rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第4节

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f　the　bad　could　at　pleasure　invade　them　from　the　sky？　　　Against　an　army　sailing　through　the　clouds　neither　walls；　　mountains；　nor　seas　could　afford　security。　　A　flight　of　northern　　savages　might　hover　in　the　wind　and　light　with　irresistible　　violence　upon　the　capital　of　a　fruitful　reason。　　Even　this　valley；　　the　retreat　of　princes；　the　abode　of　happiness；　might　be　violated　　by　the　sudden　descent　of　some　of　the　naked　nations　that　swarm　on　　the　coast　of　the　southern　sea！〃
The　Prince　promised　secrecy；　and　waited　for　the　performance；　not　　wholly　hopeless　of　success。　　He　visited　the　work　from　time　to　time；　　observed　its　progress；　and　remarked　many　ingenious　contrivances　to　　facilitate　motion　and　unite　levity　with　strength。　　The　artist　was　　every　day　more　certain　that　he　should　leave　vultures　and　eagles　　behind　him；　and　the　contagion　of　his　confidence　seized　upon　the　　Prince。　　In　a　year　the　wings　were　finished；　and　on　a　morning　　appointed　the　maker　appeared；　furnished　for　flight；　on　a　little　　promontory；　he　waved　his　pinions　awhile　to　gather　air；　then　leaped　　from　his　stand；　and　in　an　instant　dropped　into　the　lake。　　His　　wings；　which　were　of　no　use　in　the　air；　sustained　him　in　the　water；　　and　the　Prince　drew　him　to　land　half　dead　with　terror　and　vexation。

CHAPTER　VII　…　　THE　PRINCE　FINDS　A　MAN　OF　LEARNING。

THE　Prince　was　not　much　afflicted　by　this　disaster；　having　suffered　　himself　to　hope　for　a　happier　event　only　because　he　had　no　other　　means　of　escape　in　view。　　He　still　persisted　in　his　design　to　leave　　the　Happy　Valley　by　the　first　opportunity。
His　imagination　was　now　at　a　stand；　he　had　no　prospect　of　entering　　into　the　world；　and；　notwithstanding　all　his　endeavours　to　support　　himself；　discontent　by　degrees　preyed　upon　him；　and　he　began　again　　to　lose　his　thoughts　in　sadness　when　the　rainy　season；　which　in　　these　countries　is　periodical；　made　it　inconvenient　to　wander　in　　the　woods。
The　rain　continued　longer　and　with　more　violence　than　had　ever　been　　known；　the　clouds　broke　on　the　surrounding　mountains；　and　the　　torrents　streamed　into　the　plain　on　every　side；　till　the　cavern　was　　too　narrow　to　discharge　the　water。　　The　lake　overflowed　its　banks；　　and　all　the　level　of　the　valley　was　covered　with　the　inundation。　　　The　eminence　on　which　the　palace　was　built；　and　some　other　spots　of　　rising　ground；　were　all　that　the　eye　could　now　discover。　　The　herds　　and　flocks　left　the　pasture；　and　both　the　wild　beasts　and　the　tame　　retreated　to　the　mountains。
This　inundation　confined　all　the　princes　to　domestic　amusements；　　and　the　attention　of　Rasselas　was　particularly　seized　by　a　poem　　（which　Imlac　rehearsed）　upon　the　various　conditions　of　humanity。　　　He　commanded　the　poet　to　attend　him　in　his　apartment；　and　recite　　his　verses　a　second　time；　then　entering　into　familiar　talk；　he　　thought　himself　happy　in　having　found　a　man　who　knew　the　world　so　　well；　and　could　so　skilfully　paint　the　scenes　of　life。　　He　asked　a　　thousand　questions　about　things　to　which；　though　common　to　all　　other　mortals；　his　confinement　from　childhood　had　kept　him　a　　stranger。　　The　poet　pitied　his　ignorance；　and　loved　his　curiosity；　　and　entertained　him　from　day　to　day　with　novelty　and　instruction　so　　that　the　Prince　regretted　the　necessity　of　sleep；　and　longed　till　　the　morning　should　renew　his　pleasure。
As　they　were　sitting　together；　the　Prince　commanded　Imlac　to　relate　　his　history；　and　to　tell　by　what　accident　he　was　forced；　or　by　what　　motive　induced；　to　close　his　life　in　the　Happy　Valley。　　As　he　was　　going　to　begin　his　narrative；　Rasselas　was　called　to　a　concert；　and　　obliged　to　restrain　his　curiosity　till　the　evening。

