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diff --git a/2060-h/2060-h.htm b/2060-h/2060-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c72cce8 --- /dev/null +++ b/2060-h/2060-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4284 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The History of the Caliph Vathek, by William Beckford</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 30%; } + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The History of the Caliph Vathek, by William +Beckford, Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The History of the Caliph Vathek + + +Author: William Beckford + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: April 6, 2010 [eBook #2060] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF THE CALIPH VATHEK*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1887 Cassell & Company edition by +David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">cassell’s +national library</span></p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<h1>THE HISTORY<br /> +<span class="smcap">of the</span><br /> +CALIPH VATHEK</h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">by</span><br /> +WILLIAM BECKFORD.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p0b.jpg"> +<img alt= +"Printer’s mark" +title= +"Printer’s mark" +src="images/p0s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p style="text-align: center">CASSELL & COMPANY, <span +class="smcap">Limited</span>:<br /> +<i>LONDON</i>, <i>PARIS</i>, <i>NEW YORK & MELBOURNE</i>.<br +/> +1887.</p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION</h2> +<p>William Beckford, born in 1759, the year before the accession +of King George the Third, was the son of an Alderman who became +twice Lord Mayor of London. His family, originally of +Gloucestershire, had thriven by the plantations in Jamaica; and +his father, sent to school in England, and forming a school +friendship at Westminster with Lord Mansfield, began the world in +this country as a merchant, with inheritance of an enormous West +India fortune. William Beckford the elder became +Magistrate, Member of Parliament, Alderman. Four years +before the birth of William Beckford the younger he became one of +the Sheriffs of London, and three years after his son’s +birth he was Lord Mayor. As Mayor he gave very sumptuous +dinners that made epochs in the lives of feeding men. His +son’s famous “History of the Caliph Vathek” +looks as if it had been planned for an Alderman’s dream +after a very heavy dinner at the Mansion House. There is +devotion in it to the senses, emphasis on heavy dining. +Vathek piqued himself on being the greatest eater alive; but when +the Indian dined with him, though the tables were thirty times +covered, there was still want of more food for the voracious +guest. There is thirst: for at one part of the dream, when +Vathek’s mother, his wives, and some eunuchs +“assiduously employed themselves in filling bowls of rock +crystal, and emulously presented them to him, it frequently +happened that his avidity exceeded their zeal, insomuch that he +would prostrate himself upon the ground to lap up the water, of +which he could never have enough.” And the nightmare +incidents of the Arabian tale all culminate in a most terrible +heartburn. Could the conception of Vathek have first come +to the son after a City dinner?</p> +<p>Though a magnificent host, the elder Beckford was no +glutton. In the year of his first Mayoralty, 1763, +Beckford, stood by the side of Alderman Wilkes, attacked for his +No. 45 of <i>The North Briton</i>. As champion of the +popular cause, when he had been again elected to the Mayoralty, +Beckford, on the 23rd of May, 1770, went up to King George the +Third at the head of the Aldermen and Livery with an address +which the king snubbed with a short answer. Beckford asked +leave to reply, and before His Majesty recovered breath from his +astonishment, proceeded to reply in words that remain graven in +gold upon his monument in Guildhall. Young Beckford, the +author of “Vathek,” was then a boy not quite eleven +years old, an only son; and he was left three years afterwards, +by his father’s death, heir to an income of a hundred +thousand a year, with a million of cash in hand.</p> +<p>During his minority young Beckford’s mother, who was a +granddaughter of the sixth Earl of Abercorn, placed him under a +private tutor. He was taught music by Mozart; and the Earl +of Chatham, who had been his father’s friend, thought him +so fanciful a boy—“all air and fire”—that +he advised his mother to keep the Arabian Nights out of his +way. Happily she could not, for Vathek adds the thousand +and second to the thousand and one tales, with the difference +that it joins to wild inventions in the spirit of the East +touches of playful extravagance that could come only from an +English humourist who sometimes laughed at his own tale, and did +not mind turning its comic side to the reader. The younger +William Beckford had been born at his father’s seat in +Wiltshire, Fonthill Abbey; and at seventeen amused himself with a +caricature “History of Extraordinary Painters,” +encouraging the house-keeper of Fonthill to show the pictures to +visitors as works of Og of Basan and other worthies in her usual +edifying manner.</p> +<p>Young Beckford’s education was continued for a year and +a half at Geneva. He then travelled in Italy and the Low +Countries, and it was at this time that he amused himself by +writing, at the age of about twenty-two, “Vathek” in +French, at a single sitting; but he gave his mind to it and the +sitting lasted three days and two nights. An English +version of it was made by a stranger, and published without +permission in 1784. Beckford himself published his tale at +Paris and Lausanne in 1787, one year after the death of a wife to +whom he had been three years married, and who left him with two +daughters.</p> +<p>Beckford went to Portugal and Spain; returned to France, and +was present at the storming of the Bastille. He was often +abroad; he bought Gibbon’s library at Lausanne, and shut +himself up with it for a time, having a notion of reading it +through. He was occasionally in Parliament, but did not +care for that kind of amusement. He wrote pieces of less +enduring interest than “Vathek,” including two +burlesques upon the sentimental novel of his time. In 1796 +he settled down at Fonthill, and began to spend there abundantly +on building and rebuilding. Perhaps he thought of +Vathek’s tower when he employed workmen day and night to +build a tower for himself three hundred feet high, and set them +to begin it again when it fell down. He is said to have +spent upon Fonthill a quarter of a million, living there in much +seclusion during the last twenty years of his life. He died +in 1844.</p> +<p>The happy thought of this William Beckford’s life was +“Vathek.” It is a story that paints neither man +nor outward nature as they are, but reproduces with happy +vivacity the luxuriant imagery and wild incidents of an Arabian +tale. There is a ghost of a moral in the story of a sensual +Caliph going to the bad, as represented by his final introduction +to the Halls of Eblis. But the enjoyment given by the book +reflects the real enjoyment that the author had in writing +it—enjoyment great enough to cause it to be written at a +heat, in one long sitting, without flagging power. Young +and lively, he delivered himself up to a free run of fancy, +revelled in the piled-up enormities of the Wicked Mother, who had +not brought up Vathek properly, and certainly wrote some parts of +his nightmare tale as merrily as if he were designing matter for +a pantomime.</p> +<p>Whoever, in reading “Vathek,” takes it altogether +seriously, does not read it as it was written. We must have +an eye for the vein of caricature that now and then comes to the +surface, and invites a laugh without disturbing the sense of +Eastern extravagance bent seriously upon the elaboration of a +tale crowded with incident and action. Taken altogether +seriously, the book has faults of construction. But the +faults turn into beauties when we catch the twinkle in the +writer’s eye.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">H. M.</p> +<h2>THE HISTORY OF THE CALIPH VATHEK</h2> +<p>Vathek, ninth Caliph of the race of the Abassides, was the son +of Motassem, and the grandson of Haroun Al Raschid. From an +early accession to the throne, and the talents he possessed to +adorn it, his subjects were induced to expect that his reign +would be long and happy. His figure was pleasing and +majestic; but when he was angry one of his eyes became so +terrible that no person could bear to behold it, and the wretch +upon whom it was fixed instantly fell backward, and sometimes +expired. For fear, however, of depopulating his dominions +and making his palace desolate he but rarely gave way to his +anger.</p> +<p>Being much addicted to women and the pleasures of the table, +he sought by his affability to procure agreeable companions; and +he succeeded the better as his generosity was unbounded, and his +indulgences unrestrained, for he was by no means scrupulous, nor +did he think with the Caliph Omar Ben Abdalaziz that it was +necessary to make a hell of this world to enjoy Paradise in the +next.</p> +<p>He surpassed in magnificence all his predecessors. The +palace of Alkoremmi, which his father Motassem had erected on the +hill of Pied Horses, and which commanded the whole city of +Samarah, was in his idea far too scanty; he added therefore five +wings, or rather other palaces, which he destined for the +particular gratification of each of his senses.</p> +<p>In the first of these were tables continually covered with the +most exquisite dainties, which were supplied both by night and by +day, according to their constant consumption, whilst the most +delicious wines and the choicest cordials flowed forth from a +hundred fountains that were never exhausted. This palace +was called “The Eternal or Unsatiating Banquet.”</p> +<p>The second was styled “The Temple of Melody, or the +Nectar of the Soul.” It was inhabited by the most +skilful musicians and admired poets of the time, who not only +displayed their talents within, but, dispersing in bands without, +caused every surrounding scene to reverberate their songs, which +were continually varied in the most delightful succession.</p> +<p>The palace named “The Delight of the Eyes, or the +Support of Memory,” was one entire enchantment. +Rarities collected from every corner of the earth were there +found in such profusion as to dazzle and confound, but for the +order in which they were arranged. One gallery exhibited +the pictures of the celebrated Mani, and statues that seemed to +be alive. Here a well-managed perspective attracted the +sight; there the magic of optics agreeably deceived it; whilst +the naturalist on his part exhibited, in their several classes, +the various gifts that Heaven had bestowed on our globe. In +a word, Vathek omitted nothing in this palace that might gratify +the curiosity of those who resorted to it, although he was not +able to satisfy his own, for he was of all men the most +curious.</p> +<p>“The Palace of Perfumes,” which was termed +likewise “The Incentive to Pleasure,” consisted of +various halls, where the different perfumes which the earth +produces were kept perpetually burning in censers of gold. +Flambeaux and aromatic lamps were here lighted in open day. +But the too powerful effects of this agreeable delirium might be +avoided by descending into an immense garden, where an assemblage +of every fragrant flower diffused through the air the purest +odours.</p> +<p>The fifth palace, denominated “The Retreat of Joy, or +the Dangerous,” was frequented by troops of young females +beautiful as the houris, and not less seducing, who never failed +to receive with caresses all whom the Caliph allowed to approach +them; for he was by no means disposed to be jealous, as his own +women were secluded within the palace he inhabited himself.</p> +<p>Notwithstanding the sensuality in which Vathek indulged, he +experienced no abatement in the love of his people, who thought +that a sovereign immersed in pleasure was not less tolerable to +his subjects than one that employed himself in creating them +foes. But the unquiet and impetuous disposition of the +Caliph would not allow him to rest there; he had studied so much +for his amusement in the life-time of his father as to acquire a +great deal of knowledge, though not a sufficiency to satisfy +himself; for he wished to know everything, even sciences that did +not exist. He was fond of engaging in disputes with the +learned, but liked them not to push their opposition with warmth; +he stopped the mouths of those with presents whose mouths could +be stopped, whilst others, whom his liberality was unable to +subdue, he sent to prison to cool their blood: a remedy that +often succeeded.</p> +<p>Vathek discovered also a predilection for theological +controversy, but it was not with the orthodox that he usually +held. By this means he induced the zealots to oppose him, +and then persecuted them in return; for he resolved at any rate +to have reason on his side.</p> +<p>The great prophet Mahomet, whose vicars the caliphs are, +beheld with indignation from his abode in the seventh heaven the +irreligious conduct of such a vicegerent. “Let us +leave him to himself,” said he to the genii, who are always +ready to receive his commands; “let us see to what lengths +his folly and impiety will carry him; if he run into excess we +shall know how to chastise him. Assist him, therefore, to +complete the tower which, in imitation of Nimrod, he hath begun, +not, like that great warrior, to escape being drowned, but from +the insolent curiosity of penetrating the secrets of Heaven; he +will not divine the fate that awaits him.”</p> +<p>The genii obeyed, and when the workmen had raised their +structure a cubit in the day-time, two cubits more were added in +the night. The expedition with which the fabric arose was +not a little flattering to the vanity of Vathek. He fancied +that even insensible matter showed a forwardness to subserve his +designs, not considering that the successes of the foolish and +wicked form the first rod of their chastisement.</p> +<p>His pride arrived at its height when, having ascended for the +first time the eleven thousand stairs of his tower, he cast his +eyes below, and beheld men not larger than pismires, mountains +than shells, and cities than bee-hives. The idea which such +an elevation inspired of his own grandeur completely bewildered +him; he was almost ready to adore himself, till, lifting his eyes +upward, he saw the stars as high above him as they appeared when +he stood on the surface of the earth. He consoled himself, +however, for this transient perception of his littleness with the +thought of being great in the eyes of others, and flattered +himself that the light of his mind would extend beyond the reach +of his sight, and transfer to the stars the decrees of his +destiny.</p> +<p>With this view the inquisitive prince passed most of his +nights on the summit of his tower, till he became an adept in the +mysteries of astrology, and imagined that the planets had +disclosed to him the most marvellous adventures, which were to be +accomplished by an extraordinary personage from a country +altogether unknown. Prompted by motives of curiosity, he +had always been courteous to strangers, but from this instant he +redoubled his attention, and ordered it to be announced by sound +of trumpet, through all the streets of Samarah, that no one of +his subjects, on peril of displeasure, should either lodge or +detain a traveller, but forthwith bring him to the palace.</p> +<p>Not long after this proclamation there arrived in his +metropolis a man so hideous that the very guards who arrested him +were forced to shut their eyes as they led him along. The +Caliph himself appeared startled at so horrible a visage, but joy +succeeded to this emotion of terror when the stranger displayed +to his view such rarities as he had never before seen, and of +which he had no conception.</p> +<p>In reality, nothing was ever so extraordinary as the +merchandise this stranger produced; most of his curiosities, +which were not less admirable for their workmanship than +splendour, had, besides, their several virtues described on a +parchment fastened to each. There were slippers which +enabled the feet to walk; knives that cut without the motion of a +hand; sabres which dealt the blow at the person they were wished +to strike; and the whole enriched with gems that were hitherto +unknown.</p> +<p>The sabres, whose blades emitted a dazzling radiance, fixed +more than all the Caliph’s attention, who promised himself +to decipher at his leisure the uncouth characters engraven on +their sides. Without, therefore, demanding their price, he +ordered all the coined gold to be brought from his treasury, and +commanded the merchant to take what he pleased; the stranger +complied with modesty and silence.</p> +<p>Vathek, imagining that the merchant’s taciturnity was +occasioned by the awe which his presence inspired, encouraged him +to advance, and asked him, with an air of condescension, +“Who he was? whence he came? and where he obtained such +beautiful commodities?” The man, or rather monster, +instead of making a reply, thrice rubbed his forehead, which, as +well as his body, was blacker than ebony, four times clapped his +paunch, the projection of which was enormous, opened wide his +huge eyes, which glowed like firebrands, began to laugh with a +hideous noise, and discovered his long amber-coloured teeth +bestreaked with green.</p> +<p>The Caliph, though a little startled, renewed his inquiries, +but without being able to procure a reply; at which, beginning to +be ruffled, he exclaimed: “Knowest thou, varlet, who I am? +and at whom thou art aiming thy gibes?” Then, +addressing his guards, “Have ye heard him speak? is he +dumb?”</p> +<p>“He hath spoken,” they replied, “though but +little.”</p> +<p>“Let him speak again, then,” said Vathek, +“and tell me who he is, from whence he came, and where he +procured these singular curiosities, or I swear by the ass of +Balaam that I will make him rue his pertinacity.”</p> +<p>The menace was accompanied by the Caliph with one of his angry +and perilous glances, which the stranger sustained without the +slightest emotion, although his eyes were fixed on the terrible +eye of the prince.</p> +<p>No words can describe the amazement of the courtiers when they +beheld this rude merchant withstand the encounter +unshocked. They all fell prostrate with their faces on the +ground to avoid the risk of their lives, and continued in the +same abject posture till the Caliph exclaimed in a furious tone, +“Up, cowards! seize the miscreant! see that he be committed +to prison and guarded by the best of my soldiers! Let him, +however, retain the money I gave him; it is not my intent to take +from him his property; I only want him to speak.”</p> +<p>No sooner had he uttered these words than the stranger was +surrounded, pinioned with strong fetters, and hurried away to the +prison of the great tower, which was encompassed by seven +empalements of iron bars, and armed with spikes in every +direction longer and sharper than spits.</p> +<p>The Caliph, nevertheless, remained in the most violent +agitation; he sat down indeed to eat, but of the three hundred +covers that were daily placed before him could taste of no more +than thirty-two. A diet to which he had been so little +accustomed was sufficient of itself to prevent him from sleeping; +what then must be its effect when joined to the anxiety that +preyed upon his spirits? At the first glimpse of dawn he +hastened to the prison, again to importune this intractable +stranger; but the rage of Vathek exceeded all bounds on finding +the prison empty, the gates burst asunder, and his guards lying +lifeless around him. In the paroxysm of his passion he fell +furiously on the poor carcases, and kicked them till evening +without intermission. His courtiers and vizirs exerted +their efforts to soothe his extravagance, but finding every +expedient ineffectual, they all united in one vociferation: +“The Caliph is gone mad! the Caliph is out of his +senses!”</p> +<p>This outcry, which soon resounded through the streets of +Samarah, at length reaching the ears of Carathis, his mother, she +flew in the utmost consternation to try her ascendency on the +mind of her son. Her tears and caresses called off his +attention, and he was prevailed upon by her entreaties to be +brought back to the palace.</p> +<p>Carathis, apprehensive of leaving Vathek to himself, caused +him to be put to bed, and seating herself by him, endeavoured by +her conversation to heal and compose him. Nor could any one +have attempted it with better success, for the Caliph not only +loved her as a mother, but respected her as a person of superior +genius; it was she who had induced him, being a Greek herself, to +adopt all the sciences and systems of her country, which good +Mussulmans hold in such thorough abhorrence. Judicial +astrology was one of those systems in which Carathis was a +perfect adept; she began, therefore, with reminding her son of +the promise which the stars had made him, and intimated an +intention of consulting them again.</p> +<p>“Alas!” sighed the Caliph, as soon as he could +speak, “what a fool have I been! not for the kicks bestowed +on my guards who so tamely submitted to death, but for never +considering that this extraordinary man was the same the planets +had foretold, whom, instead of ill-treating, I should have +conciliated by all the arts of persuasion.”</p> +<p>“The past,” said Carathis, “cannot be +recalled, but it behoves us to think of the future; perhaps you +may again see the object you so much regret; it is possible the +inscriptions on the sabres will afford information. Eat, +therefore, and take thy repose, my dear son; we will consider +to-morrow in what manner to act.”</p> +<p>Vathek yielded to her counsel as well as he could, and arose +in the morning with a mind more at ease. The sabres he +commanded to be instantly brought, and poring upon them through a +green glass, that their glittering might not dazzle, he set +himself in earnest to decipher the inscriptions; but his +reiterated attempts were all of them nugatory; in vain did he +beat his head and bite his nails, not a letter of the whole was +he able to ascertain. So unlucky a disappointment would +have undone him again had not Carathis by good fortune entered +the apartment.</p> +<p>“Have patience, son!” said she; “you +certainly are possessed of every important science, but the +knowledge of languages is a trifle at best, and the +accomplishment of none but a pedant. Issue forth a +proclamation that you will confer such rewards as become your +greatness upon any one that shall interpret what you do not +understand, and what it is beneath you to learn; you will soon +find your curiosity gratified.”</p> +<p>“That may be,” said the Caliph; “but in the +meantime I shall be horribly disgusted by a crowd of smatterers, +who will come to the trial as much for the pleasure of retailing +their jargon as from the hope of gaining the reward. To +avoid this evil it will be proper to add that I will put every +candidate to death who shall fail to give satisfaction; for, +thank Heaven! I have skill enough to distinguish between one that +translates and one that invents.”</p> +<p>“Of that I have no doubt,” replied Carathis; +“but to put the ignorant to death is somewhat severe, and +may be productive of dangerous effects; content yourself with +commanding their beards to be burnt—beards in a state are +not quite so essential as men.”</p> +<p>The Caliph submitted to the reasons of his mother, and sending +for Morakanabad, his prime vizir, said: “Let the common +criers proclaim, not only in Samarah, but throughout every city +in my empire, that whosoever will repair hither, and decipher +certain characters which appear to be inexplicable, shall +experience the liberality for which I am renowned; but that all +who fail upon trial shall have their beards burnt off to the last +hair. Let them add also that I will bestow fifty beautiful +slaves, and as many jars of apricots from the Isle of Kirmith, +upon any man that shall bring me intelligence of the +stranger.”</p> +<p>The subjects of the Caliph, like their Sovereign, being great +admirers of women and apricots from Kirmith, felt their mouths +water at these promises, but were totally unable to gratify their +hankering, for no one knew which way the stranger had gone.</p> +<p>As to the Caliph’s other requisition, the result was +different. The learned, the half-learned, and those who +were neither, but fancied themselves equal to both, came boldly +to hazard their beards, and all shamefully lost them.