an unprotected female at the pyramids-第4部分

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〃Well；　no；　they　would　be　neither　useful　nor　beautiful。〃

〃Perhaps　not；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　be　picturesque　at　the　expense　of　my
fellow…creatures。〃

〃I　doubt；　even；　whether　they　would　be　picturesque。〃

〃You　know　what　I　mean；　Mr。　Ingram。　　But　the　associations　of　such　names；
and　the　presence　of　the　stupendous　works　with　which　they　are　connected；
fill　the　soul　with　awe。　　Such；　at　least；　is　the　effect　with　mine。〃

〃I　fear　that　my　tendencies；　Miss　Dawkins；　are　more　realistic　than　your
own。〃

〃You　belong　to　a　young　country；　Mr。　Ingram；　and　are　naturally　prone　to
think　of　material　life。　　The　necessity　of　living　looms　large　before
you。〃

〃Very　large；　indeed；　Miss　Dawkins。〃

〃Whereas　with　us；　with　some　of　us　at　least；　the　material　aspect　has
given　place　to　one　in　which　poetry　and　enthusiasm　prevail。　　To　such
among　us　the　associations　of　past　times　are　very　dear。　　Cheops；　to　me；
is　more　than　Napoleon　Bonaparte。〃

〃That　is　more　than　most　of　your　countrymen　can　say；　at　any　rate；　just
at　present。〃

〃I　am　a　woman；〃　continued　Miss　Dawkins。

Mr。　Ingram　took　off　his　hat　in　acknowledgment　both　of　the　announcement
and　of　the　fact。

〃And　to　us　it　is　not　givennot　given　as　yetto　share　in　the　great
deeds　of　the　present。　　The　envy　of　your　sex　has　driven　us　from　the
paths　which　lead　to　honour。　　But　the　deeds　of　the　past　are　as　much　ours
as　yours。〃

〃Oh；　quite　as　much。〃

〃'Tis　to　your　country　that　we　look　for　enfranchisement　from　this
thraldom。　　Yes；　Mr。　Ingram；　the　women　of　America　have　that　strength　of
mind　which　has　been　wanting　to　those　of　Europe。　　In　the　United　States
woman　will　at　last　learn　to　exercise　her　proper　mission。〃

Mr。　Ingram　expressed　a　sincere　wish　that　such　might　be　the　case；　and
then　wondering　at　the　ingenuity　with　which　Miss　Dawkins　had　travelled
round　from　Cheops　and　his　Pyramid　to　the　rights　of　women　in　America；　he
contrived　to　fall　back；　under　the　pretence　of　asking　after　the　ailments
of　Mrs。　Damer。

And　now　at　last　they　were　on　the　sand；　in　the　absolute　desert；　making
their　way　up　to　the　very　foot　of　the　most　northern　of　the　two　Pyramids。
They　were　by　this　time　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　Arab　guides；　or　Arabs
professing　to　be　guides；　who　had　already　ascertained　that　Mr。　Damer　was
the　chief　of　the　party；　and　were　accordingly　driving　him　almost　to
madness　by　the　offers　of　their　services；　and　their　assurance　that　he
could　not　possibly　see　the　outside　or　the　inside　of　either　structure；
or　even　remain　alive　upon　the　ground；　unless　he　at　once　accepted　their
offers　made　at　their　own　prices。

〃Get　away；　will　you？〃　said　he。　　〃I　don't　want　any　of　you；　and　I　won't
have　you！　　If　you　take　hold　of　me　I'll　shoot　you！〃　　This　was　said　to
one　specially　energetic　Arab；　who；　in　his　efforts　to　secure　his　prey；
had　caught　hold　of　Mr。　Damer　by　the　leg。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　say！　　Englishmen　always　take　me；meme；　and　then　no
break　him　leg。　　Yesyesyes；I　go。　　Master；　say　yes。　　Only　one
leetle　ten　shillings！〃

〃Abdallah！〃　shouted　Mr。　Damer；　〃why　don't　you　take　this　man　away？　　Why
don't　you　make　him　understand　that　if　all　the　Pyramids　depended　on　it；
I　would　not　give　him　sixpence！〃

And　then　Abdallah；　thus　invoked；　came　up；　and　explained　to　the　man　in
Arabic　that　he　would　gain　his　object　more　surely　if　he　would　behave
himself　a　little　more　quietly；　a　hint　which　the　man　took　for　one
minute；　and　for　one　minute　only。

