THE PRINCESS MEETS WITH AN UNEXPECTED MISFORTUNE
They rose up, and returned through the cavity at which they had entered,
and the princess prepared for her favourite a long narrative of dark
labyrinths and costly rooms, and of the different impressions which the
varieties of the way had made upon her. But when they came to their
train, they found every one silent and dejected; the men discovered
shame and fear in their countenances, and the women were weeping in the
tents.
What had happened they did not try to conjecture, but immediately
inquired. "You had scarcely entered into the Pyramid," said one of the
attendants, "when a troop of Arabs rushed upon us; we were too few to
resist them, and too slow to escape. They were about to search the
tents, set us on our camels, and drive us along before them, when the
approach of some Turkish horsemen put them to flight; but they seized
the Lady Pekuah with her two maids, and carried them away. The Turks are
now pursuing them by our instigation, but I fear they will not be able
to overtake them."
The princess was overpowered with surprise and grief. Rasselas, in the
first heat of his resentment, ordered his servants to follow him, and
prepared to pursue the robbers with his sabre in his hand. "Sir," said
Imlac, "what can you hope from violence or valour? the Arabs are mounted
on horses trained to battle and retreat; we have only beasts of burden.
By leaving our present station we may lose the princess, but cannot hope
to regain Pekuah."
In a short time the Turks returned, having not been able to reach the
enemy. The princess burst out into new lamentations, and Rasselas could
scarcely forbear to reproach them with cowardice; but Imlac was of
opinion that the escape of the Arabs was no addition to their
misfortune, for perhaps they would have killed their captives rather
than have resigned them.