</p> +<p>The exaction of these forfeitures, which found sufficient +employment for the eunuchs, gave them such a smell of singed hair +as greatly to disgust the ladies of the seraglio, and make it +necessary that this new occupation of their guardians should be +transferred into other hands.</p> +<p>At length, however, an old man presented himself whose beard +was a cubit and a half longer than any that had appeared before +him. The officers of the palace whispered to each other, as +they ushered him in, “What a pity such a beard should be +burnt!” Even the Caliph, when he saw it, concurred +with them in opinion, but his concern was entirely +needless. This venerable personage read the characters with +facility, and explained them verbatim as follows: “We were +made where everything good is made; we are the least of the +wonders of a place where all is wonderful, and deserving the +sight of the first potentate on earth.”</p> +<p>“You translate admirably!” cried Vathek; “I +know to what these marvellous characters allude. Let him +receive as many robes of honour and thousands of sequins of gold +as he hath spoken words. I am in some measure relieved from +the perplexity that embarrassed me!”</p> +<p>Vathek invited the old main to dine, and even to remain some +days in the palace. Unluckily for him, he accepted the +offer; for the Caliph, having ordered him next morning to be +called, said: “Read again to me what you have read already; +I cannot hear too often the promise that is made me, the +completion of which I languish to obtain.”</p> +<p>The old man forthwith put on his green spectacles, but they +instantly dropped from his nose on perceiving that the characters +he had read the day preceding had given place to others of +different import.</p> +<p>“What ails you?” asked the Caliph; “and why +these symptoms of wonder?”</p> +<p>“Sovereign of the world,” replied the old man, +“these sabres hold another language to-day from that they +yesterday held.”</p> +<p>“How say you?” returned Vathek; “but it +matters not! tell me, if you can, what they mean.”</p> +<p>“It is this, my lord,” rejoined the old man: +“Woe to the rash mortal who seeks to know that of which he +should remain ignorant, and to undertake that which surpasseth +his power!”</p> +<p>“And woe to thee!” cried the Caliph, in a burst of +indignation; “to-day thou art void of understanding. +Begone from my presence; they shall burn but the half of thy +beard, because, thou wert yesterday fortunate in guessing; my +gifts I never resume.”</p> +<p>The old man, wise enough to perceive he had luckily escaped, +considering the folly of disclosing so disgusting a truth, +immediately withdrew, and appeared not again.</p> +<p>But it was not long before Vathek discovered abundant reason +to regret his precipitation; for though he could not decipher the +characters himself, yet by constantly poring upon them he plainly +perceived that they every day changed, and unfortunately no other +candidate offered to explain them. This perplexing +occupation inflamed his blood, dazzled his sight, and brought on +a giddiness and debility that he could not support. He +failed not, however, though in so reduced a condition, to be +often carried to his tower, as he flattered himself that he might +there read in the stars which he went to consult something more +congenial to his wishes: but in this his hopes were deluded, for +his eyes, dimmed by the vapours of his head, began to subserve +his curiosity so ill, that he beheld nothing but a thick dun +cloud, which he took for the most direful of omens.</p> +<p>Agitated with so much anxiety, Vathek entirely lost all +firmness; a fever seized him, and his appetite failed. +Instead of being one of the greatest eaters, he became as +distinguished for drinking. So insatiable was the thirst +which tormented him that his mouth, like a funnel, was always +open to receive the various liquors that might be poured into it, +and especially cold water, which calmed him more than every +other.</p> +<p>This unhappy prince being thus incapacitated for the enjoyment +of any pleasure, commanded the palaces of the five senses to be +shut up, forbore to appear in public, either to display his +magnificence or administer justice, and retired to the inmost +apartment of his harem. As he had ever been an indulgent +husband, his wives, overwhelmed with grief at his deplorable +situation, incessantly offered their prayers for his health, and +unremittingly supplied him with water.</p> +<p>In the meantime the Princess Carathis, whose affliction no +words can describe, instead of restraining herself to sobbing and +tears, was closeted daily with the Vizir Morakanabad, to find out +some cure or mitigation of the Caliph’s disease. +Under the persuasion that it was caused by enchantment, they +turned over together, leaf by leaf, all the books of magic that +might point out a remedy, and caused the horrible stranger, whom +they accused as the enchanter, to be everywhere sought for with +the strictest diligence.</p> +<p>At the distance of a few miles from Samarah stood a high +mountain, whose sides were swarded with wild thyme and basil, and +its summit overspread with so delightful a plain, that it might +be taken for the paradise destined for the faithful. Upon +it grew a hundred thickets of eglantine and other fragrant +shrubs, a hundred arbours of roses, jessamine, and honeysuckle, +as many clumps of orange trees, cedar, and citron, whose +branches, interwoven with the palm, the pomegranate, and the +vine, presented every luxury that could regale the eye or the +taste. The ground was strewed with violets, hare-bells, and +pansies, in the midst of which sprang forth tufts of jonquils, +hyacinths, and carnations, with every other perfume that +impregnates the air. Four fountains, not less clear than +deep, and so abundant as to slake the thirst of ten armies, +seemed profusely placed here to make the scene more resemble the +garden of Eden, which was watered by the four sacred +rivers. Here the nightingale sang the birth of the rose, +her well-beloved, and at the same time lamented its short-lived +beauty; whilst the turtle deplored the loss of more substantial +pleasures, and the wakeful lark hailed the rising light that +re-animates the whole creation. Here more than anywhere the +mingled melodies of birds expressed the various passions they +inspired, as if the exquisite fruits which they pecked at +pleasure had given them a double energy.</p> +<p>To this mountain Vathek was sometimes brought for the sake of +breathing a purer air, and especially to drink at will of the +four fountains, which were reputed in the highest degree +salubrious and sacred to himself. His attendants were his +mother, his wives, and some eunuchs, who assiduously employed +themselves in filling capacious bowls of rock crystal, and +emulously presenting them to him; but it frequently happened that +his avidity exceeded their zeal, insomuch that he would prostrate +himself upon the ground to lap up the water, of which he could +never have enough.</p> +<p>One day, when this unhappy prince had been long lying in so +debasing a posture, a voice, hoarse but strong, thus addressed +him: “Why assumest thou the function of a dog, O Caliph, so +proud of thy dignity and power?”</p> +<p>At this apostrophe he raised his head, and beheld the stranger +that had caused him so much affliction. Inflamed with anger +at the sight, he exclaimed—</p> +<p>“Accursed Giaour! what comest thou hither to do? +Is it not enough to have transformed a prince remarkable for his +agility into one of those leather barrels which the Bedouin Arabs +carry on their camels when they traverse the deserts? +Perceivest thou not that I may perish by drinking to excess no +less than by a total abstinence?”</p> +<p>“Drink then this draught,” said the stranger, as +he presented to him a phial of a red and yellow mixture; +“and, to satiate the thirst of thy soul as well as of thy +body, know that I am an Indian, but from a region of India which +is wholly unknown.”</p> +<p>The Caliph delighted to see his desires accomplished in part, +and flattering himself with the hope of obtaining their entire +fulfilment, without a moment’s hesitation swallowed the +potion, and instantaneously found his health restored, his thirst +appeased, and his limbs as agile as ever.</p> +<p>In the transports of his joy Vathek leaped upon the neck of +the frightful Indian, and kissed his horrid mouth and hollow +cheeks as though they had been the coral lips and the lilies and +roses of his most beautiful wives; whilst they, less terrified +than jealous at the sight, dropped their veils to hide the blush +of mortification that suffused their foreheads.</p> +<p>Nor would the scene have closed here, had not Carathis, with +all the art of insinuation, a little repressed the raptures of +her son. Having prevailed upon him to return to Samarah, +she caused a herald to precede him, whom she commanded to +proclaim as loudly as possible: “The wonderful stranger +hath appeared again; he hath healed the Caliph; he hath spoken! +he hath spoken!”</p> +<p>Forthwith all the inhabitants of this vast city quitted their +habitations, and ran together in crowds to see the procession of +Vathek and the Indian, whom they now blessed as much as they had +before execrated, incessantly shouting: “He hath healed our +sovereign; he hath spoken! he hath spoken!” Nor were +these words forgotten in the public festivals which were +celebrated the same evening, to testify the general joy; for the +poets applied them as a chorus to all the songs they +composed.</p> +<p>The Caliph in the meanwhile caused the palaces of the senses +to be again set open; and, as he found himself prompted to visit +that of taste in preference to the rest, immediately ordered a +splendid entertainment, to which his great officers and favourite +courtiers were all invited. The Indian, who was placed near +the prince, seemed to think that as a proper acknowledgment of so +distinguished a privilege he could neither eat, drink, nor talk +too much. The various dainties were no sooner served up +than they vanished, to the great mortification of Vathek, who +piqued himself on being the greatest eater alive, and at this +time in particular had an excellent appetite.</p> +<p>The rest of the company looked round at each other in +amazement; but the Indian, without appearing to observe it, +quaffed large bumpers to the health of each of them, sung in a +style altogether extravagant, related stories at which he laughed +immoderately, and poured forth extemporaneous verses, which would +not have been thought bad but for the strange grimaces with which +they were uttered. In a word, his loquacity was equal to +that of a hundred astrologers; he ate as much as a hundred +porters, and caroused in proportion.</p> +<p>The Caliph, notwithstanding the table had been thirty times +covered, found himself incommoded by the voraciousness of his +guest, who was now considerably declined in the prince’s +esteem. Vathek, however, being unwilling to betray the +chagrin he could hardly disguise, said in a whisper to +Bababalouk, the chief of his eunuchs: “You see how enormous +his performances in every way are; what would be the consequence +should he get at my wives? Go! redouble your vigilance, and +be sure look well to my Circassians, who would be more to his +taste than all of the rest.”</p> +<p>The bird of the morning had thrice renewed his song when the +hour of the Divan sounded. Vathek, in gratitude to his +subjects, having promised to attend, immediately rose from table +and repaired thither, leaning upon his vizir, who could scarcely +support him, so disordered was the poor prince by the wine he had +drunk, and still more by the extravagant vagaries of his +boisterous guest.</p> +<p>The vizirs, the officers of the crown and of the law, arranged +themselves in a semicircle about their sovereign, and preserved a +respectful silence, whilst the Indian, who looked as cool as if +come from a fast, sat down without ceremony on the step of the +throne, laughing in his sleeve at the indignation with which his +temerity had filled the spectators.</p> +<p>The Caliph, however, whose ideas were confused and his head +embarrassed, went on administering justice at haphazard, till at +length the prime vizir, perceiving his situation, hit upon a +sudden expedient to interrupt the audience and rescue the honour +of his master, to whom he said in a whisper: “My Lord, the +Princess Carathis, who hath passed the night in consulting the +planets, informs you that they portend you evil, and the danger +is urgent. Beware lest this stranger, whom you have so +lavishly recompensed for his magical gewgaws, should make some +attempt on your life; his liquor, which at first had the +appearance of effecting your cure, may be no more than a poison +of a sudden operation. Slight not this surmise; ask him at +least of what it was compounded, whence he procured it, and +mention the sabres which you seem to have forgotten.”</p> +<p>Vathek, to whom the insolent airs of the stranger became every +moment less supportable, intimated to his vizir by a wink of +acquiescence that he would adopt his advice, and at once turning +towards the Indian, said: “Get up and declare in full Divan +of what drugs the liquor was compounded you enjoined me to take, +for it is suspected to be poison; add also the explanation I have +so earnestly desired concerning the sabres you sold me, and thus +show your gratitude for the favours heaped on you.”</p> +<p>Having pronounced these words in as moderate a tone as a +caliph well could, he waited in silent expectation for an +answer. But the Indian, still keeping his seat, began to +renew his loud shouts of laughter, and exhibit the same horrid +grimaces he had shown them before, without vouchsafing a word in +reply. Vathek, no longer able to brook such insolence, +immediately kicked him from the steps; instantly descending, +repeated his blow, and persisted with such assiduity as incited +all who were present to follow his example. Every foot was +aimed at the Indian, and no sooner had any one given him a kick +than he felt himself constrained to reiterate the stroke.</p> +<p>The stranger afforded them no small entertainment; for, being +both short and plump, he collected himself into a ball, and +rolled round on all sides at the blows of his assailants, who +pressed after him wherever he turned with an eagerness beyond +conception, whilst their numbers were every moment +increasing. The ball, indeed, in passing from one apartment +to another, drew every person after it that came in its way, +insomuch that the whole palace was thrown into confusion, and +resounded with a tremendous clamour. The women of the +harem, amazed at the uproar, flew to their blinds to discover the +cause; but no sooner did they catch a glimpse of the ball, than +feeling themselves unable to refrain, they broke from the +clutches of their eunuchs, who to stop their flight pinched them +till they bled, but in vain; whilst themselves, though trembling +with terror at the escape of their charge, were as incapable of +resisting the attraction.</p> +<p>The Indian, after having traversed the halls, galleries, +chambers, kitchens, gardens, and stables of the palace, at last +took his course through the courts; whilst the Caliph, pursuing +him closer than the rest, bestowed as many kicks as he possibly +could, yet not without receiving now and then one, which his +competitors in their eagerness designed for the ball.</p> +<p>Carathis, Morakanabad, and two or three old vizirs, whose +wisdom had hitherto withstood the attraction, wishing to prevent +Vathek from exposing himself in the presence of his subjects, +fell down in his way to impede the pursuit; but he, regardless of +their obstruction, leaped over their heads, and went on as +before. They then ordered the Muezzins to call the people +to prayers, both for the sake of getting them out of the way and +of endeavouring by their petitions to avert the calamity; but +neither of these expedients was a whit more successful: the sight +of this fatal ball was alone sufficient to draw after it every +beholder. The Muezzins themselves, though they saw it but +at a distance, hastened down from their minarets and mixed with +the crowd, which continued to increase in so surprising a manner, +that scarce an inhabitant was left in Samarah, except the aged, +the sick confined to their beds, and infants at the breast, whose +nurses could run more nimbly without them. Even Carathis, +Morakanabad, and the rest were all become of the party.</p> +<p>The shrill screams of the females, who had broken from their +apartments, and were unable to extricate themselves from the +pressure of the crowd, together with those of the eunuchs +jostling after them, terrified lest their charge should escape +from their sight, increased by the execrations of husbands urging +forward and menacing both, kicks given and received, stumblings +and overthrows at every step; in a word, the confusion that +universally prevailed rendered Samarah like a city taken by storm +and devoted to absolute plunder.</p> +<p>At last the cursed Indian, who still preserved his rotundity +of figure, after passing through all the streets and public +places, and leaving them empty, rolled onwards to the plain of +Catoul, and traversed the valley at the foot of the mountain of +the Four Fountains.</p> +<p>As a continual fall of water had excavated an immense gulf in +the valley, whose opposite side was closed in by a steep +acclivity, the Caliph and his attendants were apprehensive lest +the ball should bound into the chasm, and, to prevent it, +redoubled their efforts, but in vain. The Indian persevered +in his onward direction, and, as had been apprehended, glancing +from the precipice with the rapidity of lightning, was lost in +the gulf below.</p> +<p>Vathek would have followed the perfidious Giaour, had not an +invisible agency arrested his progress. The multitude that +pressed after him were at once checked in the same manner, and a +calm instantaneously ensued. They all gazed at each other +with an air of astonishment; and, notwithstanding that the loss +of veils and turbans, together with torn habits and dust blended +with sweat, presented a most laughable spectacle, there was not +one smile to be seen; on the contrary, all, with looks of +confusion and sadness, returned in silence to Samarah, and +retired to their inmost apartments, without ever reflecting that +they had been impelled by an invisible power into the +extravagance for which they reproached themselves; for it is but +just that men, who so often arrogate to their own merit the good +of which they are but instruments, should attribute to themselves +the absurdities which they could not prevent.</p> +<p>The Caliph was the only person that refused to leave the +valley. He commanded his tents to be pitched there, and +stationed himself on the very edge of the precipice, in spite of +the representations of Carathis and Morakanabad, who pointed out +the hazard of its brink giving way, and the vicinity to the +magician that had so severely tormented him. Vathek derided +all their remonstrances, and, having ordered a thousand flambeaux +to be lighted, and directed his attendants to proceed in lighting +more, lay down on the slippery margin, and attempted, by help of +this artificial splendour, to look through that gloom which all +the fires of the empyrean had been insufficient to pervade. +One while he fancied to himself voices arising from the depth of +the gulf; at another he seemed to distinguish the accents of the +Indian, but all was no more than the hollow murmur of waters, and +the din of the cataracts that rushed from steep to steep down the +sides of the mountain.</p> +<p>Having passed the night in this cruel perturbation, the Caliph +at daybreak retired to his tent, where, without taking the least +sustenance, he continued to doze till the dusk of evening began +again to come on. He then resumed his vigils as before, and +persevered in observing them for many nights together. At +length, fatigued with so successless an employment, he sought +relief from change. To this end he sometimes paced with +hasty strides across the plain, and, as he wildly gazed at the +stars, reproached them with having deceived him; but, lo! on a +sudden the clear blue sky appeared streaked over with streams of +blood, which reached from the valley even to the city of +Samarah. As this awful phenomenon seemed to touch his +tower, Vathek at first thought of re-pairing thither to view it +more distinctly, but feeling himself unable to advance, and being +overcome with apprehension, he muffled up his face in his +robe.</p> +<p>Terrifying as these prodigies were, this impression upon him +was no more than momentary, and served only to stimulate his love +of the marvellous. Instead, therefore, of returning to his +palace, he persisted in the resolution of abiding where the +Indian vanished from his view. One night, however, while he +was walking as usual on the plain, the moon and the stars at once +were eclipsed, and a total darkness ensued; the earth trembled +beneath him, and a voice came forth, the voice of the Giaour, +who, in accents more sonorous than thunder, thus addressed him: +“Wouldest thou devote thyself to me? Adore then the +terrestrial influences, and abjure Mahomet. On these +conditions I will bring thee to the palace of subterranean fire; +there shalt thou behold in immense depositories the treasures +which the stars have promised thee, and which will be conferred +by those Intelligences whom thou shalt thus render +propitious. It was from thence I brought my sabres, and it +is there that Soliman Ben Daoud reposes, surrounded by the +talismans that control the world.”</p> +<p>The astonished Caliph trembled as he answered, yet in a style +that showed him to be no novice in preternatural adventures: +“Where art thou? be present to my eyes; dissipate the gloom +that perplexes me, and of which I deem thee the cause; after the +many flambeaux I have burnt to discover thee, thou mayst at least +grant a glimpse of thy horrible visage.”</p> +<p>“Abjure, then, Mahomet,” replied the Indian, +“and promise me full proofs of thy sincerity, otherwise +thou shalt never behold me again.”</p> +<p>The unhappy Caliph, instigated by insatiable curiosity, +lavished his promises in the utmost profusion. The sky +immediately brightened; and by the light of the planets, which +seemed almost to blaze, Vathek beheld the earth open, and at the +extremity of a vast black chasm, a portal of ebony, before which +stood the Indian, still blacker, holding in his hand a golden key +that caused the lock to resound.</p> +<p>“How,” cried Vathek, “can I descend to thee +without the certainty of breaking my neck? come, take me, and +instantly open the portal.”</p> +<p>“Not so fast,” replied the Indian, +“impatient Caliph! Know that I am parched with +thirst, and cannot open this door till my thirst be thoroughly +appeased. I require the blood of fifty of the most +beautiful sons of thy vizirs and great men, or neither can my +thirst nor thy curiosity be satisfied. Return to Samarah, +procure for me this necessary libation, come back hither, throw +it thyself into this chasm, and then shalt thou see!”</p> +<p>Having thus spoken, the Indian turned his back on the Caliph, +who, incited by the suggestion of demons, resolved on the direful +sacrifice. He now pretended to have regained his +tranquillity, and set out for Samarah amidst the acclamations of +a people who still loved him, and forbore not to rejoice when +they believed him to have recovered his reason. So +successfully did he conceal the emotion of his heart, that even +Carathis and Morakanabad were equally deceived with the +rest. Nothing was heard of but festivals and rejoicings; +the ball, which no tongue had hitherto ventured to mention, was +again brought on the tapis; a general laugh went round, though +many, still smarting under the hands of the surgeon from the +hurts received in that memorable adventure, had no great reason +for mirth.</p> +<p>The prevalence of this gay humour was not a little grateful to +Vathek, as perceiving how much it conduced to his project. +He put on the appearance of affability to every one, but +especially to his vizirs and the grandees of his court, whom he +failed not to regale with a sumptuous banquet, during which he +insensibly inclined the conversation to the children of his +guests. Having asked with a good-natured air who of them +were blessed with the handsomest boys, every father at once +asserted the pretensions of his own, and the contest +imperceptibly grew so warm that nothing could have withholden +them from coming to blows but their profound reverence for the +person of the Caliph. Under the pretence, therefore, of +reconciling the disputants, Vathek took upon him to decide; and +with this view commanded the boys to be brought.