CHAPTER　VIII　…　THE　HISTORY　OF　IMLAC。

THE　close　of　the　day　is；　in　the　regions　of　the　torrid　zone；　the　　only　season　of　diversion　and　entertainment；　and　it　was　therefore　　midnight　before　the　music　ceased　and　the　princesses　retired。　　　Rasselas　then　called　for　his　companion；　and　required　him　to　begin　　the　story　of　his　life。
〃Sir；〃　said　Imlac；　〃my　history　will　not　be　long：　　the　life　that　is　　devoted　to　knowledge　passes　silently　away；　and　is　very　little　　diversified　by　events。　　To　talk　in　public；　to　think　in　solitude；　to　　read　and　to　hear；　to　inquire　and　answer　inquiries；　is　the　business　　of　a　scholar。　　He　wanders　about　the　world　without　pomp　or　terror；　　and　is　neither　known　nor　valued　but　by　men　like　himself。
〃I　was　born　in　the　kingdom　of　Goiama；　at　no　great　distance　from　the　　fountain　of　the　Nile。　　My　father　was　a　wealthy　merchant；　who　traded　　between　the　inland　countries　of　Africa　and　the　ports　of　the　Red　　Sea。　　He　was　honest；　frugal；　and　diligent；　but　of　mean　sentiments　　and　narrow　comprehension；　he　desired　only　to　be　rich；　and　to　　conceal　his　riches；　lest　he　should　be　spoiled　by　the　governors　of　　the　province。〃
〃Surely；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃my　father　must　be　negligent　of　his　　charge　if　any　man　in　his　dominions　dares　take　that　which　belongs　to　　another。　　Does　he　not　know　that　kings　are　accountable　for　injustice　　permitted　as　well　as　done？　　If　I　were　Emperor；　not　the　meanest　of　　my　subjects　should　he　oppressed　with　impunity。　　My　blood　boils　when　　I　am　told　that　a　merchant　durst　not　enjoy　his　honest　gains　for　fear　　of　losing　them　by　the　rapacity　of　power。　　Name　the　governor　who　　robbed　the　people　that　I　may　declare　his　crimes　to　the　Emperor！〃
〃Sir；〃　said　Imlac；　〃your　ardour　is　the　natural　effect　of　virtue　　animated　by　youth。　　The　time　will　come　when　you　will　acquit　your　　father；　and　perhaps　hear　with　less　impatience　of　the　governor。　　　Oppression　is；　in　the　Abyssinian　dominions；　neither　frequent　nor　　tolerated；　but　no　form　of　government　has　been　yet　discovered　by　　which　cruelty　can　be　wholly　prevented。　　Subordination　supposes　　power　on　one　part　and　subjection　on　the　other；　and　if　power　be　in　　the　hands　of　men　it　will　sometimes　be　abused。　　The　vigilance　of　the　　supreme　magistrate　may　do　much；　but　much　will　still　remain　undone。　　　He　can　never　know　all　the　crimes　that　are　committed；　and　can　seldom　　punish　all　that　he　knows。〃
〃This；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　do　not　understand；　but　I　had　rather　　hear　thee　than　dispute。　　Continue　thy　narration。〃
〃My　father；〃　proceeded　Imlac；　〃originally　intended　that　I　should　　have　no　other　education　than　such　as　might　qualify　me　for　commerce；　　and　discovering　in　me　great　strength　of　memory　and　quickness　of　　apprehension；　often　declared　his　hope　that　I　should　be　some　time　　the　richest　man　in　Abyssinia。〃
