an unprotected female at the pyramids-第5部分

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her　companion；　allowed　her　mind　to　revert　from　Mount　Sinai　to　the
Pyramids。　　They　were　now　riding　through　cultivated　ground；　with　the
vast　extent　of　the　sands　of　Libya　before　them。　　The　two　Pyramids　were
standing　on　the　margin　of　the　sand；　with　the　head　of　the　recumbent
sphynx　plainly　visible　between　them。　　But　no　idea　can　be　formed　of　the
size　of　this　immense　figure　till　it　is　visited　much　more　closely。　　The
body　is　covered　with　sand；　and　the　head　and　neck　alone　stand　above　the
surface　of　the　ground。　　They　were　still　two　miles　distant；　and　the
sphynx　as　yet　was　but　an　obscure　mount　between　the　two　vast　Pyramids。

〃Immense　piles！〃　said　Miss　Dawkins；　repeating　her　own　words。

〃Yes；　they　are　large；〃　said　Mr。　Ingram；　who　did　not　choose　to　indulge
in　enthusiasm　in　the　presence　of　Miss　Dawkins。

〃Enormous！　　What　a　grand　idea！eh；　Mr。　Ingram？　　The　human　race　does
not　create　such　things　as　those　nowadays！〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　he　answered；　〃but　perhaps　we　create　better　things。〃

〃Better！　　You　do　not　mean　to　say；　Mr。　Ingram；　that　you　are　an
utilitarian。　　I　do；　in　truth；　hope　better　things　of　you　than　that。
Yes！　steam　mills　are　better；　no　doubt；　and　mechanics'　institutes　and
penny　newspapers。　　But　is　nothing　to　be　valued　but　what　is　useful？〃
And　Miss　Dawkins；　in　the　height　of　her　enthusiasm；　switched　her　donkey
severely　over　the　shoulder。

〃I　might；　perhaps；　have　said　also　that　we　create　more　beautiful
things；〃　said　Mr。　Ingram。

〃But　we　cannot　create　older　things。〃

〃No；　certainly；　we　cannot　do　that。〃

〃Nor　can　we　imbue　what　we　do　create　with　the　grand　associations　which
environ　those　piles　with　so　intense　an　interest。　　Think　of　the　mighty
dead；　Mr。　Ingram；　and　of　their　great　homes　when　living。　　Think　of　the
hands　which　it　took　to　raise　those　huge　blocks〃

〃And　of　the　lives　which　it　cost。〃

〃Doubtless。　　The　tyranny　and　invincible　power　of　the　royal　architects
add　to　the　grandeur　of　the　idea。　　One　would　not　wish　to　have　back　the
kings　of　Egypt。〃

〃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　bo