rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第7节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃When　this　thought　had　taken　possession　of　my　mind；　I　considered　　every　moment　as　wasted　which　did　not　bring　me　nearer　to　Abyssinia。　　　I　hastened　into　Egypt；　and；　notwithstanding　my　impatience；　was　　detained　ten　months　in　the　contemplation　of　its　ancient　　magnificence　and　in　inquiries　after　the　remains　of　its　ancient　　learning。　　I　found　in　Cairo　a　mixture　of　all　nations：　　some　brought　　thither　by　the　love　of　knowledge；　some　by　the　hope　of　gain；　many　by　　the　desire　of　living　after　their　own　manner　without　observation；　　and　of　lying　hid　in　the　obscurity　of　multitudes；　for　in　a　city　　populous　as　Cairo　it　is　possible　to　obtain　at　the　same　time　the　　gratifications　of　society　and　the　secrecy　of　solitude。
〃From　Cairo　I　travelled　to　Suez；　and　embarked　on　the　Red　Sea；　　passing　along　the　coast　till　I　arrived　at　the　port　from　which　I　had　　departed　twenty　years　before。　　Here　I　joined　myself　to　a　caravan；　　and　re…entered　my　native　country。
〃I　now　expected　the　caresses　of　my　kinsmen　and　the　congratulations　　of　my　friends；　and　was　not　without　hope　that　my　father；　whatever　　value　he　had　set　upon　riches；　would　own　with　gladness　and　pride　a　　son　who　was　able　to　add　to　the　felicity　and　honour　of　the　nation。　　　But　I　was　soon　convinced　that　my　thoughts　were　vain。　　My　father　had　　been　dead　fourteen　years；　having　divided　his　wealth　among　my　　brothers；　who　were　removed　to　some　other　provinces。　　Of　my　　companions；　the　greater　part　was　in　the　grave；　of　the　rest；　some　　could　with　difficulty　remember　me；　and　some　considered　me　as　one　　corrupted　by　foreign　manners。
〃A　man　used　to　vicissitudes　is　not　easily　dejected。　　I　forgot；　　after　a　time；　my　disappointment；　and　endeavoured　to　recommend　　myself　to　the　nobles　of　the　kingdom；　they　admitted　me　to　their　　tables；　heard　my　story；　and　dismissed　me。　　I　opened　a　school；　and　　was　prohibited　to　teach。　　I　then　resolved　to　sit　down　in　the　quiet　　of　domestic　life；　and　addressed　a　lady　that　was　fond　of　my　　conversation；　but　rejected　my　suit　because　my　father　was　a　　merchant。
〃Wearied　at　last　with　solicitation　and　repulses；　I　resolved　to　hide　　myself　for　ever　from　the　world；　and　depend　no　longer　on　the　opinion　　or　caprice　of　others。　　I　waited　for　the　time　when　the　gate　of　the　　Happy　Valley　should　open；　that　I　might　bid　farewell　to　hope　and　　fear；　the　day　came；　my　performance　was　distinguished　with　favour；　　and　I　resigned　myself　with　joy　to　perpetual　confinement。〃
〃Hast　thou　here　found　happiness　at　last？〃　said　Rasselas。　　〃Tell　me；　　without　reserve；　art　thou　content　with　thy　condition；　or　dost　thou　　wish　to　be　again　wandering　and　inquiring？　　All　the　inhabitants　of　　this　valley　celebrate　their　lot；　and　at　the　annual　visit　of　the　　Emperor　invite　others　to　partake　of　their　felicity。〃