</p> +<p>It was not long before a troop of these poor children made +their appearance, all equipped by their fond mothers with such +ornaments as might give the greatest relief to their beauty or +most advantageously display the graces of their age. But +whilst this brilliant assemblage attracted the eyes and hearts of +every one besides, the Caliph scrutinized each in his turn with a +malignant avidity that passed for attention, and selected from +their number the fifty whom he judged the Giaour would +prefer.</p> +<p>With an equal show of kindness as before, he proposed to +celebrate a festival on the plain for the entertainment of his +young favourites, who he said ought to rejoice still more than +all at the restoration of his health, on account of the favours +he intended for them.</p> +<p>The Caliph’s proposal was received with the greatest +delight, and soon published through Samarah; litters, camels, and +horses were prepared. Women and children, old men and +young, every one placed himself in the station he chose. +The cavalcade set forward, attended by all the confectioners in +the city and its precincts; the populace following on foot +composed an amazing crowd, and occasioned no little noise; all +was joy, nor did any one call to mind what most of them had +suffered when they first travelled the road they were now passing +so gaily.</p> +<p>The evening was serene, the air refreshing, the sky clear, and +the flowers exhaled their fragrance; the beams of the declining +sun, whose mild splendour reposed on the summit of the mountain, +shed a glow of ruddy light over its green declivity and the white +flocks sporting upon it; no sounds were audible save the murmurs +of the Four Fountains, and the reeds and voices of shepherds +calling to each other from different eminences.</p> +<p>The lovely innocents proceeding to the destined sacrifice +added not a little to the hilarity of the scene; they approached +the plain full of sportiveness, some coursing butterflies, others +culling flowers, or picking up the shining little pebbles that +attracted their notice. At intervals they nimbly started +from each other, for the sake of being caught again, and mutually +imparting a thousand caresses.</p> +<p>The dreadful chasm at whose bottom the portal of ebony was +placed began to appear at a distance; it looked like a black +streak that divided the plain. Morakanabad and his +companions took it for some work which the Caliph had ordered; +unhappy men! little did they surmise for what it was +destined.</p> +<p>Vathek, not liking they should examine it too nearly, stopped +the procession, and ordered a spacious circle to be formed on +this side, at some distance from the accursed chasm. The +body-guard of eunuchs was detached to measure out the lists +intended for the games, and prepare ringles for the lines to keep +off the crowd. The fifty competitors were soon stripped, +and presented to the admiration of the spectators the suppleness +and grace of their delicate limbs; their eyes sparkled with a joy +which those of their fond parents reflected. Every one +offered wishes for the little candidate nearest his heart, and +doubted not of his being victorious; a breathless suspense +awaited the contest of these amiable and innocent victims.</p> +<p>The Caliph, awaiting himself of the first moment to retire +from the crowd, advanced towards the chasm, and there heard, yet +not without shuddering, the voice of the Indian, who, gnashing +his teeth, eagerly demanded: “Where are they? where are +they? perceivest thou not how my mouth waters?”</p> +<p>“Relentless Giaour!” answered Vathek, with +emotion, “can nothing content thee but the massacre of +these lovely victims! Ah! wert thou to behold their beauty +it must certainly move thy compassion.”</p> +<p>“Perdition on thy compassion, babbler!” cried the +Indian. “Give them me, instantly give them, or my +portal shall be closed against thee for ever!”</p> +<p>“Not so loudly,” replied the Caliph, blushing.</p> +<p>“I understand thee,” returned the Giaour, with the +grin of an ogre; “thou wantest to summon up more presence +of mind; I will for a moment forbear.”</p> +<p>During this exquisite dialogue the games went forward with all +alacrity, and at length concluded just as the twilight began to +overcast the mountains. Vathek, who was still standing on +the edge of the chasm, called out, with all his might: “Let +my fifty little favourites approach me separately, and let them +come in the order of their success. To the first I will +give my diamond bracelet, to the second my collar of emeralds, to +the third my aigret of rubies, to the fourth my girdle of +topazes, and to the rest each a part of my dress, even down to my +slippers.”</p> +<p>This declaration was received with reiterated acclamations, +and all extolled the liberality of a prince who would thus strip +himself for the amusement of his subjects and the encouragement +of the rising generation.</p> +<p>The Caliph in the meantime undressed himself by degrees, and, +raising his arm as high as he was able, made each of the prizes +glitter in the air; but whilst he delivered it with one hand to +the child, who sprang forward to receive it, he with the other +pushed the poor innocent into the gulf, where the Giaour, with a +sullen muttering, incessantly repeated, “More! +more!”</p> +<p>This dreadful device was executed with so much dexterity that +the boy who was approaching him remained unconscious of the fate +of his forerunner; and as to the spectators, the shades of +evening, together with their distance, precluded them from +perceiving any object distinctly. Vathek, having in this +manner thrown in the last of the fifty, and expecting that the +Giaour on receiving them would have presented the key, already +fancied himself as great as Soliman, and consequently above being +amenable for what he had done: when, to his utter amazement, the +chasm closed, and the around became as entire as the rest of the +plain.</p> +<p>No language could express his rage and despair. He +execrated the perfidy of the Indian, loaded him with the most +infamous invectives, and stamped with his foot as resolving to be +heard; he persisted in this demeanour till his strength failed +him, and then fell on the earth like one void of sense. His +vizirs and grandees, who were nearer than the rest, supposed him +at first to be sitting on the grass at play with their amiable +children; but at length, prompted by doubt, they advanced towards +the spot, and found the Caliph alone, who wildly demanded what +they wanted.</p> +<p>“Our children! our children!” cried they.</p> +<p>“It is assuredly pleasant,” said he, “to +make me accountable for accidents; your children while at play +fell from the precipice that was here, and I should have +experienced their fate had I not been saved by a sudden start +back.”</p> +<p>At these words the fathers of the fifty boys cried out aloud, +the mothers repeated their exclamations an octave higher, whilst +the rest, without knowing the cause, soon drowned the voices of +both with still louder lamentations of their own.</p> +<p>“Our Caliph,” said they—and the report soon +circulated—“Our Caliph has played us this trick to +gratify his accursed Giaour. Let us punish him for his +perfidy! let us avenge ourselves! let us avenge the blood of the +innocent! let us throw this cruel prince into the gulf that is +near, and let his name be mentioned no more!”</p> +<p>At this rumour and these menaces, Carathis, full of +consternation, hastened to Morakanabad, and said: “Vizir, +you have lost two beautiful boys, and must necessarily be the +most afflicted of fathers, but you are virtuous; save your +master.”</p> +<p>“I will brave every hazard,” replied the vizir, +“to rescue him from his present danger, but afterwards will +abandon him to his fate. Bababalouk,” continued he, +“put yourself at the head of your eunuchs; disperse the +mob, and, if possible, bring back this unhappy prince to his +palace.” Bababalouk and his fraternity, felicitating +each other in a low voice on their disability of ever being +fathers, obeyed the mandate of the vizir; who, seconding their +exertions to the utmost of his power, at length accomplished his +generous enterprise, and retired as he resolved, to lament at his +leisure.</p> +<p>No sooner had the Caliph re-entered his palace than Carathis +commanded the doors to be fastened; but, perceiving the tumult to +be still violent, and hearing the imprecations which resounded +from all quarters, she said to her son: “Whether the +populace be right or wrong, it behoves you to provide for your +safety; let us retire to your own apartment, and from thence +through the subterranean passage, known only to ourselves, into +your tower; there, with the assistance of the mutes who never +leave it, we may be able to make some resistance. +Bababalouk, supposing us to be still in the palace, will guard +its avenues for his own sake; and we shall soon find, without the +counsels of that blubberer Morakanabad, what expedient may be the +best to adopt.”</p> +<p>Vathek, without making the least reply, acquiesced in his +mother’s proposal, and repeated as he went: +“Nefarious Giaour! where art thou! hast thou not yet +devoured those poor children? where are thy sabres? thy golden +key? thy talismans?”</p> +<p>Carathis, who guessed from these interrogations a part of the +truth, had no difficulty to apprehend in getting at the whole, as +soon as he should be a little composed in his tower. This +princess was so far from being influenced by scruples that she +was as wicked as woman could be, which is not saying a little, +for the sex pique themselves on their superiority in every +competition. The recital of the Caliph, therefore, +occasioned neither terror nor surprise to his mother; she felt no +emotion but from the promises of the Giaour, and said to her son: +“This Giaour, it must be confessed, is somewhat sanguinary +in his taste, but the terrestrial powers are always terrible; +nevertheless, what the one hath promised and the others can +confer will prove a sufficient indemnification; no crimes should +be thought too dear for such a reward! forbear then to revile the +Indian; you have not fulfilled the conditions to which his +services are annexed; for instance, is not a sacrifice to the +subterranean Genii required? and should we not be prepared to +offer it as soon as the tumult is subsided? This charge I +will take on myself, and have no doubt of succeeding by means of +your treasures, which, as there are now so many others in store, +may without fear be exhausted.”</p> +<p>Accordingly the princess, who possessed the most consummate +skill in the art of persuasion, went immediately back through the +subterranean passage; and presenting herself to the populace, +from a window of the palace, began to harangue them with all the +address of which she was mistress, whilst Bababalouk showered +money from both hands amongst the crowd, who by these united +means were soon appeased; every person retired to his home, and +Carathis returned to the tower.</p> +<p>Prayer at break of day was announced, when Carathis and Vathek +ascended the steps which led to the summit of the tower, where +they remained for some time, though the weather was lowering and +wet. This impending gloom corresponded with their malignant +dispositions; but when the sun began to break through the clouds +they ordered a pavilion to be raised, as a screen from the +intrusion of his beams. The Caliph, overcome with fatigue, +sought refreshment from repose, at the same time hoping that +significant dreams might attend on his slumbers; whilst the +indefatigable Carathis, followed by a party of her mutes, +descended to prepare whatever she judged proper for the oblation +of the approaching night.</p> +<p>By secret stairs, known only to herself and to her son, she +first repaired to the mysterious recesses in which were deposited +the mummies that had been brought from the catacombs of the +ancient Pharaohs; of these she ordered several to be taken. +From thence she resorted to a gallery where, under the guard of +fifty female negroes, mute and blind of the right eye, were +preserved the oil of the most venomous serpents, +rhinoceros’ horns, and woods of a subtle and penetrating +odour procured from the interior of the Indies, together with a +thousand other horrible rarities. This collection had been +formed for a purpose like the present by Carathis herself, from a +presentment that she might one day enjoy some intercourse with +the infernal powers to whom she had ever been passionately +attached, and to whose taste she was no stranger.</p> +<p>To familiarise herself the better with the horrors in view, +the princess remained in the company of her negresses, who +squinted in the most amiable manner from the only eye they had, +and leered with exquisite delight at the skulls and skeletons +which Carathis had drawn forth from her cabinets, whose key she +entrusted to no one; all of them making contortions, and uttering +a frightful jargon, but very amusing to the princess; till at +last, being stunned by their gibbering, and suffocated by the +potency of their exhalations, she was forced to quit the gallery, +after stripping it of a part of its treasures.</p> +<p>Whilst she was thus occupied, the Caliph, who, instead of the +visions he expected, had acquired in these insubstantial regions +a voracious appetite, was greatly provoked at the negresses; for, +having totally forgotten their deafness, he had impatiently asked +them for food, and seeing them regardless of his demand, he began +to cuff, pinch, and push them, till Carathis arrived to terminate +a scene so indecent, to the great content of these miserable +creatures, who, having been brought up by her, understood all her +signs, and communicated in the same way their thoughts in +return.</p> +<p>“Son! what means all this?” said she, panting for +breath. “I thought I heard as I came up the shrieks +of a thousand bats tearing from their crannies in the recesses of +a cavern; and it was the outcry only of these poor mutes, whom +you were so unmercifully abusing. In truth you but ill +deserve the admirable provision I have brought you.”</p> +<p>“Give it me instantly,” exclaimed the Caliph; +“I am perishing for hunger!”</p> +<p>“As to that,” answered she, “you must have +an excellent stomach if it can digest what I have been +preparing.”</p> +<p>“Be quick,” replied the Caliph; “but, oh, +heavens! what horrors! what do you intend?”</p> +<p>“Come, come,” returned Carathis, “be not so +squeamish, but help me to arrange everything properly, and you +shall see that what you reject with such symptoms of disgust will +soon complete your felicity. Let us get ready the pile for +the sacrifice of to-night, and think not of eating till that is +performed; know you not that all solemn rites are preceded by a +rigorous abstinence?”</p> +<p>The Caliph, not daring to object, abandoned himself to grief +and the wind that ravaged his entrails, whilst his mother went +forward with the requisite operations. Phials of +serpents’ oil, mummies, and bones were soon set in order on +the balustrade of the tower; the pile began to rise, and in three +hours was as many cubits high. At length darkness +approached, and Carathis, having stripped herself to her inmost +garment, clapped her hands in an impulse of ecstasy and struck +light with all her force. The mutes followed her example; +but Vathek, extenuated with hunger and impatience, was unable to +support himself, and fell down in a swoon. The sparks had +already kindled the dry wood, the venomous oil burst into a +thousand blue flames, the mummies dissolving emitted a thick dun +vapour, and the rhinoceros’ horns beginning to consume, all +together diffused such a stench, that the Caliph, recovering, +started from his trance, and gazed wildly on the scene in full +blaze around him. The oil gushed forth in a plenitude of +streams; and the negresses, who supplied it without intermission, +united their cries to those of the princess. At last the +fire became so violent, and the flames reflected from the +polished marble so dazzling, that the Caliph, unable to withstand +the heat and the blaze, effected his escape, and clambered up the +imperial standard.</p> +<p>In the meantime the inhabitants of Samarah, scared at the +light which shone over the city, arose in haste, ascended their +roofs, beheld the tower on fire, and hurried half naked to the +square. Their love to their sovereign immediately awoke; +and, apprehending him in danger of perishing in his tower, their +whole thoughts were occupied with the means of his safety. +Morakanabad flew from his retirement, wiped away his tears, and +cried out for water like the rest. Bababalouk, whose +olfactory nerves were more familiarised to magical odours, +readily conjecturing that Carathis was engaged in her favourite +amusements, strenuously exhorted them not to be alarmed. +Him, however, they treated as an old poltroon, and forbore not to +style him a rascally traitor. The camels and dromedaries +were advancing with water, but no one knew by which way to enter +the tower. Whilst the populace was obstinate in forcing the +doors a violent east wind drove such a volume of flame against +them, as at first forced them off, but afterwards re-kindled +their zeal; at the same time the stench of the horns and mummies +increasing, most of the crowd fell backward in a state of +suffocation; those that kept their feet mutually wondered at the +cause of the smell, and admonished each other to retire. +Morakanabad, more sick than the rest, remained in a piteous +condition; holding his nose with one hand, he persisted in his +efforts with the other to burst open the doors and obtain +admission. A hundred and forty of the strongest and most +resolute at length accomplished their purpose; having gained the +staircase by their violent exertions, they attained a great +height in a quarter of an hour.</p> +<p>Carathis, alarmed at the signs of her mutes, advanced to the +staircase, went down a few steps, and heard several voices +calling out from below: “You shall in a moment have +water!” Being rather alert, considering her age, she +presently regained the top of the tower, and bade her son suspend +the sacrifice for some minutes, adding: “We shall soon be +enabled to render it more grateful; certain dolts of your +subjects, imagining no doubt that we were on fire, have been rash +enough to break through those doors which had hitherto remained +inviolate, for the sake of bringing up water; they are very kind, +you must allow, so soon to forget the wrongs you have done them, +but that is of little moment. Let us offer them to the +Giaour; let them come up; our mutes, who neither want strength +nor experience, will soon despatch them, exhausted as they are +with fatigue.”</p> +<p>“Be it so,” answered the Caliph, “provided +we finish and I dine.”</p> +<p>In fact, these good people, out of breath from ascending +eleven thousand stairs in such haste, and chagrined at having +spilt by the way the water they had taken, were no sooner arrived +at the top than the blaze of the flames and the fumes of the +mummies at once overpowered their senses. It was a pity; +for they beheld not the agreeable smile with which the mutes and +the negresses adjusted the cord to their necks; these amiable +personages rejoiced, however, no less at the scene; never before +had the ceremony of strangling been performed with so much +facility; they all fell without the least resistance or struggle, +so that Vathek in the space of a few moments found himself +surrounded by the dead bodies of his faithfullest subjects, all +which were thrown on the top of the pile.</p> +<p>Carathis, whose presence of mind never forsook her, perceiving +that she had carcases sufficient to complete her oblation, +commanded the chains to be stretched across the staircase, and +the iron doors barricaded, that no more might come up.</p> +<p>No sooner were these orders obeyed than the tower shook, the +dead bodies vanished in the flames, which at once changed from a +swarthy crimson to a bright rose colour; an ambient vapour +emitted the most exquisite fragrance, the marble columns rang +with harmonious sounds, and the liquefied horns diffused a +delicious perfume. Carathis, in transports, anticipated the +success of her enterprise, whilst her mutes and negresses, to +whom these sweets had given the colic, retired to their cells +grumbling.</p> +<p>Scarcely were they gone when, instead of the pile, horns, +mummies, and ashes, the Caliph both saw and felt, with a degree +of pleasure which he could not express, a table covered with the +most magnificent repast; flagons of wine and vases of exquisite +sherbet floating on snow. He availed himself without +scruple of such an entertainment and had already laid hands on a +lamb stuffed with pistachios, whilst Carathis was privately +drawing from a filigree urn a parchment that seemed to be +endless, and which had escaped the notice of her son; totally +occupied in gratifying an importunate appetite he left her to +peruse it without interruption, which, having finished, she said +to him in an authoritative tone, “Put an end to your +gluttony, and hear the splendid promises with which you are +favoured!” She then read as follows: “Vathek, +my well-beloved, thou hast surpassed my hopes; my nostrils have +been regaled by the savour of thy mummies, thy horns, and still +more by the lives devoted on the pile. At the full of the +moon cause the bands of thy musicians and thy tymbals to be +heard; depart from thy palace surrounded by all the pageants of +majesty; thy most faithful slaves, thy best beloved wives, thy +most magnificent litters, thy richest leaden camels, and set +forward on thy way to Istakhar; there await I thy coming; that is +the region of wonders; there shalt thou receive the diadem of +Gian Ben Gian, the talismans of Soliman, and the treasures of the +Pre-Adamite Sultans; there shalt thou be solaced with all kinds +of delight. But beware how thou enterest any dwelling on +thy route, or thou shalt feel the effects of my anger.”</p> +<p>The Caliph, who, notwithstanding his habitual luxury, had +never before dined with so much satisfaction, gave full scope to +the joy of these golden tidings, and betook himself to drinking +anew. Carathis, whose antipathy to wine was by no means +insuperable, failed not to supply a reason for every bumper, +which they ironically quaffed to the health of Mahomet. +This infernal liquor completed their impious temerity, and +prompted them to utter a profusion of blasphemies; they gave a +loose to their wit at the expense of the ass of Balaam, the dog +of the seven sleepers, and the other animals admitted into the +paradise of Mahomet. In this sprightly humour they +descended the eleven thousand stairs, diverting themselves as +they went at the anxious faces they saw on the square through the +oilets of the tower, and at length arrived at the royal +apartments by the subterranean passage. Bababalouk was +parading to and fro, and issuing his mandates with great pomp to +the eunuchs, who were snuffing the lights and painting the eyes +of the Circassians. No sooner did he catch sight of the +Caliph and his mother than he exclaimed, “Hah! you have +then, I perceive, escaped from the flames; I was not, however, +altogether out of doubt.”</p> +<p>“Of what moment is it to us what you thought, or +think?” cried Carathis; “go, speed, tell Morakanabad +that we immediately want him; and take care how you stop by the +way to make your insipid reflections.”</p> +<p>Morakanabad delayed not to obey the summons, and was received +by Vathek and his mother with great solemnity; they told him, +with an air of composure and commiseration, that the fire at the +top of the tower was extinguished; but that it had cost the lives +of the brave people who sought to assist them.</p> +<p>“Still more misfortunes,” cried Morakanabad, with +a sigh. “Ah, Commander of the Faithful, our holy +Prophet is certainly irritated against us! it behoves you to +appease him.”</p> +<p>“We will appease him hereafter!” replied the +Caliph, with a smile that augured nothing of good. +“You will have leisure sufficient for your supplications +during my absence; for this country is the bane of my health; I +am disgusted with the mountain of the Four Fountains, and am +resolved to go and drink of the stream of Rocnabad; I long to +refresh myself in the delightful valleys which it waters. +Do you, with the advice of my mother, govern my dominions, and +take care to supply whatever her experiments may demand; for you +well know that our tower abounds in materials for the advancement +of science.”