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 alleviations of our
fatigue, without solicitude or sorrow. I was pleased with their
pleasure, and animated with their confidence. My condition had lost much
of its terrour, since I found that the Arab ranged the country merely to
get riches. Avarice is an uniform and tractable vice: other intellectual
distempers are different in different constitutions of mind; that which
sooths the pride of one, will offend the pride of another; but to the
favour of the covetous, there is a 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 I was
told, under the tropick. 'Lady,' said the Arab, 'you shall rest, after
your journey, a few weeks, in this place, where you are to consider
yourself as sovereign. My occupation is war; I have, therefore, chosen
this obscure residence, from which I can issue unexpected, and to which
I can retire unpursued. 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 richest couch, bowed to the ground.
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