an unprotected female at the pyramids-第1章

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An　Unprotected　Female　at　the　Pyramids


by　Anthony　Trollope





In　the　happy　days　when　we　were　young；　no　description　conveyed　to　us　so
complete　an　idea　of　mysterious　reality　as　that　of　an　Oriental　city。　　We
knew　it　was　actually　there；　but　had　such　vague　notions　of　its　ways　and
looks！　　Let　any　one　remember　his　early　impressions　as　to　Bagdad　or
Grand　Cairo；　and　then　say　if　this　was　not　so。　　It　was　probably　taken
from　the　〃Arabian　Nights；〃　and　the　picture　produced　was　one　of　strange；
fantastic；　luxurious　houses；　of　women　who　were　either　very　young　and
very　beautiful；　or　else　very　old　and　very　cunning；　but　in　either　state
exercising　much　more　influence　in　life　than　women　in　the　East　do　now；
of　good…natured；　capricious；　though　sometimes　tyrannical　monarchs；　and
of　life　full　of　quaint　mysteries；　quite　unintelligible　in　every　phasis；
and　on　that　account　the　more　picturesque。

And　perhaps　Grand　Cairo　has　thus　filled　us　with　more　wonder　even　than
Bagdad。　　We　have　been　in　a　certain　manner　at　home　at　Bagdad；　but　have
only　visited　Grand　Cairo　occasionally。　　I　know　no　place　which　was　to
me；　in　early　years；　so　delightfully　mysterious　as　Grand　Cairo。

But　the　route　to　India　and　Australia　has　changed　all　this。　　Men　from
all　countries　going　to　the　East；　now　pass　through　Cairo；　and　its
streets　and　costumes　are　no　longer　strange　to　us。　　It　has　become　also　a
resort　for　invalids；　or　rather　for　those　who　fear　that　they　may　become
invalids　if　they　remain　in　a　cold　climate　during　the　winter　months。
And　thus　at　Cairo　there　is　always　to　be　found　a　considerable　population
of　French；　Americans；　and　of　English。　　Oriental　life　is　brought　home　to
us；　dreadfully　diluted　by　western　customs；　and　the　delights　of　the
〃Arabian　Nights〃　are　shorn　of　half　their　value。　　When　we　have　seen　a
thing　it　is　never　so　magnificent　to　us　as　when　it　was　half　unknown。

It　is　not　much　that　we　deign　to　learn　from　these　Orientals；we　who
glory　in　our　civilisation。　　We　do　not　copy　their　silence　or　their
abstemiousness；　nor　that　invariable　mindfulness　of　his　own　personal
dignity　which　always　adheres　to　a　Turk　or　to　an　Arab。　　We　chatter　as
much　at　Cairo　as　elsewhere；　and　eat　as　much　and　drink　as　much；　and
dress　ourselves　generally　in　the　same　old　ugly　costume。　　But　we　do
usually　take　upon　ourselves　to　wear　red　caps；　and　we　do　ride　on
donkeys。

Nor　are　the　visitors　from　the　West　to　Cairo　by　any　means　confined　to
the　male　sex。　　Ladies　are　to　be　seen　in　the　streets　quite　regardless　of
the　Mahommedan　custom　which　presumes　a　veil　to　be　necessary　for　an
appearance　in　public；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　the　Mahommedans　in
general　do　not　appear　to　be　much　shocked　by　their　effrontery。

A　quarter　of　the　town　has　in　this　way　become　inhabited　by　men　wearing
coats　and　waistcoats；　and　by　women　who　are　without　veils；　but　the
English　tongue　in　Egypt　finds　its　centre　at　Shepheard's　Hotel。　　It　is
here　that　people　congregate　who　are　looking　out　for　parties　to　visit
with　them　the　Upper　Nile；　and　who　are　generally　all　smiles　and
courtesy；　and　here　also　are　to　be　found　they　who　have　just　returned
from　this　journey；　and　who　are　often　in　a　frame　of　mind　towards　their
companions　that　is　much　less　amiable。　　From　hence；　during　the　winter；　a
cortege　proceeds　almost　daily　to　the　pyramids；　or　to　Memphis；　or　to　the
petrified　forest；　or　to　the　City　of　the　Sun。　　And　then；　again；　four　or
five　times　a　month　the　house　is　filled　with　young　aspirants　going　out
to　India；　male　and　female；　full　of　valour　and　bloom；　or　with　others
coming　home；　no　longer　young；　no　longer　aspiring；　but　laden　with
children　and　grievances。

The　party　with　whom　we　are　at　present　concerned　is　not　about　to　proceed
further　than　the　Pyramids；　and　we　shall　be　able　to　go　with　them　and
return　in　one　and　the　same　day。