</p> +<p>The tower but ill suited Morakanabad’s taste. +Immense treasures had been lavished upon it; and nothing had he +ever seen carried thither but female negroes, mutes, and +abominable drugs. Nor did he know well what to think of +Carathis, who, like a chameleon, could assume all possible +colours; her cursed eloquence had often driven the poor Mussulman +to his last shifts. He considered, however, that if she +possessed but few good qualities, her son had still fewer; and +that the alternative on the whole would be in her favour. +Consoled, therefore, with this reflection, he went in good +spirits to soothe the populace, and make the proper arrangements +for his master’s journey.</p> +<p>Vathek, to conciliate the Spirits of the subterranean palace, +resolved that his expedition should be uncommonly splendid. +With this view he confiscated on all sides the property of his +subjects, whilst his worthy mother stripped the seraglios she +visited of the gems they contained. She collected all the +sempstresses and embroiderers of Samarah and other cities to the +distance of sixty leagues, to prepare pavilions, palanquins, +sofas, canopies, and litters for the train of the monarch. +There was not left in Masulipatam a single piece of chintz, and +so much muslin had been bought up to dress out Bababalouk and the +other black eunuchs, that there remained not an ell in the whole +Irak of Babylon.</p> +<p>During these preparations Carathis, who never lost sight of +her great object, which was to obtain favour with the Powers of +Darkness, made select parties of the fairest and most delicate +ladies of the city; but in the midst of their gaiety she +contrived to introduce serpents amongst them, and to break pots +of scorpions under the table; they all bit to a wonder; and +Carathis would have left them to bite, were it not that, to fill +up the time, she now and then amused herself in curing their +wounds with an excellent anodyne of her own invention, for this +good princess abhorred being indolent.</p> +<p>Vathek, who was not altogether so active as his mother, +devoted his time to the sole gratification of his senses, in the +palaces which were severally dedicated to them; he disgusted +himself no more with the Divan or the Mosque. One half of +Samarah followed his example, whilst the other lamented the +progress of corruption.</p> +<p>In the midst of these transactions the embassy returned which +had been sent in pious times to Mecca. It consisted of the +most reverend Moullahs, who had fulfilled their commission and +brought back one of those precious besoms which are used to sweep +the sacred Caaba: a present truly worthy of the greatest +potentate on earth!</p> +<p>The Caliph happened at this instant to be engaged in an +apartment by no means adapted to the reception of embassies, +though adorned with a certain magnificence, not only to render it +agreeable, but also because he resorted to it frequently, and +stayed a considerable time together. Whilst occupied in +this retreat he heard the voice of Bababalouk calling out from +between the door and the tapestry that hung before it: +“Here are the excellent Mahomet Ebn Edris al Shafei, and +the seraphic Al Mouhadethin, who have brought the besom from +Mecca, and with tears of joy intreat they may present it to your +majesty in person.”</p> +<p>“Let them bring the besom hither; it may be of +use,” said Vathek, who was still employed, not having quite +racked off his wine.</p> +<p>“How!” said Bababalouk, half aloud and amazed.</p> +<p>“Obey,” replied the Caliph, “for it is my +sovereign will; go instantly, vanish; for here will I receive the +good folk, who have thus filled thee with joy.”</p> +<p>The eunuch departed muttering, and bade the venerable train +attend him. A sacred rapture was diffused amongst these +reverend old men. Though fatigued with the length of their +expedition, they followed Bababalouk with an alertness almost +miraculous, and felt themselves highly flattered, as they swept +along the stately porticoes, that the Caliph would not receive +them like ambassadors in ordinary in his hall of audience. +Soon reaching the interior of the harem (where, through blinds of +Persian, they perceived large soft eyes, dark and blue, that went +and came like lightning), penetrated with respect and wonder, and +full of their celestial mission, they advanced in procession +towards the small corridors that appeared to terminate in +nothing, but nevertheless led to the cell where the Caliph +expected their coming.</p> +<p>“What! is the Commander of the Faithful sick?” +said Ebn Edris al Shafei in a low voice to his companion.</p> +<p>“I rather think he is in his oratory,” answered Al +Mouhadethin.</p> +<p>Vathek, who heard the dialogue, cried out: “What imports +it you how I am employed? approach without delay.”</p> +<p>They advanced, and Bababalouk almost sunk with confusion, +whilst the Caliph, without showing himself, put forth his hand +from behind the tapestry that hung before the door, and demanded +of them the besom. Having prostrated themselves as well as +the corridor would permit, and even in a tolerable semicircle, +the venerable Al Shafei, drawing forth the besom from the +embroidered and perfumed scarves in which it had been enveloped, +and secured from the profane gaze of vulgar eyes, arose from his +associates, and advanced, with an air of the most awful +solemnity, towards the supposed oratory; but with what +astonishment! with what horror was he seized! Vathek, +bursting out into a villainous laugh, snatched the besom from his +trembling hand, and, fixing upon some cobwebs that hung suspended +from the ceiling, gravely brushed away till not a single one +remained. The old men, overpowered with amazement, were +unable to lift their beards from the ground; for, as Vathek had +carelessly left the tapestry between them half drawn, they were +witnesses to the whole transaction; their tears gushed forth on +the marble; Al Mouhadethin swooned through mortification and +fatigue; whilst the Caliph, throwing himself backward on his +seat, shouted and clapped his hands without mercy. At last, +addressing himself to Bababalouk: “My dear black,” +said he, “go, regale these pious poor souls with my good +wine from Shiraz; and, as they can boast of having seen more of +my palace than any one besides, let them also visit my office +courts, and lead them out by the back steps that go to my +stables.” Having said this, he threw the besom in +their face, and went to enjoy the laugh with Carathis. +Bababalouk did all in his power to console the ambassadors, but +the two most infirm expired on the spot; the rest were carried to +their beds, from whence, being heart-broken with sorrow and +shame, they never arose.</p> +<p>The succeeding night Vathek, attended by his mother, ascended +the tower to see if everything were ready for his journey; for he +had great faith in the influence of the stars. The planets +appeared in their most favourable aspects. The Caliph, to +enjoy so flattering a sight, supped gaily on the roof, and +fancied that he heard during his repast loud shouts of laughter +resound through the sky, in a manner that inspired the fullest +assurance.</p> +<p>All was in motion at the palace; lights were kept burning +through the whole of the night; the sound of implements and of +artisans finishing their work, the voices of women and their +guardians who sung at their embroidery, all conspired to +interrupt the stillness of nature and infinitely delight the +heart of Vathek, who imagined himself going in triumph to sit +upon the throne of Soliman.</p> +<p>The people were not less satisfied than himself; all assisted +to accelerate the moment which should rescue them from the +wayward caprices of so extravagant a master.</p> +<p>The day preceding the departure of this infatuated prince was +employed by Carathis in repeating to him the decrees of the +mysterious parchment, which she had thoroughly gotten by heart, +and in recommending him not to enter the habitation of any one by +the way; “for well thou knowest,” added she, +“how liquorish thy taste is after good dishes and young +damsels; let me, therefore, enjoin thee to be content with thy +old cooks, who are the best in the world, and not to forget that +in thy ambulatory seraglio there are three dozen pretty faces, +which Bababalouk hath not yet unveiled. I myself have a +great desire to watch over thy conduct, and visit the +subterranean palace, which no doubt contains whatever can +interest persons like us; there is nothing so pleasing as +retiring to caverns; my taste for dead bodies and everything like +mummy is decided; and I am confident thou wilt see the most +exquisite of their kind. Forget me not, then, but the +moment thou art in possession of the talismans which are to open +to thee the mineral kingdoms and the centre of the earth itself, +fail not to despatch some trusty genius to take me and my +cabinet, for the oil of the serpents I have pinched to death will +be a pretty present to the Giaour, who cannot but be charmed with +such dainties.”</p> +<p>Scarcely had Carathis ended this edifying discourse when the +sun, setting behind the mountain of the Four Fountains, gave +place to the rising moon; this planet, being that evening at +full, appeared of unusual beauty and magnitude in the eyes of the +women, the eunuchs, and the pages, who were all impatient to set +forward. The city re-echoed with shouts of joy and +flourishing of trumpets; nothing was visible but plumes nodding +on pavilions, and aigrets shining in the mild lustre of the moon; +the spacious square resembled an immense parterre, variegated +with the most stately tulips of the East.</p> +<p>Arrayed in the robes which were only worn at the most +distinguished ceremonials, and supported by his Vizir and +Bababalouk, the Caliph descended the grand staircase of the tower +in the sight of all his people; he could not forbear pausing at +intervals to admire the superb appearance which everywhere +courted his view, whilst the whole multitude, even to the camels +with their sumptuous burdens, knelt down before him. For +some time a general stillness prevailed, which nothing happened +to disturb but the shrill screams of some eunuchs in the rear; +these vigilant guards, having remarked certain cages of the +ladies swagging somewhat awry, and discovered that a few +adventurous gallants had contrived to get in, soon dislodged the +enraptured culprits. The majesty of so magnificent a +spectacle was not, however, violated by incidents like +these. Vathek meanwhile saluted the moon with an idolatrous +air, that neither pleased Morakanabad nor the Doctors of the Law, +any more than the vizirs and the grandees of his court, who were +all assembled to enjoy the last view of their sovereign.</p> +<p>At length the clarions and trumpets from the top of the tower +announced the prelude of departure; though the instruments were +in unison with each other, yet a singular dissonance was blended +with their sounds; this proceeded from Carathis, who was singing +her direful orisons to the Giaour, whilst the negresses and mutes +supplied thorough-base without articulating a word. The +good Mussulmans fancied that they heard the sullen hum of those +nocturnal insects which presage evil, and importuned Vathek to +beware how he ventured his sacred person.</p> +<p>On a given signal the great standard of the Califat was +displayed, twenty thousand lances shone around it, and the +Caliph, treading loyally on the cloth of gold which had been +spread for his feet, ascended his litter amidst the general awe +that possessed his subjects.</p> +<p>The expedition commenced with the utmost order and so entire a +silence, that even the locusts were heard from the thickets on +the plain of Catoul. Gaiety and good-humour prevailing, six +good leagues were past before the dawn; and the morning star was +still glittering in the firmament when the whole of this numerous +train had halted on the banks of the Tigris, where they encamped +to repose for the rest of the day.</p> +<p>The three days that followed were spent in the same manner; +but on the fourth the heavens looked angry, lightnings broke +forth in frequent flashes, re-echoing peals of thunder succeeded, +and the trembling Circassians clung with all their might to their +ugly guardians. The Caliph himself was greatly inclined to +take shelter in the large town of Gulchissar, the governor of +which came forth to meet him, and tendered every kind of +refreshment the place could supply; but, having examined his +tablets, he suffered the rain to soak him almost to the bone, +notwithstanding the importunity of his first favourites. +Though he began to regret the palace of the senses, yet he lost +not sight of his enterprise, and his sanguine expectations +confirmed his resolution; his geographers were ordered to attend +him, but the weather proved so terrible that these poor people +exhibited a lamentable appearance; and, as no long journeys had +been undertaken since the time of Haroun al Raschid, their maps +of the different countries were in a still worse plight than +themselves; every one was ignorant which way to turn; for Vathek, +though well versed in the course of the heavens, no longer knew +his situation on earth; he thundered even louder than the +elements, and muttered forth certain hints of the bow-string, +which were not very soothing to literary ears. Disgusted at +the toilsome weariness of the way, he determined to cross over +the craggy heights and follow the guidance of a peasant, who +undertook to bring him in four days to Rocnabad. +Remonstrances were all to no purpose; his resolution was fixed, +and an invasion commenced on the province of the goats, who sped +away in large troops before them. It was curious to view on +these half calcined rocks camels richly caparisoned, and +pavilions of gold and silk waving on their summits, which till +then had never been covered but with sapless thistles and +fern.</p> +<p>The females and eunuchs uttered shrill wailings at the sight +of the precipices below them, and the dreary prospects that +opened in the vast gorges of the mountains. Before they +could reach the ascent of the steepest rock, night overtook them, +and a boisterous tempest arose, which, having rent the awnings of +the palanquins and cages, exposed to the raw gusts the poor +ladies within, who had never before felt so piercing a +cold. The dark clouds that overcast the face of the sky +deepened the horrors of this disastrous night, insomuch that +nothing could be heard distinctly but the mewling of pages and +lamentations of sultanas.</p> +<p>To increase the general misfortune, the frightful uproar of +wild beasts resounded at a distance, and there were soon +perceived, in the forest they were skirting, the glaring of eyes +which could belong only to devils or tigers. The pioneers, +who, as well as they could, had marked out a track, and a part of +the advanced guard were devoured before they had been in the +least apprized of their danger. The confusion that +prevailed was extreme; wolves, tigers, and other carnivorous +animals, invited by the howling of their companions, flocked +together from every quarter; the crashing of bones was heard on +all sides, and a fearful rush of wings overhead, for now vultures +also began to be of the party.</p> +<p>The terror at length reached the main body of the troops which +surrounded the monarch and his harem, at the distance of two +leagues from the scene. Vathek (voluptuously reposed in his +capacious litter upon cushions of silk, with two little pages +beside him of complexions more fair than the enamel of +Franguestan, who were occupied in keeping off flies) was soundly +asleep, and contemplating in his dreams the treasures of +Soliman. The shrieks, however, of his wives awoke him with +a start, and, instead of the Giaour with his key of gold, he +beheld Bababalouk full of consternation.</p> +<p>“Sire,” exclaimed this good servant of the most +potent of monarchs, “misfortune is arrived at its height; +wild beasts, who entertain no more reverence for your sacred +person than for that of a dead ass, have beset your camels and +their drivers; thirty of the richest laden are already become +their prey, as well as your confectioners, your cooks, and +purveyors; and, unless our holy Prophet should protect us, we +shall have all eaten our last meal.”</p> +<p>At the mention of eating the Caliph lost all patience; he +began to bellow, and even beat himself (for there was no seeing +in the dark). The rumour every instant increased, and +Bababalouk, finding no good could be done with his master, +stopped both his ears against the hurly-burly of the harem, and +called out aloud: “Come, ladies and brothers! all hands to +work! strike light in a moment! never shall it be said that the +Commander of the Faithful served to regale these infidel +brutes.”</p> +<p>Though there wanted not in this bevy of beauties a sufficient +number of capricious and wayward, yet on the present occasion +they were all compliance; fires were visible in a twinkling in +all their cages; ten thousand torches were lighted at once; the +Caliph himself seized a large one of wax; every person followed +his example, and, by kindling ropes’ ends dipped in oil and +fastened on poles, an amazing blaze was spread. The rocks +were covered with the splendour of sunshine; the trails of sparks +wafted by the wind communicated to the dry fern, of which there +was plenty. Serpents were observed to crawl forth from +their retreats with amazement and hissings, whilst the horses +snorted, stamped the ground, tossed their noses in the air, and +plunged about without mercy.</p> +<p>One of the forests of cedar that bordered their way took fire, +and the branches that overhung the path, extending their flames +to the muslins and chintzes which covered the cages of the +ladies, obliged them to jump out, at the peril of their +necks. Vathek, who vented on the occasion a thousand +blasphemies, was himself compelled to touch with his sacred feet +the naked earth.</p> +<p>Never had such an incident happened before. Full of +mortification, shame, and despondence, and not knowing how to +walk, the ladies fell into the dirt. “Must I go on +foot?” said one; “Must I wet my feet?” cried +another; “Must I soil my dress?” asked a third; +“Execrable Bababalouk!” exclaimed all; “Outcast +of hell! what hadst thou to do with torches? Better were it +to be eaten by tigers than to fall into our present condition! we +are for ever undone! Not a porter is there in the army, nor +a currier of camels, but hath seen some part of our bodies, and, +what is worse, our very faces!” On saying this the +most bashful amongst them hid their foreheads on the ground, +whist such as had more boldness flew at Bababalouk; but he, well +apprized of their humour, and not wanting in shrewdness, betook +himself to his heels along with his comrades, all dropping their +torches and striking their tymbals.</p> +<p>It was not less light than in the brightest of the dog-days, +and the weather was hot in proportion; but how degrading was the +spectacle, to behold the Caliph bespattered like an ordinary +mortal! As the exercise of his faculties seemed to be +suspended, one of his Ethiopian wives (for he delighted in +variety) clasped him in her arms, threw him upon her shoulder +like a sack of dates, and finding that the fire was hemming them +in, set off with no small expedition, considering the weight of +her burden. The other ladies, who had just learnt the use +of their feet, followed her, their guards galloped after, and the +camel-drivers brought up the rear as fast as their charge would +permit.</p> +<p>They soon reached the spot where the wild beasts had commenced +the carnage, and which they had too much spirit to leave, +notwithstanding the approaching tumult and the luxurious supper +they had made; Bababalouk nevertheless seized on a few of the +plumpest, which were unable to budge from the place, and began to +flay them with admirable adroitness. The cavalcade being +got so far from the conflagration as that the heat felt rather +grateful than violent, it was immediately resolved on to +halt. The tattered chintzes were picked up, the scraps left +by the wolves and tigers interred, and vengeance was taken on +some dozens of vultures that were too much glutted to rise on the +wing. The camels, which had been left unmolested to make +sal ammoniac, being numbered, and the ladies once more enclosed +in their cages, the imperial tent was pitched on the levellest +ground they could find.</p> +<p>Vathek, reposing upon a mattress of down, and tolerably +recovered from the jolting of the Ethiopian, who to his feelings +seemed the roughest trotting jade he had hitherto mounted, called +out for something to eat. But, alas! those delicate cakes +which had been baked in silver ovens for his royal mouth, those +rich manchets, amber comfits, flagons of Schiraz wine, porcelain +vases of snow, and grapes from the banks of the Tigris, were all +irremediably lost! And nothing had Bababalouk to present in +their stead but a roasted wolf, vultures <i>à la +daube</i>, aromatic herbs of the most acrid poignancy, rotten +truffles, boiled thistles, and such other wild plants as most +ulcerate the throat and parch up the tongue. Nor was he +better provided in the article of drink, for he could procure +nothing to accompany these irritating viands but a few vials of +abominable brandy, which had been secreted by the scullions in +their slippers.</p> +<p>Vathek made wry faces at so savage a repast, and Bababalouk +answered them with shrugs and contortions; the Caliph, however, +ate with tolerable appetite, and fell into a nap that lasted six +hours. The splendour of the sun reflected from the white +cliffs of the mountains, in spite of the curtains that enclosed +him, at length disturbed his repose; he awoke terrified, and +stung to the quick by those wormwood-coloured flies, which emit +from their wings a suffocating stench. The miserable +monarch was perplexed how to act, though his wits were not idle +in seeking expedients, whilst Bababalouk lay snoring amidst a +swarm of those insects, that busily thronged to pay court to his +nose. The little pages, famished with hunger, had dropped +their fans on the ground, and exerted their dying voices in +bitter reproaches on the Caliph, who now for the first time heard +the language of truth.</p> +<p>Thus stimulated, he renewed his imprecations against the +Giaour, and bestowed upon Mahomet some soothing +expressions. “Where am I?” cried he; +“what are these dreadful rocks? these valleys of darkness? +are we arrived at the horrible Kaf? is the Simurgh coming to +pluck out my eyes, as a punishment for undertaking this impious +enterprise!” Having said this, he bellowed like a +calf and turned himself towards an outlet in the side of his +pavilion; but, alas! what objects occurred to his view! on one +side a plain of black sand that appeared to be unbounded, and on +the other perpendicular crags, bristled over with those +abominable thistles which had so severely lacerated his +tongue. He fancied, however, that he perceived, amongst the +brambles and briers, some gigantic flowers, but was mistaken; for +these were only the dangling palampores and variegated tatters of +his gay retinue. As there were several clefts in the rock +from whence water seemed to have flowed, Vathek applied his ear, +with the hope of catching the sound of some latent runnel, but +could only distinguish the low murmurs of his people, who were +repining at their journey, and complaining for the want of +water.</p> +<p>“To what purpose,” asked they, “have we been +brought hither? Hath our Caliph another tower to build? or +have the relentless Afrits, whom Carathis so much loves, fixed in +this place their abode?”