rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第18章

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　loss　of　　Pekuah　might　have　been　prevented；　and　resolving　to　do　something　for　　her　recovery；　though　none　could　find　anything　proper　to　be　done。
Nekayah　retired　to　her　chamber；　where　her　women　attempted　to　　comfort　her　by　telling　her　that　all　had　their　troubles；　and　that　　Lady　Pekuah　had　enjoyed　much　happiness　in　the　world　for　a　long　　time；　and　might　reasonably　expect　a　change　of　fortune。　　They　hoped　　that　some　good　would　befall　her　wheresoever　she　was；　and　that　their　　mistress　would　find　another　friend　who　might　supply　her　place。
The　Princess　made　them　no　answer；　and　they　continued　the　form　of　　condolence；　not　much　grieved　in　their　hearts　that　the　favourite　was　　lost。
Next　day　the　Prince　presented　to　the　Bassa　a　memorial　of　the　wrong　　which　he　had　suffered；　and　a　petition　for　redress。　　The　Bassa　　threatened　to　punish　the　robbers；　but　did　not　attempt　to　catch　　them；　nor　indeed　could　any　account　or　description　be　given　by　which　　he　might　direct　the　pursuit。
It　soon　appeared　that　nothing　would　be　done　by　authority。　　　Governors　being　accustomed　to　hear　of　more　crimes　than　they　can　　punish；　and　more　wrongs　than　they　can　redress；　set　themselves　at　　ease　by　indiscriminate　negligence；　and　presently　forget　the　request　　when　they　lose　sight　of　the　petitioner。
Imlac　then　endeavoured　to　gain　some　intelligence　by　private　agents。　　　He　found　many　who　pretended　to　an　exact　knowledge　of　all　the　haunts　　of　the　Arabs；　and　to　regular　correspondence　with　their　chiefs；　and　　who　readily　undertook　the　recovery　of　Pekuah。　　Of　these；　some　were　　furnished　with　money　for　their　journey；　and　came　back　no　more；　some　　were　liberally　paid　for　accounts　which　a　few　days　discovered　to　be　　false。　　But　the　Princess　would　not　suffer　any　means；　however　　improbable；　to　be　left　untried。　　While　she　was　doing　something；　she　　kept　her　hope　alive。　　As　one　expedient　failed；　another　was　　suggested；　when　one　messenger　returned　unsuccessful；　another　was　　despatched　to　a　different　quarter。
Two　months　had　now　passed；　and　of　Pekuah　nothing　had　been　heard；　　the　hopes　which　they　had　endeavoured　to　raise　in　each　other　grew　　more　languid；　and　the　Princess；　when　she　saw　nothing　more　to　be　　tried；　sunk　down　inconsolable　in　hopeless　dejection。　　A　thousand　　times　she　reproached　herself　with　the　easy　compliance　by　which　she　　permitted　her　favourite　to　stay　behind　her。　　〃Had　not　my　fondness；〃　　said　she；　〃lessened　my　authority；　Pekuah　had　not　dared　to　talk　of　　her　terrors。　　She　ought　to　have　feared　me　more　than　spectres。　　A　　severe　look　would　have　overpowered　her；　a　peremptory　command　would　　have　compelled　obedience。　　Why　did　foolish　indulgence　prevail　upon　　me？　　Why　did　I　not　speak；　and　refuse　to　hear？〃
〃Great　Princess；〃　said　Imlac；　〃do　not　reproach　yourself　for　your　　virtue；　or　consider　that　as　blameable　by　which　evil　has　　accidentally　been　caused。　　Your　tenderness　for　the　timidity　of　　Pekuah　was　generous　and　kind。　　When　we　act　according　to　our　duty；　　we　commit　the　events　to　Him　by　whose　laws　our　actions　are　governed；　　and　who　will　suffer　none　to　be　finally　punished　for　obedience。　　　When；　in　prospect　of　some　good；　whether　natural　or　moral；　we　break　　the　rules　prescribed　us；　we　withdraw　from　the　direction　of　superior　　wisdom；　and　take　all　consequences　upon　ourselves。　　Man　cannot　so　　far　know　the　connection　of　causes　and　events　as　that　he　may　venture　　to　do　wrong　in　order　to　do　right。　　When　we　pursue　our　end　by　lawful　　means；　we　may　always　console　our　miscarriage　by　the　hope　of　future　　recompense。　　When　we　consult　only　our　own　policy；　and　attempt　to　　find　a　nearer　way　to　good　by　over…leaping　the　settled　boundaries　of　　right　and　wrong；　we　cannot　be　happy　even　by　success；　because　we　　cannot　escape　the　consciousness　of　our　fault；　but　if　we　miscarry；　　the　disappointment　is　irremediably　embittered。　　How　comfortless　is　　the　sorrow　of　him　who　feels　at　once　the　pangs　of　guilt　and　the　　vexation　of　calamity　which　guilt　has　brought　upon　him！
〃Consider；　Princess；　what　would　have　been　your　condition　if　the　　Lady　Pekuah　had　entreated　to　accompany　you；　and；　being　compelled　to　　stay　in　the　tents；　had　been　carried　away；　or　how　would　you　have　　borne　the　thought　if　you　had　forced　her　into　the　Pyramid；　and　she　　had　died　before　you　in　agonies　of　terror？〃
〃Had　either　happened；〃　said　Nekayah；　〃I　could　not　have　endured　life　　till　now；　I　should　have　been　tortured　to　madness　by　the　remembrance　　of　such　cruelty；　or　must　have　pined　away　in　abhorrence　of　myself。〃
〃This；　at　least；〃　said　Imlac；　〃is　the　present　reward　of　virtuous　　conduct；　that　no　unlucky　consequence　can　oblige　us　to　repent　it。〃

