rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第17章

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y　was　fully　satisfied。　　They　travelled　　gently；　turned　aside　to　everything　remarkable；　stopped　from　time　to　　time　and　conversed　with　the　inhabitants；　and　observed　the　various　　appearances　of　towns　ruined　and　inhabited；　of　wild　and　cultivated　　nature。
When　they　came　to　the　Great　Pyramid　they　were　astonished　at　the　　extent　of　the　base　and　the　height　of　the　top。　　Imlac　explained　to　　them　the　principles　upon　which　the　pyramidal　form　was　chosen　for　a　　fabric　intended　to　co…extend　its　duration　with　that　of　the　world：　　　he　showed　that　its　gradual　diminution　gave　it　such　stability　as　　defeated　all　the　common　attacks　of　the　elements；　and　could　scarcely　　be　overthrown　by　earthquakes　themselves；　the　least　resistible　of　　natural　violence。　　A　concussion　that　should　shatter　the　pyramid　　would　threaten　the　dissolution　of　the　continent。
They　measured　all　its　dimensions；　and　pitched　their　tents　at　its　　foot。　　Next　day　they　prepared　to　enter　its　interior　apartments；　and　　having　hired　the　common　guides；　climbed　up　to　the　first　passage；　　when　the　favourite　of　the　Princess；　looking　into　the　cavity；　　stepped　back　and　trembled。　　〃Pekuah；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃of　what　　art　thou　afraid？〃
〃Of　the　narrow　entrance；〃　answered　the　lady；　〃and　of　the　dreadful　　gloom。　　I　dare　not　enter　a　place　which　must　surely　be　inhabited　by　　unquiet　souls。　　The　original　possessors　of　these　dreadful　vaults　　will　start　up　before　us；　and　perhaps　shut　us　in　for　ever。〃　　She　　spoke；　and　threw　her　arms　round　the　neck　of　her　mistress。
〃If　all　your　fear　be　of　apparitions；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　will　　promise　you　safety。　　There　is　no　danger　from　the　dead：　　he　that　is　　once　buried　will　be　seen　no　more。〃
〃That　the　dead　are　seen　no　more；〃　said　Imlac；　〃I　will　not　undertake　　to　maintain　against　the　concurrent　and　unvaried　testimony　of　all　　ages　and　of　all　nations。　　There　is　no　people；　rude　or　learned；　　among　whom　apparitions　of　the　dead　are　not　related　and　believed。　　　This　opinion；　which　perhaps　prevails　as　far　as　human　nature　is　　diffused；　could　become　universal　only　by　its　truth：　　those　that　　never　heard　of　one　another　would　not　have　agreed　in　a　tale　which　　nothing　but　experience　can　make　credible。　　That　it　is　doubted　by　　single　cavillers　can　very　little　weaken　the　general　evidence；　and　　some　who　deny　it　with　their　tongues　confess　it　by　their　fears。
〃Yet　I　do　not　mean　to　add　new　terrors　to　those　which　have　already　　seized　upon　Pekuah。　　There　can　be　no　reason　why　spectres　should　　haunt　the　Pyramid　more　than　other　places；　or　why　they　should　have　　power　or　will　to　hurt　innocence　and　purity。　　Our　entrance　is　no　　violation　of　their　privileges：　　we　can　take　nothing　from　them；　how；　　then；　can　we　offend　them？〃
〃My　dear　Pekuah；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃I　will　always　go　before　you；　　and　Imlac　shall　follow　you。　　Remember　that　you　are　the　companion　of　　the　Princess　of　Abyssinia。〃
〃If　the　Princess　is　pleased　that　her　servant　should　die；〃　returned　　the　lady；　〃let　her　command　some　death　less　dreadful　than　enclosure　　in　this　horrid　cavern。　　You　know　I　dare　not　disobey　you　…　I　must　go　　if　you　command　me；　but　if　I　once　enter；　I　never　shall　come　back。〃
The　Princess　saw　that　her　fear　was　too　strong　for　expostulation　or　　reproof；　and；　embracing　her；　told　her　that　she　should　stay　in　the　　tent　till　their　return。　　Pekuah　was　not　yet　satisfied；　but　　entreated　the　Princess　not　to　pursue　so　dreadful　a　purpose　as　that　　of　entering　the　recesses　of　the　Pyramids。　　〃Though　I　cannot　teach　　courage；〃　said　Nekayah；　〃I　must　not　learn　cowardice；　nor　leave　at　　last　undone　what　I　came　hither　only　to　do。〃

