Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/650

 62t TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Cairo, no longer to depend upon the ordinary or rational courfe of events, but upon the arbitrary, oppreflive will of irrational tyrants. Accordingly I had, for about an hour, loft myfelf in the very uncommon enjoyment of a moft profound fleep, when I was awakened by the noife of a a number of ftrange tongues ; and, before I could recolle(5t myfelf fufiiciently to account what this flrange tumult might be, eleven or twelve foldiers, very like the worft of banditti, furroundcd the carpet whereon I was afleep. I had prefence of mind fufficient to recollect this was not a place where people were robbed and murdered without caufe; and, convinced in my own mind that I had given none, from that alone I inferred I was not to be robbed or murdered at that inftant. Without this, the appearance of the ftrangers, their drefs, language, and behaviour, all joined to perfuade me of the contrary. I afked them, with fome furprife, " What is the matter, Sirs ? What is the meaning of this freedom ?" The anfwer was in Turkifh, " Aya ! Aya ! Get up ! the Bey calls you." — The Eey, fays I, certainly calls at a very unfeafonable hour." The anfwer was, " Get up, or we will carry you by force." — I fancy friends, faid I, you have miftaken me for fome other perfon, I have not been here above tv/o hours, and fmce that time have never been out of the convent. It is impoflible the Bey fliould know that lamhcre." — " What fjgnilies it to us, fays one in lingua Fran- ca, whether he knows you are here or not ? he has fent us for V weare come, Aya! Aya! get up!" He put his hand

to take me by the arm. " Keep your diftancc, you lack guar (f, faid I, remember I am an Engliihman ; y your hands upon me. If the Bey calls me, he in his own country, and I vvill wait upon him ; ids oil I though I have not fsen Mahomet Bcv thefe

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