It　consisted　chiefly　of　an　English　family；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Damer；　their
daughter；　and　two　young　sons；of　these　chiefly；　because　they　were　the
nucleus　to　which　the　others　had　attached　themselves　as　adherents；　they
had　originated　the　journey；　and　in　the　whole　management　of　it　Mr。　Damer
retarded　himself　as　the　master。

The　adherents　were；　firstly；　M。　Delabordeau；　a　Frenchman；　now　resident
in　Cairo；　who　had　given　out　that　he　was　in　some　way　concerned　in　the
canal　about　to　be　made　between　the　Mediterranean　and　the　Red　Sea。　　In
discussion　on　this　subject　he　had　become　acquainted　with　Mr。　Damer；　and
although　the　latter　gentleman；　true　to　English　interests；　perpetually
declared　that　the　canal　would　never　be　made；　and　thus　irritated　M。
Delabordeau　not　a　littlenevertheless；　some　measure　of　friendship　had
grown　up　between　them。

There　was　also　an　American　gentleman；　Mr。　Jefferson　Ingram；　who　was
comprising　all　countries　and　all　nations　in　one　grand　tour；　as　American
gentlemen　so　often　do。　　He　was　young　and　good…looking；　and　had　made
himself　especially　agreeable　to　Mr。　Damer；　who　had　declared；　more　than
once；　that　Mr。　Ingram　was　by　far　the　most　rational　American　he　had　ever
met。　　Mr。　Ingram　would　listen　to　Mr。　Damer　by　the　half…hour　as　to　the
virtue　of　the　British　Constitution；　and　had　even　sat　by　almost　with
patience　when　Mr。　Damer　had　expressed　a　doubt　as　to　the　good　working　of
the　United　States'　scheme　of　policy；which；　in　an　American；　was　most
wonderful。　　But　some　of　the　sojourners　at　Shepheard's　had　observed　that
Mr。　Ingram　was　in　the　habit　of　talking　with　Miss　Damer　almost　as　much
as　with　her　father；　and　argued　from　that；　that　fond　as　the　young　man
was　of　politics；　he　did　sometimes　turn　his　mind　to　other　things　also。

And　then　there　was　Miss　Dawkins。　　Now　Miss　Dawkins　was　an　important
person；　both　as　to　herself　and　as　to　her　line　of　life；　and　she　must　be
described。　　She　was；　in　the　first　place；　an　unprotected　female　of　about
thirty　years　of　age。　　As　this　is　becoming　an　established　profession；
setting　itself　up　as　it　were　in　opposition　to　the　old　world　idea　that
women；　like　green　peas；　cannot　come　to　perfection　without　supporting…
sticks；　it　will　be　understood　at　once　what　were　Miss　Dawkins's
sentiments。　　She　consideredor　at　any　rate　so　expressed　herselfthat
peas　could　grow　very　well　without　sticks；　and　could　not　only　grow　thus
unsupported；　but　could　also　make　their　way　about　the　world　without　any
incumbrance　of　sticks　whatsoever。　　She　did　not　intend；　she　said；　to
rival　Ida　Pfeiffer；　seeing　that　she　was　attached　in　a　moderate　way　to
bed　and　board；　and　was　attached　to　society　in　a　manner　almost　more　than
moderate；　but　she　had　no　idea　of　being　prevented　from　seeing　anything
she　wished　to　see　because　she　had　neither　father；　nor　husband；　nor
brother　available　for　the　purpose　of　escort。　　She　was　a　human　creature；
with　arms　and　legs；　she　said；　and　she　intended　to　use　them。　　And　this
was　all　very　well；　but　nevertheless　she　had　a　strong　inclination　to　use
the　arms　and　legs　of　other　people　when　she　could　make　them　serviceable。

In　person　Miss　Dawkins　was　not　without　attraction。　　I　should　exaggerate
if　I　were　to　say　that　she　was　beautiful　and　elegant；　but　she　was　good
looking；　and　not　usually　ill　mannered。　　She　was　tall；　and　gifted　with
features　rather　sharp　and　with　eyes　very　bright。　　Her　hair　was　of　the
darkest　shade　of　brown；　and　was　always　worn　in　bandeaux；　very　neatly。
She　appeared　generally　in　black；　though　other　circumstances　did　not
lead　one　to　suppose　that　she　was　in　mourning；　and　then；　no　other
travelling　costume　is　so　convenient！　　She　always　wore　a　dark　broad…
brimmed　straw　hat；　as　to　the　ribbons　on　which　she　was　rather
particular。　　She　was　very　neat　about　her　gloves　and　boots；　and　though
it　cannot　be　said　that　her　dress　was　got　up　without　reference　to
expense；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　it　was　not　effected　without
considerable　outlay；and　more　considerable　thought。

