rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第7章

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hat　nothing　now　remained　but　　to　prepare　for　their　departure。

CHAPTER　XV　…　THE　PRINCE　AND　PRINCESS　LEAVE　THE　VALLEY；　AND　SEE　MANY　　WONDERS。

THE　Prince　and　Princess　had　jewels　sufficient　to　make　them　rich　　whenever　they　came　into　a　place　of　commerce；　which；　by　Imlac's　　direction；　they　hid　in　their　clothes；　and　on　the　night　of　the　next　　full　moon　all　left　the　valley。　　The　Princess　was　followed　only　by　a　　single　favourite；　who　did　not　know　whither　she　was　going。
They　clambered　through　the　cavity；　and　began　to　go　down　on　the　　other　side。　　The　Princess　and　her　maid　turned　their　eyes　toward　　every　part；　and　seeing　nothing　to　bound　their　prospect；　considered　　themselves　in　danger　of　being　lost　in　a　dreary　vacuity。　　They　　stopped　and　trembled。　　〃I　am　almost　afraid；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃to　　begin　a　journey　of　which　I　cannot　perceive　an　end；　and　to　venture　　into　this　immense　plain　where　I　may　be　approached　on　every　side　by　　men　whom　I　never　saw。〃　　The　Prince　felt　nearly　the　same　emotions；　　though　he　thought　it　more　manly　to　conceal　them。
Imlac　smiled　at　their　terrors；　and　encouraged　them　to　proceed。　　But　　the　Princess　continued　irresolute　till　she　had　been　imperceptibly　　drawn　forward　too　far　to　return。
In　the　morning　they　found　some　shepherds　in　the　field；　who　set　some　　milk　and　fruits　before　them。　　The　Princess　wondered　that　she　did　　not　see　a　palace　ready　for　her　reception　and　a　table　spread　with　　delicacies；　but　being　faint　and　hungry；　she　drank　the　milk　and　ate　　the　fruits；　and　thought　them　of　a　higher　flavour　than　the　products　　of　the　valley。
They　travelled　forward　by　easy　journeys；　being　all　unaccustomed　to　　toil　and　difficulty；　and　knowing　that；　though　they　might　be　missed；　　they　could　not　be　pursued。　　In　a　few　days　they　came　into　a　more　　populous　region；　where　Imlac　was　diverted　with　the　admiration　which　　his　companions　expressed　at　the　diversity　of　manners；　stations；　and　　employments。　　Their　dress　was　such　as　might　not　bring　upon　them　the　　suspicion　of　having　anything　to　conceal；　yet　the　Prince；　wherever　　he　came；　expected　to　be　obeyed；　and　the　Princess　was　frighted　　because　those　who　came　into　her　presence　did　not　prostrate　　themselves。　　Imlac　was　forced　to　observe　them　with　great　vigilance；　　lest　they　should　betray　their　rank　by　their　unusual　behaviour；　and　　detained　them　several　weeks　in　the　first　village　to　accustom　them　　to　the　sight　of　common　mortals。
By　degrees　the　royal　wanderers　were　taught　to　understand　that　they　　had　for　a　time　laid　aside　their　dignity；　and　were　to　expect　only　　such　regard　as　liberality　and　courtesy　could　procure。　　And　Imlac　　having　by　many　admonitions　prepared　them　to　endure　the　tumults　of　a　　port　and　the　ruggedness　of　the　commercial　race；　brought　them　down　　to　the　sea…coast。
The　Prince　and　his　sister；　to　whom　everything　was　new；　were　　gratified　equally　at　all　places；　and　therefore　remained　for　some　　months　at　the　port　without　any　inclination　to　pass　further。　　Imlac　　was　content　with　their　stay；　because　he　did　not　think　it　safe　to　　expose　them；　unpractised　in　the　world；　to　the　hazards　of　a　foreign　　country。
At　last　he　began　to　fear　lest　they　should　be　discovered；　and　　proposed　to　fix　a　day　for　their　departure。　　They　had　no　pretensions　　to　judge　for　themselves；　and　referred　the　whole　scheme　to　his　　direction。　　He　therefore　took　passage　in　a　ship　to　Suez；　and；　when　　the　time　came；　with　great　difficulty　prevailed　on　the　Princess　to　　enter　the　vessel。
They　had　a　quick　and　prosperous　voyage；　and　from　Suez　travelled　by　　land　to　Cairo。

