a voyage to abyssinia-第21部分

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sent　temper　of　the　people；　that　those　of　the　greatest　interest　and　power　were　by　no　means　pleased　with　the　changes　of　religion；　and　only　waited　for　a　fair　opportunity　to　revolt；　and　that　these　discontents　were　everywhere　heightened　by　the　monks　and　clergy。　Encouraged　by　these　reflections；　he　was　always　talking　of　the　just　reasons　he　had　to　complain　of　the　Emperor；　and　gave　them　sufficient　room　to　understand　that　if　they　would　appear　in　his　party；　he　would　declare　himself　for　the　ancient　religion；　and　put　himself　at　the　head　of　those　who　should　take　arms　in　the　defence　of　it。　　The　chief　and　almost　the　only　thing　that　hindered　him　from　raising　a　formidable　rebellion；　was　the　mutual　distrust　they　entertained　of　one　another；　each　fearing　that　as　soon　as　the　Emperor　should　publish　an　act　of　grace；　or　general　amnesty；　the　greatest　part　would　lay　down　their　arms　and　embrace　it；　and　this　suspicion　was　imagined　more　reasonable　of　the　viceroy　than　of　any　other。　　Notwithstanding　this　difficulty；　the　priests；　who　interested　themselves　much　in　this　revolt；　ran　with　the　utmost　earnestness　from　church　to　church；　levelling　their　sermons　against　the　Emperor　and　the　Catholic　religion；　and　that　they　might　have　the　better　success　in　putting　a　stop　to　all　ecclesiastical　innovations；　they　came　to　a　resolution　of　putting　all　the　missionaries　to　the　sword；　and　that　the　viceroy　might　have　no　room　to　hope　for　a　pardon；　they　obliged　him　to　give　the　first　wound　to　him　that　should　fall　into　his　hands。

As　I　was　the　nearest；　and　by　consequence　the　most　exposed；　an　order　was　immediately　issued　out　for　apprehending　me；　it　being　thought　a　good　expedient　to　seize　me；　and　force　me　to　build　a　citadel；　into　which　they　might　retreat　if　they　should　happen　to　meet　with　a　defeat。　　The　viceroy　wrote　to　me　to　desire　that　I　would　come　to　him；　he　having；　as　he　said；　an　affair　of　the　highest　importance　to　communicate。

The　frequent　assemblies　which　the　viceroy　held　had　already　been　much　talked　of；　and　I　had　received　advice　that　he　was　ready　for　a　revolt；　and　that　my　death　was　to　be　the　first　signal　of　an　open　war。　Knowing　that　the　viceroy　had　made　many　complaints　of　the　treatment　he　received　from　his　father…in…law；　I　made　no　doubt　that　he　had　some　ill　design　in　hand；　and　yet　could　scarce　persuade　myself　that　after　all　the　tokens　of　friendship　I　had　received　from　him　he　would　enter　into　any　measures　for　destroying　me。　　While　I　was　yet　in　suspense；　I　despatched　a　faithful　servant　to　the　viceroy　with　my　excuse　for　disobeying　him；　and　gave　the　messenger　strict　orders　to　observe　all　that　passed；　and　bring　me　an　exact　account。

This　affair　was　of　too　great　moment　not　to　engage　my　utmost　endeavours　to　arrive　at　the　most　certain　knowledge　of　it；　and　to　advertise　the　court　of　the　danger。　　I　wrote；　therefore；　to　one　of　our　fathers；　who　was　then　near　the　Emperor；　the　best　intelligence　I　could　obtain　of　all　that　had　passed；　of　the　reports　that　were　spread　through　all　this　part　of　the　empire；　and　of　the　disposition　which　I　discovered　in　the　people　to　a　general　defection；　telling　him；　however；　that　I　could　not　yet　believe　that　the　viceroy；　who　had　honoured　me　with　his　friendship；　and　of　whom　I　never　had　any　thought　but　how　to　oblige　him；　could　now　have　so　far　changed　his　sentiments　as　to　take　away　my　life。

