rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第2节

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After　this　he　lifted　up　his　head；　and　seeing　the　moon　rising；　　walked　towards　the　palace。　　As　he　passed　through　the　fields；　and　　saw　the　animals　around　him；　〃Ye；〃　said　he；　〃are　happy；　and　need　not　　envy　me　that　walk　thus　among　you；　burdened　with　myself；　nor　do　I；　　ye　gentle　beings；　envy　your　felicity；　for　it　is　not　the　felicity　of　　man。　　I　have　many　distresses　from　which　you　are　free；　I　fear　pain　　when　I　do　not　feel　it；　I　sometimes　shrink　at　evils　recollected；　and　　sometimes　start　at　evils　anticipated：　　surely　the　equity　of　　Providence　has　balanced　peculiar　sufferings　with　peculiar　　enjoyments。〃
With　observations　like　these　the　Prince　amused　himself　as　he　　returned；　uttering　them　with　a　plaintive　voice；　yet　with　a　look　　that　discovered　him　to　feel　some　complacence　in　his　own　　perspicacity；　and　to　receive　some　solace　of　the　miseries　of　life　　from　consciousness　of　the　delicacy　with　which　he　felt　and　the　　eloquence　with　which　he　bewailed　them。　　He　mingled　cheerfully　in　　the　diversions　of　the　evening；　and　all　rejoiced　to　find　that　his　　heart　was　lightened。

CHAPTER　III　…　THE　WANTS　OF　HIM　THAT　WANTS　NOTHING。

ON　the　next　day；　his　old　instructor；　imagining　that　he　had　now　made　　himself　acquainted　with　his　disease　of　mind；　was　in　hope　of　curing　　it　by　counsel；　and　officiously　sought　an　opportunity　of　conference；　　which　the　Prince；　having　long　considered　him　as　one　whose　　intellects　were　exhausted；　was　not　very　willing　to　afford。　　〃Why；〃　　said　he；　〃does　this　man　thus　intrude　upon　me？　　Shall　I　never　be　　suffered　to　forget　these　lectures；　which　pleased　only　while　they　　were　new；　and　to　become　new　again　must　be　forgotten？〃　　He　then　　walked　into　the　wood；　and　composed　himself　to　his　usual　　meditations；　when；　before　his　thoughts　had　taken　any　settled　form；　　he　perceived　his　pursuer　at　his　side；　and　was　at　first　prompted　by　　his　impatience　to　go　hastily　away；　but　being　unwilling　to　offend　a　　man　whom　he　had　once　reverenced　and　still　loved；　he　invited　him　to　　sit　down　with　him　on　the　bank。
The　old　man；　thus　encouraged；　began　to　lament　the　change　which　had　　been　lately　observed　in　the　Prince；　and　to　inquire　why　he　so　often　　retired　from　the　pleasures　of　the　palace　to　loneliness　and　silence。　　　〃I　fly　from　pleasure；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃because　pleasure　has　　ceased　to　please：　　I　am　lonely　because　I　am　miserable；　and　am　　unwilling　to　cloud　with　my　presence　the　happiness　of　others。〃　　　〃You；　sir；〃　said　the　sage；　〃are　the　first　who　has　complained　of　　misery　in　the　Happy　Valley。　　I　hope　to　convince　you　that　your　　complaints　have　no　real　cause。　　You　are　here　in　full　possession　of　　all　the　Emperor　of　Abyssinia　can　bestow；　here　is　neither　labour　to　　be　endured　nor　danger　to　be　dreaded；　yet　here　is　all　that　labour　or　　danger　can　procure　or　purchase。　　Look　round　and　tell　me　which　of　　your　wants　is　without　supply：　　if　you　want　nothing；　how　are　you　　unhappy？〃
〃That　I　want　nothing；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃or　that　I　know　not　what　I　　want；　is　the　cause　of　my　complaint：　　if　I　had　any　known　want；　I　　should　have　a　certain　wish；　that　wish　would　excite　endeavour；　and　I　　should　not　then　repine　to　see　the　sun　move　so　slowly　towards　the　　western　mountains；　or　to　lament　when　the　day　breaks；　and　sleep　will　　no　longer　hide　me　from　myself。　　When　I　see　the　kids　and　the　lambs　　chasing　one　another；　I　fancy　that　I　should　be　happy　if　I　had　　something　to　pursue。　　But；　possessing　all　that　I　can　want；　I　find　　one　day　and　one　hour　exactly　like　another；　except　that　the　latter　　is　still　more　tedious　than　the　former。　　Let　your　experience　inform　　me　how　the　day　may　now　seem　as　short　as　in　my　childhood；　while　　nature　was　yet　fresh；　and　every　moment　showed　me　what　I　never　had　　observed　before。　　I　have　already　enjoyed　too　much：　　give　me　　something　to　desire。〃　　The　old　man　was　surprised　at　this　new　　species　of　affliction；　and　knew　not　what　to　reply；　yet　was　　unwilling　to　be　silent。　　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　had　seen　the　　miseries　of　the　world；　you　would　know　how　to　value　your　present　　state。〃　　〃Now；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃you　have　given　me　something　to　　desire。　　I　shall　long　to　see　the　miseries　of　the　world；　since　the　　sight　of　them　is　necessary　to　happiness。〃

