murad the unlucky and other tales-第1部分

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Murad　the　Unlucky　and　Other　Tales

by　Maria　Edgeworth




Contents：


Introduction
Murad　the　Unlucky
The　Limerick　Gloves
Madame　de　Fleury



INTRODUCTION



Maria　Edgeworth　came　of　a　lively　family　which　had　settled　in
Ireland　in　the　latter　part　of　the　sixteenth　century。　　Her　father　at
the　age　of　five…and…twenty　inherited　the　family　estates　at
Edgeworths…town　in　1769。　　He　had　snatched　an　early　marriage；　which
did　not　prove　happy。　　He　had　a　little　son；　whom　he　was　educating
upon　the　principles　set　forth　in　Rousseau's　〃Emile；〃　and　a　daughter
Maria；　who　was　born　on　the　1st　of　January；　1767。　　He　was　then
living　at　Hare　Hatch；　near　Maidenhead。　　In　March；　1773；　his　first
wife　died　after　giving　birth　to　a　daughter　named　Anna。　　In　July；
1773；　he　married　again；　Honora　Sneyd；　and　went　to　live　in　Ireland；
taking　with　him　his　daughter　Maria；　who　was　then　about　six　years
old。　　Two　years　afterwards　she　was　sent　from　Ireland　to　a　school　at
Derby。　　In　April；　1780；　her　father's　second　wife　died；　and　advised
him　upon　her　death…bed　to　marry　her　sister　Elizabeth。　　He　married
his　deceased　wife's　sister　on　the　next　following　Christmas　Day。
Maria　Edgeworth　was　in　that　year　removed　to　a　school　in　London；　and
her　holidays　were　often　spent　with　　her　father's　friend　Thomas　Day；
the　author　of　〃Sandford　and　Merton；〃　an　eccentric　enthusiast　who
lived　then　at　Anningsley；　in　Surrey。

Maria　Edgeworthalways　a　little　bodywas　conspicuous　among　her
schoolfellows　for　quick　wit；　and　was　apt　alike　for　study　and
invention。　　She　was　story…teller　general　to　the　community。　　In
1782；　at　the　age　of　fifteen；　she　left　school　and　went　home　with　her
father　and　his　third　wife；　who　then　settled　finally　at
Edgeworthstown。

At　Edgeworthstown　Richard　Lovell　Edgeworth　now　became　active　in　the
direct　training　of　his　children；　in　the　improvement　of　his　estate；
and　in　schemes　for　the　improvement　of　the　country。　　His　eldest
daughter；　Maria；　showing　skill　with　the　pen；　he　made　her　more　and
more　his　companion　and　fellow…worker　to　good　ends。　　She　kept
household　accounts；　had　entrusted　to　her　the　whole　education　of　a
little　brother；　wrote　stories　on　a　slate　and　read　them　to　the
family；　wiped　them　off　when　not　approved；　and　copied　them　in　ink　if
they　proved　popular　with　the　home　public。　　Miss　Edgeworth's　first
printed　book　was　a　plea　for　the　education　of　women；　〃Letters　to
Literary　Ladies；〃　published　in　1795；　when　her　age　was　eight…and…
twenty。　　Next　year；　1796；　working　with　her　father；　she　produced　the
first　volume　of　the　〃Parent's　Assistant。〃　　In　November；　1797；　when
Miss　Edgeworth's　age　was　nearly　thirty…one；　her　father；　then　aged
fifty…three；　lost　his　third　wife；　and　he　married　a　fourth　in　the
following　May。　　The　fourth　wife；　at　first　objected　to；　was　young
enough　to　be　a　companion　and　friend；　and　between　her　and　Maria
Edgeworth　a　fast　friendship　came　to　be　established。　　In　the　year　of
her　father's　fourth　marriage　Maria　joined　him　in　the　production　of
two　volumes　on　〃Practical　Education。〃　　Then　followed　books　for
children；　including　〃Harry　and　Lucy；〃　which　had　been　begun　by　her
father　years　before　in　partnership　with　his　second　wife；　when
Thomas　Day　began　writing　〃Sandford　and　Merton；〃　with　the　original
intention　that　it　should　be　worked　in　as　a　part　of　the　whole
scheme。