CHAPTER　XXXV　…　THE　PRINCESS　LANGUISHES　FOR　WANT　OF　PEKUAH。

NEKAYAH；　being　thus　reconciled　to　herself；　found　that　no　evil　is　　insupportable　but　that　which　is　accompanied　with　consciousness　of　　wrong。　　She　was　from　that　time　delivered　from　the　violence　of　　tempestuous　sorrow；　and　sunk　into　silent　pensiveness　and　gloomy　　tranquillity。　　She　sat　from　morning　to　evening　recollecting　all　　that　had　been　done　or　said　by　her　Pekuah；　treasured　up　with　care　　every　trifle　on　which　Pekuah　had　set　an　accidental　value；　and　which　　might　recall　to　mind　any　little　incident　or　careless　conversation。　　　The　sentiments　of　her　whom　she　now　expected　to　see　no　more　were　　treasured　in　her　memory　as　rules　of　life；　and　she　deliberated　to　no　　other　end　than　to　conjecture　on　any　occasion　what　would　have　been　　the　opinion　and　counsel　of　Pekuah。
The　women　by　whom　she　was　attended　knew　nothing　of　her　real　　condition；　and　therefore　she　could　not　talk　to　them　but　with　　caution　and　reserve。　　She　began　to　remit　her　curiosity；　having　no　　great　desire　to　collect　notions　which　she　had　no　convenience　of　　uttering。　　Rasselas　endeavoured　first　to　comfort　and　afterwards　to　　divert　her；　he　hired　musicians；　to　whom　she　seemed　to　listen；　but　　did　not　hear　them；　and　procured　masters　to　instruct　her　in　various　　arts；　whose　lectures；　when　they　visited　her　again；　were　again　to　be　　repeated。　　She　had　lost　her　taste　of　pleasure　and　her　ambition　of　　excellence；　and　her　mind；　though　forced　into　short　excursions；　　always　recurred　to　the　image　of　her　friend。
Imlac　was　every　morning　earnestly　enjoined　to　renew　his　inquiries；　　and　was　asked　every　night　whether　he　had　yet　heard　of　Pekuah；　till；　　not　being　able　to　return　the　Princess　the　answer　that　she　desired；　　he　was　less　and　less　willing　to　come　into　her　presence。　　She　　observed　his　backwardness；　and　commanded　him　to　attend　her。　　　〃You　　are　not；〃　said　she；　〃to　confound　impatience　with　resentment；　or　to　　suppose　that　I　charge　you　with　negligence　because　I　repine　at　your　　unsuccessfulness。　　I　do　not　much　wonder　at　your　absence。　　I　know　　that　the　unhappy　are　never　pleasing；　and　that　all　naturally　avoid　　the　contagion　of　misery。　　To　hear　complaints　is　wearisome　alike　to　　the　wretched　and　the　happy；　for　who　would　cloud　by　adventitious　　grief　the　short　gleams　of　gaiety　which　life　allows　us；　or　who　that　　is　struggling　under　his　own　evils　will　add　to　them　the　miseries　of　　another？
〃The　time　is　at　hand　when　none　shall　be　disturbed　any　longer　by　the　　sighs　of　Nekayah：　　my　search　after　happiness　is　now　at　an　end。　　I　　am　resolved　to　retire　from　the　world；　with　all　its　flatteries　and　　deceits；　and　will　hide　myself　in　solitude；　without　any　other　care　　than　to　compose　my　thoughts　and　regulate　my　hours　by　a　constant　　succession　of　innocent　occupations；　till；　with　a　mind　purified　from　　earthly　desires；　I　shall　enter　into　that　state　to　which　all　are　　hastening；　and　in　which　I　hope　again　to　enjoy　the　friendship　of　　Pekuah。〃
〃Do　not　entangle　your　mind；〃　said　Imlac；　〃by　irrevocable　　determinations；　nor　increase　the　burden　of　life　by　a　voluntary　　accumulation　of　misery。　　The　weariness　of　retirement　will　continue　　to　increase　when　the　loss　of　Pekuah　is　forgot。　　That　you　have　been　　deprived　of　one　pleasure　is　no　very　good　reason　for　rejection　of　　the　rest。〃
〃Since　Pekuah　was　taken　from　me；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃I　have　no　　pleasure　to　reject　or　to　retain。　　She　that　has　no　one　to　love　or　　trust　has　little　to　hope。　　She　wants　the　radical　principle　of　　happiness。　　We　may　perhaps　allow　that　what　satisfaction　this　world　　can　afford　must　arise　from　the　conjunction　of　wealth；　knowledge；　　and　goodness。　　Wealth　is　nothing　but　as　it　is　bestowed；　and　　knowledg