〃Why；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃did　thy　father　desire　the　increase　of　his　　wealth　when　it　was　already　greater　than　he　durst　discover　or　enjoy？　　　I　am　unwilling　to　doubt　thy　veracity；　yet　inconsistencies　cannot　　both　be　true。〃
〃Inconsistencies；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃cannot　both　be　right；　but；　　imputed　to　man；　they　may　both　be　true。　　Yet　diversity　is　not　　inconsistency。　　My　father　might　expect　a　time　of　greater　security。　　　However；　some　desire　is　necessary　to　keep　life　in　motion；　and　he　　whose　real　wants　are　supplied　must　admit　those　of　fancy。〃
〃This；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　can　in　some　measure　conceive。　　I　repent　　that　I　interrupted　thee。〃
〃With　this　hope；〃　proceeded　Imlac；　〃he　sent　me　to　school。　　But　when　　I　had　once　found　the　delight　of　knowledge；　and　felt　the　pleasure　of　　intelligence　and　the　pride　of　invention；　I　began　silently　to　　despise　riches；　and　determined　to　disappoint　the　purposes　of　my　　father；　whose　grossness　of　conception　raised　my　pity。　　I　was　twenty　　years　old　before　his　tenderness　would　expose　me　to　the　fatigue　of　　travel；　in　which　time　I　had　been　instructed；　by　successive　masters；　　in　all　the　literature　of　my　native　country。　　As　every　hour　taught　　me　something　new；　I　lived　in　a　continual　course　of　gratification；　　but　as　I　advanced　towards　manhood；　I　lost　much　of　the　reverence　　with　which　I　had　been　used　to　look　on　my　instructors；　because　when　　the　lessons　were　ended　I　did　not　find　them　wiser　or　better　than　　common　men。
〃At　length　my　father　resolved　to　initiate　me　in　commerce；　and；　　opening　one　of　his　subterranean　treasuries；　counted　out　ten　　thousand　pieces　of　gold。　　'This；　young　man；'　said　he；　'is　the　stock　　with　which　you　must　negotiate。　　I　began　with　less　than　a　fifth　　part；　and　you　see　how　diligence　and　parsimony　have　increased　it。　　　This　is　your　own；　to　waste　or　improve。　　If　you　squander　it　by　　negligence　or　caprice；　you　must　wait　for　my　death　before　you　will　　be　rich；　if　in　four　years　you　double　your　stock；　we　will　　thenceforward　let　subordination　cease；　and　live　together　as　friends　　and　partners；　for　he　shall　be　always　equal　with　me　who　is　equally　　skilled　in　the　art　of　growing　rich。'
〃We　laid　out　our　money　upon　camels；　concealed　in　bales　of　cheap　　goods；　and　travelled　to　the　shore　of　the　Red　Sea。　　When　I　cast　my　　eye　on　the　expanse　of　waters；　my　heart　bounded　like　that　of　a　　prisoner　escaped。　　I　felt　an　inextinguishable　curiosity　kindle　in　　my　mind；　and　resolved　to　snatch　this　opportunity　of　seeing　the　　manners　of　other　nations；　and　of　learning　sciences　unknown　in　　Abyssinia。
〃I　remembered　that　my　father　had　obliged　me　to　the　improvement　of　　my　stock；　not　by　a　promise；　which　I　ought　not　to　violate；　but　by　a　　penalty；　which　I　was　at　liberty　to　incur；　and　therefore　determined　　to　gratify　my　predominant　desire；　and；　by　drinking　at　the　fountain　　of　knowledge；　to　quench　the　thirst　of　curiosity。
〃As　I　was　supposed　to