rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第19章

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unction　of　wealth；　knowledge；　　and　goodness。　　Wealth　is　nothing　but　as　it　is　bestowed；　and　　knowledge　nothing　but　as　it　is　communicated。　　They　must　therefore　　be　imparted　to　others；　and　to　whom　could　I　now　delight　to　impart　　them？　　Goodness　affords　the　only　comfort　which　can　be　enjoyed　　without　a　partner；　and　goodness　may　be　practised　in　retirement。〃
〃How　far　solitude　may　admit　goodness　or　advance　it；　I　shall　not；〃　　replied　Imlac；　〃dispute　at　present。　　Remember　the　confession　of　the　　pious　hermit。　　You　will　wish　to　return　into　the　world　when　the　　image　of　your　companion　has　left　your　thoughts。〃
〃That　time；〃　said　Nekayah；　〃will　never　come。　　The　generous　　frankness；　the　modest　obsequiousness；　and　the　faithful　secrecy　of　　my　dear　Pekuah　will　always　be　more　missed　as　I　shall　live　longer　to　　see　vice　and　folly。〃
〃The　state　of　a　mind　oppressed　with　a　sudden　calamity；〃　said　Imlac；　　〃is　like　that　of　the　fabulous　inhabitants　of　the　new…created　earth；　　who；　when　the　first　night　came　upon　them；　supposed　that　day　would　　never　return。　　When　the　clouds　of　sorrow　gather　over　us；　we　see　　nothing　beyond　them；　nor　can　imagine　how　they　will　be　dispelled；　　yet　a　new　day　succeeded　to　the　night；　and　sorrow　is　never　long　　without　a　dawn　of　ease。　　But　they　who　restrain　themselves　from　　receiving　comfort　do　as　the　savages　would　have　done　had　they　put　　out　their　eyes　when　it　was　dark。　　Our　minds；　like　our　bodies；　are　　in　continual　flux；　something　is　hourly　lost；　and　something　　acquired。　　To　lose　much　at　once　is　inconvenient　to　either；　but　　while　the　vital　power　remains　uninjured；　nature　will　find　the　means　　of　reparation。　　Distance　has　the　same　effect　on　the　mind　as　on　the　　eye；　and　while　we　glide　along　the　stream　of　time；　whatever　we　leave　　behind　us　is　always　lessening；　and　that　which　we　approach　　increasing　in　magnitude。　　Do　not　suffer　life　to　stagnate：　　it　will　　grow　muddy　for　want　of　motion；　commit　yourself　again　to　the　current　　of　the　world；　Pekuah　will　vanish　by　degrees；　you　will　meet　in　your　　way　some　other　favourite；　or　learn　to　diffuse　yourself　in　general　　conversation。〃
〃At　least；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃do　not　despair　before　all　remedies　　have　been　tried。　　The　inquiry　after　the　unfortunate　lady　is　still　　continued；　and　shall　be　carried　on　with　yet　greater　diligence；　on　　condition　that　you　will　promise　to　wait　a　year　for　the　event；　　without　any　unalterable　resolution。〃
Nekayah　thought　this　a　reasonable　demand；　and　made　the　promise　to　　her　brother；　who　had　been　obliged　by　Imlac　to　require　it。　　Imlac　　had；　indeed；　no　great　hope　of　regaining　Pekuah；　but　he　supposed　　that　if　he　could　secure　the　interval　of　a　year；　the　Princess　would　　be　then　in　no　danger　of　a　cloister。

CHAPTER　XXXVI　…　PEKUAH　IS　STILL　REMEMBERED。　　THE　PROGRESS　OF　　SORROW。

NEKAYAH；　seeing　that　nothing　was　omitted　for　the　recovery　of　her　　favourite；　and　having　by　her　promise　set　her　intention　of　　retirement　at　a　distance；　began　imperceptibly　to　return　to　common　　cares　and　common　pleasures。　　She　rejoiced　without　her　own　consent　　at　the　suspension　of　her　sorrows；　and　sometimes　caught　herself　with　　indignation　in　the　act　of　turning　away　her　mind　from　the　　remembrance　of　her　whom　yet　she　resolved　never　to　forget。
She　then　appointed　a　certain　hour　of　the　day　for　meditation　on　the　　merits　and　fondness　of　Pekuah；　and　for　some　weeks　retired　　constantly　at　the　time　fixed；　and　returned　with　her　eyes　swollen　　and　her　countenance　clouded。　　By　degrees　she　grew　less　scrupulous；　　and　suffered　any　important　and　pressing　avocation　to　delay　the　　tribute　of　daily　tears。　　She　then　yielded　to　less　occasions；　and　　sometimes　forgot　what　she　was　indeed　afraid　to　remember；　and　at　　last　wholly　released　herself　from　the　duty　of　periodical　　affliction。
Her　real　love　of　Pekuah　was　not　yet　diminished。　　A　thousand　　occurrences　brought　her　back　to　memory；　and　a　thousand　wants；　which　　nothing　but　the　confidence　of　friendship　can　supply；　made　her　　frequently　regretted。　　She　therefore　solicited　Imlac　never　to　　desist　from　inquiry；　and　to　leave　no　art　of　intelligence　untried；　　that　at　least　she　might　have　the　comfort　of　knowing　that　she　did　　not　suffer　by　negligence　or　sluggishness。　　〃Yet　what；〃　said　she；　　〃is　to　be　expected　from　our　pursuit　of　happiness；　when　we　find　the　　state　of　life　to　be　such　that　happiness　itself　is　the　cause　of　　misery？　　Why　should　we　endeavour　to　attain　that　of　which　the　　possession　cannot　be　secured？　　I　shall　henceforward　fear　to　yield　　my　heart　to　excellence；　however　bright；　or　to　fondness；　however　　tender；　lest　I　should　lose　again　what　I　have　lost　in　Pekuah。〃