CHAPTER　IV　…　THE　PRINCE　CONTINUES　TO　GRIEVE　AND　MUSE

AT　this　time　the　sound　of　music　proclaimed　the　hour　of　repast；　and　　the　conversation　was　concluded。　　The　old　man　went　away　sufficiently　　discontented　to　find　that　his　reasonings　had　produced　the　only　　conclusion　which　they　were　intended　to　prevent。　　But　in　the　decline　　of　life；　shame　and　grief　are　of　short　duration：　　whether　it　be　that　　we　bear　easily　what　we　have　borne　long；　or　that；　finding　ourselves　　in　age　less　regarded；　we　less　regard　others；　or　that　we　look　with　　slight　regard　upon　afflictions　to　which　we　know　that　the　hand　of　　death　is　about　to　put　an　end。
The　Prince；　whose　views　were　extended　to　a　wider　space；　could　not　　speedily　quiet　his　emotions。　　He　had　been　before　terrified　at　the　　length　of　life　which　nature　promised　him；　because　he　considered　　that　in　a　long　time　much　must　be　endured：　　he　now　rejoiced　in　his　　youth；　because　in　many　years　much　might　be　done。　　The　first　beam　of　　hope　that　had　been　ever　darted　into　his　mind　rekindled　youth　in　his　　cheeks；　and　doubled　the　lustre　of　his　eyes。　　He　was　fired　with　the　　desire　of　doing　something；　though　he　knew　not　yet；　with　　distinctness；　either　end　or　means。　　He　was　now　no　longer　gloomy　and　　unsocial；　but　considering　himself　as　master　of　a　secret　stock　of　　happiness；　which　he　could　only　enjoy　by　concealing　it；　he　affected　　to　be　busy　in　all　the　schemes　of　diversion；　and　endeavoured　to　make　　others　pleased　with　the　state　of　which　he　himself　was　weary。　　But　　pleasures　can　never　be　so　multiplied　or　continued　as　not　to　leave　　much　of　life　unemployed；　there　were　many　hours；　both　of　the　night　　and　day；　which　he　could　spend　without　suspicion　in　solitary　　thought。　　The　load　of　life　was　much　lightened；　he　went　eagerly　into　　the　assemblies；　because　he　supposed　the　frequency　of　his　presence　　necessary　to　the　success　of　his　purposes；　he　retired　gladly　to　　privacy；　because　he　had　now　a　subject　of　thought。　　His　chief　　amusement　was　to　picture　to　himself　that　world　which　he　had　never　　seen；　to　place　himself　in　various　conditions；　to　be　entangled　in　　imaginary　difficulties；　and　to　be　engaged　in　wild　adventures；　but；　　his　benevolence　always　terminated　his　projects　in　the　relief　of　　distress；　the　detection　of　fraud；　the　defeat　of　oppression；　and　the　　diffusion　of　happiness。
Thus　passed　twenty　months　of　the　life　of　Rasselas。　　He　busied　　himself　so　intensely　in　visionary　bustle　that　he　forgot　his　real　　solitude；　and　amidst　hourly　preparations　for　the　various　incidents　　of　human　affairs；　neglected　to　consider　by　what　means　he　should　　mingle　with　mankind。
