rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



RASSELAS　returned　home　full　of　reflections；　doubting　how　to　direct　　his　future　steps。　　Of　the　way　to　happiness　he　found　the　learned　and　　simple　equally　ignorant；　but　as　he　was　yet　young；　he　flattered　　himself　that　he　had　time　remaining　for　more　experiments　and　further　　inquiries。　　He　communicated　to　Imlac　his　observations　and　his　　doubts；　but　was　answered　by　him　with　new　doubts　and　remarks　that　　gave　him　no　comfort。　　He　therefore　discoursed　more　frequently　and　　freely　with　his　sister；　who　had　yet　the　same　hope　with　himself；　and　　always　assisted　him　to　give　some　reason　why；　though　he　had　been　　hitherto　frustrated；　he　might　succeed　at　last。
〃We　have　hitherto；〃　said　she；　〃known　but　little　of　the　world；　we　　have　never　yet　been　either　great　or　mean。　　In　our　own　country；　　though　we　had　royalty；　we　had　no　power；　and　in　this　we　have　not　yet　　seen　the　private　recesses　of　domestic　peace。　　Imlac　favours　not　our　　search；　lest　we　should　in　time　find　him　mistaken。　　We　will　divide　　the　task　between　us；　you　shall　try　what　is　to　be　found　in　the　　splendour　of　Courts；　and　I　will　range　the　shades　of　humbler　life。　　　Perhaps　command　and　authority　may　be　the　supreme　blessings；　as　they　　afford　the　most　opportunities　of　doing　good；　or　perhaps　what　this　　world　can　give　may　be　found　in　the　modest　habitations　of　middle　　fortune　…　too　low　for　great　designs；　and　too　high　for　penury　and　　distress。〃

CHAPTER　XXIV　…　THE　PRINCE　EXAMINES　THE　HAPPINESS　OF　HIGH　STATIONS。

RASSELAS　applauded　the　design；　and　appeared　next　day　with　a　　splendid　retinue　at　the　Court　of　the　Bassa。　　He　was　soon　　distinguished　for　his　magnificence；　and　admitted；　as　a　Prince　whose　　curiosity　had　brought　him　from　distant　countries；　to　an　intimacy　　with　the　great　officers　and　frequent　conversation　with　the　Bassa　　himself。
He　was　at　first　inclined　to　believe　that　the　man　must　be　pleased　　with　his　own　condition　whom　all　approached　with　reverence　and　heard　　with　obedience；　and　who　had　the　power　to　extend　his　edicts　to　a　　whole　kingdom。　　〃There　can　be　no　pleasure；〃　said　he；　〃equal　to　that　　of　feeling　at　once　the　joy　of　thousands　all　made　happy　by　wise　　administration。　　Yet；　since　by　the　law　of　subordination　this　　sublime　delight　can　be　in　one　nation　but　the　lot　of　one；　it　is　　surely　reasonable　to　think　that　there　is　some　satisfaction　more　　popular　and　accessible；　and　that　millions　can　hardly　be　subjected　　to　the　will　of　a　single　man；　only　to　fill　his　particular　breast　　with　incommunicable　content。〃
These　thoughts　were　often　in　his　mind；　and　he　found　no　solution　of　　the　difficulty。　　But　as　presents　and　civilities　gained　him　more　　familiarity；　he　found　that　almost　every　man　who　stood　high　in　his　　employment　hated　all　the　rest　and　was　hated　by　them；　and　that　their　　lives　were　a　continual　succession　of　plots　and　detections；　　stratagems　and　escapes；　faction　and　treachery。　　Many　of　those　who　　surrounded　the　Bassa　were　sent　only　to　watch　and　report　his　　conduct：　　every　tongue　was　muttering　censure；　and　every　eye　was　　searching　for　a　fault。
At　last　the　letters　of　revocation　arrived：　　the　Bassa　was　carried　　in　chains　to　Constantinople；　and　his　name　was　mentioned　no　more。
〃What　are　we　now　to　think　of　the　prerogatives　of　power？〃　said　　Rasselas　to　his　sister：　　〃is　it　without　efficacy　to　good；　or　is　the　　subordinate　degree　only　dangerous；　and　the　supreme　safe　and　　glorious？　　Is　the　Sultan　the　only　happy　man　in　his　dominions；　or　is　　the　Sultan　himself　subject　to　the　torments　of　suspicion　and　the　　dread　of　enemies？〃
In　a　short　time　the　second　Bassa　was　deposed。　　The　Sultan　that　had　　advanced　him　was　murdered　by　the　Janissaries；　and　his　successor　had　　other　views　or　different　favourites。