</p> +<p>At the name of Carathis Vathek recollected the tablets he had +received from his mother, who assured him they were fraught with +preternatural qualities, and advised him to consult them as +emergencies might require. Whilst he was engaged in turning +them over he heard a shout of joy and a loud clapping of hands; +the curtains of his pavilion were soon drawn back, and he beheld +Bababalouk, followed by a troop of his favourites, conducting two +dwarfs, each a cubit high, who brought between them a large +basket of melons, oranges, and pomegranates. They were +singing in the sweetest tones the words that follow:</p> +<p>“We dwell on the top of these rocks in a cabin of rushes +and canes; the eagles envy us our nest; a small spring supplies +us with Abdest, and we daily repeat prayers which the Prophet +approves. We love you, O Commander of the Faithful! our +master, the good Emir Fakreddin, loves you also; he reveres in +your person the vicegerent of Mahomet. Little as we are, in +us he confides; he knows our hearts to be good as our bodies are +contemptible, and hath placed us here to aid those who are +bewildered on these dreary mountains. Last night, whilst we +were occupied within our cell in reading the holy Koran, a sudden +hurricane blew out our lights and rocked our habitation; for two +whole hours a palpable darkness prevailed, but we heard sounds at +a distance which we conjectured to proceed from the bells of a +Cafila passing over the rocks; our ears were soon filled with +deplorable shrieks, frightful roarings, and the sound of +tymbals. Chilled with terror, we concluded that the +Deggial, with his exterminating angels, had sent forth their +plagues on the earth. In the midst of these melancholy +reflections we perceived flames of the deepest red glow in the +horizon, and found ourselves in a few moments covered with flakes +of fire; amazed at so strange an appearance, we took up the +volume dictated by the blessed Intelligence, and, kneeling by the +light of the fire that surrounded us, we recited the verse which +says: ‘Put no trust in anything but the mercy of Heaven; +there is no help save in the holy Prophet; the mountain of Kaf +itself may tremble, it is the power of Allah only that cannot be +moved.’ After having pronounced these words we felt +consolation, and our minds were hushed into a sacred repose; +silence ensued, and our ears clearly distinguished a voice in the +air, saying: ‘Servants of my faithful servant! go down to +the happy valley of Fakreddin; tell him that an illustrious +opportunity now offers to satiate the thirst of his hospitable +heart. The Commander of true believers is this day +bewildered amongst these mountains, and stands in need of thy +aid.’ We obeyed with joy the angelic mission, and our +master, filled with pious zeal, hath culled with his own hands +these melons, oranges, and pomegranates; he is following us with +a hundred dromedaries laden with the purest waters of his +fountains, and is coming to kiss the fringe of your consecrated +robe, and implore you to enter his humble habitation, which, +placed amidst these barren wilds, resembles an emerald set in +lead.” The dwarfs, having ended their address, +remained still standing, and, with hands crossed upon their +bosoms, preserved a respectful silence.</p> +<p>Vathek in the midst of this curious harangue, seized the +basket, and long before it was finished the fruits had dissolved +in his mouth; as he continued to eat his piety increased, and in +the same breath which recited his prayers he called for the Koran +and sugar.</p> +<p>Such was the state of his mind when the tablets, which were +thrown by at the approach of the dwarfs, again attracted his eye; +he took them up, but was ready to drop on the ground when he +beheld, in large red characters, these words inscribed by +Carathis, which were indeed enough to make him tremble:</p> +<p>“Beware of thy old doctors, and their puny messengers of +but one cubit high; distrust their pious frauds, and, instead of +eating their melons, impale on a spit the bearers of them. +Shouldst thou be such a fool as to visit them, the portal of the +subterranean palace will be shut in thy face, and with such force +as shall shake thee asunder; thy body shall be spit upon, and +bats will engender in thy belly.”</p> +<p>“To what tends this ominous rhapsody?” cries the +Caliph. “And must I then perish in these deserts with +thirst, whilst I may refresh myself in the valley of melons and +cucumbers! Accursed be the Giaour, with his portal of +ebony! he hath made me dance attendance too long already. +Besides, who shall prescribe laws to me? I forsooth must +not enter any one’s habitation! Be it so; but what +one can I enter that is not my own?”</p> +<p>Bababalouk, who lost not a syllable of this soliloquy, +applauded it with all his heart, and the ladies for the first +time agreed with him in opinion.</p> +<p>The dwarfs were entertained, caressed, and seated with great +ceremony on little cushions of satin. The symmetry of their +persons was the subject of criticism; not an inch of them was +suffered to pass unexamined; knick-knacks and dainties were +offered in profusion, but all were declined with respectful +gravity. They clambered up the sides of the Caliph’s +seat, and, placing themselves each on one of his shoulders, began +to whisper prayers in his ears; their tongues quivered like the +leaves of a poplar, and the patience of Vathek was almost +exhausted, when the acclamations of the troops announced the +approach of Fakreddin, who was come with a hundred old +grey-beards and as many Korans and dromedaries; they instantly +set about their ablutions, and began to repeat the Bismillah; +Vathek, to get rid of these officious monitors, followed their +example, for his hands were burning.</p> +<p>The good Emir, who was punctiliously religious, and likewise a +great dealer in compliments, made an harangue five times more +prolix and insipid than his harbingers had already +delivered. The Caliph, unable any longer to refrain, +exclaimed—</p> +<p>“For the love of Mahomet, my dear Fakreddin, have done! +let us proceed to your valley, and enjoy the fruits that Heaven +hath vouchsafed you.”</p> +<p>The hint of proceeding put all into motion; the venerable +attendants of the Emir set forward somewhat slowly, but Vathek, +having ordered his little pages in private to goad on the +dromedaries, loud fits of laughter broke forth from the cages, +for the unwieldy curvetting of these poor beasts, and the +ridiculous distress of their superannuated riders, afforded the +ladies no small entertainment.</p> +<p>They descended, however, unhurt into the valley, by the large +steps which the Emir had cut in the rock; and already the +murmuring of streams and the rustling of leaves began to catch +their attention. The cavalcade soon entered a path which +was skirted by flowering shrubs, and extended to a vast wood of +palm-trees, whose branches overspread a building of hewn +stone. This edifice was crowned with nine domes, and +adorned with as many portals of bronze, on which was engraven the +following inscription: “This is the asylum of pilgrims, the +refuge of travellers, and the depository of secrets for all parts +of the world.”</p> +<p>Nine pages, beautiful as the day, and clothed in robes of +Egyptian linen, very long and very modest, were standing at each +door. They received the whole retinue with an easy and +inviting air. Four of the most amiable placed the Caliph on +a magnificent taktrevan, four others, somewhat less graceful, +took charge of Bababalouk, who capered for joy at the snug little +cabin that fell to his share; the pages that remained waited on +the rest of the train.</p> +<p>When everything masculine was gone out of sight the gate of a +large enclosure on the right turned on its harmonious hinges and +a young female of a slender form came forth; her light brown hair +floated in the hazy breeze of the twilight; a troop of young +maidens, like the Pleiades, attended her on tip-toe. They +hastened to the pavilions that contained the sultanas, and the +young lady, gracefully bending, said to them:</p> +<p>“Charming Princesses, everything is ready; we have +prepared beds for your repose, and strewed your apartments with +jasmine; no insects will keep off slumber from visiting your +eyelids, we will dispel them with a thousand plumes; come then, +amiable ladies! refresh your delicate feet and your ivory limbs +in baths of rose water; and, by the light of perfumed lamps your +servants will amuse you with tales.”</p> +<p>The sultanas accepted with pleasure these obliging offers, and +followed the young lady to the Emir’s harem, where we must +for a moment leave them, and return to the Caliph.</p> +<p>Vathek found himself beneath a vast dome, illuminated by a +thousand lamps of rock crystal; as many vases of the same +material, filled with excellent sherbet, sparkled on a large +table, where a profusion of viands were spread; amongst others +were sweetbreads stewed in milk of almonds, saffron soups, and +lamb <i>à la crême</i>, of all which the Caliph was +amazingly fond. He took of each as much as he was able, +testified his sense of the Emir’s friendship by the gaiety +of his heart, and made the dwarfs dance against their will, for +these little devotees durst not refuse the Commander of the +Faithful; at last he spread himself on the sofa, and slept +sounder than he had ever before.</p> +<p>Beneath this dome a general silence prevailed, for there was +nothing to disturb it but the jaws of Bababalouk, who had +untrussed himself to eat with greater advantage, being anxious to +make amends for his fast in the mountains. As his spirits +were too high to admit of his sleeping, and not loving to be +idle, he proposed with himself to visit the harem, and repair to +his charge of the ladies, to examine if they had been properly +lubricated with the balm of Mecca, if their eyebrows and tresses +were in order, and, in a word, to perform all the little offices +they might need. He sought for a long time together, but +without being able to find out the door; he durst not speak +aloud, for fear of disturbing the Caliph, and not a soul was +stirring in the precincts of the palace; he almost despaired of +effecting his purpose, when a low whispering just reached his +ear; it came from the dwarfs who were returned to their old +occupation, and for the nine hundred and ninety-ninth time in +their lives, were reading over the Koran. They very +politely invited Bababalouk to be of their party, but his head +was full of other concerns. The dwarfs, though scandalised +at his dissolute morals, directed him to the apartments he wanted +to find; his way thither lay through a hundred dark corridors, +along which he groped as he went, and at last began to catch from +the extremity of a passage the charming gossiping of the women, +which not a little delighted his heart. “Ah, ha! +what, not yet asleep!” cried he; and, taking long strides +as he spoke. “Did you not suspect me of abjuring my +charge? I stayed but to finish what my master had +left.”</p> +<p>Two of the black eunuchs, on hearing a voice so loud, detached +a party in haste, sabre in hand, to discover the cause; but +presently was repeated on all sides: “’Tis only +Bababalouk! no one but Bababalouk!” This circumspect +guardian, having gone up to a thin veil of carnation-coloured +silk that hung before the doorway, distinguished, by means of the +softened splendour that shone through it, an oval bath of dark +porphyry, surrounded by curtains festooned in large folds; +through the apertures between them, as they were not drawn close, +groups of young slaves were visible, amongst whom Bababalouk +perceived his pupils, indulgingly expanding their arms, as if to +embrace the perfumed water and refresh themselves after their +fatigues. The looks of tender languor, their confidential +whispers, and the enchanting smiles with which they were +imparted, the exquisite fragrance of the roses, all combined to +inspire a voluptuousness, which even Bababalouk himself was +scarce able to withstand.</p> +<p>He summoned up, however, his usual solemnity, and, in the +peremptory tone of authority, commanded the ladies instantly to +leave the bath. Whilst he was issuing these mandates the +young Nouronihar, daughter of the Emir, who was sprightly as an +antelope, and full of wanton gaiety, beckoned one of her slaves +to let down the great swing, which was suspended to the ceiling +by cords of silk, and whilst this was doing, winked to her +companions in the bath, who, chagrined to be forced from so +soothing a state of indolence, began to twist it round +Bababalouk, and tease him with a thousand vagaries.</p> +<p>When Nouronihar perceived that he was exhausted with fatigue, +she accosted him with an arch air of respectful concern, and +said: “My lord, it is not by any means decent that the +chief eunuch of the Caliph, our Sovereign, should thus continue +standing; deign but to recline your graceful person upon this +sofa, which will burst with vexation if it have not the honour to +receive you.”</p> +<p>Caught by these flattering accents, Bababalouk gallantly +replied: “Delight of the apple of my eye! I accept +the invitation of thy honeyed lips; and, to say truth, my senses +are dazzled with the radiance that beams from thy +charms.”</p> +<p>“Repose, then, at your ease,” replied the beauty, +and placed him on the pretended sofa, which, quicker than +lightning, gave way all at once. The rest of the women, +having aptly conceived her design, sprang naked from the bath, +and plied the swing with such unmerciful jerks, that it swept +through the whole compass of a very lofty dome, and took from the +poor victim all power of respiration; sometimes his feet rased +the surface of the water, and at others the skylight almost +flattened his nose; in vain did he pierce the air with the cries +of a voice that resembled the ringing of a cracked basin, for +their peals of laughter were still more predominant.</p> +<p>Nouronihar, in the inebriety of youthful spirits, being used +only to eunuchs of ordinary harems, and having never seen +anything so royal and disgusting, was far more diverted than all +of the rest; she began to parody some Persian verses, and sang +with an accent most demurely piquant:</p> +<blockquote><p>“O gentle white dove, as thou soar’st +through the air,<br /> +Vouchsafe one kind glance on the mate of thy love;<br /> +Melodious Philomel, I am thy rose;<br /> +Warble some couplet to ravish my heart!”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>The sultanas and their slaves, stimulated by these +pleasantries, persevered at the swing with such unremitted +assiduity, that at length the cord which had secured it snapped +suddenly asunder, and Bababalouk fell floundering like a turtle +to the bottom of the bath. This accident occasioned a +universal shout; twelve little doors, till now unobserved, flew +open at once, and the ladies in an instant made their escape, +after throwing all the towels on his head, and putting out the +lights that remained.</p> +<p>The deplorable animal, in water to the chin, overwhelmed with +darkness, and unable to extricate himself from the wrap that +embarrassed him, was still doomed to hear for his further +consolation the fresh bursts of merriment his disaster +occasioned. He bustled, but in vain, to get from the bath, +for the margin was become so slippery with the oil spilt in +breaking the lamps, that at every effort he slid back with a +plunge, which resounded aloud through the hollow of the +dome. These cursed peals of laughter at every relapse were +redoubled; and he, who thought the place infested rather by +devils than women, resolved to cease groping, and abide in the +bath, where he amused himself with soliloquies, interspersed with +imprecations, of which his malicious neighbours reclining on down +suffered not an accent to escape. In this delectable plight +the morning surprised him. The Caliph, wondering at his +absence, had caused him to be everywhere sought for. At +last he was drawn forth, almost smothered from the wisp of linen, +and wet even to the marrow. Limping and chattering his +teeth, he appeared before his master, who inquired what was the +matter, and how he came soused in so strange a pickle.</p> +<p>“And why did you enter this cursed lodge?” +answered Bababalouk, gruffly. “Ought a monarch like +you to visit with his harem the abode of a grey-bearded Emir, who +knows nothing of life? And with what gracious damsels doth +the place, too, abound! Fancy to yourself how they have +soaked me like a burnt crust, and made me dance like a +jack-pudding the live-long night through, on their damnable +swing! What an excellent lesson for your sultanas to +follow, into whom I have instilled such reserve and +decorum!”</p> +<p>Vathek, comprehending not a syllable of all this invective, +obliged him to relate minutely the transaction; but instead of +sympathising with the miserable sufferer, he laughed immoderately +at the device of the swing, and the figure of Bababalouk mounting +upon it. The stung eunuch could scarcely preserve the +semblance of respect.</p> +<p>“Ay, laugh, my lord! laugh,” said he; “but I +wish this Nouronihar would play some trick on you; she is too +wicked to spare even majesty itself.”</p> +<p>Those words made for the present but a slight impression on +the Caliph; but they not long after recurred to his mind.</p> +<p>This conversation was cut short by Fakreddin, who came to +request that Vathek would join in the prayers and ablutions to be +solemnised on a spacious meadow, watered by innumerable +streams. The Caliph found the waters refreshing, but the +prayers abominably irksome; he diverted himself, however, with +the multitude of Calenders, Santons, and Dervises, who were +continually coming and going, but especially with the Brahmins, +Fakirs, and other enthusiasts, who had travelled from the heart +of India, and halted on their way with the Emir. These +latter had, each of them, some mummery peculiar to himself. +One dragged a huge chain wherever he went, another an +ouranoutang, whilst a third was furnished with scourges, and all +performed to a charm; some clambered up trees, holding one foot +in the air; others poised themselves over a fire, and without +mercy filliped their noses. There were some amongst them +that cherished vermin, which were not ungrateful in requiting +their caresses. These rambling fanatics revolted the hearts +of the Dervises, the Calenders, and Santons; however, the +vehemence of their aversion soon subsided, under the hope that +the presence of the Caliph would cure their folly, and convert +them to the Mussulman faith; but, alas! how great was their +disappointment! for Vathek, instead of preaching to them, treated +them as buffoons, bade them present his compliments to Visnow and +Ixhora, and discovered a predilection for a squat old man from +the isle of Serendib, who was more ridiculous than any of the +rest.</p> +<p>“Come!” said he, “for the love of your gods +bestow a few slaps on your chops to amuse me.”</p> +<p>The old fellow, offended at such an address, began loudly to +weep; but, as he betrayed a villainous drivelling in his tears, +the Caliph turned his back and listened to Bababalouk, who +whispered, whilst he held the umbrella over him: “Your +Majesty should be cautious of this odd assembly which hath been +collected I know not for what. Is it necessary to exhibit +such spectacles to a mighty potentate, with interludes of +Talapoins more mangy than dogs? Were I you, I would command +a fire to be kindled, and at once purge the earth of the Emir, +his harem, and all his menagerie.”</p> +<p>“Tush, dolt!” answered Vathek; “and know +that all this infinitely charms me; nor shall I leave the meadow +till I have visited every hive of these pious +mendicants.”</p> +<p>Wherever the Caliph directed his course objects of pity were +sure to swarm round him: the blind, the purblind, smarts without +noses, damsels without ears, each to extol the munificence of +Fakreddin, who, as well as his attendant grey-beards, dealt about +gratis plasters and cataplasms to all that applied. At noon +a superb corps of cripples made its appearance, and soon after +advanced by platoons on the plain, the completest association of +invalids that had ever been embodied till then. The blind +went groping with the blind, the lame limped on together, and the +maimed made gestures to each other with the only arm that +remained; the sides of a considerable waterfall were crowded by +the deaf, amongst whom were some from Pegû with ears +uncommonly handsome and large, but were still less able to hear +than the rest; nor were there wanting others in abundance with +humpbacks, wenny necks, and even horns of an exquisite +polish.</p> +<p>The Emir, to aggrandise the solemnity of the festival in +honour of his illustrious visitant, ordered the turf to be spread +on all sides with skins and table-cloths, upon which were served +up for the good Mussulmans pilaus of every line, with other +orthodox dishes; and, by the express order of Vathek, who was +shamefully tolerant, small plates of abominations for regaling +the rest. This prince, on seeing so many mouths put in +motion, began to think it time for employing his own; in spite, +therefore, of every remonstrance from the chief of his eunuchs, +he resolved to have a dinner dressed on the spot. The +complaisant Emir immediately gave orders for a table to be placed +in the shade of the willows. The first service consisted of +fish, which they drew from a river flowing over sands of gold at +the foot of a lofty hill; these were broiled as fast as taken, +and served up with a sauce of vinegar, and small herbs that grow +on Mount Sinai; for everything with the Emir was excellent and +pious.</p> +<p>The dessert was not quite set on when the sound of lutes from +the hill was repeated by the echoes of the neighbouring +mountains. The Caliph, with an emotion of pleasure and +surprise, had no sooner raised up his head than a handful of +jasmine dropped on his face; an abundance of tittering succeeded +the frolic, and instantly appeared through the bushes the elegant +forms of several young females, skipping and bounding like +roes. The fragrance diffused from their hair struck the +sense of Vathek, who, in an ecstasy, suspending his repast, said +to Bababalouk:</p> +<p>“Are the Peris come down from their spheres? Note +her in particular whose form is so perfect, venturously running +on the brink of the precipice, and turning back her head, as +regardless of nothing but the graceful flow of her robe; with +what captivating impatience doth she contend with the bushes for +her veil! could it be she who threw the jasmine at me?”</p> +<p>“Ay! she it was; and you too would she throw from the +top of the rock,” answered Bababalouk; “for that is +my good friend Nouronihar, who so kindly lent me her swing; my +dear lord and master,” added he, twisting a twig that hung +by the rind from a willow, “let me correct her for want of +respect; the Emir will have no reason to complain, since (bating +what I owe to his piety) he is much to be censured for keeping a +troop of girls on the mountains, whose sharp air gives their +blood too brisk a circulation.”</p> +<p>“Peace, blasphemer!” said the Caliph; “speak +not thus of her who over her mountains leads my heart a willing +captive; contrive rather that my eyes may be fixed upon hers, +that I may respire her sweet breath, as she bounds panting along +these delightful wilds!” On saying these words, +Vathek extended his arms towards the hill, and directing his eyes +with an anxiety unknown to him before, endeavoured to keep within +view the object that enthralled his soul; but her course was as +difficult to follow as the flight of one of those beautiful blue +butterflies of Cashmere, which are at once so volatile and +rare.</p> +<p>The Caliph, not satisfied with seeing, wished also to hear +Nouronihar, and eagerly turned to catch the sound of her voice; +at last he distinguished her whispering to one of her companions +behind the thicket from whence she had thrown the jasmine: +“A Caliph, it must be owned, is a fine thing to see, but my +little Gulchenrouz is much more amiable; one lock of his hair is +of more value to me than the richest embroidery of the Indies; I +had rather that his teeth should mischievously press my finger +than the richest ring of the imperial treasure. Where have +you left him, Sutlememe? and why is he now not here?”</p> +<p>The agitated Caliph still wished to hear more, but she +immediately retired, with all her attendants; the fond monarch +pursued her with his eyes till she was gone out of sight, and +then continued like a bewildered and benighted traveller, from +whom the clouds had obscured the constellation that guided his +way; the curtain of night seemed dropped before him; everything +appeared discoloured; the falling waters filled his soul with +dejection, and his tears trickled down the jasmines he had caught +from Nouronihar, and placed in his inflamed bosom; he snatched up +a shining pebble, to remind him of the scene where he felt the +first tumults of love. Two hours were elapsed, and evening +drew on before he could resolve to depart from the place; he +often, but in vain, attempted to go; a soft languor enervated the +powers of his mind; extending himself on the brink of the stream, +he turned his eyes towards the blue summits of the mountain, and +exclaimed: “What concealest thou behind thee? what is +passing in thy solitudes? Whither is she gone? O +Heaven! perhaps she is now wandering in thy grottos, with her +happy Gulchenrouz!”