One　day；　as　he　was　sitting　on　a　bank；　he　feigned　to　himself　an　　orphan　virgin　robbed　of　her　little　portion　by　a　treacherous　lover；　　and　crying　after　him　for　restitution。　　So　strongly　was　the　image　　impressed　upon　his　mind　that　he　started　up　in　the　maid's　defence；　　and　ran　forward　to　seize　the　plunderer　with　all　the　eagerness　of　　real　pursuit。　　Fear　naturally　quickens　the　flight　of　guilt。　　　Rasselas　could　not　catch　the　fugitive　with　his　utmost　efforts；　but；　　resolving　to　weary　by　perseverance　him　whom　he　could　not　surpass　in　　speed；　he　pressed　on　till　the　foot　of　the　mountain　stopped　his　　course。
Here　he　recollected　himself；　and　smiled　at　his　own　useless　　impetuosity。　　Then　raising　his　eyes　to　the　mountain；　〃This；〃　said　　he；　〃is　the　fatal　obstacle　that　hinders　at　once　the　enjoyment　of　　pleasure　and　the　exercise　of　virtue。　　How　long　is　it　that　my　hopes　　and　wishes　have　flown　beyond　this　boundary　of　my　life；　which　yet　I　　never　have　attempted　to　surmount？〃
Struck　with　this　reflection；　he　sat　down　to　muse；　and　remembered　　that　since　he　first　resolved　to　escape　from　his　confinement；　the　　sun　had　passed　twice　over　him　in　his　annual　course。　　He　now　felt　a　　degree　of　regret　with　which　he　had　never　been　before　acquainted。　　　He　considered　how　much　might　have　been　done　in　the　time　which　had　　passed；　and　left　nothing　real　behind　it。　　He　compared　twenty　months　　with　the　life　of　man。　　〃In　life；〃　said　he；　〃is　not　to　be　counted　　the　ignorance　of　infancy　or　imbecility　of　age。　　We　are　long　before　　we　are　able　to　think；　and　we　soon　cease　from　the　power　of　acting。　　　The　true　period　of　human　existence　may　be　reasonably　estimated　at　　forty　years；　of　which　I　have　mused　away　the　four…and…twentieth　　part。　　What　I　have　lost　was　certain；　for　I　have　certainly　possessed　　it；　but　of　twenty　months　to　come；　who　can　assure　me？〃
The　consciousness　of　his　own　folly　pierced　him　deeply；　and　he　was　　long　before　he　could　be　reconciled　to　himself。　　〃The　rest　of　my　　time；〃　said　he；　〃has　been　lost　by　the　crime　or　folly　of　my　　ancestors；　and　the　absurd　institutions　of　my　country；　I　remember　it　　with　disgust；　yet　without　remorse：　　but　the　months　that　have　passed　　since　new　light　darted　into　my　soul；　since　I　formed　a　scheme　of　　reasonable　felicity；　have　been　squandered　by　my　own　fault。　　I　have　　lost　that　which　can　never　be　restored；　I　have　seen　the　sun　rise　and　　set　for　twenty　months；　an　idle　gazer　on　the　light　of　heaven；　in　　this　time　the　birds　have　left　the　nest　of　their　mother；　and　　committed　themselves　to　the　woods　and　to　the　skies；　the　ki