CHAP. XV.

THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS LEAVE THE VALLEY, AND SEE MANY WONDERS.

TH

HE prince and princess had jewels fufficient to make them rich whenever they came into a place of commerce, which, by Imlac's direction, they hid in their clothes, and, on the night of the next full moon, all left the valley. The princess was followed only by a fingle favourite, who did not know whither she was going.

They clambered through the cavity, and began to go down on the other fide. The princefs and her maid turned their eyes towards every part, and, feeing nothing to bound their profpect, confidered themselves as in danger of being loft in a dreary vacuity. They stopped

and

and trembled.

"I am almoft afraid," faid the princess, "to begin a journey of which I cannot perceive an end, and to venture into this immenfe plain, where I may be approached on every fide by men whom I never faw." The prince felt nearly the fame emotions, though he thought it more manly to conceal them.

Imlac fmiled at their terrours, and encouraged them to proceed; but the princess continued irrefolute till she had been imperceptibly drawn forward too far to return.

In the morning they found fome fhepherds in the field, who fet milk and fruits before them. The princess wondered that she did not fee a palace ready for her reception, and a table spread with delicacies; but being faint and hungry, the drank the milk and eat the F 2 fruits,

fruits, and thought them of a higher flavour than the products of the valley.

They travelled forward by eafy journies, being all unaccustomed to toil or difficulty, and knowing, that though they might be miffed, they could not be perfued. In a few days they came into a more populous region, where Imlac was diverted with the admiration which his companions expreffed at the diverfity of manners, ftations, and employments.

Their dress was fuch as might not bring upon them the fufpicion of having any thing to conceal, yet the prince, wherever he came, expected to be obeyed, and the princefs was frighted, because those that came into her presence did not proftrate themselves before her. Imlac was forced to obferve them with

great

great vigilance, left they fhould betray their rank by their unusual behaviour, and detained them several weeks in the firft village, to accuftom them to the fight of common mortals.

By degrees the royal wanderers were taught to understand that they had for a time laid aside their dignity, and were to expect only fuch regard as liberality and courtesy could procure. And Imlac, having, by many admonitions, prepared them to endure the tumults of a port, and the ruggedness of the commercial race, brought them down to the fea-coaft.

The prince and his fifter, to whom every thing was new, were gratified equally at all places, and therefore remained for fome months at the port without any inclination to pass further. Imlac

F 3

Imlac was content with their stay, because he did not think it safe to expose them, unpractised in the world, to the hazards of a foreign country.

At laft he began to fear left they should be discovered, and proposed to fix a day for their departure. They had no pretenfions to judge for themselves, and referred the whole scheme to his direction. He therefore took paffage in a ship to Suez; and, when the time came, with great difficulty prevailed on the princess to enter the veffel. They had a quick and profperous voyage, and from Suez travelled by land to Cairo.