grew less scrupulous, and suffered
any important and pressing avocation to delay the tribute of daily
tears. She then yielded to less occasions; sometimes forgot what she
was, indeed, afraid to remember, and, at last, wholly released herself
from the duty of periodical affliction.

Her real love of Pekuah was yet not diminished. A thousand occurrences
brought her back to memory, and a thousand wants, which nothing but the
confidence of friendship can supply, made her frequently regretted. She,
therefore, solicited Imlac never to desist from inquiry, and to leave no
art of intelligence untried, that, at least, she might have the comfort
of knowing, that she did not suffer by negligence or sluggishness. "Yet,
what," said she, "is to be expected from our pursuit of happiness, when
we find the state of life to be such, that happiness itself is the cause
of misery? Why should we endeavour to attain that, of which the
possession cannot be secured? I shall, henceforward, fear to yield my
heart to excellence, however bright, or to fondness, however tender,
lest I should lose again what I have lost in Pekuah."

CHAP. XXXVII.

THE PRINCESS HEARS NEWS OF PEKUAH.

In seven months, one of the messengers, who had been sent away, upon the
day when the promise was drawn from the princess, returned, after many
unsuccessful rambles, from the borders of Nubia, with an account that
Pekuah was in the hands of an Arab chief, who possessed a castle, or
fortress, on the extremity of Egypt. The Arab, whose revenue was
plunder, was willing to restore her, with her two attendants, for two
hundred ounces of gold.

The price was no subject of debate. The princess was in ecstasies when
she heard that her favourite was alive, and might so cheaply be
ransomed. She could not think of delaying, for a moment, Pekuah's
happiness or her own, but entreated her brother to send back the
messenger with the sum required. Imlac, being consulted, was not very
confident of the veracity of the relater, and was still more doubtful of
the Arab's faith, who might, if he were too liberally trusted, detain,
at once, the money and the captives. He thought it dangerous to put
themselves in the power of the Arab, by going into his district, and
could not expect that the rover would so much expose himself as to come
into the lower country, where he might be seized by the forces of the
bassa.

It is difficult to negotiate where neither will trust. But Imlac, after
so