In　the　year　1800　Miss　Edgeworth；　thirty…three　years　old；　began　her
independent　career　as　a　novelist　with　〃Castle　Rackrent；〃　and　from
that　time　on；　work　followed　work　in　illustration　of　the　power　of　a
woman　of　genius　to　associate　quick　wit　and　quick　feeling　with　sound
sense　and　a　good　reason　for　speaking。　　Sir　Walter　Scott　in　his
frank　way　declared　that　he　received　an　impulse　from　Miss
Edgeworth's　example　as　a　storyteller。　　In　the　general　preface　to
his　own　final　edition　of　the　Waverley　Novels　he　said　that　〃Without
being　so　presumptuous　as　to　hope　to　emulate　the　rich　humour；
pathetic　tenderness；　and　admirable　tact；　which　pervade　the　works　of
my　accomplished　friend；　I　felt　that　something　might　be　attempted
for　my　own　country　of　the　same　kind　with　that　which　Miss　Edgeworth
so　fortunately　achieved　for　Irelandsomething　which　might
introduce　her　natives　to　those　of　the　sister　kingdom　in　a　more
favourable　light　than　they　had　been　placed　hitherto；　and　tend　to
procure　sympathy　for　their　virtues　and　indulgence　for　their
foibles。〃

Of　the　three　stories　in　this　volume；　who〃Murad　the　Unlucky〃　and
〃The　Limerick　Gloves〃first　appeared　in　three　volumes　of　〃Popular
Tales；〃　which　were　first　published　in　1804；　with　a　short
introduction　by　Miss　Edgeworth's　father。　　〃Madame　de　Fleury〃　was
written　a　few　years　later。

H。　M。




MURAD　THE　UNLUCKY




CHAPTER　I



It　is　well　known　that　the　grand　seignior　amuses　himself　by　going　at
night；　in　disguise；　through　streets　of　Constantinople；　as　the
caliph　Haroun　Alraschid　used　formerly　to　do　in　Bagdad。

One　moonlight　night；　accompanied　by　his　grand　vizier；　he　traversed
several　of　the　principal　streets　of　the　city　without　seeing
anything　remarkable。　　At　length；　as　they　were　passing　a　rope…
maker's；　the　sultan　recollected　the　Arabian　story　of　Cogia…Hassan
Alhabal；　the　rope…maker；　and　his　two　friends；　Saad　and　Saadi；　who
differed　so　much　in　their　opinion　concerning　the　influence　of
fortune　over　human　affairs。

〃What　is　your　opinion　on　this　subject？〃　said　the　grand　seignior　to
his　vizier。

〃I　am　inclined；　please　your　majesty；〃　replied　the　vizier；　〃to　think
that　success　in　the　world　depends　more　upon　prudence　than　upon　what
is　called　luck；　or　fortune。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　the　sultan；　〃am　persuaded　that　fortune　does　more　for
men　than　prudence。　　Do　you　not　every　day　hear　of　persons　who　are
said　to　be　fortunate　or　unfortunate？　　How　comes　it　that　this
opinion　should　prevail　amongst　men；　if　it　be　not　justified　by
experience？〃

〃It　is　not　for　me　to　dispute　with　your　majesty；〃　replied　the
prudent　vizier。

〃Speak　your　mind　freely；　I　desire　and　command　it；〃　said　the　sultan。

〃Then　I　am　of　opinion；〃　answered　the　vizier；　〃that　people　are　often
led　to　believe　others　fortunate；　or　unfortunate；　merely　because
they　only　know　the　general　outline　of　their　histories；　and　are
ignorant　of　the　incidents　and　events　in　which　they　have　shown
prudence　or　imprudence。　　I　have　heard；　for　instance；　that　there　are
at　present；　in　this　city；　two　men；　who　are　remarkable　for　their
good　and　bad　fortune：　　one　is　called　Murad　the　Unlucky；　and　the
other　Saladin　the　Lucky。　　Now；　I　am　inclined　to　think；　if　we　could
hear　their　stories；　we　should　find　that　one　is　a　prudent　and　the
other　an　imprudent　character。〃

〃Where　do　these　men　live？〃　interrupted　the　sultan。　　〃I　will　hear
their　histories　from　their　own　lips　before　I　sleep。〃