〃Great　Prince；〃　said　Imlac；　〃I　shall　speak　the　truth。　　I　know　not　　one　of　all　your　attendants　who　does　not　lament　the　hour　when　he　　entered　this　retreat。　　I　am　less　unhappy　than　the　rest；　because　I　　have　a　mind　replete　with　images；　which　I　can　vary　and　combine　at　　pleasure。　　I　can　amuse　my　solitude　by　the　renovation　of　the　　knowledge　which　begins　to　fade　from　my　memory；　and　by　recollection　　of　the　accidents　of　my　past　life。　　Yet　all　this　ends　in　the　　sorrowful　consideration　that　my　acquirements　are　now　useless；　and　　that　none　of　my　pleasures　can　be　again　enjoyed。　　The　rest；　whose　　minds　have　no　impression　but　of　the　present　moment；　are　either　　corroded　by　malignant　passions　or　sit　stupid　in　the　gloom　of　　perpetual　vacancy。〃
〃What　passions　can　infest　those；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃who　have　no　　rivals？　　We　are　in　a　place　where　impotence　precludes　malice；　and　　where　all　envy　is　repressed　by　community　of　enjoyments。〃
〃There　may　be　community；〃　said　Imlac；　〃of　material　possessions；　but　　there　can　never　be　community　of　love　or　of　esteem。　　It　must　happen　　that　one　will　please　more　than　another；　he　that　knows　himself　　despised　will　always　be　envious；　and　still　more　envious　and　　malevolent　if　he　is　condemned　to　live　in　the　presence　of　those　who　　despise　him。　　The　invitations　by　which　they　allure　others　to　a　　state　which　they　feel　to　be　wretched；　proceed　from　the　natural　　malignity　of　hopeless　misery。　　They　are　weary　of　themselves　and　of　　each　other；　and　expect　to　find　relief　in　new　companions。　　They　envy　　the　liberty　which　their　folly　has　forfeited；　and　would　gladly　see　　all　mankind　imprisoned　like　themselves。
〃From　this　crime；　however；　I　am　wholly　free。　　No　man　can　say　that　　he　is　wretched　by　my　persuasion。　　I　look　with　pity　on　the　crowds　　who　are　annually　soliciting　admission　to　captivity；　and　wish　that　　it　were　lawful　for　me　to　warn　them　of　their　danger。〃
〃My　dear　Imlac；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　will　open　to　thee　my　whole　　heart。　　I　have　long　meditated　an　escape　from　the　Happy　Valley。　　I　　have　examined　the　mountain　on　every　side；　but　find　myself　　insuperably　barred　…　teach　me　the　way　to　break　my　prison；　thou　　shalt　be　the　companion　of　my　flight；　the　guide　of　my　rambles；　the　　partner　of　my　fortune；　and　my　sole　director　in　the　CHOICE　OF　LIFE。
〃Sir；〃　answered　the　poet；　〃your　escape　will　be　difficult；　and　　perhaps　you　may　soon　repent　your　curiosity。　　The　world；　which　you　　figure　to　yourself　smooth　and　quiet　as　the　lake　in　the　valley；　you　　will　find　a　sea　foaming　with　tempests　and　boiling　with　whirlpools；　　you　will　be　sometimes　overwhelmed　by　the　waves　of　violence；　and　　sometimes　dashed　against　the　rocks　of　treachery。　　Amidst　wrongs　and　　frauds；　competitions　and　anxieties；　you　will　wish　a　thousand　times　　for　these　seats　of　quiet；　and　willingly　quit　hope　to　be　free　from　　fear。〃
〃Do　not　seek　to　deter　me　from　my　purpose；〃　said　the　Prince。　　〃I　am　　impatient　to　see　what　thou　hast　seen；　and　since　thou　art　thyself　　weary　of　the　valley；　it　is　evident　that　thy　former　state　was　better　　than　this。　　Whatever　be　the　consequence　of　my　experiment；　I　am　　resolved　to　judge　with　mine　own　eyes　of　the　various　conditions　of　　men；　and　then　to　make　deliberately　my　CHOICE　OF　LIFE。〃
〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　Imlac；　〃you　are　hindered　by　stronger　restraints　　than　my　persuasions；　yet；　if　your　determination　is　fixed；　I　do　not　　counsel　you　to　despair。　　Few　things　are　impossible　to　diligence　and　　skill。〃

