DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11789#0096
86
THE BLISS OP IGNORANCE.
there. I had now before me the agreeable alterna-
tive of wandering about the city till by mere acci-
dent I found the hotel, or was found myself by my
friends, or else to search out some alley or nook
less frequented by dogs, fleas, and other vermin
"too numerous to mention," than the generality of
the city, and there to seek for a night's repose.
Now, the knowledge of two Arabic words would,
in all probability, have immediately relieved me
from my perplexity. These two words (which all
travellers ought to be familiar with in the language
of every country through which they chance to
pass) are those that correspond to the English
"where" and "road" or "way." In fact, the
knowledge of these two words—which, after such
warning, I took good care to learn—subsequently
saved me from a far more serious embarrassment;
—but of this hereafter. To return to my story.
After a number of vain attempts to make the
guards and others standing about the gate under-
stand what I wanted, I had at last the good fortune
to find a boy who could speak a little Italian. I
very soon made him comprehend that it would be
to his advantage if he would show me the hotel kept;
by H-, where, under his guidance, I arrived a
few minutes after. My companions had, after I
THE BLISS OP IGNORANCE.
there. I had now before me the agreeable alterna-
tive of wandering about the city till by mere acci-
dent I found the hotel, or was found myself by my
friends, or else to search out some alley or nook
less frequented by dogs, fleas, and other vermin
"too numerous to mention," than the generality of
the city, and there to seek for a night's repose.
Now, the knowledge of two Arabic words would,
in all probability, have immediately relieved me
from my perplexity. These two words (which all
travellers ought to be familiar with in the language
of every country through which they chance to
pass) are those that correspond to the English
"where" and "road" or "way." In fact, the
knowledge of these two words—which, after such
warning, I took good care to learn—subsequently
saved me from a far more serious embarrassment;
—but of this hereafter. To return to my story.
After a number of vain attempts to make the
guards and others standing about the gate under-
stand what I wanted, I had at last the good fortune
to find a boy who could speak a little Italian. I
very soon made him comprehend that it would be
to his advantage if he would show me the hotel kept;
by H-, where, under his guidance, I arrived a
few minutes after. My companions had, after I