Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

among whom apparitions of the dead are not related and believed. This opinion, which perhaps prevails as far as human nature is diffused, could become univerfal only by its truth: thofe, that never heard of one another, would not have agreed in a tale which nothing but experience can make credible. That it is doubted by fingle cavillers, can very little weaken the general evidence; and fome who deny it with their tongues confefs it by their fears.

"Yet I do not mean to add new terrours to those which have already feized upon Pekuah. There can be no reason why fpectres fhould haunt the pyramid more than other places, or why they, fhould have power or will to hurt innocence and purity. Our entrance is no violation of their privileges; we can take nothing from them, how then can we offend them ?"

"My dear Pekuah, faid the princefs, I will always go before you, and Imlac fhall follow you. Remember that you are the companion of the princess of Abiffinia."

"If the princefs is pleafed that her fervant should die, returned the lady, let her command fome death lefs dreadful than enclosure in this horrid cavern. You know I dare not difobey you: I must go if you command me; but, if I once enter, I never fhall come back."

The princefs faw that her fear was too fuong for expoftulation or reproof, and embracing her, told her that she should stay in the tent till their Pekuah was yet not fatisfied, but entreated the princess not to perfue fo dreadful a purpose as

that

that of entering the receffes of the pyramid, Though I cannot teach courage, faid Nekayah, I must not learn cowardice; nor leave at laft undone what I came hither only to do."

CHA P. XXXI.

THEY ENTER THE PYRAMID.

PEKUAH defcended to the tents, and the rest entered the pyramid: they paffed through the

galleries, furveyed the vaults of marble, and examined the cheft in which the body of the founder is fuppofed to have been repofited. They then fat down in one of the most spacious chambers to rest a while before they attempted to return.

"We have now, faid Imlac, gratified our minds with an exact view of the greateft work of man, except the wall of China.

"Of the wall it is very easy to affign the motive. It fecured a wealthy and timorous nation from the incurfions of Barbarians, whofe unfkilfulness in arts made it easier for them to fupply their wants by rapine than by induftry, and who from time to time. poured in upon the habitations of peaceful commerce, as vultures defcend upon domeftick fowl. Their celerity and fiercenefs made the wall neceffary, and their ignorance made it efficacious.

"But for the pyramids no reafon has ever been given adequate to the coft and labour of the work. The narrowness of the chambers proves that it could afford no retreat from enemies, and treasures might have been repofited at far lefs expence with

equal

equal fecurity. It feems to have been erected only in compliance with that hunger of imagination which preys inceffantly upon life, and must be always appeafed by fome employment. Those who have already all that they can enjoy, must enlarge their defires. He that has built for use, till use is fupplied, must begin to build for vanity, and extend his plan to the utmost power of human performance, that he may not be foon reduced to form another with.

"I confider this mighty ftructure as a monument of the infufficiency of human enjoyments. A king, whofe power is unlimited, and whofe treasures furmount all real and imaginary wants, is compelled to folace, by the erection of a pyramid, the fatiety of dominion and tafteleffnefs of pleasures, and to amufe the tediousness of declining life, by feeing thousands labouring without end, and one ftone, for no purpofe, laid upon another. Whoever thou art, that, not content with a moderate condition, imaginest happiness in royal magnificence, and dreameft that command or riches can feed the appetite of novelty with perpetual gratifications, furvey the pyramids, and confefs thy folly!"

CHAP. XXXII.

THE PRINCESS MEETS WITH AN UNEXPECTED MISFORTUNE.

THEY rofe up, and returned through the cavity at which they had entered, and the princess. prepared for her favourite a long narrative of dark labyrinths, and coftly rooms, and of the different impreffions

impreffions which the varieties of the way had made upon her. But when they came to their train, they found every one filent and dejected: the men difcovered fhame and fear in their countenances, and the women were weeping in the tents.

What had happened they did not try to conjecture, but immediately inquired. "You had fcarcely entered into the pyramid, faid one of the attendants, when a troop of Arabs rushed upon us: we were too few to refift them, and too flow to efcape. They were about to fearch the tents, fet us on our camels, and drive us along before them, when the approach of fome Turkish horfemen put them to flight; but they feized the lady Pekuah with her two maids, and carried them away: the Turks are now perfuing them by our inftigation, but I fear they will not be able to overtake them."

The princefs was overpowered with furprife and grief. Raffelas, in the firft heat of his refentment, ordered his fervants to follow him, and prepared to perfue the robbers with his fabre in his hand. "Sir, faid Imlac, what can you hope from violence or valour? the Arabs are mounted on horfes trained to battle and retreat; we have only beafts of burden, By leaving our prefent ftation we may lose the princefs, but cannot hope to regain Pekuah.”

In a fhort time the Turks returned, having not Leen able to reach the enemy. The princess burst out into new lamentations, and Raffelas could fcarcely forbear to reproach them with cowardice; but Imlac was of opinion, that the efcape of the Arabs was no addition to their misfortune, for perhaps they would have killed their captives rather than have refigned them.

CHAP. XXXIII.

THEY RETURN TO CAIRO WITHOUT PEKUAH.

THERE
HERE was nothing to be hoped from longer

ftay. They returned to Cairo repenting of their curiofity, cenfuring the negligence of the government, lamenting their own rafhnefs which had neglected to procure a guard, imagining many expedients by which the lofs of Pekuah might have been prevented, and refolving to do fomething for her recovery, though none could find any thing proper to be done.

Nekayah retired to her chamber, where her women attempted to comfort her, by telling her that all had their troubles, and that lady Pekuah had enjoyed much happiness in the world for a long time, and might reasonably expect a change of fortune. They hoped that fome good would befall her wherefoever she was, and that their miftrefs would find another friend who might fupply her place.

The princess made them no answer, and they continued the form of condolence, not much grieved in their hearts that the favourite was loft.

Next day the prince prefented to the Baffa a memorial of the wrong which he had fuffered, and a petition for redrefs. The Baffa threatened to punish the robbers, but did not attempt to catch them, nor indeed, could any account or defcription be given by which he might direct the perfuit.

It foon appeared that nothing would be done by authority. Governors, being accustomed to hear of

« ZurückWeiter »