rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第21章

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〃His　women；　who　considered　me　as　a　rival；　looked　on　me　with　　malignity；　but　being　soon　informed　that　I　was　a　great　lady　detained　　only　for　my　ransom；　they　began　to　vie　with　each　other　in　　obsequiousness　and　reverence。
〃Being　again　comforted　with　new　assurances　of　speedy　liberty；　I　was　　for　some　days　diverted　from　impatience　by　the　novelty　of　the　place。　　　The　turrets　overlooked　the　country　to　a　great　distance；　and　　afforded　a　view　of　many　windings　of　the　stream。　　In　the　day　I　　wandered　from　one　place　to　another；　as　the　course　of　the　sun　varied　　the　splendour　of　the　prospect；　and　saw　many　things　which　I　had　　never　seen　before。　　The　crocodiles　and　river…horses　are　common　in　　this　unpeopled　region；　and　I　often　looked　upon　them　with　terror；　　though　I　knew　they　could　not　hurt　me。　　For　some　time　I　expected　to　　see　mermaids　and　tritons；　which；　as　Imlac　has　told　me；　the　European　　travellers　have　stationed　in　the　Nile；　but　no　such　beings　ever　　appeared；　and　the　Arab；　when　I　inquired　after　them；　laughed　at　my　　credulity。
〃At　night　the　Arab　always　attended　me　to　a　tower　set　apart　for　　celestial　observations；　where　he　endeavoured　to　teach　me　the　names　　and　courses　of　the　stars。　　I　had　no　great　inclination　to　this　　study；　but　an　appearance　of　attention　was　necessary　to　please　my　　instructor；　who　valued　himself　for　his　skill；　and　in　a　little　while　　I　found　some　employment　requisite　to　beguile　the　tediousness　of　　time；　which　was　to　be　passed　always　amidst　the　same　objects。　　I　was　　weary　of　looking　in　the　morning　on　things　from　which　I　had　turned　　away　weary　in　the　evening：　　I　therefore　was　at　last　willing　to　　observe　the　stars　rather　than　do　nothing；　but　could　not　always　　compose　my　thoughts；　and　was　very　often　thinking　on　Nekayah　when　　others　imagined　me　contemplating　the　sky。　　Soon　after；　the　Arab　　went　upon　another　expedition；　and　then　my　only　pleasure　was　to　talk　　with　my　maids　about　the　accident　by　which　we　were　carried　away；　and　　the　happiness　we　should　all　enjoy　at　the　end　of　our　captivity。〃
〃There　were　women　in　your　Arab's　fortress；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃why　　did　you　not　make　them　your　companions；　enjoy　their　conversation；　　and　partake　their　diversions？　　In　a　place　where　they　found　business　　or　amusement；　why　should　you　alone　sit　corroded　with　idle　　melancholy？　or　why　could　not　you　bear　for　a　few　months　that　　condition　to　which　they　were　condemned　for　life？〃
〃The　diversions　of　the　women；〃　answered　Pekuah；　〃were　only　childish　　play；　by　which　the　mind　accustomed　to　stronger　operations　could　not　　be　kept　busy。　　I　could　do　all　which　they　delighted　in　doing　by　　powers　merely　sensitive；　while　my　intellectual　faculties　were　flown　　to　Cairo。　　They　ran　from　room　to　room；　as　a　bird　hops　from　wire　to　　wire　in　his　cage。　　They　danced　for　the　sake　of　motion；　as　lambs　　frisk　in　a　meadow。　　One　sometimes　pretended　to　be　hurt　that　the　　rest　might　be　alarmed；　or　hid　herself　that　another　might　seek　her。　　　Part　of　their　time　passed　in　watching　the　progress　of　light　bodies　　that　floated　on　the　river；　and　part　in　marking　the　various　forms　　into　which　clouds　broke　in　the　sky。
〃Their　business　was　only　needlework；　in　which　I　and　my　maids　　sometimes　helped　them；　but　you　know　that　the　mind　will　easily　　straggle　from　the　fingers；　nor　will　you　suspect　that　captivity　and　　absence　from　Nekayah　could　receive　solace　from　silken　flowers。
〃Nor　was　much　satisfaction　to　be　hoped　from　their　conversation：　　　for　of　what　could　they　be　expected　to　talk？　　They　had　seen　nothing；　　for　they　had　lived　from　early　youth　in　that　narrow　spot：　　of　what　　they　had　not　seen　they　could　have　no　knowledge；　for　they　could　not　　read。　　They　had　no　idea　but　of　the　few　things　that　were　within　　their　view；　and　had　hardly　names　for　anything　but　their　clothes　and　　their　food。　　As　I　bore　a　superior　character；　I　was　often　called　to　　terminate　their　quarrels；　which　I　decided　as　equitably　as　I　could。　　　If　it　could　have　amused　me　to　hear　the　complaints　of　each　against　　the　rest；　I　might　have　been　often　detained　by　long　stories；　but　the　　motives　of　their　animosity　were　so　small　that　I　could　not　listen　　without　interrupting　the　tale。〃