CHAPTER　XIII　…　RASSELAS　DISCOVERS　THE　MEANS　OF　ESCAPE。

THE　Prince　now　dismissed　his　favourite　to　rest；　but　the　narrative　　of　wonders　and　novelties　filled　his　mind　with　perturbation。　　He　　revolved　all　that　he　had　heard；　and　prepared　innumerable　questions　　for　the　morning。
Much　of　his　uneasiness　was　now　removed。　　He　had　a　friend　to　whom　he　　could　impart　his　thoughts；　and　whose　experience　could　assist　him　in　　his　designs。　　His　heart　was　no　longer　condemned　to　swell　with　　silent　vexation。　　He　thought　that　even　the　Happy　Valley　might　be　　endured　with　such　a　companion；　and　that　if　they　could　range　the　　world　together　he　should　have　nothing　further　to　desire。
In　a　few　days　the　water　was　discharged；　and　the　ground　dried。　　The　　Prince　and　Imlac　then　walked　out　together；　to　converse　without　the　　notice　of　the　rest。　　The　Prince；　whose　thoughts　were　always　on　the　　wing；　as　he　passed　by　the　gate　said；　with　a　countenance　of　sorrow；　　〃Why　art　thou　so　strong；　and　why　is　man　so　weak？〃
〃Man　is　not　weak；〃　answered　his　companion；　〃knowledge　is　more　than　　equivalent　to　force。　　The　master　of　mechanics　laughs　at　strength。　　　I　can　burst　the　gate；　but　cannot　do　it　secretly。　　Some　other　　expedient　must　be　tried。〃
　As　they　were　walking　on　the　side　of　the　mountain　they　observed　　that　the　coneys；　which　the　rain　had　driven　from　their　burrows；　had　　taken　shelter　among　the　bushes；　and　formed　holes　behind　them　　tending　upwards　in　an　oblique　line。　　　〃It　has　been　the　opinion　of　　antiquity；〃　said　Imlac；　〃that　human　reason　borrowed　many　arts　from　　the　instinct　of　animals；　let　us；　therefore；　not　think　ourselves　　degraded　by　learning　from　the　coney。　　We　may　escape　by　piercing　the　　mountain　in　the　same　direction。　　We　will　begin　where　the　summit　　hangs　over　the　middle　part；　and　labour　upward　till　we　shall　issue　　out　beyond　the　prominence。〃
The　eyes　of　the　Prince；　when　he　heard　this　proposal；　sparkled　with　　joy。　　The　execution　was　easy　and　the　success　certain。
No　time　was　now　lost。　　They　hastened　early　in　the　morning　to　choose　　a　place　proper　for　their　mine。　　They　clambered　with　great　fatigue　　among　crags　and　brambles；　and　returned　without　having　discovered　　any　part　that　favoured　their　design。　　The　second　and　the　third　day　　were　spent　in　the　same　manner；　and　with　the　same　frustration；　but　　on　the　fourth　day　they　found　a　small　cavern　concealed　by　a　thicket；　　where　they　resolved　to　make　their　experiment。
Imlac　procured　instruments　proper　to　hew　stone　and　remove　earth；　　and　they　fell　to　their　work　on　the　next　day　with　more　eagerness　　than　vigour。　　They　were　presently　exhausted　by　their　efforts；　and　　sat　down　to　pant　upon　the　grass。　　The　Prince　for　a　moment　appeared　　to　be　discouraged。　　〃Sir；〃　said　his　companion；　〃practice　will　　enable　us　to　continue　our　labour　for　a　longer　time。　　Mark；　however；　　how　far　we　have　advanced；　and　ye　will　find　that　our　toil　will　some　　time　have　an　end。　　Great　works　are　performed　not　by　strength；　but　　perseverance；　yonder　palace　was　raised　by　single　stones；　yet　you　　see　its　height　and　spaciousness。　　He　that　shall　walk　with　vigour　　three　hours　a　day；　will　pass　in　seven　years　a　space　equal　to　the　　circumfe