The　letters　which　I　received　by　my　servant；　and　the　assurances　he　gave　that　I　need　fear　nothing；　for　that　I　was　never　mentioned　by　the　viceroy　without　great　marks　of　esteem；　so　far　confirmed　me　in　my　error；　that　I　went　from　Fremona　with　a　resolution　to　see　him。　　I　did　not　reflect　that　a　man　who　could　fail　in　his　duty　to　his　King；　his　father…in…law；　and　his　benefactor；　might；　without　scruple；　do　the　same　to　a　stranger；　though　distinguished　as　his　friend；　and　thus　sanguine　and　unsuspecting　continued　my　journey；　still　receiving　intimation　from　all　parts　to　take　care　of　myself。　　At　length；　when　I　was　within　a　few　days'　journey　of　the　viceroy；　I　received　a　billet　in　more　plain　and　express　terms　than　anything　I　had　been　told　yet；　charging　me　with　extreme　imprudence　in　putting　myself　into　the　hands　of　those　men　who　had　undoubtedly　sworn　to　cut　me　off。

I　began；　upon　this；　to　distrust　the　sincerity　of　the　viceroy's　professions；　and　resolved；　upon　the　receipt　of　another　letter　from　the　viceroy；　to　return　directly。　　In　this　letter；　having　excused　himself　for　not　waiting　for　my　arrival；　he　desired　me　in　terms　very　strong　and　pressing　to　come　forward；　and　stay　for　him　at　his　own　house；　assuring　me　that　he　had　given　such　orders　for　my　entertainment　as　should　prevent　my　being　tired　with　living　there。　　I　imagined　at　first　that　he　had　left　some　servants　to　provide　for　my　reception；　but　being　advertised　at　the　same　time　that　there　was　no　longer　any　doubt　of　the　certainty　of　his　revolt；　that　the　Galles　were　engaged　to　come　to　his　assistance；　and　that　he　was　gone　to　sign　a　treaty　with　them；　I　was　no　longer　in　suspense　what　measures　to　take；　but　returned　to　Fremona。

Here　I　found　a　letter　from　the　Emperor；　which　prohibited　me　to　go　out；　and　the　orders　which　he　had　sent　through　all　these　parts；　directing　them　to　arrest　me　wherever　I　was　found；　and　to　hinder　me　from　proceeding　on　my　journey。　　These　orders　came　too　late　to　contribute　to　my　preservation；　and　this　prince's　goodness　had　been　in　vain；　if　God；　whose　protection　I　have　often　had　experience　of　in　my　travels；　had　not　been　my　conductor　in　this　emergency。

The　viceroy；　hearing　that　I　was　returned　to　my　residence；　did　not　discover　any　concern　or　chagrin　as　at　a　disappointment；　for　such　was　his　privacy　and　dissimulation　that　the　most　penetrating　could　never　form　any　conjecture　that　could　be　depended　on；　about　his　designs；　till　everything　was　ready　for　the　execution　of　them。　　My　servant；　a　man　of　wit；　was　surprised　as　well　as　everybody　else；　and　I　can　ascribe　to　nothing　but　a　miracle　my　escape　from　so　many　snares　as　he　laid　to　entrap　me。

There　happened　during　this　perplexity　of　my　affairs　an　accident　of　small　consequence　in　itself；　which　yet　I　think　deserves　to　be　mentioned；　as　it　shows　the　credulity　and　ignorance　of　the　Abyssins。　I　received　a　visit　from　a　religious；　who　passed；　though　he　was　blind；　for　the　most　learned　person　in　all　that　country。　　He　had　the　whole　Scriptures　in　his　memory；　but　seemed　to　have　been　at　more　pains　to　retain　them　than　understand　them；　as　he　talked　much　he　often　took　occasion　to　quote　them；　and　did　it　almost　always　improperly。　　Having　invited　him　to　sup　and　pass　the　night　with　me；　I　set　before　him　some　excellent　mead；　which　he　liked　so　well　as　to　drink　somewhat　beyond　the　bounds　of　exact　temperance。　　Next　day；　to　make　some　return　for　his　entertainment；　he　took　upon　him　to　divert　me　with　some　of　those　stories　which　the　monks　amuse　simple　people　with；　and　told　me　of　a　devil　that　haunted　a　fountain；　and　used　to　make　it　his　employment　to　plague　the　monks　that　came　thither　to　fetch　water；　and　continued　his　malice　till　he　was　converted　by　the　founder　of　their　order；　who　found　him　no　very　stubborn　proselyte　till　they　came　to　the　point　of　circumcision；　the　devil　was　unhappily　prepossessed　with　a　strong　aversion　from　being　circumcised；　which；　however；　by　much　persuasion；　he　at　last　agreed　to；　and　afterwards　taking　a　rel