rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第20章

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ffered　such　refreshments　as　our　masters　were　　partaking。　　I　was　suffered　to　sit　with　my　maids　apart　from　the　　rest；　and　none　attempted　to　comfort　or　insult　us。　　Here　I　first　　began　to　feel　the　full　weight　of　my　misery。　　The　girls　sat　weeping　　in　silence；　and　from　time　to　time　looked　on　me　for　succour。　　I　knew　　not　to　what　condition　we　were　doomed；　nor　could　conjecture　where　　would　be　the　place　of　our　captivity；　or　whence　to　draw　any　hope　of　　deliverance。　　I　was　in　the　hands　of　robbers　and　savages；　and　had　no　　reason　to　suppose　that　their　pity　was　more　than　their　justice；　or　　that　they　would　forbear　the　gratification　of　any　ardour　of　desire　　or　caprice　of　cruelty。　　I；　however；　kissed　my　maids；　and　　endeavoured　to　pacify　them　by　remarking　that　we　were　yet　treated　　with　decency；　and　that　since　we　were　now　carried　beyond　pursuit；　　there　was　no　danger　of　violence　to　our　lives。
〃When　we　were　to　be　set　again　on　horseback；　my　maids　clung　round　　me；　and　refused　to　be　parted；　but　I　commanded　them　not　to　irritate　　those　who　had　us　in　their　power。　　We　travelled　the　remaining　part　　of　the　day　through　an　unfrequented　and　pathless　country；　and　came　　by　moonlight　to　the　side　of　a　hill；　where　the　rest　of　the　troop　was　　stationed。　　Their　tents　were　pitched　and　their　fires　kindled；　and　　our　chief　was　welcomed　as　a　man　much　beloved　by　his　dependents。
〃We　were　received　into　a　large　tent；　where　we　found　women　who　had　　attended　their　husbands　in　the　expedition。　　They　set　before　us　the　　supper　which　they　had　provided；　and　I　ate　it　rather　to　encourage　my　　maids　than　to　comply　with　any　appetite　of　my　own。　　When　the　meat　　was　taken　away；　they　spread　the　carpets　for　repose。　　I　was　weary；　　and　hoped　to　find　in　sleep　that　remission　of　distress　which　nature　　seldom　denies。　　Ordering　myself；　therefore；　to　be　undressed；　I　　observed　that　the　women　looked　very　earnestly　upon　me；　not　　expecting；　I　suppose；　to　see　me　so　submissively　attended。　　When　my　　upper　vest　was　taken　off；　they　were　apparently　struck　with　the　　splendour　of　my　clothes；　and　one　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