　and　nothing　is　denied。
〃At　last　we　came　to　the　dwelling　of　our　chief；　a　strong　and　　spacious　house；　built　with　stone　in　an　island　of　the　Nile；　which　　lies；　as　I　was　told；　under　the　tropic。　　'Lady；'　said　the　Arab；　'you　　shall　rest　after　your　journey　a　few　weeks　in　this　place；　where　you　　are　to　consider　yourself　as　Sovereign。　　My　occupation　is　war：　　I　　have　therefore　chosen　this　obscure　residence；　from　which　I　can　　issue　unexpected；　and　to　which　I　can　retire　unpursued。　　You　may　now　　repose　in　security：　　here　are　few　pleasures；　but　here　is　no　　danger。'　　He　then　led　me　into　the　inner　apartments；　and　seating　me　　on　the　richest　couch；　bowed　to　the　ground。
〃His　women；　who　considered　me　as　a　rival；　looked　on　me　with　　malignity；　but　being　soon　informed　that　I　was　a　great　lady　detained　　only　for　my　ransom；　they　began　to　vie　with　each　other　in　　obsequiousness　and　reverence。
〃Being　again　comforted　with　new　assurances　of　speedy　liberty；　I　was　　for　some　days　diverted　from　impatience　by　the　novelty　of　the　place。　　　The　turrets　overlooked　the　country　to　a　great　distance；　and　　afforded　a　view　of　many　windings　of　the　stream。　　In　the　day　I　　wandered　from　one　place　to　another；　as　the　course　of　the　sun　varied　　the　splendour　of　the　prospect；　and　saw　many　things　which　I　had　　never　seen　before。　　The　crocodiles　and　river…horses　are　common　in　　this　unpeopled　region；　and　I　often　looked　upon　them　with　terror；　　though　I　knew　they　could　not　hurt　me。　　For　some　time　I　expected　to　　see　mermaids　and　tritons；　which；　as　Imlac　has　told　me；　the　European　　travellers　have　stationed　in　the　Nile；　but　no　such　beings　ever　　appeared；　and　the　Arab；　when　I　inquired　after　them；　laughed　at　my　　credulity。
〃At　night　the　Arab　always　attended　me　to　a　tower　set　apart　for　　celestial　observations；　where　he　endeavoured　to　teach　me　the　names　　and　courses　of　the　stars。　　I　had　no　great　inclination　to　this　　study；　but　an　appearance　of　attention　was　necessary　to　please　my　　instructor；　who　valued　himself　for　his　skill；　and　in　a　little　while　　I　found　some　employment　requisite　to　beguile　the　tediousness　of　　time；　which　was　to　be　passed　always　amidst　the　same　objects。　　I　was　　weary　of　looking　in　the　morning　on　things　from　which　I　had　turned　　away　weary　in　the　evening：　　I　therefore　was　at　last　willing　to　　observe　the　stars　rather　than　do　nothing；　but　could　not　always　　compose　my　thoughts；　and　was　very　often　thinking　on　Nekayah　when　　others　imagined　me　contemplating　the　sky。　　Soon　after；　the　Arab　　went　upon　another　expedition；　and　then　my　only　pleasure　was　to　talk　　with　my　maids　about　the　accident　by　which　we　were　carried　away；　and　　the　happiness　we　should　all　enjoy　at　the　end　of　our　captivity。〃
〃There　were　women　in　your　Arab's　fortress；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃why　　did　you　not　make　them　your　companions；　enjoy　their　conversation；　　and　partake　their　diversions？　　In　a　place　where　they　found　business　　or　amusement；　why　should　you　alone　sit　corroded　with　idle　　melancholy？　or　why　could　not　you　bear　for　a　few　months　that　　condition　to　which　they　were　condemned　for　life？〃
〃The　diversions　of　the　women；〃　answered　Pekuah；　〃were　only　childish　　play；　by　which　the　mind　accustomed　to　stronger　operations　could　not　　be　kept　busy。　　I　could　do　all　which　they　delighted　in　doing　by　　powers　merely　sensitive；　while　my　intellectual　faculties　were　flown　　to　Cairo。　　They　ran　from　room　to　room；　as　a　bird　hops　from　wire　to　　wire　in　his　cage。　　They　danced　for　the　sake　of　motion；　as　lambs　　frisk　in　a　meadow。　　One　sometimes　pretended　to　be　hurt　that　the　　rest　might　be　alarmed；　or　hid　herself　that　another　might　seek　her。　　　Part　of　their　time　passed　in　watching　the　progress　of　light　bodies　　that　floated　on　the　river；　and　part　in　marking　the　various　forms　　into　which　clouds　broke　in　the　sky。
〃Their　business　was　only　needlework；　in　which　I　and　my　maids　　sometimes　helped　them；　but　you　know　that　the　mind　will　easily　　straggle　from　the　fingers；　nor　will　you　suspect　that　captivity　and　　absence　from　Nekayah　could　receive　solace　from　silken　flowers。
〃Nor　was　much　satisfaction　to　be　hoped　from　their　conversation：　　　for　of　what　could　they　be　expected　to　talk？　　They　had　seen　nothing；　　for　they　had　lived　from　early　youth　in　that　narrow　spot：　　of　what　　they　had　not　seen　they　could　have　no　knowledge；　for　they　could　not　　read。　　They　had　no　idea　but　of　the　few　things　that　were　within　　their　view；　and　had　hardly　names　for　anything　but　their　clothes　and　　their　food。　　As　I　bore　a　superior　character；　I　was　often　called　to　　terminate　their　quarrels；　which　I　decided　as　equitably　as　I　could。　　　If　it　could　have　amused　me　to　hear　the　complaints　of　each　against　　the　rest；　I　might　have　been　often　detained　by　long　stories；　but　the　　motives　of　their　animosity　were　so　small　that　I　could　not　listen　　without　interrupting　the　tale。〃
〃How；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃can　the　Arab；　whom　you　represented　as　a　man　　of　more　than　common　accomplishments；　take　any　pleasure　in　his　　seraglio；　when　it　is　filled　only　with　women　like　these？　　Are　they　　exquisitely　beautiful？〃
〃They　do　not；〃　said　Pekuah；　〃want　that　unaffecting　and　ignoble　　beauty　which　may　subsist　without　sprightliness　or　sublimity；　　without　energy　of　thought　or　dignity　of　virtue。　　But　to　a　man　like　　the　Arab　such　beauty　was　only　a　flower　casually　plucked　and　　carelessly　thrown　away。　　Whatever　pleasures　he　might　find　among　　them；　they　were　not　those　of　friendship　or　society。　　When　they　were　　playing　about　him　he　looked　on　them　with　inattentive　superiority；　　when　they　vied　for　his　regard　he　sometimes　turned　away　disgusted。　　　As　they　had　no　knowledge；　their　talk　could　take　nothing　from　the　　tediousness　of　life；　as　they　had　no　choice；　their　fondness；　or　　appearance　of　fondness；　excited　in　him　neither　pride　nor　gratitude。　　　He　was　not　exalted　in　his　own　esteem　by　the　smiles　of　a　woman　who　　saw　no　other　man；　nor　was　much　obliged　by　that　regard　of　which　he　　could　never　know　the