〃How；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃can　the　Arab；　whom　you　represented　as　a　man　　of　more　than　common　accomplishments；　take　any　pleasure　in　his　　seraglio；　when　it　is　filled　only　with　women　like　these？　　Are　they　　exquisitely　beautiful？〃
〃They　do　not；〃　said　Pekuah；　〃want　that　unaffecting　and　ignoble　　beauty　which　may　subsist　without　sprightliness　or　sublimity；　　without　energy　of　thought　or　dignity　of　virtue。　　But　to　a　man　like　　the　Arab　such　beauty　was　only　a　flower　casually　plucked　and　　carelessly　thrown　away。　　Whatever　pleasures　he　might　find　among　　them；　they　were　not　those　of　friendship　or　society。　　When　they　were　　playing　about　him　he　looked　on　them　with　inattentive　superiority；　　when　they　vied　for　his　regard　he　sometimes　turned　away　disgusted。　　　As　they　had　no　knowledge；　their　talk　could　take　nothing　from　the　　tediousness　of　life；　as　they　had　no　choice；　their　fondness；　or　　appearance　of　fondness；　excited　in　him　neither　pride　nor　gratitude。　　　He　was　not　exalted　in　his　own　esteem　by　the　smiles　of　a　woman　who　　saw　no　other　man；　nor　was　much　obliged　by　that　regard　of　which　he　　could　never　know　the　sincerity；　and　which　he　might　often　perceive　　to　be　exerted　not　so　much　to　delight　him　as　to　pain　a　rival。　　That　　which　he　gave；　and　they　received；　as　love；　was　only　a　careless　　distribution　of　superfluous　time；　such　love　as　man　can　bestow　upon　　that　which　he　despises；　such　as　has　neither　hope　nor　fear；　neither　　joy　nor　sorrow。〃
〃You　have　reason；　lady；　to　think　yourself　happy；〃　said　Imlac；　〃that　　you　have　been　thus　easily　dismissed。　　How　could　a　mind；　hungry　for　　knowledge；　be　willing；　in　an　intellectual　famine；　to　lose　such　a　　banquet　as　Pekuah's　conversation？〃
〃I　am　inclined　to　believe；〃　answered　Pekuah；　〃that　he　was　for　some　　time　in　suspense；　for；　notwithstanding　his　promise；　whenever　I　　proposed　to　despatch　a　messenger　to　Cairo　he　found　some　excuse　for　　delay。　　While　I　was　detained　in　his　house　he　made　many　incursions　　into　the　neighbouring　countries；　and　perhaps　he　would　have　refused　　to　discharge　me　had　his　plunder　been　equal　to　his　wishes。　　He　　returned　always　courteous；　related　his　adventures；　delighted　to　　hear　my　observations；　and　endeavoured　to　advance　my　acquaintance　　with　the　stars。　　When　I　importuned　him　to　send　away　my　letters；　he　　soothed　me　with　professions　of　honour　and　sincerity；　and　when　I　　could　be　no　longer　decently　denied；　put　his　troop　again　in　motion；　　and　left　me　to　govern　in　his　absence。　　I　was　much　afflicted　by　this　　studied　procrastination；　and　was　sometimes　afraid　that　I　should　be　　forgotten；　that　you　would　leave　Cairo；　and　I　must　end　my　days　in　an　　island　of　the　Nile。
〃I　grew　at　last　hopeless　and　dejected；　and　cared　so　little　to　　entertain　him；　that　he　for　a　while　more　frequently　talked　with　my　　maids。　　That　he　should　fall　in　love　with　them　or　with　me；　might　　have　been　equally　fatal；　and　I　was　not　much　pleased　with　the　　growing　friendship。　　My　anxiety　was　not　long；　for；　as　I　recovered　　some　degree　of　cheerfulness；　he　returned　to　me；　and　I　could　not　　forbear　to　despise　my　former　uneasiness。
〃He　still　delayed　to　send　for　my　ransom；　and　would　perhaps　never　　have　determined　had　not　your　agent　found　his　way　to　him。　　The　gold；　　which　he　would　not　fetch；　he　could　not　reject　when　it　was　offered。　　　He　hastened　to　prepare　for　our　journey　hither；　like　a　man　delivered　　from　the　pain　of　an　intestine　conflict。　　I　took　leave　of　my　　companions　in　the　house；　who　dismissed　me　with　cold　indifference。〃
Nekayah　having　heard　her　favourite's　relation；　rose　and　embraced　　her；　and　Rasselas　gave　her　a　hundred　ounces　of　gold；　which　she　　presented　to　the　Arab　for　the　fifty　that　were　promised。

CHAPTER　XL　…　THE　HISTORY　OF　A　MAN　OF　LEARNING。

THEY　returned　to　Cairo；　and　were　so　well　pleased　at　finding　　themselves　together　that　none　of　them　went　much　abroad。　　The　Prince　　began　to　love　learning；　and　one　day　declared　to　Imlac　that　he　　intended　to　devote　himself　to　science　and　pass　the　rest　of　his　days　　in　literary　solitude。
〃Before　you　make　your　final　choice；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃you　ought　to　　examine　its　hazards；　and　converse　with　some　of　those　who　are　grown　　old　in　the　company　of　themselves