CHAPTER　XXV　…　THE　PRINCESS　PURSUES　HER　INQUIRY　WITH　MORE　DILIGENCE　　THAN　SUCCESS。

THE　Princess　in　the　meantime　insinuated　herself　into　many　families；　　for　there　are　few　doors　through　which　liberality；　joined　with　good　　humour；　cannot　find　its　way。　　The　daughters　of　many　houses　were　　airy　and　cheerful；　but　Nekayah　had　been　too　long　accustomed　to　the　　conversation　of　Imlac　and　her　brother　to　be　much　pleased　with　　childish　levity　and　prattle　which　had　no　meaning。　　She　found　their　　thoughts　narrow；　their　wishes　low；　and　their　merriment　often　　artificial。　　Their　pleasures；　poor　as　they　were；　could　not　be　　preserved　pure；　but　were　embittered　by　petty　competitions　and　　worthless　emulation。　　They　were　always　jealous　of　the　beauty　of　　each　other；　of　a　quality　to　which　solicitude　can　add　nothing；　and　　from　which　detraction　can　take　nothing　away。　　Many　were　in　love　　with　triflers　like　themselves；　and　many　fancied　that　they　were　in　　love　when　in　truth　they　were　only　idle。　　Their　affection　was　not　　fixed　on　sense　or　virtue；　and　therefore　seldom　ended　but　in　　vexation。　　Their　grief；　however；　like　their　joy；　was　transient；　　everything　floated　in　their　mind　unconnected　with　the　past　or　　future；　so　that　one　desire　easily　gave　way　to　another；　as　a　second　　stone；　cast　into　the　water；　effaces　and　confounds　the　circles　of　　the　first。
With　these　girls　she　played　as　with　inoffensive　animals；　and　found　　them　proud　of　her　countenance　and　weary　of　her　company。
But　her　purpose　was　to　examine　more　deeply；　and　her　affability　　easily　persuaded　the　hearts　that　were　swelling　with　sorrow　to　　discharge　their　secrets　in　her　ear；　and　those　whom　hope　flattered　　or　prosperity　delighted　often　courted　her　to　partake　their　　pleasure。
The　Princess　and　her　brother　commonly　met　in　the　evening　in　a　　private　summerhouse　on　the　banks　of　the　Nile；　and　related　to　each　　other　the　occurrences　of　the　day。　　As　they　were　sitting　together　　the　Princess　cast　her　eyes　upon　the　river　that　flowed　before　her。　　　〃Answer；〃　said　she；　〃great　father　of　waters；　thou　that　rollest　thy　　goods　through　eighty　nations；　to　the　invocations　of　the　daughter　of　　thy　native　king。　　Tell　me　if　thou　waterest　through　all　thy　course　a　　single　habitation　from　which　thou　dost　not　hear　the　murmurs　of　　complaint。〃
〃You　are　then；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃not　more　successful　in　private　　houses　than　I　have　been　in　Courts。〃　　〃I　have；　since　the　last　　partition　of　our　provinces；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃enabled　myself　to　　enter　familiarly　into　many　families；　where　there　was　the　fairest　　show　of　prosperity　and　peace；　and　know　not　one　house　that　is　not　　haunted　by　some　fury　that　destroys　their　quiet。
〃I　did　not　seek　ease　among　the　poor；　because　I　concluded　that　there　　it　could　not　be　found。　　But　I　saw　many　poor　whom　I　had　supposed　to　　live　in　affluence。　　Poverty　has　in　large　cities　very　different　　appearances。　　It　is　often　concealed　in　splendour　and　often　in　　extravagance。　　It　is　the　care　of　a　very　great　part　of　mankind　to　　conceal　their　indigence　from　the　rest。　　They　support　themselves　by　　temporary　expedients；　and　every　day　is　lost　in　contriving　for　the　　morrow。
〃This；　however；　was　an　evil　which；　though　frequent；　I　saw　with　less　　pain；　because　I　could　relieve　it。　　Yet　some　have　refused　my　　bounties；　more　offended　with　my　quickness　to　detect　their　wants　　than　pleased　with　my　readiness　to　succour　them；　and　others；　whose　　exigencies　compelled　them　to　admit　my　kindness；　have　never　been　　able　to　forgive　their　benefactress。　　Many；　however；　have　been　　sincerely　grateful　without　the　ostentation　of　gratitude　or　the　hope　　of　other　favours。〃

CHAPTER　XXVI　…　THE　PRINCESS　CONTINUES　HER　REMARKS　UPON　PRIVATE　　LIFE。

NEKAYAH；　perceiving　her　brother's　attention　fixed；　proceeded　in　her　　narrative。
〃In　families　where　there　is　or　is　not　poverty　there　is　commonly　　discord。　　If　a　kingdom　be；　as　Imlac　tells　us；　a　great　family；　a　　family　likewise　is　a　little　kingdom；　torn　with　factions　and　exposed　　to　revolutions。　　An　unpractised　observer　expects　the　love　of　　parents　and　children　to　be　constant　and　equal。　　But　this　kindness　　seldom　continues　beyond　the　years　of　infancy；　in　a　short　time　the　　children　become　rivals　to　their　parents。　　Benefits　are　allowed　by　　reproaches；　and　gratitude　debased　by　envy。
〃Parents　and　children　seldom　act　in　concert；　each　child　endeavours　　to　appropriate　the　esteem　or　the　fondness　of　the　parents；　and　the　　parents；　with　yet　less　temptation；　betray　each　other　to　their　　children。　　Thus；　some　place　their　confidence　in　the　father　and　some　　in　the　mother；　and　by　degrees　the　house　is　filled　with　artifices　　and　fe