Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-08-13
Dome Department.
HISTORY OF RASSELAS,
PRINCE OF ABYsslNlA.
CHAPTER NNNIN.

| IiCtShuVu' w my SIdllICdliOll. OF. as !
rather suspected, for some convenience
of his own. endeavored to appear con-
tented where sullenness and resentment
would have been of no use. and that en-
deavor cOnduced much to the camness
of my mind; but my heart was always
with Nekayah, and the troubles of the
night much overbalanced the amtlse-
ments of the day. My women, who
threw all their cares upon their mistress.
set their minds at ease from the time
when they saw me treated with respect.
and gave themselves up to the incidental
alterations of our fatigue without sol
icltude or sorrow. was pleased with
their pleasure, and animated with their
confidence. My condition had lost much
of its terror, since found that the Arab
ranged the country merely for riches.
Avarice is uniform and tractable vice:
other intellectual distempers are different
in different constitutions of mind that
which soothes the pride of one will offend
the pride of another; but to the favor of
the covetous there is Il ready way; bring
money, and nothing is denied.
AT last we came to the dwelling of
our chief, "A strong and spacious house
built with stone in an island of the Nile,
which lies, as was told. under the
tropic. Lady said the Arab, you shall
rest after your journey few weeks in
/ ME hnr I
yourself as sovereign. My occupation is
war; have therefore chosen this obscure
residence, from which | can issue unex-
pected, and to which can retire unpur-
sued. You may now repose in security :
here are few pleasures. but here is no
danger. He then led me into the inner
apartments, and, seating me on the rich
est couch bowed to the ground. His
women, who considered me as Il rival.
looked on me with malgnity; but being
soon Informed that | was great lady
detained only for my ransom. they began
to vie with each other in obscuuiousness
and reverence.
Being again cOmforted with new
assurances of speedy liberty. | was for
some days diverted from Impotence by
the novelty of the place. The turrets
overlooked the country to a great dis
lance, and afforded view of many
Oindings of the stream. In the dav |
wandered from one place to another, "a
| the course of the sun varied the splendor
of the prospect, and saw many things
| which had never see before. The croco-
diles and river-horSes are common i'm this
unpeOpled region. and often looked upon
| them with terror, though | knew that
they could not hurt me. For some time
| expected to see mermaidS and triton>.
which as Imlac had told me. the Euro
pean travellers have stationed in the Nile :
but no such beings ever appeared. and
the Arab, when | enqured after them,
laughed at my creduity.
AT night the Arab always attended
me to the tower set apart for celestial
observations. where he endeavored to
teach me the names and courses of the
stars. 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
Il little while, found some employment
requisite to beguile the tediousnesS of
time, which was TO be passed ALWAYS
amidst the same objects. was weary
of looking in the morning on things from
which had turned away weary in the
evening; therefore was at last willing
to observe the stars rather than do
nothing, but could not always compose
my thoughts, and was very often think
ing 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 that we should all enjoy at the
end of our captivity"
There were women in your Arabs
fortress" said the princess, "why did
you not make them your companions,
their diversions? In place where
they found business or amusement
why should you alone sit corroded
with idle melancholy? or why could not
you bear for few months that condition
to which they were condemned for life
the diversions of the women an
swered Pekuah, "were only childish play,
by which the mind, accustomed to
stronger operations, could not be kept
busy. could do all which they delight
ed in doing by powers merely sensitive,
while my intellectual faculties were flown
to Cairo. They ran from room to room,
AS bird hops from wire to wire in his
cage. They danced for the sake of mo-
ton, 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
.I,...u 4 IL. IL