And　then　poor　Mrs。　Damer　replied　to　an　application　for　backsheish　by
the　gift　of　a　sixpence。　　Unfortunate　woman！　　The　word　backsheish　means；
I　believe；　a　gift；　but　it　has　come　in　Egypt　to　signify　money；　and　is
eternally　dinned　into　the　ears　of　strangers　by　Arab　suppliants。　　Mrs。
Damer　ought　to　have　known　better；　as；　during　the　last　six　weeks　she　had
never　shown　her　face　out　of　Shepheard's　Hotel　without　being　pestered
for　backsheish；　but　she　was　tired　and　weak；　and　foolishly　thought　to
rid　herself　of　the　man　who　was　annoying　her。

No　sooner　had　the　coin　dropped　from　her　hand　into　that　of　the　Arab；
than　she　was　surrounded　by　a　cluster　of　beggars；　who　loudly　made　their
petitions　as　though　they　would；　each　of　them；　individually　be　injured
if　treated　with　less　liberality　than　that　first　comer。　　They　took　hold
of　her　donkey；　her　bridle；　her　saddle；　her　legs；　and　at　last　her　arms
and　hands；　screaming　for　backsheish　in　voices　that　were　neither　sweet
nor　mild。

In　her　dismay　she　did　give　away　sundry　small　coinsall；　probably；　that
she　had　about　her；　but　this　only　made　the　matter　worse。　　Money　was
going；　and　each　man；　by　sufficient　energy；　might　hope　to　get　some　of
it。　　They　were　very　energetic；　and　so　frightened　the　poor　lady　that　she
would　certainly　have　fallen；　had　she　not　been　kept　on　her　seat　by　the
pressure　around　her。

〃Oh；　dear！　oh；　dear！　get　away；〃　she　cried。　　〃I　haven't　got　any　more；
indeed　I　haven't。　　Go　away；　I　tell　you！　　Mr。　Damer！　oh；　Mr。　Damer！〃　and
then；　in　the　excess　of　her　agony；　she　uttered　one　loud；　long；　and
continuous　shriek。

Up　came　Mr。　Damer；　up　came　Abdallah；　up　came　M。　Delabordeau；　up　came
Mr。　Ingram；　and　at　last　she　was　rescued。　　〃You　shouldn't　go　away　and
leave　me　to　the　mercy　of　these　nasty　people。　　As　to　that　Abdallah；　he
is　of　no　use　to　anybody。〃

〃Why　you　bodder　de　good　lady；　you　dem　blackguard？〃　said　Abdallah；
raising　his　stick；　as　though　he　were　going　to　lay　them　all　low　with　a
blow。　　〃Now　you　get　noting；　you　tief！〃

The　Arabs　for　a　moment　retired　to　a　little　distance；　like　flies　driven
from　a　sugar…bowl；　but　it　was　easy　to　see　that；　like　the　flies；　they
would　return　at　the　first　vacant　moment。

And　now　they　had　reached　the　very　foot　of　the　Pyramids　and　proceeded　to
dismount　from　their　donkeys。　　Their　intention　was　first　to　ascend　to
the　top；　then　to　come　down　to　their　banquet；　and　after　that　to
penetrate　into　the　interior。　　And　all　this　would　seem　to　be　easy　of
performance。　　The　Pyramid　is　undoubtedly　high；　but　it　is　so　constructed
as　to　admit　of　climbing　without　difficulty。　　A　lady　mounting　it　would
undoubtedly　need　some　assistance；　but　any　man　possessed　of　moderate
activity　would　require　no　aid　at　all。

But　our　friends　were　at　once　imbued　with　the　tremendous　nature　of　the
task　before　them。　　A　sheikh　of　the　Arabs　came　forth；　who　communicated
with　them　through　Abdallah。　　The　work　could　be　done；　no　doubt；　he　said；
but　a　great　many　men　would　be　wanted　to　assist。　　Each　lady　must　have
four　Arabs；　and　each　gentlemen　three；　and　then；　seeing　that　the　work
would　be　peculiarly　severe　on　this　special　day；　each　of　these　numerous
Arabs　must　be　remunerated　by　some　very　large　number　of　piastres。

Mr。　Damer；　who　was　by　no　means　a　close　man　in　his　money　dealings；
opened　his　eyes　with　surprise；　and　mildly　expostulated；　M。　Delabordeau；
who　was　rather　a　close　man　in　his　reckonings；　immediately　buttoned　up
his　breeches　pocket　and　declared　that　he　should　decline　to　mount　the
Pyramid　at　all　at　that　price；　and　then　Mr。　Ingram　descended　to　the
combat。