CHAPTER　XXXII　…　THEY　ENTER　THE　PYRAMID。

PEKUAH　descended　to　the　tents；　and　the　rest　entered　the　Pyramid。　　　They　passed　through　the　galleries；　surveyed　the　vaults　of　marble；　　and　examined　the　chest　in　which　the　body　of　the　founder　is　supposed　　to　have　been　deposited。　　They　then　sat　down　in　one　of　the　most　　spacious　chambers　to　rest　awhile　before　they　attempted　to　return。
〃We　have　now；〃　said　Imlac；　〃gratified　our　minds　with　an　exact　view　　of　the　greatest　work　of　man；　except　the　wall　of　China。
〃Of　the　wall　it　is　very　easy　to　assign　the　motive。　　It　secured　a　　wealthy　and　timorous　nation　from　the　incursions　of　barbarians；　　whose　unskilfulness　in　the　arts　made　it　easier　for　them　to　supply　　their　wants　by　rapine　than　by　industry；　and　who　from　time　to　time　　poured　in　upon　the　inhabitants　of　peaceful　commerce　as　vultures　　descend　upon　domestic　fowl。　　Their　celerity　and　fierceness　made　the　　wall　necessary；　and　their　ignorance　made　it　efficacious。
〃But　for　the　Pyramids；　no　reason　has　ever　been　given　adequate　to　　the　cost　and　labour　of　the　work。　　The　narrowness　of　the　chambers　　proves　that　it　could　afford　no　retreat　from　enemies；　and　treasures　　might　have　been　reposited　at　far　less　expense　with　equal　security。　　　It　seems　to　have　been　erected　only　in　compliance　with　that　hunger　　of　imagination　which　preys　incessantly　upon　life；　and　must　be　　always　appeased　by　some　employment。　　Those　who　have　already　all　　that　they　can　enjoy　must　enlarge　their　desires。　　He　that　has　built　　for　use　till　use　is　supplied　must　begin　to　build　for　vanity；　and　　extend　his　plan　to　the　utmost　power　of　human　performance　that　he　　may　not　be　soon　reduced　to　form　another　wish。
〃I　consider　this　mighty　structure　as　a　monument　of　the　　insufficiency　of　human　enjoyments。　　A　king　whose　power　is　　unlimited；　and　whose　treasures　surmount　all　real　and　imaginary　　wants；　is　compelled　to　solace；　by　the　erection　of　a　pyramid；　the　　satiety　of　dominion　and　tastelessness　of　pleasures；　and　to　amuse　　the　tediousness　of　declining　life　by　seeing　thousands　labouring　　without　end；　and　one　stone；　for　no　purpose；　laid　upon　another。　　　Whoever　thou　art　that；　not　content　with　a　moderate　condition；　　imaginest　happiness　in　royal　magnificence；　and　dreamest　that　　command　or　riches　can　feed　the　appetite　of　novelty　with　perpetual　　gratifications；　survey　the　Pyramids；　and　confess　thy　folly！〃

CHAPTER　XXXIII　…　THE　PRINCESS　MEETS　WITH　AN　UNEXPECTED　MISFORTUNE。

THEY　rose　up；　and　returned　through　the　cavity　at　which　they　had　　entered；　and　the　Princess　prepared　for　her　favourite　a　long　　narrative　of　dark　labyrinths　and　costly　rooms；　and　of　the　different　　impressions　which　the　varieties　of　the　way　had　made　upon　her。　　But　　when　they　came　to　their　train；　they　found　every　one　silent　and　　dejected：　　the　men　discovered　shame　and　fear　in　their　countenances；　　and　the　women　were　weeping　in　their　tents。
What　had　happened　they　did　not　try　to　conjecture；　but　immediately　　inquired。　　〃You　had　scarcely　entered　into　the　Pyramid；〃　said　one　of　　the　attendants；　〃when　a　troop　of　Arabs　rushed　upon　us：　　we　were　too　　few　to　resist　them；　and　too　slow　to　escape。　　They　were　about　to　　search　the　tents；　set　us　on　our　camels；　and　drive　us　along　before　　them；　when　the　approach　of　some　Turkish　horsemen　put　them　to　　flight：　　but　they　seized　the　Lady　Pekuah　with　her　two　maids；　and　　carried　them　away：　　the　Turks　are　now　pursuing　them　by　our　　instigation；　but　I　fear　they　will　not　be　able　to　overtake　them。〃
The　Princess　was　overpowered　with　surprise　and　grief。　　Rasselas；　in　　the　first　heat　of　his　resentment；　ordered　his　servants　to　follow　　him；　and　prepared　to　pursue　the　robbers　with　his　sabre　in　his　hand。　　　〃Sir；〃　said　Imlac；　〃what　can　you　hope　from　violence　or　valour？　　The　　Arabs　are　mounted　on　horses　trained　to　battle　and　retreat；　we　have　　only　beasts　of　burden。　　By　leaving　our　present　station　we　may　lose　　the　Princess；　but　cannot　hope　to　regain　Pekuah。〃
In　a　short　time　the　Turks　returned；　having　not　been　able　to　reach　　the　enemy。　　The　Princess　burst　out　into　new　lamentations；　and　　Rasselas　could　scarcely　forbear　to　reproach　them　with　cowardice；　　but　Imlac　was　of　opinion　that　the　escape　of　the　Arabs　was　no　　addition　to　their　misfortune；　for　perhaps　they　would　have　killed　　their　captives　rather　than　have　resigned　them。

CHAPTER　XXXIV　…　THEY　RETURN　TO　CAIRO　WITHOUT　PEKUAH。

THERE　was　nothing　to　be　hoped　from　longer　stay。　　They　returned　to　　Cairo；　repenting　of　their　curiosity；　censuring　the　negligence　of　　the　government；　lamenting　their　own　rashness；　which　had　neglected　　to　procure　a　guard；　imagining　many　expedients　by　which　the　loss　of　　Pekuah　might　have　been　prevented；　and　resolving　to　do　something　for　　her　recovery；　though