CHAPTER　XVI　…　THEY　ENTER　CAIRO；　AND　FIND　EVERY　MAN　HAPPY。

AS　they　approached　the　city；　which　filled　the　strangers　with　　astonishment；　〃This；〃　said　Imlac　to　the　Prince；　〃is　the　place　where　　travellers　and　merchants　assemble　from　all　corners　of　the　earth。　　　You　will　here　find　men　of　every　character　and　every　occupation。　　　Commerce　is　here　honourable。　　I　will　act　as　a　merchant；　and　you　　shall　live　as　strangers　who　have　no　other　end　of　travel　than　　curiosity；　it　will　soon　be　observed　that　we　are　rich。　　Our　　reputation　will　procure　us　access　to　all　whom　we　shall　desire　to　　know；　you　shall　see　all　the　conditions　of　humanity；　and　enable　　yourselves　at　leisure　to　make　your　CHOICE　OF　LIFE。〃
They　now　entered　the　town；　stunned　by　the　noise　and　offended　by　the　　crowds。　　Instruction　had　not　yet　so　prevailed　over　habit　but　that　　they　wondered　to　see　themselves　pass　undistinguished　along　the　　streets；　and　met　by　the　lowest　of　the　people　without　reverence　or　　notice。　　The　Princess　could　not　at　first　bear　the　thought　of　being　　levelled　with　the　vulgar；　and　for　some　time　continued　in　her　　chamber；　where　she　was　served　by　her　favourite　Pekuah；　as　in　the　　palace　of　the　valley。
Imlac；　who　understood　traffic；　sold　part　of　the　jewels　the　next　　day；　and　hired　a　house；　which　he　adorned　with　such　magnificence　　that　he　was　immediately　considered　as　a　merchant　of　great　wealth。　　　His　politeness　attracted　many　acquaintances；　and　his　generosity　　made　him　courted　by　many　dependants。　　His　companions；　not　being　　able　to　mix　in　the　conversation；　could　make　no　discovery　of　their　　ignorance　or　surprise；　and　were　gradually　initiated　in　the　world　as　　they　gained　knowledge　of　the　language。
The　Prince　had　by　frequent　lectures　been　taught　the　use　and　nature　　of　money；　but　the　ladies　could　not　for　a　long　time　comprehend　what　　the　merchants　did　with　small　pieces　of　gold　and　silver；　or　why　　things　of　so　little　use　should　be　received　as　an　equivalent　to　the　　necessaries　of　life。
They　studied　the　language　two　years；　while　Imlac　was　preparing　to　　set　before　them　the　various　ranks　and　conditions　of　mankind。　　He　　grew　acquainted　with　all　who　had　anything　uncommon　in　their　fortune　　or　conduct。　　He　frequented　the　voluptuous　and　the　frugal；　the　idle　　and　the　busy；　the　merchants　and　the　men　of　learning。
The　Prince　now　being　able　to　converse　with　fluency；　and　having　　learned　the　caution　necessary　to　be　observed　in　his　intercourse　　with　strangers；　began　to　accompany　Imlac　to　places　of　resort；　and　　to　enter　into　all　assemblies；　that　he　might　make　his　CHOICE　OF　　LIFE。
For　some　time　he　thought　choice　needless；　because　all　appeared　to　　him　really　happy。　　Wherever　he　went　he　met　gaiety　and　kindness；　and　　heard　the　song　of　joy　or　the　laugh　of　carelessness。　　He　began　to　　believe　that　the　world　overflowed　with　universal　plenty；　and　that　　nothing　was　withheld　either　from　want　or　merit；　that　every　hand　　showered　liberality　and　every　heart　melted　with　benevolence：　　〃And　　who　then；〃　says　he；　〃will　be　suffered　to　be　wretched？〃
Imlac　permitted　the　pleasing　delusion；　and　was　unwilling　to　crush　　the　hope　of　inexperience：　　till　one　day；　having　sat　awhile　silent；　　〃I　know　not；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃what　can　be　the　reason　that　I　am　　more　unhappy　than　any　of　our　friends。　　I　see　them　perpetually　and　　unalterably　cheerful；　but　feel　my　own　mind　restless　and　uneasy。　　I　　am　unsatisfied　with　those　pleasures　which　I　seem　most　to　court。　　I　　live　in　the　crowds　of　jollity；　not　so　much　to　enjoy　company　as　to　　shun　myself；　and　am　only　loud　and　merry　to　conceal　my　sadness。〃
〃Every　man；〃　said　Imlac；　〃may　by　examining　his　own　mind　guess　what　　passes　in　the　minds　of　others。　　When　you　feel　that　your　own　gaiety　　is　counterfeit；　it　may　justly　lead　you　to　suspect　that　of　your　　companions　not　to　be　sincere。　　Envy　is　commonly　reciprocal。　　We　are　　long　before　we　are　convinced　that　happiness　is　never　to　be　found；　　and　each　believes　it　possessed　by　others；　to　keep　alive　the　hope　of　　obtaining　it　for　himself。　　In　the　assembly　where　you　passed　the　　last　night　there　appeared　such　sprightliness　of　air　and　volatility　　of　fancy　as　might　have　suited　beings　of　a　higher　order；　formed　to　　inhabit　serener　regions；　inaccessible　to　care　or　sorrow；　yet；　　believe　me；　Prince；　was　there　not　one　who　did　not　dread　the　moment　　when　solitude　should　deliver　him　to　the　tyranny　of　reflection。〃
〃This；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃may　be　true　of　others　since　it　is　true　of　　me；　yet；　whatever　be　the　general　infelicity　of　man；　one　condition　　is　more　happy　than　another；　and　wisdom　surely　directs　us　to　take　　the　least　evil　in　the　CHOICE　OF　LIFE。〃
〃The　causes　of　good　and　evil；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃are　so　various　and　　uncertain；　so　often　entangled　with　each　other；　so　diversified　by　　various　relations；　and　so　much　subject　to　accidents　which　cannot　be　　foreseen；　that　he　who　would　fix　his　condition　upon　incontestable　　reasons　of　preference　must　live　and　die　inquiring　and　　deliberating。〃
〃But；　surely；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃the　wise　men；　to　whom　we　listen　with　　reverence　and　wonder；　chose　that　mode　of　life　for　themselves　which　　they　thought　most　likely　to　make　them　happy。〃
〃Very　few；〃　said　the　poet；　〃live　by　choice。　　Every　man　is　placed　in　　the　present　condition　by　causes　which　acted　without　his　foresight；　　and　with　which　he　did　not　always　willingly　co…operate；　and　　therefore　you　will　rarely　meet　one　who　does　not　think　the　lot　of　　his　neighbour　better　than　his　own。〃
〃I　am　pleased　to　think；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃that　my　birth　has　given　　me　at　least　one　advantage　over　others　by　enabling　me　to　determine　　for　myself。　　I　have　here　the　world　before　me。　　I　will　review　it　at　　leisure：　　surely　happiness　is　somewhere　to　be　found。〃