CHAPTER　XXXVII　…　THE　PRINCESS　HEARS　NEWS　OF　PEKUAH。

IN　seven　mouths　one　of　the　messengers　who　had　been　sent　away　upon　　the　day　when　the　promise　was　drawn　from　the　Princess；　returned；　　after　many　unsuccessful　rambles；　from　the　borders　of　Nubia；　with　an　　account　that　Pekuah　was　in　the　hands　of　an　Arab　chief；　who　　possessed　a　castle　or　fortress　on　the　extremity　of　Egypt。　　The　　Arab；　whose　revenue　was　plunder；　was　willing　to　restore　her；　with　　her　two　attendants；　for　two　hundred　ounces　of　gold。
The　price　was　no　subject　of　debate。　　The　Princess　was　in　ecstasies　　when　she　heard　that　her　favourite　was　alive；　and　might　so　cheaply　　be　ransomed。　　She　could　not　think　of　delaying　for　a　moment　Pekuah's　　happiness　or　her　own；　but　entreated　her　brother　to　send　back　the　　messenger　with　the　sum　required。　　Imlac；　being　consulted；　was　not　　very　confident　of　the　veracity　of　the　relater；　and　was　still　more　　doubtful　of　the　Arab's　faith；　who　might；　if　he　were　too　liberally　　trusted；　detain　at　once　the　money　and　the　captives。　　He　thought　it　　dangerous　to　put　themselves　in　the　power　of　the　Arab　by　going　into　　his　district；　and　could　not　expect　that　the　rover　would　so　much　　expose　himself　as　to　come　into　the　lower　country；　where　he　might　be　　seized　by　the　forces　of　the　Bassa。
It　is　difficult　to　negotiate　where　neither　will　trust。　　But　Imlac；　　after　some　deliberation；　directed　the　messenger　to　propose　that　　Pekuah　should　be　conducted　by　ten　horsemen　to　the　monastery　of　St。　　Anthony；　which　is　situated　in　the　deserts　of　Upper　Egypt；　where　she　　should　be　met　by　the　same　number；　and　her　ransom　should　be　paid。
That　no　time　might　be　lost；　as　they　expected　that　the　proposal　　would　not　be　refused；　they　immediately　began　their　journey　to　the　　monastery；　and　when　they　arrived；　Imlac　went　forward　with　the　　former　messenger　to　the　Arab's　fortress。　　Rasselas　was　desirous　to　　go　with　them；　but　neither　his　sister　nor　Imlac　would　consent。　　The　　Arab；　according　to　the　custom　of　his　nation；　observed　the　laws　of　　hospitality　with　great　exactness　to　those　who　put　themselves　into　　his　power；　and　in　a　few　days　brought　Pekuah；　with　her　maids；　by　　easy　journeys；　to　the　place　appointed；　where；　receiving　the　　stipulated　price；　he　restored　her；　with　great　respect；　to　liberty　　and　her　friends；　and　undertook　to　conduct　them　back　towards　Cairo　　beyond　all　danger　of　robbery　or　violence。
The　Princess　and　her　favourite　embraced　each　other　with　transport　　too　violent　to　be　expressed；　and　went　out　together　to　pour　the　　tears　of　tenderness　in　secret；　and　exchange　professions　of　kindness　　and　gratitude。　　After　a　few　hours　they　returned　into　the　refectory　　of　the　convent；　where；　in　the　presence　of　the　prior　and　his　　brethren；　the　Prince　required　of　Pekuah　the　history　of　her　　adventures。

CHAPTER　XXXVIII　…　THE　ADVENTURES　OF　THE　LADY　PEKUAH。

〃AT　what　time　and　in　what　manner　I　was　forced　away；〃　said　Pekuah；　　〃your　servants　have　told　you。　　The　suddenness　of　the　event　struck　　me　with　surprise；　and　I　was　at　first　rather　stupefied　than　agitated　　with　any　passion　of　either　fear　or　sorrow。　　My　confusion　was　　increased　by　the　speed　and　tumult　of　our　flight；　while　we　were　　followed　by　the　Turks；　who；　as　it　seemed；　soon　despaired　to　　overtake　us；　or　were　afraid　of　those　whom　they　made　a　show　of　　menacing。
〃When　the　Arabs　saw　themselves　out　of　danger；　they　slackened　their　　course；　and　as　I　was　less　harassed　by　external　violence；　I　began　to　　feel　more　uneasiness　in　my　mind。　　After　some　time　we　stopped　near　a　　spring　shaded　with　trees；　in　a　pleasant　meadow；　where　we　were　set　　upon　the　ground；　and　offered　such　refreshments　as　our　masters　were　　partaking。　　I　was　suffered　to　sit　with　my　maids　apart