صفحة 217 من 483

"In the meanwhile also the black ground was covered with herbage,

and the green banks interspersed with innumerable flowers, sweet

to the scent and the eyes, stars of pale radiance among the

moonlight woods; the sun became warmer, the nights clear and

balmy; and my nocturnal rambles were an extreme pleasure to me,

although they were considerably shortened by the late setting and

early rising of the sun, for I never ventured abroad during

daylight, fearful of meeting with the same treatment I had

formerly endured in the first village which I entered.

"My days were spent in close attention, that I might more

speedily master the language; and I may boast that I improved

more rapidly than the Arabian, who understood very little and

conversed in broken accents, whilst I comprehended and could

imitate almost every word that was spoken.