</p> +<p>In the meantime the damps began to descend, and the Emir, +solicitous for the health of the Caliph, ordered the imperial +litter to be brought. Vathek, absorbed in his reveries, was +imperceptibly removed, and conveyed back to the saloon that +received him the evening before.</p> +<p>But let us leave the Caliph, immersed in his new passion, and +attend Nouronihar beyond the rocks, where she had again joined +her beloved Gulchenrouz. This Gulchenrouz was the son of +Ali Hassan, brother to the Emir, and the most delicate and lovely +creature in the world. Ali Hassan, who had been absent ten +years on a voyage to the unknown seas, committed at his departure +this child, the only survivor of many, to the care and protection +of his brother. Gulchenrouz could write in various +characters with precision, and paint upon vellum the most elegant +arabesques that fancy could devise; his sweet voice accompanied +the lute in the most enchanting manner, and when he sang the +loves of Megnoun and Leileh, or some unfortunate lovers of +ancient days, tears insensibly overflowed the cheeks of his +auditors; the verses he composed (for, like Megnoun, he too was a +poet) inspired that unresisting languor so frequently fatal to +the female heart; the women all doted upon him; for though he had +passed his thirteenth year, they still detained him in the harem; +his dancing was light as the gossamer waved by the zephyrs of +spring, but his arms, which twined so gracefully with those of +the young girls in the dance, could neither dart the lance in the +chase, nor curb the steeds that pastured his uncle’s +domains. The bow, however, he drew with a certain aim, and +would have excelled his competitors in the race, could he have +broken the ties that bound him to Nouronihar.</p> +<p>The two brothers had mutually engaged their children to each +other, and Nouronihar loved her cousin more than her eyes; both +had the same tastes and amusements, the same long, languishing +looks, the same tresses, the same fair complexions, and when +Gulchenrouz appeared in the dress of his cousin he seemed to be +more feminine than even herself. If at any time he left the +harem to visit Fakreddin, it was with all the bashfulness of a +fawn, that consciously ventures from the lair of its dam; he was +however, wanton enough to mock the solemn old grey-beards to whom +he was subject, though sure to be rated without mercy in return; +whenever this happened he would plunge into the recesses of the +harem, and sobbing, take refuge in the arms of Nouronihar, who +loved even his faults beyond the virtues of others.</p> +<p>It fell out this evening that, after leaving the Caliph in the +meadow, she ran with Gulchenrouz over the green sward of the +mountain that sheltered the vale where Fakreddin had chosen to +reside. The sun was dilated on the edge of the horizon; and +the young people, whose fancies were lively and inventive, +imagined they beheld in the gorgeous clouds of the west the domes +of Shadukiam and Amberabad, where the Peris have fixed their +abode. Nouronihar, sitting on the slope of the hill, +supported on her knees the perfumed head of Gulchenrouz; the air +was calm, and no sound stirred but the voices of other young +girls, who were drawing cool water from the streams below. +The unexpected arrival of the Caliph, and the splendour that +marked his appearance, had already filled with emotion the ardent +soul of Nouronihar; her vanity irresistibly prompted her to pique +the prince’s attention, and this she before took good care +to effect whilst he picked up the jasmine she had thrown upon +him. But when Gulchenrouz asked after the flowers he had +culled for her bosom, Nouronihar was all in confusion; she +hastily kissed his forehead, arose in a flutter, and walked with +unequal steps on the border of the precipice. Night +advanced, and the pure gold of the setting sun had yielded to a +sanguine red, the glow of which, like the reflection of a burning +furnace, flushed Nouronihar’s animated countenance. +Gulchenrouz, alarmed at the agitation of his cousin, said to her +with a supplicating accent:</p> +<p>“Let us be gone; the sky looks portentous, the tamarisks +tremble more than common, and the raw wind chills my very heart; +come! let us be gone; ’tis a melancholy night!”</p> +<p>Then, taking hold of her hand, he drew it towards the path he +besought her to go. Nouronihar unconsciously followed the +attraction, for a thousand strange imaginations occupied her +spirit; she passed the large round of honeysuckles, her favourite +resort, without ever vouchsafing it a glance, yet Gulchenrouz +could not help snatching off a few shoots in his way, though he +ran as if a wild beast were behind.</p> +<p>The young females seeing him approach in such haste, and +according to custom expecting a dance, instantly assembled in a +circle, and took each other by the hand; but Gulchenrouz, coming +up out of breath, fell down at once on the grass. This +accident struck with consternation the whole of this frolicsome +party; whilst Nouronihar, half distracted, and overcome, both by +the violence of her exercise and the tumult of her thoughts, sunk +feebly down at his side, cherished his cold hands in her bosom, +and chafed his temples with a fragrant unguent. At length +he came to himself, and, wrapping up his head in the robe of his +cousin, entreated that she would not return to the harem; he was +afraid of being snapped at by Shaban, his tutor, a wrinkled old +eunuch of a surly disposition; for having interrupted the stated +walk of Nouronihar, he dreaded lest the churl should take it +amiss. The whole of this sprightly group, sitting round +upon a mossy knoll, began to entertain themselves with various +pastimes, whilst their superintendents the eunuchs were gravely +conversing at a distance. The nurse of the Emir’s +daughter, observing her pupil sit ruminating with her eyes on the +ground, endeavoured to amuse her with diverting tales, to which +Gulchenrouz, who had already forgotten his inquietudes, listened +with a breathless attention; he laughed, he clapped his hands, +and passed a hundred little tricks on the whole of the company, +without omitting the eunuchs, whom he provoked to run after him, +in spite of their age and decrepitude.</p> +<p>During these occurrences the moon arose, the wind subsided, +and the evening became so serene and inviting, that a resolution +was taken to sup on the spot. Sutlememe, who excelled in +dressing a salad, having filled large bowls of porcelain with +eggs of small birds, curds turned with citron juice, slices of +cucumber, and the inmost leaves of delicate herbs, handed it +round from one to another, and gave each their shares in a large +spoon of Cocknos. Gulchenrouz, nestling as usual in the +bosom of Nouronihar, pouted out his vermilion little lips against +the offer of Sutlememe, and would take it only from the hand of +his cousin, on whose mouth he hung like a bee inebriated with the +quintessence of flowers. One of the eunuchs ran to fetch +melons, whilst others were employed in showering down almonds +from the branches that overhung this amiable party.</p> +<p>In the midst of this festive scene there appeared a light on +the top of the highest mountain, which attracted the notice of +every eye; this light was not less bright than the moon when at +full, and might have been taken for her, had it not been that the +moon was already risen. The phenomenon occasioned a general +surprise, and no one could conjecture the cause; it could not be +a fire, for the light was clear and bluish, nor had meteors ever +been seen of that magnitude or splendour. This strange +light faded for a moment, and immediately renewed its brightness; +it first appeared motionless at the foot of the rock, whence it +darted in an instant to sparkle in a thicket of palm-trees; from +thence it glided along the torrent, and at last fixed in a glen +that was narrow and dark. The moment it had taken its +direction, Gulchenrouz, whose heart always trembled at anything +sudden or rare, drew Nouronihar by the robe, and anxiously +requested her to return to the harem; the women were importunate +in seconding the entreaty, but the curiosity of the Emir’s +daughter prevailed; she not only refused to go back, but resolved +at all hazards to pursue the appearance. Whilst they were +debating what was best to be done, the light shot forth so +dazzling a blaze, that they all fled away shrieking; Nouronihar +followed them a few steps, but, coming to the turn of a little +bye-path, stopped, and went back alone; as she ran with an +alertness peculiar to herself, it was not long before she came to +the place where they had just been supping. The globe of +fire now appeared stationary in the glen, and burned in majestic +stillness. Nouronihar, compressing her hands upon her +bosom, hesitated for some moments to advance; the solitude of her +situation was new, the silence of the night awful, and every +object inspired sensations which till then she never had felt: +the affright of Gulchenrouz recurred to her mind, and she a +thousand times turned to go back, but this luminous appearance +was always before her; urged on by an irresistible impulse, she +continued to approach it, in defiance of every obstacle that +opposed her progress.</p> +<p>At length she arrived at the opening of the glen; but, instead +of coming up to the light, she found herself surrounded by +darkness, excepting that at a considerable distance a faint spark +glimmered by fits. She stopped a second time; the sound of +water-falls mingling their murmurs, the hollow rustlings amongst +the palm-branches, and the funereal screams of the birds from +their rifted trunks, all conspired to fill her with terror; she +imagined every moment that she trod on some venomous reptile; all +the stories of malignant Dives and dismal Gouls thronged into her +memory; but her curiosity was, notwithstanding, more predominant +than her fears; she therefore firmly entered a winding track that +led towards the spark, but, being a stranger to the path, she had +not gone far till she began to repent of her rashness.</p> +<p>“Alas!” said she, “that I were but in those +secure and illuminated apartments where my evenings glided on +with Gulchenrouz! Dear child! how would thy heart flutter +with terror wert thou wandering in these wild solitudes like +me!” At the close of this apostrophe she regained her +road, and, coming to steps hewn out in the rock, ascended them +undismayed; the light, which was now gradually enlarging, +appeared above her on the summit of the mountain; at length she +distinguished a plaintive and melodious union of voices, +proceeding from a sort of cavern, that resembled the dirges which +are sung over tombs; a sound, likewise, like that which arises +from the filling of baths, at the same time struck her ear; she +continued ascending, and discovered large wax torches in full +blaze planted here and there in the fissures of the rock; this +preparation filled her with fear, whilst the subtle and potent +odour which the torches exhaled caused her to sink almost +lifeless at the entrance of the grot.</p> +<p>Casting her eyes within in this kind of trance, she beheld a +large cistern of gold filled with a water, whose vapour distilled +on her face a dew of the essence of roses; a soft symphony +resounded through the grot; on the sides of the cistern she +noticed appendages of royalty, diadems, and feathers of the +heron, all sparkling with carbuncles; whilst her attention was +fixed on this display of magnificence, the music ceased, and a +voice instantly demanded:</p> +<p>“For what monarch were these torches kindled, this bath +prepared, and these habiliments, which belong, not only to the +sovereigns of the earth, but even to the Talismanic +Powers?”</p> +<p>To which a second voice answered: “They are for the +charming daughter of the Emir Fakreddin.”</p> +<p>“What,” replied the first, “for that +trifler, who consumes her time with a giddy child, immersed in +softness, and who at best can make but an enervated +husband?”</p> +<p>“And can she,” rejoined the other voice, “be +amused with such empty trifles, whilst the Caliph, the sovereign +of the world, he who is destined to enjoy the treasures of the +pre-adamite Sultans, a prince six feet high, and whose eyes +pervade the inmost soul of a female, is inflamed with the love of +her. No! she will be wise enough to answer that passion +alone that can aggrandise her glory; no doubt she will, and +despise the puppet of her fancy. Then all the riches this +place contains, as well as the carbuncle of Giamschid, shall be +hers.”</p> +<p>“You judge right,” returned the first voice, +“and I haste to Istakar to prepare the palace of +subterranean fire for the reception of the bridal +pair.”</p> +<p>The voices ceased, the torches were extinguished, the most +entire darkness succeeded, and Nouronihar, recovering with a +start, found herself reclined on a sofa in the harem of her +father. She clapped her hands, and immediately came +together Gulchenrouz and her women, who, in despair at having +lost her, had despatched eunuchs to seek her in every direction; +Shaban appeared with the rest, and began to reprimand her with an +air of consequence:</p> +<p>“Little impertinent,” said he, “whence got +you false keys? or are you beloved of some Genius that hath given +you a pick-lock? I will try the extent of your power; come, +to your chamber! through the two skylights; and expect not the +company of Gulchenrouz; be expeditious! I will shut you up +in the double tower.”</p> +<p>At these menaces Nouronihar indignantly raised her head, +opened on Shaban her black eyes, which, since the important +dialogue of the enchanted grot, were considerably enlarged, and +said: “Go, speak thus to slaves, but learn to reverence her +who is born to give laws, and subject all to her +power.”</p> +<p>She was proceeding in the same style, but was interrupted by a +sudden exclamation of “The Caliph! The +Caliph!” The curtains at once were thrown open, and +the slaves prostrate in double rows, whilst poor little +Gulchenrouz hid himself beneath the elevation of a sofa. At +first appeared a file of black eunuchs, trailing after them long +trains of muslin embroidered with gold, and holding in their +hands censers, which dispensed as they passed the grateful +perfume of the wood of aloes; next marched Bababalouk with a +solemn strut, and tossing his head as not over-pleased at the +visit; Vathek came close after, superbly robed; his gait was +unembarrassed and noble, and his presence would have engaged +admiration, though he had not been the sovereign of the world; he +approached Nouronihar with a throbbing heart, and seemed +enraptured at the full effulgence of her radiant eyes, of which +he had before caught but a few glimpses; but she instantly +depressed them, and her confusion augmented her beauty.</p> +<p>Bababalouk, who was a thorough adept in coincidences of this +nature, and knew that the worst game should be played with the +best face, immediately made a signal for all to retire; and no +sooner did he perceive beneath the sofa the little one’s +feet, than he drew him forth without ceremony, set him upon his +shoulders, and lavished on him as he went off a thousand odious +caresses; Gulchenrouz cried out, and resisted till his cheeks +became the colour of the blossom of the pomegranate, and the +tears that started into his eyes shot forth a gleam of +indignation; he cast a significant glance at Nouronihar, which +the Caliph noticing, asked: “Is that then your +Gulchenrouz?”</p> +<p>“Sovereign of the world?” answered she, +“spare my cousin, whose innocence and gentleness deserve +not your anger.”</p> +<p>“Take comfort,” said Vathek, with a smile; +“he is in good hands. Bababalouk is fond of children, +and never goes without sweetmeats and comfits.”</p> +<p>The daughter of Fakreddin was abashed, and suffered +Gulchenrouz to be borne away without adding a word. The +tumult of her bosom betrayed her confusion; and Vathek, becoming +still more impassioned, gave a loose to his frenzy, which had +only not subdued the last faint strugglings of reluctance, when +the Emir, suddenly bursting in, threw his face upon the ground at +the feet of the Caliph, and said:</p> +<p>“Commander of the Faithful! abase not yourself to the +meanness of your slave.”</p> +<p>“No, Emir,” replied Vathek; “I raise her to +an equality with myself; I declare her my wife, and the glory of +your race shall extend from one generation to another.”</p> +<p>“Alas! my lord,” said Fakreddin, as he plucked off +the honours of his beard, “cut short the days of your +faithful servant, rather than force him to depart from his +word. Nouronihar, as her hands evince, is solemnly promised +to Gulchenrouz, the son of my brother Ali Hassan; they are united +also in heart, their faith is mutually plighted, and affiances so +sacred cannot be broken.”</p> +<p>“What then!” replied the Caliph, bluntly, +“would you surrender this divine beauty to a husband more +womanish than herself? and can you imagine that I will suffer her +charms to decay in hands so inefficient and nerveless? No! +she is destined to live out her life within my embraces: such is +my will; retire, and disturb not the time I devote to the homage +of her charms.”</p> +<p>The irritated Emir drew forth his sabre, presented it to +Vathek, and stretching out his neck, said in a firm tone of +voice: “Strike your unhappy host, my lord! he has lived +long enough, since he hath seen the Prophet’s Vicegerent +violate the rites of hospitality.”</p> +<p>At his uttering these words Nouronihar, unable to support any +longer the conflict of her passions, sank down in a swoon. +Vathek, both terrified for her life and furious at an opposition +to his will, bade Fakreddin assist his daughter, and withdrew, +darting his terrible look at the unfortunate Emir, who suddenly +fell backward, bathed in a sweat cold as the damp of death.</p> +<p>Gulchenrouz, who had escaped from the hands of Bababalouk, and +was that instant returned, called out for help as loudly as he +could, not having strength to afford it himself. Pale and +panting, the poor child attempted to revive Nouronihar by +caresses; and it happened that the thrilling warmth of his lips +restored her to life. Fakreddin beginning also to recover +from the look of the Caliph, with difficulty tottered to a seat, +and after warily casting round his eye to see if this dangerous +prince was gone, sent for Shaban and Sutlememe, and said to them +apart:</p> +<p>“My friends! violent evils require as violent remedies; +the Caliph has brought desolation and horror into my family, and +how shall we resist his power? another of his looks will send me +to my grave. Fetch then that narcotic powder which the +Dervish brought me from Aracan; a dose of it, the effect of which +will continue three days, must be administered to each of these +children; the Caliph will believe them to be dead, for they will +have all the appearance of death; we shall go as if to inter them +in the cave of Meimoune, at the entrance of the great desert of +sand, and near the cabin of my dwarfs. When all the +spectators shall be withdrawn, you, Shaban, and four select +eunuchs, shall convey them to the lake, where provisions shall be +ready to support them a month; for one day allotted to the +surprise this event will occasion, five to the tears, a fortnight +to reflection, and the rest to prepare for renewing his progress, +will, according to my calculation, fill up the whole time that +Vathek will tarry, and I shall then be freed from his +intrusion.”</p> +<p>“Your plan,” said Sutlememe, “is a good one, +if it can but be effected. I have remarked that Nouronihar +is well able to support the glances of the Caliph, and that he is +far from being sparing of them to her; be assured, therefore, +notwithstanding her fondness for Gulchenrouz, she will never +remain quiet while she knows him to be here, unless we can +persuade her that both herself and Gulchenrouz are really dead, +and that they were conveyed to those rocks for a limited season +to expiate the little faults of which their love was the cause; +we will add that we killed ourselves in despair, and that your +dwarfs, whom they never yet saw, will preach to them delectable +sermons. I will engage that everything shall succeed to the +bent of your wishes.”</p> +<p>“Be it so!” said Fakreddin. “I approve +your proposal; let us lose not a moment to give it +effect.”</p> +<p>They forthwith hastened to seek for the powder, which, being +mixed in a sherbet, was immediately drank by Gulchenrouz and +Nouronihar. Within the space of an hour both were seized +with violent palpitations, and a general numbness gradually +ensued; they arose from the floor, where they had remained ever +since the Caliph’s departure, and, ascending to the sofa, +reclined themselves at full length upon it, clasped in each +other’s embraces.</p> +<p>“Cherish me, my dear Nouronihar!” said +Gulchenrouz; “put thy hand upon my heart, for it feels as +if it were frozen. Alas! thou art as cold as myself! +Hath the Caliph murdered us both with his terrible +look?”</p> +<p>“I am dying!” cried she in a faltering voice; +“press me closer; I am ready to expire!”</p> +<p>“Let us die then together,” answered the little +Gulchenrouz, whilst his breast laboured with a convulsive sigh; +“let me at least breathe forth my soul on thy +lips!” They spoke no more, and became as dead.</p> +<p>Immediately the most piercing cries were heard through the +harem, whilst Shaban and Sutlememe personated with great +adroitness the parts of persons in despair. The Emir, who +was sufficiently mortified to be forced into such untoward +expedients, and had now for the first time made a trial of his +powder, was under no necessity of counterfeiting grief. The +slaves, who had flocked together from all quarters, stood +motionless at the spectacle before them; all lights were +extinguished save two lamps, which shed a wan glimmering over the +faces of these lovely flowers, that seemed to be faded in the +spring-time of life; funeral vestments were prepared, their +bodies were washed with rose-water, their beautiful tresses were +braided and incensed, and they were wrapped in simars whiter than +alabaster. At the moment that their attendants were placing +two wreaths of their favourite jasmines on their brows, the +Caliph, who had just heard of the tragical catastrophe, arrived; +he looked not less pale and haggard than the Gouls, that wander +at night among graves; forgetful of himself and every one else, +he broke through the midst of the slaves, fell prostrate at the +foot of the sofa, beat his bosom, called himself “atrocious +murderer!” and invoked upon his head a thousand +imprecations; with a trembling hand he raised the veil that +covered the countenance of Nouronihar, and, uttering a loud +shriek, fell lifeless on the floor. The chief of the +eunuchs dragged him off with horrible grimaces, and repeated as +he went: “Ay, I foresaw she would play you some ungracious +turn!”</p> +<p>No sooner was the Caliph gone than the Emir commanded biers to +be brought, and forbad that any one should enter the harem. +Every window was fastened, all instruments of music were broken, +and the Imams began to recite their prayers; towards the close of +this melancholy day Vathek sobbed in silence, for they had been +forced to compose with anodynes his convulsions of rage and +desperation.</p> +<p>At the dawn of the succeeding morning the wide folding doors +of the palace were set open, and the funeral procession moved +forward for the mountain. The wailful cries of “La +Ilah illa Allah!” reached to the Caliph, who was eager to +cicatrise himself and attend the ceremonial; nor could he have +been dissuaded, had not his excessive weakness disabled him from +walking; at the few first steps he fell on the ground, and his +people were obliged to lay him on a bed, where he remained many +days in such a state of insensibility, as excited compassion in +the Emir himself.</p> +<p>When the procession was arrived at the grot of Meimoune, +Shaban and Sutlememe dismissed the whole of the train, excepting +the four confidential eunuchs who were appointed to remain. +After resting some moments near the biers, which had been left in +the open air, they caused them to be carried to the brink of a +small lake, whose banks were overgrown with a hoary moss; this +was the great resort of herons and storks, which preyed +continually on little blue fishes. The dwarfs, instructed +by the Emir, soon repaired thither, and, with the help of the +eunuchs, began to construct cabins of rushes and reeds, a work in +which they had admirable skill; a magazine also was contrived for +provisions, with a small oratory for themselves, and a pyramid of +wood neatly piled, to furnish the necessary fuel, for the air was +bleak in the hollows of the mountains.