CHAPTER　XVII　…　THE　PRINCE　ASSOCIATES　WITH　YOUNG　MEN　OF　SPIRIT　AND　　GAIETY。

RASSELAS　rose　next　day；　and　resolved　to　begin　his　experiments　upon　　life。　　〃Youth；〃　cried　he；　〃is　the　time　of　gladness：　　I　will　join　　myself　to　the　young　men　whose　only　business　is　to　gratify　their　　desires；　and　whose　time　is　all　spent　in　a　succession　of　　enjoyments。〃
To　such　societies　he　was　readily　admitted；　but　a　few　days　brought　　him　back　weary　and　disgusted。　　Their　mirth　was　without　images；　　their　laughter　without　motive；　their　pleasures　were　gross　and　　sensual；　in　which　the　mind　had　no　part；　their　conduct　was　at　once　　wild　and　mean　…　they　laughed　at　order　and　at　law；　but　the　frown　of　　power　dejected　and　the　eye　of　wisdom　abashed　them。
The　Prince　soon　concluded　that　he　should　never　be　happy　in　a　course　　of　life　of　which　he　was　ashamed。　　He　thought　it　unsuitable　to　a　　reasonable　being　to　act　without　a　plan；　and　to　be　sad　or　cheerful　　only　by　chance。　　〃Happiness；〃　said　he；　〃must　be　something　solid　and　　permanent；　without　fear　and　without　uncertainty。〃
But　his　young　companions　had　gained　so　much　of　his　regard　by　their　　frankness　and　courtesy　that　he　could　not　leave　them　without　warning　　and　remonstrance。　　〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　seriously　　considered　our　manners　and　our　prospects；　and　find　that　we　have　　mistaken　our　own　interest。　　The　first　years　of　man　must　make　　provision　for　the　last。　　He　that　never　thinks；　never　can　be　wise。　　　Perpetual　levity　must　end　in　ignorance；　and　intemperance；　though　it　　may　fire　the　spirits　for　an　hour；　will　make　life　short　or　　miserable。　　Let　us　consider　that　youth　is　of　no　long　duration；　and　　that　in　mature　age；　when　the　enchantments　of　fancy　shall　cease；　and　　phantoms　of　delight　dance　no　more　about　us；　we　shall　have　no　　comforts　but　the　esteem　of　wise　men　and　the　means　of　doing　good。　　　Let　us　therefore　stop　while　to　stop　is　in　our　power：　　let　us　live　　as　men　who　are　some　time　to　grow　old；　and　to　whom　it　will　be　the　　most　dreadful　of　all　evils　to　count　their　past　years　by　follies；　　and　to　be　reminded　of　their　former　luxuriance　of　health　only　by　the　　maladies　which　riot　has　produced。