Miss　DawkinsSabrina　Dawkins　was　her　name；　but　she　seldom　had　friends
about　her　intimate　enough　to　use　the　word　Sabrinawas　certainly　a
clever　young　woman。　　She　could　talk　on　most　subjects；　if　not　well；　at
least　well　enough　to　amuse。　　If　she　had　not　read　much；　she　never　showed
any　lamentable　deficiency；　she　was　good…humoured；　as　a　rule；　and　could
on　occasions　be　very　soft　and　winning。　　People　who　had　known　her　long
would　sometimes　say　that　she　was　selfish；　but　with　new　acquaintance　she
was　forbearing　and　self…denying。

With　what　income　Miss　Dawkins　was　blessed　no　one　seemed　to　know。　　She
lived　like　a　gentlewoman；　as　far　as　outward　appearance　went；　and　never
seemed　to　be　in　want；　but　some　people　would　say　that　she　knew　very　well
how　many　sides　there　were　to　a　shilling；　and　some　enemy　had　once
declared　that　she　was　an　〃old　soldier。〃　　Such　was　Miss　Dawkins。

She　also；　as　well　as　Mr。　Ingram　and　M。　Delabordeau；　had　laid　herself
out　to　find　the　weak　side　of　Mr。　Damer。　　Mr。　Damer；　with　all　his
family；　was　going　up　the　Nile；　and　it　was　known　that　he　had　room　for
two　in　his　boat　over　and　above　his　own　family。　　Miss　Dawkins　had　told
him　that　she　had　not　quite　made　up　her　mind　to　undergo　so　great　a
fatigue；　but　that；　nevertheless；　she　had　a　longing　of　the　soul　to　see
something　of　Nubia。　　To　this　Mr。　Damer　had　answered　nothing　but　〃Oh！〃
which　Miss　Dawkins　had　not　found　to　be　encouraging。

But　she　had　not　on　that　account　despaired。　　To　a　married　man　there　are
always　two　sides；　and　in　this　instance　there　was　Mrs。　Damer　as　well　as
Mr。　Damer。　　When　Mr。　Damer　said　〃Oh！〃　Miss　Dawkins　sighed；　and　said；
〃Yes；　indeed！〃　then　smiled；　and　betook　herself　to　Mrs。　Damer。

Now　Mrs。　Damer　was　soft…hearted；　and　also　somewhat　old…fashioned。　　She
did　not　conceive　any　violent　affection　for　Miss　Dawkins；　but　she　told
her　daughter　that　〃the　single　lady　by　herself　was　a　very　nice　young
woman；　and　that　it　was　a　thousand　pities　she　should　have　to　go　about　so
much　alone　like。〃

Miss　Damer　had　turned　up　her　pretty　nose；　thinking；　perhaps；　how　small
was　the　chance　that　it　ever　should　be　her　own　lot　to　be　an　unprotected
female。　　But　Miss　Dawkins　carried　her　point　at　any　rate　as　regarded　the
expedition　to　the　Pyramids。

Miss　Damer；　I　have　said；　had　a　pretty　nose。　　I　may　also　say　that　she
had　pretty　eyes；　mouth；　and　chin；　with　other　necessary　appendages；　all
pretty。　　As　to　the　two　Master　Damers；　who　were　respectively　of　the　ages
of　fifteen　and　sixteen；　it　may　be　sufficient　to　say　that　they　were
conspicuous　for　red　caps　and　for　the　constancy　with　which　they　raced
their　donkeys。

And　now　the　donkeys；　and　the　donkey　boys；　and　the　dragomans　were　all
standing　at　the　steps　of　Shepheard's　Hotel。　　To　each　donkey　there　was　a
donkey…boy；　and　to　each　gentleman　there　was　a　dragoman；　so　that　a
goodly　cortege　was　assembled；　and　a　goodly　noise　was　made。　　It　may　here
be　remarked；　perhaps　with　some　little　pride；　that　not　half　the　noise　is
given　in　Egypt　to　persons　speaking　any　other　language　that　is　bestowed
on　those　whose　vocabulary　is　English。

This　lasted　for　half　an　hour。　　Had　the　party　been　French　the　donkeys
would　have　arrived　only　fifteen　minutes　before　the　appointed　time。　　And
then　out　came　Damer　pere　and　Damer　mere；　Damer　fille；　and　Damer　fils。
Damer　mere　was　leaning　on　her　husband；　as　was　her　wont。　　She　was　not　an
unprotected　female；　and　had　no　desire　to　make　any　attempts　in　that
line。　　Damer　fille　was　attended　sedulously　by　Mr。　Ingram；　for　whose
demolishment；　howe