</p> +<p>At evening two fires were kindled on the brink of the lake, +and the two lovely bodies, taken from their biers, were carefully +deposited upon a bed of dried leaves within the same cabin. +The dwarfs began to recite the Koran with their clear shrill +voices, and Shaban and Sutlememe stood at some distance, +anxiously waiting the effects of the powder. At length +Nouronihar and Gulchenrouz faintly stretched out their arms, and +gradually opening their eyes, began to survey with looks of +increasing amazement every object around them; they even +attempted to rise, but for want of strength fell back again; +Sutlememe on this administered a cordial, which the Emir had +taken care to provide.</p> +<p>Gulchenrouz, thoroughly aroused, sneezed out aloud, and +raising himself with an effort that expressed his surprise, left +the cabin, and inhaled the fresh air with the greatest +avidity.</p> +<p>“Yes,” said he, “I breathe again! again do I +exist! I hear sounds! I behold a firmament spangled +over with stars!”</p> +<p>Nouronihar, catching these beloved accents, extricated herself +from the leaves, and ran to clasp Gulchenrouz to her bosom. +The first objects she remarked were their long simars, their +garlands of flowers, and their naked feet; she hid her face in +her hands to reflect; the vision of the enchanted bath, the +despair of her father, and, more vividly than both, the majestic +figure of Vathek recurred to her memory; she recollected also +that herself and Gulchenrouz had been sick and dying; but all +these images bewildered her mind. Not knowing where she +was, she turned her eyes on all sides, as if to recognise the +surrounding scene; this singular lake, those flames reflected +from its glassy surface, the pale hues of its banks, the romantic +cabins, the bulrushes that sadly waved their drooping heads, the +storks whose melancholy cries blended with the shrill voices of +the dwarfs, everything conspired to persuade them that the Angel +of Death had opened the portal of some other world.</p> +<p>Gulchenrouz on his part, lost in wonder, clung to the neck of +his cousin: he believed himself in the region of phantoms, and +was terrified at the silence she preserved; at length addressing +her:</p> +<p>“Speak,” said he, “where are we? do you not +see those spectres that are stirring the burning coals? are they +Monker and Nakir, come to throw us into them? does the fatal +bridge cross this lake, whose solemn stillness perhaps conceals +from us an abyss, in which for whole ages we shall be doomed +incessantly to sink?”</p> +<p>“No, my children!” said Sutlememe, going towards +them, “take comfort! the exterminating Angel, who conducted +our souls hither after yours, hath assured us that the +chastisement of your indolent and voluptuous life shall be +restricted to a certain series of years, which you must pass in +this dreary abode, where the sun is scarcely visible, and where +the soil yields neither fruits nor flowers. These,” +continued she, pointing to the dwarfs, “will provide for +our wants, for souls so mundane as ours retain too strong a +tincture of their earthly extraction; instead of meats your food +will be nothing but rice, and your bread shall be moistened in +the fogs that brood over the surface of the lake.”</p> +<p>At this desolating prospect the poor children burst into +tears, and prostrated themselves before the dwarfs, who perfectly +supported their characters, and delivered an excellent discourse +of a customary length upon the sacred camel, which after a +thousand years was to convey them to the paradise of the +faithful.</p> +<p>The sermon being ended, and ablutions performed, they praised +Allah and the Prophet, supped very indifferently, and retired to +their withered leaves. Nouronihar and her little cousin +consoled themselves on finding that, though dead, they yet lay in +one cabin. Having slept well before, the remainder of the +night was spent in conversation on what had befallen them, and +both, from a dread of apparitions, betook themselves for +protection to one another’s arms.</p> +<p>In the morning, which was lowering and rainy, the dwarfs +mounted high poles like minarets, and called them to prayers; the +whole congregation, which consisted of Sutlememe, Shaban, the +four eunuchs, and some storks, were already assembled. The +two children came forth from their cabin with a slow and dejected +pace; as their minds were in a tender and melancholy mood, their +devotions were performed with fervour. No sooner were they +finished, than Gulchenrouz demanded of Sutlememe and the rest, +“how they happened to die so opportunely for his cousin and +himself.”</p> +<p>“We killed ourselves,” returned Sutlememe, +“in despair at your death.”</p> +<p>On this, said Nouronihar, who, notwithstanding what was past, +had not yet forgotten her vision: “And the Caliph! is he +also dead of his grief? and will he likewise come +hither?”</p> +<p>The dwarfs, who were prepared with an answer, most demurely +replied: “Vathek is damned beyond all +redemption!”</p> +<p>“I readily believe so,” said Gulchenrouz, +“and I am glad from my heart to hear it; for I am convinced +it was his horrible look that sent us hither to listen to sermons +and mess upon rice.”</p> +<p>One week passed away on the side of the lake unmarked by any +variety; Nouronihar ruminating on the grandeur of which death had +deprived her, and Gulchenrouz applying to prayers and to +panniers, along with the dwarfs, who infinitely pleased him.</p> +<p>Whilst this scene of innocence was exhibiting in the +mountains, the Caliph presented himself to the Emir in a new +light; the instant he recovered the use of his senses, with a +voice that made Bababalouk quake, he thundered out: +“Perfidious Giaour! I renounce thee for ever! it is +thou who hast slain my beloved Nouronihar! and I supplicate the +pardon of Mahomet, who would have preserved her to me had I been +more wise; let water be brought to perform my ablutions, and let +the pious Fakreddin be called to offer up his prayers with mine, +and reconcile me to him; afterwards we will go together and visit +the sepulchre of the unfortunate Nouronihar; I am resolved to +become a hermit, and consume the residue of my days on this +mountain, in hope of expiating my crimes.”</p> +<p>Nouronihar was not altogether so content, for though she felt +a fondness for Gulchenrouz, who, to augment the attachment, had +been left at full liberty with her, yet she still regarded him as +but a bauble, that bore no competition with the carbuncle of +Giamschid. At times she indulged doubts on the mode of her +being, and scarcely could believe that the dead had all the wants +and the whims of the living. To gain satisfaction, however, +on so perplexing a topic, she arose one morning whilst all were +asleep, with a breathless caution, from the side of Gulchenrouz, +and, after having given him a soft kiss, began to follow the +windings of the lake till it terminated with a rock, whose top +was accessible, though lofty; this she clambered up with +considerable toil, and having reached the summit, set forward in +a run, like a doe that unwittingly follows her hunter; though she +skipped along with the alertness of an antelope, yet at intervals +she was forced to desist, and rest beneath the tamarisks to +recover her breath. Whilst she, thus reclined, was occupied +with her little reflections on the apprehension that she had some +knowledge of the place, Vathek, who, finding himself that morning +but ill at ease, had gone forth before the dawn, presented +himself on a sudden to her view; motionless with surprise, he +durst not approach the figure before him, which lay shrouded up +in a simar, extended on the ground, trembling and pale, but yet +lovely to behold. At length Nouronihar, with a mixture of +pleasure and affliction, raising her fine eyes to him, said: +“My lord, are you come hither to eat rice and hear sermons +with me?”</p> +<p>“Beloved phantom!” cried Vathek; “dost thou +speak? hast thou the same graceful form? the same radiant +features? art thou palpable likewise?” and, eagerly +embracing her, added: “here are limbs and a bosom animated +with a gentle warmth! what can such a prodigy mean?”</p> +<p>Nouronihar with diffidence answered: “You know, my lord, +that I died on the night you honoured me with your visit; my +cousin maintains it was from one of your glances, but I cannot +believe him; for to me they seem not so dreadful. +Gulchenrouz died with me, and we were both brought into a region +of desolation, where we are fed with a wretched diet. If +you be dead also, and are come hither to join us, I pity your +lot; for you will be stunned with the noise of the dwarfs and the +storks; besides, it is mortifying in the extreme that you, as +well as myself, should have lost the treasures of the +subterranean palace.”</p> +<p>At the mention of the subterranean palace the Caliph suspended +his caresses, to seek from Nouronihar an explanation of her +meaning. She then recapitulated her vision, what +immediately followed, and the history of her pretended death, +adding also a description of the place of expiation from whence +she had fled, and all in a manner that would have extorted his +laughter, had not the thoughts of Vathek been too deeply +engaged. No sooner, however, had she ended, than he again +clasped her to his bosom, and said:</p> +<p>“Light of my eyes! the mystery is unravelled; we both +are alive! your father is a cheat, who, for the sake of dividing, +hath deluded us both; and the Giaour, whose design, as far as I +can discover, is that we shall proceed together, seems scarce a +whit better; it shall be some time at least before he find us in +his palace of fire. Your lovely little person in my +estimation is far more precious than all the treasures of the +pre-adamite Sultans, and I wish to possess it at pleasure, and in +open day, for many a moon, before I go to burrow underground like +a mole. Forget this little trifler, Gulchenrouz, +and—”</p> +<p>“Ah! my lord!” interposed Nouronihar, “let +me entreat that you do him no evil.”</p> +<p>“No, no!” replied Vathek, “I have already +bid you forbear to alarm yourself for him; he has been brought up +too much on milk and sugar to stimulate my jealousy; we will +leave him with the dwarfs, who, by the bye, are my old +acquaintances; their company will suit him far better than +yours. As to other matters, I will return no more to your +father’s; I want not to have my ears dinned by him and his +dotards with the violation of the rites of hospitality; as if it +were less an honour for you to espouse the sovereign of the world +than a girl dressed up like a boy!”</p> +<p>Nouronihar could find nothing to oppose in a discourse so +eloquent; she only wished the amorous monarch had discovered more +ardour for the carbuncle of Giamschid; but flattered herself it +would gradually increase, and therefore yielded to his will with +the most bewitching submission.</p> +<p>When the Caliph judged it proper, he called for Bababalouk, +who was asleep in the cave of Meimoune, and dreaming that the +phantom of Nouronihar, having mounted him once more on her swing, +had just given him such a jerk, that he one moment soared above +the mountains, and the next sunk into the abyss; starting from +his sleep at the voice of his master, he ran gasping for breath, +and had nearly fallen backward at the sight, as he believed, of +the spectre by whom he had so lately been haunted in his +dream.</p> +<p>“Ah, my lord!” cried he, recoiling ten steps, and +covering his eyes with both hands: “do you then perform the +office of a Goul? ’tis true you have dug up the dead, yet +hope not to make her your prey; for after all she hath caused me +to suffer, she is even wicked enough to prey upon you.”</p> +<p>“Cease thy folly,” said Vathek, “and thou +shalt soon be convinced that it is Nouronihar herself, alive and +well, whom I clasp to my breast; go only and pitch my tents in +the neighbouring valley; there will I fix my abode with this +beautiful tulip, whose colours I soon shall restore; there exert +thy best endeavours to procure whatever can augment the +enjoyments of life, till I shall disclose to thee more of my +will.”</p> +<p>The news of so unlucky an event soon reached the ears of the +Emir, who abandoned himself to grief and despair, and began, as +did all his old grey-beards, to begrime his visage with +ashes. A total supineness ensued, travellers were no longer +entertained, no more plaisters were spread, and, instead of the +charitable activity that had distinguished this asylum, the whole +of its inhabitants exhibited only faces of a half cubit long, and +uttered groans that accorded with their forlorn situation.</p> +<p>Though Fakreddin bewailed his daughter as lost to him for +ever, yet Gulchenrouz was not forgotten. He despatched +immediate instruction to Sutlememe, Shaban, and the dwarfs, +enjoining them not to undeceive the child in respect to his +state, but, under some pretence, to convey him far from the lofty +rock at the extremity of the lake, to a place which he should +appoint, as safer from danger; for he suspected that Vathek +intended him evil.</p> +<p>Gulchenrouz in the meanwhile was filled with amazement at not +finding his cousin; nor were the dwarfs at all less surprised; +but Sutlememe, who had more penetration, immediately guessed what +had happened. Gulchenrouz was amused with the delusive hope +of once more embracing Nouronihar in the interior recesses of the +mountains, where the ground, strewed over with orange blossoms +and jasmines, offered beds much more inviting than the withered +leaves in their cabin, where they might accompany with their +voices the sounds of their lutes, and chase butterflies in +concert. Sutlememe was far gone in this sort of +description, when one of the four eunuchs beckoned her aside to +apprise her of the arrival of a messenger from their fraternity, +who had explained the secret of the flight of Nouronihar, and +brought the commands of the Emir. A council with Shaban and +the dwarfs was immediately held; their baggage being stowed in +consequence of it, they embarked in a shallop, and quietly sailed +with the little one, who acquiesced in all their proposals; their +voyage proceeded in the same manner till they came to the place +where the lake sinks beneath the hollow of the rock; but as soon +as the bark had entered it, and Gulchenrouz found himself +surrounded with darkness, he was seized with a dreadful +consternation, and incessantly uttered the most piercing +outcries; for he now was persuaded he should actually be damned +for having taken too much freedom in his life-time with his +cousin.</p> +<p>But let us return to the Caliph and her who ruled over his +heart. Bababalouk had pitched the tents, and closed up the +extremities of the valley with magnificent screens of India +cloth, which were guarded by Ethiopian slaves with their drawn +sabres; to preserve the verdure of this beautiful enclosure in +its natural freshness, the white eunuchs went continually round +it with their red water-vessels. The waving of fans was +heard near the imperial pavilion, where, by the voluptuous light +that glowed through the muslins, the Caliph enjoyed at full view +all the attractions of Nouronihar. Inebriated with delight, +he was all ear to her charming voice, which accompanied the lute; +while she was not less captivated with his descriptions of +Samarah and the tower full of wonders, but especially with his +relation of the adventure of the ball, and the chasm of the +Giaour, with its ebony portal.</p> +<p>In this manner they conversed for a day and a night; they +bathed together in a basin of black marble, which admirably +relieved the fairness of Nouronihar. Bababalouk, whose good +graces this beauty had regained, spared no attention that their +repasts might be served up with the minutest exactness; some +exquisite rarity was ever placed before them; and he sent even to +Schiraz for that fragrant and delicious wine which had been +hoarded up in bottles prior to the birth of Mahomet; he had +excavated little ovens in the rock to bake the nice manchets +which were prepared by the hands of Nouronihar, from whence they +had derived a flavour so grateful to Vathek, that he regarded the +ragouts of his other wives as entirely mawkish; whilst they would +have died at the Emir’s of chagrin at finding themselves so +neglected, if Fakreddin, notwithstanding his resentment, had not +taken pity upon them.</p> +<p>The Sultana Dilara, who till then had been the favourite, took +this dereliction of the Caliph to heart with a vehemence natural +to her character, for during her continuance in favour she had +imbibed from Vathek many of his extravagant fancies, and was +fired with impatience to behold the superb tombs of Istakar, and +the palace of forty columns; besides, having been brought up +amongst the Magi, she had fondly cherished the idea of the +Caliph’s devoting himself to the worship of fire; thus his +voluptuous and desultory life with her rival was to her a double +source of affliction. The transient piety of Vathek had +occasioned her some serious alarms, but the present was an evil +of far greater magnitude; she resolved, therefore, without +hesitation, to write to Carathis, and acquaint her that all +things went ill; that they had eaten, slept, and revelled at an +old Emir’s, whose sanctity was very formidable, and that +after all, the prospect of possessing the treasures of the +pre-adamite Sultans was no less remote than before. This +letter was entrusted to the care of two wood-men, who were at +work on one of the great forests of the mountains, and, being +acquainted with the shortest cuts, arrived in ten days at +Samarah.</p> +<p>The Princess Carathis was engaged at chess with Morakanabad, +when the arrival of these wood-fellers was announced. She, +after some weeks of Vathek’s absence, had forsaken the +upper regions of her tower, because everything appeared in +confusion among the stars, whom she consulted relative to the +fate of her son. In vain did she renew her fumigations, and +extend herself on the roof to obtain mystic visions; nothing more +could she see in her dreams than pieces of brocade, nosegays of +flowers, and other unmeaning gewgaws. These disappointments +had thrown her into a state of dejection, which no drug in her +power was sufficient to remove; her only resource was in +Morakanabad, who was a good man, and endowed with a decent share +of confidence, yet whilst in her company he never thought himself +on roses.</p> +<p>No person knew aught of Vathek, and a thousand ridiculous +stories were propagated at his expense. The eagerness of +Carathis may be easily guessed at receiving the letter, as well +as her rage at reading the dissolute conduct of her son. +“Is it so?” said she; “either I will perish, or +Vathek shall enter the palace of fire. Let me expire in +flames, provided he may reign on the throne of +Soliman!” Having said this, and whirled herself round +in a magical manner, which struck Morakanabad with such terror as +caused him to recoil, she ordered her great camel Alboufaki to be +brought, and the hideous Nerkes with the unrelenting Cafour to +attend. “I require no other retinue,” said she +to Morakanabad; “I am going on affairs of emergency; a +truce therefore to parade! Take you care of the people; +fleece them well in my absence; for we shall expend large sums, +and one knows not what may betide.”</p> +<p>The night was uncommonly dark, and a pestilential blast +ravaged the plain of Catoul that would have deterred any other +traveller, however urgent the call; but Carathis enjoyed most +whatever filled others with dread. Nerkes concurred in +opinion with her, and Cafour had a particular predilection for a +pestilence. In the morning this accomplished caravan, with +the wood-fellers who directed their route, halted on the edge of +an extensive marsh, from whence so noxious a vapour arose as +would have destroyed any animal but Alboufaki, who naturally +inhaled these malignant fogs. The peasants entreated their +convoy not to sleep in this place.</p> +<p>“To sleep,” cried Carathis; “what an +excellent thought! I never sleep but for visions; and, as +to my attendants, their occupations are too many to close the +only eye they each have.”</p> +<p>The poor peasants, who were not over-pleased with their party, +remained open-mouthed with surprise.</p> +<p>Carathis alighted, as well as her negresses, and severally +stripping off their outer garments, they all ran in their +drawers, to cull from those spots where the sun shone fiercest +the venomous plants that grew on the marsh; this provision was +made for the family of the Emir, and whoever might retard the +expedition to Istakar. The wood-men were overcome with fear +when they beheld these three horrible phantoms run, and, not much +relishing the company of Alboufaki, stood aghast at the command +of Carathis to set forward, notwithstanding it was noon, and the +heat fierce enough to calcine even rocks. In spite, +however, of every remonstrance, they were forced implicitly to +submit.</p> +<p>Alboufaki, who delighted in solitude, constantly snorted +whenever he perceived himself near a habitation; and Carathis, +who was apt to spoil him with indulgence, as constantly turned +him aside, so that the peasants were precluded from procuring +subsistence; for the milch goats and ewes, which Providence had +sent towards the district they traversed, to refresh travellers +with their milk, all fled at the sight of the hideous animal and +his strange riders. As to Carathis, she needed no common +aliment, for her invention had previously furnished her with an +opiate to stay her stomach, some of which she imparted to her +mutes.</p> +<p>At the fall of night Alboufaki, making a sudden stop, stamped +with his foot, which to Carathis, who understood his paces, was a +certain indication that she was near the confines of some +cemetery. The moon shed a bright light on the spot, which +served to discover a long wall, with a large door in it standing +ajar, and so high that Alboufaki might easily enter. The +miserable guides, who perceived their end approaching, humbly +implored Carathis, as she had now so good an opportunity, to +inter them, and immediately gave up the ghost. Nerkes and +Cafour, whose wit was of a style peculiar to themselves, were by +no means parsimonious of it on the folly of these poor people, +nor could anything have been found more suited to their tastes +than the site of the burying-ground, and the sepulchres which its +precincts contained; there were at least two thousand of them on +the declivity of a hill: some in the form of pyramids, others +like columns, and, in short, the variety of their shapes was +endless. Carathis was too much immersed in her sublime +contemplations to stop at the view, charming as it appeared in +her eyes; pondering the advantages that might accrue from her +present situation, she could not forbear to exclaim:</p> +<p>“So beautiful a cemetery must be haunted by Gouls! and +they want not for intelligence; having heedlessly suffered my +guides to expire, I will apply for directions to them, and as an +inducement will invite them to regale on these fresh +corpses.”</p> +<p>After this short soliloquy she beckoned to Nerkes and Cafour, +and made signs with her fingers, as much as to say, “Go, +knock against the sides of the tombs, and strike up your +delightful warblings, that are so like to those of the guests +whose company I wish to obtain.”</p> +<p>The negresses, full of joy at the behests of their mistress, +and promising themselves much pleasure from the society of the +Gouls, went with an air of conquest, and began their knockings at +the tombs; as their strokes were repeated a hollow noise was +heard in the earth, the surface hove up into heaps, and the Gouls +on all sides protruded their noses, to inhale the effluvia which +the carcases of the wood-men began to emit.</p> +<p>They assembled before a sarcophagus of white marble, where +Carathis was seated between the bodies of her miserable guides; +the princess received her visitants with distinguished +politeness, and, when supper was ended, proceeded with them to +business. Having soon learnt from them everything she +wished to discover, it was her intention to set forward forthwith +on her journey, but her negresses, who were forming tender +connections with the Gouls, importuned her with all their fingers +to wait at least till the dawn. Carathis, however, being +chastity in the abstract, and an implacable enemy to love and +repose, at once rejected their prayer, mounted Alboufaki, and +commanded them to take their seats in a moment; four days and +four nights she continued her route, without turning to the right +hand or left; on the fifth she traversed the mountains and +half-burnt forests, and arrived on the sixth before the beautiful +screens which concealed from all eyes the voluptuous wanderings +of her son.