The　protestations　of　the　men　were　fearful。　　They　declared；　with　loud
voices；　eager　actions；　and　manifold　English　oaths；　that　an　attempt　was
being　made　to　rob　them。　　They　had　a　right　to　demand　the　sums　which　they
were　charging；　and　it　was　a　shame　that　English　gentlemen　should　come
and　take　the　bread　out　of　their　mouths。　　And　so　they　screeched；
gesticulated；　and　swore；　and　frightened　poor　Mrs。　Damer　almost　into
fits。

But　at　last　it　was　settled　and　away　they　started；　the　sheikh　declaring
that　the　bargain　had　been　made　at　so　low　a　rate　as　to　leave　him　not　one
piastre　for　himself。　　Each　man　had　an　Arab　on　each　side　of　him；　and
Miss　Dawkins　and　Miss　Damer　had　each；　in　addition；　one　behind。　　Mrs。
Damer　was　so　frightened　as　altogether　to　have　lost　all　ambition　to
ascend。　　She　sat　below　on　a　fragment　of　stone；　with　the　three　dragomans
standing　around　her　as　guards；　but　even　with　the　three　dragomans　the
attacks　on　her　were　so　frequent；　and　as　she　declared　afterwards　she　was
so　bewildered；　that　she　never　had　time　to　remember　that　she　had　come
there　from　England　to　see　the　Pyramids；　and　that　she　was　now
immediately　under　them。

The　boys；　utterly　ignoring　their　guides；　scrambled　up　quicker　than　the
Arabs　could　follow　them。　　Mr。　Damer　started　off　at　a　pace　which　soon
brought　him　to　the　end　of　his　tether；　and　from　that　point　was　dragged
up　by　the　sheer　strength　of　his　assistants；　thereby　accomplishing　the
wishes　of　the　men；　who　induce　their　victims　to　start　as　rapidly　as
possible；　in　order　that　they　may　soon　find　themselves　helpless　from
want　of　wind。　　Mr。　Ingram　endeavoured　to　attach　himself　to　Fanny；　and
she　would　have　been　nothing　loth　to　have　him　at　her　right　hand　instead
of　the　hideous　brown；　shrieking；　one…eyed　Arab　who　took　hold　of　her。
But　it　was　soon　found　that　any　such　arrangement　was　impossible。　　Each
guide　felt　that　if　he　lost　his　own　peculiar　hold　he　would　lose　his
prey；　and　held　on；　therefore；　with　invincible　tenacity。　　Miss　Dawkins
looked；　too；　as　though　she　had　thought　to　be　attended　to　by　some
Christian　cavalier；　but　no　Christian　cavalier　was　forthcoming。　　M。
Delabordeau　was　the　wisest；　for　he　took　the　matter　quietly；　did　as　he
was　bid；　and　allowed　the　guides　nearly　to　carry　him　to　the　top　of　the
edifice。

〃Ha！　so　this　is　the　top　of　the　Pyramid；　is　it？〃　said　Mr。　Damer；
bringing　out　his　words　one　by　one；　being　terribly　out　of　breath。　　〃Very
wonderful；　very　wonderful；　indeed！〃

〃It　is　wonderful；〃　said　Miss　Dawkins；　whose　breath　had　not　failed　her
in　the　least；　〃very　wonderful；　indeed！　　Only　think；　Mr。　Damer；　you
might　travel　on　for　days　and　days；　till　days　became　months；　through
those　interminable　sands；　and　yet　you　would　never　come　to　the　end　of
them。　　Is　it　not　quite　stupendous？〃

〃Ah；　yes；　quite；puff；　puff〃said　Mr。　Damer　striving　to　regain　his
breath。

Mr。　Damer　was　now　at　her　disposal；　weak　and　worn　with　toil　and　travel；
out　of　breath；　and　with　half　his　manhood　gone；　if　ever　she　might
prevail　over　him　so　as　to　procure　from　his　mouth　an　assent　to　that　Nile
proposition；　it　would　be　now。　　And　after　all；　that　Nile　proposition　was
the　best　one　now　before　her。　　She　did　not　quite　like　the　idea　of
starting　off　across　the　Great　Desert　without　any　lady；　and　was　not　sure
that　she　was　prepared　to　be　fallen　in　love　with　by　M。　Dela