〃Murad　the　Unlucky　lives　in　the　next　square；〃　said　the　vizier。

The　sultan　desired　to　go　thither　immediately。　　Scarcely　had　they
entered　the　square；　when　they　heard　the　cry　of　loud　lamentations。
They　followed　the　sound　till　they　came　to　a　house　of　which　the　door
was　open；　and　where　there　was　a　man　tearing　his　turban；　and　weeping
bitterly。　　They　asked　the　cause　of　his　distress；　and　he　pointed　to
the　fragments　of　a　china　vase；　which　lay　on　the　pavement　at　his
door。

〃This　seems　undoubtedly　to　be　beautiful　china；〃　said　the　sultan；
taking　up　one　of　the　broken　pieces；　〃but　can　the　loss　of　a　china
vase　be　the　cause　of　such　violent　grief　and　despair？〃

〃Ah；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　owner　of　the　vase；　suspending　his
lamentations；　and　looking　at　the　dress　of　the　pretended　merchants；
〃I　see　that　you　are　strangers：　　you　do　not　know　how　much　cause　I
have　for　grief　and　despair！　　You　do　not　know　that　you　are　speaking
to　Murad　the　Unlucky！　　Were　you　to　hear　all　the　unfortunate
accidents　that　have　happened　to　me；　from　the　time　I　was　born　till
this　instant；　you　would　perhaps　pity　me；　and　acknowledge　I　have
just　cause　for　despair。〃

Curiosity　was　strongly　expressed　by　the　sultan；　and　the　hope　of
obtaining　sympathy　inclined　Murad　to　gratify　it　by　the　recital　of
his　adventures。　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃I　scarcely　dare　invite　you
into　the　house　of　such　an　unlucky　being　as　I　am；　but　if　you　will
venture　to　take　a　night's　lodging　under　my　roof；　you　shall　hear　at
your　leisure　the　story　of　my　misfortunes。〃

The　sultan　and　the　vizier　excused　themselves　from　spending　the
night　with　Murad；　saying　that　they　were　obliged　to　proceed　to　their
khan；　where　they　should　be　expected　by　their　companions；　but　they
begged　permission　to　repose　themselves　for　half　an　hour　in　his
house；　and　besought　him　to　relate　the　history　of　his　life；　if　it
would　not　renew　his　grief　too　much　to　recollect　his　misfortunes。

Few　men　are　so　miserable　as　not　to　like　to　talk　of　their
misfortunes；　where　they　have；　or　where　they　think　they　have；　any
chance　of　obtaining　compassion。　　As　soon　as　the　pretended　merchants
were　seated；　Murad　began　his　story　in　the　following　manner：…

〃My　father　was　a　merchant　of　this　city。　　The　night　before　I　was
born　he　dreamed　that　I　came　into　the　world　with　the　head　of　a　dog
and　the　tail　of　a　dragon；　and　that；　in　haste　to　conceal　my
deformity；　he　rolled　me　up　in　a　piece　of　linen；　which　unluckily
proved　to　be　the　grind　seignior's　turban；　who；　enraged　at　his
insolence　in　touching　his　turban；　commanded　that　his　head　should　be
struck　off。

〃My　father　awaked　before　he　lost　his　head；　but　not　before　he　had
lost　half　his　wits　from　the　terror　of　his　dream。　　He　considered　it
as　a　warning　sent　from　above；　and　consequently　determined　to　avoid
the　sight　of　me。　　He　would　not　stay　to　see　whether　I　should　really
be　born　with　the　head　of　a　dog　and　the　tail　of　a　dragon；　but　he　set
out；　the　next　morning；　on　a　voyage　to　Aleppo。

〃He　was　absent　for　upwards　of　seven　years；　and　during　that　time　my
education　was　totally　neglected。　　One　day　I　inquired　from　my　mother
why　I　had　been　named　Murad　the　Unlucky。　　She　told　me　that　this　name
was　given　to　me　in　consequence　of　my　father's　dream；　but　she　added
that　perhaps　it　might　be　forgotten；　if　I　proved　fortunate　in　my
future　life。　　My　nurse；　a　very　old　woman；　who　was　present；　shook
her　head；　with　a　look　which　I　shall　never　forget；　and　whispered　to
my　mother　loud　enough　for　me　to　hear；　'Unlucky　he　was；　and　is；　and
ever　will　be。　　Those　that　are