</p> +<p>It was daybreak, and the guards were snoring on their posts in +careless security, when the rough trot of Alboufaki awoke them in +consternation. Imagining that a group of spectres ascended +from the abyss was approaching, they all without ceremony took to +their heels. Vathek was at that instant with Nouronihar in +the bath, hearing tales, and laughing at Bababalouk, who related +them; but no sooner did the outcry of his guards reach him, than +he flounced from the water like a carp, and as soon threw himself +back at the sight of Carathis, who, advancing with her negresses +upon Alboufaki, broke through the muslin awnings and veils of the +pavilion; at this sudden apparition Nouronihar (for she was not +at all times free from remorse) fancied that the moment of +celestial vengeance was come, and clung about the Caliph in +amorous despondence.</p> +<p>Carathis, still seated on her camel, foamed with indignation +at the spectacle which obtruded itself on her chaste view; she +thundered forth without check or mercy: “Thou double-headed +and four-legged monster! what means all this winding and +writhing? art thou not ashamed to be seen grasping this limber +sapling, in preference to the sceptre of the pre-adamite Sultans? +is it then for this paltry doxy that thou hast violated the +conditions in the parchment of our Giaour? is it on her thou hast +lavished thy precious moments? is this the fruit of the knowledge +I have taught thee? is this the end of thy journey? tear thyself +from the arms of this little simpleton, drown her in the water +before me, and instantly follow my guidance.”</p> +<p>In the first ebullition of his fury Vathek resolved to make a +skeleton of Alboufaki, and to stuff the skins of Carathis and her +blacks; but the ideas of the Giaour, the palace of Istakar, the +sabres and the talismans, flashing before his imagination with +the simultaneousness of lightning, he became more moderate, and +said to his mother, in a civil but decisive tone: “Dread +lady! you shall be obeyed, but I will not drown Nouronihar; she +is sweeter to me than a Myrabolan comfit, and is enamoured of +carbuncles, especially that of Giamschid, which hath also been +promised to be conferred upon her; she therefore shall go along +with us, for I intend to repose with her beneath the canopies of +Soliman; I can sleep no more without her.”</p> +<p>“Be it so!” replied Carathis, alighting, and at +the same time committing Alboufaki to the charge of her +women.</p> +<p>Nouronihar, who had not yet quitted her hold, began to take +courage, and said, with an accent of fondness to the Caliph: +“Dear Sovereign of my soul! I will follow thee, if it +be thy will, beyond the Kaf in the land of the Afrits; I will not +hesitate to climb for thee the nest of the Simurgh, who, this +lady excepted, is the most awful of created +existences.”</p> +<p>“We have here then,” subjoined Carathis, “a +girl both of courage and science!”</p> +<p>Nouronihar had certainly both; but, notwithstanding all her +firmness, she could not help casting back a look of regret upon +the graces of her little Gulchenrouz, and the days of tenderness +she had participated with him; she even dropped a few tears, +which Carathis observed, and inadvertently breathed out with a +sigh: “Alas! my gentle cousin! what will become of +him!”</p> +<p>Vathek at this apostrophe knitted up his brows, and Carathis +inquired what it could mean.</p> +<p>“She is preposterously sighing after a stripling with +languishing eyes and soft hair, who loves her,” said the +Caliph.</p> +<p>“Where is he?” asked Carathis. “I must +be acquainted with this pretty child; for,” added she, +lowering her voice, “I design before I depart to regain the +favour of the Giaour; there is nothing so delicious in his +estimation as the heart of a delicate boy, palpitating with the +first tumults of love.”</p> +<p>Vathek, as he came from the bath, commanded Bababalouk to +collect the women and other movables of his harem, embody his +troops, and hold himself in readiness to march in three days; +whilst Carathis retired alone to a tent, where the Giaour solaced +her with encouraging visions; but at length waking, she found at +her feet Nerkes and Cafour, who informed her by their signs that, +having led Alboufaki to the borders of a lake, to browse on some +moss that looked tolerably venomous, they had discovered certain +blue fishes of the same kind with those in the reservoir on the +top of the tower.</p> +<p>“Ah! ha!” said she, “I will go thither to +them; these fish are past doubt of a species that, by a small +operation, I can render oracular; they may tell me where this +little Gulchenrouz is, whom I am bent upon +sacrificing.” Having thus spoken, she immediately set +out with her swarthy retinue.</p> +<p>It being but seldom that time is lost in the accomplishment of +a wicked enterprise, Carathis and her negresses soon arrived at +the lake, where, after burning the magical drugs with which they +were always provided, they, stripping themselves naked, waded to +their chins, Nerkes and Cafour waving torches around them, and +Carathis pronouncing her barbarous incantations. The fishes +with one accord thrust forth their heads from the water, which +was violently rippled by the flutter of their fins, and, at +length finding themselves constrained by the potency of the +charm, they opened their piteous mouths, and said: “From +gills to tail we are yours; what seek ye to know?”</p> +<p>“Fishes,” answered she, “I conjure you, by +your glittering scales, tell me where now is +Gulchenrouz?”</p> +<p>“Beyond the rock,” replied the shoal in full +chorus; “will this content you? for we do not delight in +expanding our mouths.”</p> +<p>“It will,” returned the princess; “I am not +to learn that you like not long conversations; I will leave you +therefore to repose, though I had other questions to +propound.” The instant she had spoken the water +became smooth, and the fishes at once disappeared.</p> +<p>Carathis, inflated with the venom of her projects, strode +hastily over the rock, and found the amiable Gulchenrouz asleep +in an arbour, whilst the two dwarfs were watching at his side, +and ruminating their accustomed prayers. These diminutive +personages possessed the gift of divining whenever an enemy to +good Mussulmans approached; thus they anticipated the arrival of +Carathis, who, stopping short, said to herself: “How +placidly doth he recline his lovely little head! how pale and +languishing are his looks! it is just the very child of my +wishes!”</p> +<p>The dwarfs interrupted this delectable soliloquy by leaping +instantly upon her, and scratching her face with their utmost +zeal. But Nerkes and Cafour, betaking themselves to the +succour of their mistress, pinched the dwarfs so severely in +return, that they both gave up the ghost, imploring Mahomet to +inflict his sorest vengeance upon this wicked woman and all her +household.</p> +<p>At the noise which this strange conflict occasioned in the +valley, Gulchenrouz awoke, and, bewildered with terror, sprung +impetuously upon an old figtree that rose against the acclivity +of the rocks; from thence gained their summits, and ran for two +hours without once looking back. At last, exhausted with +fatigue, he fell as if dead into the arms of a good old Genius, +whose fondness for the company of children had made it his sole +occupation to protect them, and who, whilst performing his wonted +rounds through the air, happening on the cruel Giaour at the +instant of his growling in the horrible chasm, rescued the fifty +little victims which the impiety of Vathek had devoted to his +maw; these the Genius brought up in nests still higher than the +clouds, and himself fixed his abode in a nest more capacious than +the rest, from which he had expelled the possessors that had +built it.</p> +<p>These inviolable asylums were defended against the Dives and +the Afrits by waving streamers, on which were inscribed, in +characters of gold that flashed like lightning, the names of +Allah and the Prophet. It was there that Gulchenrouz, who +as yet remained undeceived with respect to his pretended death, +thought himself in the mansions of eternal peace, he admitted +without fear the congratulations of his little friends, who were +all assembled in the nest of the venerable Genius, and vied with +each other in kissing his serene forehead and beautiful +eyelids. This he found to be the state congenial to his +soul; remote from the inquietudes of earth, the impertinence of +harems, the brutality of eunuchs, and the lubricity of women: in +this peacable society, his days, months, and years glided on; nor +was he less happy than the rest of his companions; for the +Genius, instead of burthening his pupils with perishable riches +and the vain sciences of the world, conferred upon them the boon +of perpetual childhood.</p> +<p>Carathis, unaccustomed to the loss of her prey, vented a +thousand execrations on her negresses for not seizing the child, +instead of amusing themselves with pinching to death the dwarfs, +from which they could gain no advantage. She returned into +the valley murmuring, and finding that her son was not risen from +the arms of Nouronihar, discharged her ill-humour upon +both. The idea, however, of departing next day for Istakar, +and cultivating, through the good offices of the Giaour, an +intimacy with Eblis himself, at length consoled her +chagrin. But Fate had ordained it otherwise.</p> +<p>In the evening, as Carathis was conversing with Dilara, who, +through her contrivance, had become of the party, and whose taste +resembled her own, Bababalouk came to acquaint her “that +the sky towards Samarah looked of a fiery red, and seemed to +portend some alarming disaster.” Immediately, +recurring to her astrolabes and instruments of magic, she took +the altitude of the planets, and discovered by her calculations, +to her great mortification, that a formidable revolt had taken +place at Samarah; that Motavakel, availing himself of the disgust +which was inveterate against his brother, had incited commotions +amongst the populace, made himself master of the palace, and +actually invested the great tower, to which Morakanabad had +retired, with a handful of the few that still remained faithful +to Vathek.</p> +<p>“What!” exclaimed she; “must I lose then my +tower! my mutes! my negresses! my mummies! and, worse than all, +the laboratory in which I have spent so many a night, without +knowing at least if my hair-brained son will complete his +adventure? No! I will not be the dupe! +Immediately will I speed to support Morakanabad; by my formidable +art the clouds shall sleet hailstones in the faces of the +assailants, and shafts of red-hot iron on their heads; I will +spring mines of serpents and torpedos from beneath them, and we +shall soon see the stand they will make against such an +explosion!”</p> +<p>Having thus spoken, Carathis hastened to her son, who was +tranquilly banqueting with Nouronihar in his superb +carnation-coloured tent.</p> +<p>“Glutton that thou art!” cried she, “were it +not for me, thou wouldst soon find thyself the commander only of +pies. Thy faithful subjects have abjured the faith they +swore to thee; Motavakel, thy brother, now reigns on the hill of +pied horses, and had I not some slight resources in the tower, +would not be easily persuaded to abdicate; but, that time may not +be lost, I shall only add four words: Strike tent to-night, set +forward, and beware how thou loiterest again by the way; though +thou hast forfeited the conditions of the parchment, I am not yet +without hope; for it cannot be denied that thou hast violated to +admiration the laws of hospitality, by seducing the daughter of +the Emir, after having partaken of his bread and his salt. +Such a conduct cannot but be delightful to the Giaour; and if on +thy march thou canst signalise thyself by an additional crime, +all will still go well, and thou shalt enter the palace of +Soliman in triumph. Adieu! Alboufaki and my negresses +are waiting.”</p> +<p>The Caliph had nothing to offer in reply; he wished his mother +a prosperous journey, and ate on till he had finished his +supper. At midnight the camp broke up, amidst the +flourishing of trumpets and other martial instruments; but loud +indeed must have been the sound of the tymbals to overpower the +blubbering of the Emir and his long-beards, who, by an excessive +profusion of tears, had so far exhausted the radical moisture, +that their eyes shrivelled up in their sockets, and their hairs +dropped off by the roots. Nouronihar, to whom such a +symphony was painful, did not grieve to get out of hearing; she +accompanied the Caliph in the imperial litter, where they amused +themselves with imagining the splendour which was soon to +surround them. The other women, overcome with dejection, +were dolefully rocked in their cages, whilst Dilara consoled +herself with anticipating the joy of celebrating the rites of +fire on the stately terraces of Istakar.</p> +<p>In four days they reached the spacious valley of +Rocnabad. The season of spring was in all its vigour, and +the grotesque branches of the almond trees in full blossom +fantastically chequered the clear blue sky; the earth, variegated +with hyacinths and jonquils, breathed forth a fragrance which +diffused through the soul a divine repose; myriads of bees, and +scarce fewer of Santons, had there taken up their abode; on the +banks of the stream hives and oratories were alternately ranged, +and their neatness and whiteness were set off by the deep green +of the cypresses that spired up amongst them. These pious +personages amused themselves with cultivating little gardens that +abounded with flowers and fruits, especially musk-melons of the +best flavour that Persia could boast; sometimes dispersed over +the meadow, they entertained themselves with feeding peacocks +whiter than snow, and turtles more blue than the sapphire; in +this manner were they occupied when the harbingers of the +imperial procession began to proclaim: “Inhabitants of +Rocnabad! prostrate yourselves on the brink of your pure waters, +and tender your thanksgivings to Heaven, that vouchsafeth to show +you a ray of its glory; for lo! the Commander of the Faithful +draws near.”</p> +<p>The poor Santons, filled with holy energy, having bustled to +light up wax torches in their oratories and expand the Koran on +their ebony desks, went forth to meet the Caliph with baskets of +honeycomb, dates, and melons. But, whilst they were +advancing in solemn procession and with measured steps, the +horses, camels, and guards wantoned over their tulips and other +flowers, and made a terrible havoc amongst them. The +Santons could not help casting from one eye a look of pity on the +ravages committing around them, whilst the other was fixed upon +the Caliph and heaven. Nouronihar, enraptured with the +scenery of a place which brought back to her remembrance the +pleasing solitudes where her infancy had passed, entreated Vathek +to stop; but he, suspecting that each oratory might be deemed by +the Giaour a distinct habitation, commanded his pioneers to level +them all; the Santons stood motionless with horror at the +barbarous mandate, and at last broke out into lamentations; but +these were uttered with so ill a grace, that Vathek bade his +eunuchs to kick them from his presence. He then descended +from the litter with Nouronihar; they sauntered together in the +meadow, and amused themselves with culling flowers, and passing a +thousand pleasantries on each other. But the bees, who were +staunch Mussulmans, thinking it their duty to revenge the insult +on their dear masters the Santons, assembled so zealously to do +it with effect, that the Caliph and Nouronihar were glad to find +their tents prepared to receive them.</p> +<p>Bababalouk, who in capacity of purveyor had acquitted himself +with applause as to peacocks and turtles, lost no time in +consigning some dozens to the spit, and as many more to be +fricasseed. Whilst they were feasting, laughing, carousing, +and blaspheming at pleasure on the banquet so liberally +furnished, the Moullahs, the Sheiks, the Cadis and Imams of +Schiraz (who seemed not to have met the Santons) arrived, leading +by bridles of riband inscribed from the Koran, a train of asses, +which were loaded with the choicest fruits the country could +boast; having presented their offerings to the Caliph, they +petitioned him to honour their city and mosques with his +presence.</p> +<p>“Fancy not,” said Vathek, “that you can +detain me; your presents I condescend to accept, but beg you will +let me be quiet, for I am not over-fond of resisting temptation; +retire, then; yet, as it is not decent for personages so reverend +to return on foot, and as you have not the appearance of expert +riders, my eunuchs shall tie you on your asses, with the +precaution that your backs be not turned towards me, for they +understand etiquette.”</p> +<p>In this deputation were some high-stomached Sheiks, who, +taking Vathek for a fool, scrupled not to speak their +opinion. These Bababalouk girded with double cords, and, +having well disciplined their asses with nettles behind, they all +started with a preternatural alertness, plunging, kicking, and +running foul of each other in the most ludicrous manner +imaginable.</p> +<p>Nouronihar and the Caliph mutually contended who should most +enjoy so degrading a sight; they burst out in volleys of laughter +to see the old men and their asses fall into the stream; the leg +of one was fractured, the shoulder of another dislocated, the +teeth of a third dashed out, and the rest suffered still +worse.</p> +<p>Two days more, undisturbed by fresh embassies, having been +devoted to the pleasures of Rocnabad, the expedition proceeded, +leaving Shiraz on the right, and verging towards a large plain, +from whence were discernible on the edge of the horizon the dark +summits of the mountains of Istakar.</p> +<p>At this prospect the Caliph and Nouronihar were unable to +repress their transports; they bounded from their litter to the +ground, and broke forth into such wild exclamations, as amazed +all within hearing. Interrogating each other, they shouted, +“Are we not approaching the radiant palace of light? or +gardens more delightful than those of Sheddad?” +Infatuated mortals! they thus indulged delusive conjecture, +unable to fathom the decrees of the Most High!</p> +<p>The good Genii, who had not totally relinquished the +superintendence of Vathek, repairing to Mahomet in the seventh +heaven, said: “Merciful Prophet! stretch forth thy +propitious arms towards thy Vicegerent, who is ready to fall +irretrievably into the snare which his enemies, the Dives, have +prepared to destroy him; the Giaour is awaiting his arrival in +the abominable palace of fire, where, if he once set his foot, +his perdition will be inevitable.”</p> +<p>Mahomet answered with an air of indignation: “He hath +too well deserved to be resigned to himself, but I permit you to +try if one effort more will be effectual to divert him from +pursuing his ruin.”</p> +<p>One of these beneficent Genii, assuming without delay the +exterior of a shepherd, more renowned for his piety than all the +Dervises and Santons of the region, took his station near a flock +of white sheep on the slope of a hill, and began to pour forth +from his flute such airs of pathetic melody as subdued the very +soul, and, awakening remorse, drove far from it every frivolous +fancy. At these energetic sounds the sun hid himself +beneath a gloomy cloud, and the waters of two little lakes, that +were naturally clearer than crystal, became of a colour like +blood. The whole of this superb assembly was involuntarily +drawn towards the declivity of the hill; with downcast eyes they +all stood abashed, each upbraiding himself with the evil he had +done; the heart of Dilara palpitated, and the chief of the +eunuchs with a sigh of contrition implored pardon of the women, +whom for his own satisfaction he had so often tormented.</p> +<p>Vathek and Nouronihar turned pale in their litter, and, +regarding each other with haggard looks, reproached +themselves—the one with a thousand of the blackest crimes, +a thousand projects of impious ambition—the other with the +desolation of her family, and the perdition of the amiable +Gulchenrouz. Nouronihar persuaded herself that she heard in +the fatal music the groans of her dying father, and Vathek the +sobs of the fifty children he had sacrificed to the Giaour. +Amidst these complicated pangs of anguish they perceived +themselves impelled towards the shepherd, whose countenance was +so commanding, that Vathek for the first time felt overawed, +whilst Nouronihar concealed her face with her hands.</p> +<p>The music paused, and the Genius, addressing the Caliph, said: +“Deluded Prince! to whom Providence hath confided the care +of innumerable subjects, is it thus that thou fulfillest thy +mission? Thy crimes are already completed, and art thou now +hastening towards thy punishment? Thou knowest that beyond +these mountains Eblis and his accursed Dives hold their infernal +empire; and, seduced by a malignant phantom, thou art proceeding +to surrender thyself to them! This moment is the last of +grace allowed thee; abandon thy atrocious purpose; return; give +back Nouronihar to her father, who still retains a few sparks of +life; destroy thy tower with all its abominations; drive Carathis +from thy councils; be just to thy subjects; respect the ministers +of the Prophet; compensate for thy impieties by an exemplary +life; and, instead of squandering thy days in voluptuous +indulgence, lament thy crimes on the sepulchres of thy +ancestors. Thou beholdest the clouds that obscure the sun; +at the instant he recovers his splendour, if thy heart be not +changed, the time of mercy assigned thee will be past for +ever.”</p> +<p>Vathek, depressed with fear, was on the point of prostrating +himself at the feet of the shepherd, whom he perceived to be of a +nature superior to man; but, his pride prevailing, he audaciously +lifted his head, and, glancing at him one of his terrible looks, +said: “Whoever thou art, withhold thy useless admonitions; +thou wouldst either delude me, or art thyself deceived. If +what I have done be so criminal as thou pretendest, there remains +not for me a moment of grace; I have traversed a sea of blood to +acquire a power which will make thy equals tremble; deem not that +I shall retire when in view of the port, or that I will +relinquish her who is dearer to me than either my life or thy +mercy. Let the sun appear! let him illumine my career! it +matters not where it may end.” On uttering these +words, which made even the Genius shudder, Vathek threw himself +into the arms of Nouronihar, and commanded that his horse should +be forced back to the road.</p> +<p>There was no difficulty in obeying these orders, for the +attraction had ceased; the sun shone forth in all his glory, and +the shepherd vanished with a lamentable scream.</p> +<p>The fatal impression of the music of the Genius remained, +notwithstanding, in the heart of Vathek’s attendants; they +viewed each other with looks of consternation; at the approach of +night almost all of them escaped, and of this numerous assemblage +there only remained the chief of the eunuchs, some idolatrous +slaves, Dilara and a few other women, who, like herself, were +votaries of the religion of the Magi.</p> +<p>The Caliph, fired with the ambition of prescribing laws to the +Intelligences of Darkness, was but little embarrassed at this +dereliction; the impetuosity of his blood prevented him from +sleeping, nor did he encamp any more as before. Nouronihar, +whose impatience, if possible, exceeded his own, importuned him +to hasten his march, and lavished on him a thousand caresses to +beguile all reflection; she fancied herself already more potent +than Balkis, and pictured to her imagination the Genii falling +prostrate at the foot of her throne. In this manner they +advanced by moonlight, till they came within view of the two +towering rocks that form a kind of portal to the valley, at whose +extremity rose the vast ruins of Istakar. Aloft on the +mountain glimmered the fronts of various royal mausoleums, the +horror of which was deepened by the shadows of night. They +passed through two villages almost deserted, the only inhabitants +remaining being a few feeble old men, who, at the sight of horses +and litters, fell upon their knees and cried out:</p> +<p>“O Heaven! is it then by these phantoms that we have +been for six months tormented? Alas! it was from the terror +of these spectres and the noise beneath the mountains, that our +people have fled, and left us at the mercy of maleficent +spirits!”</p> +<p>The Caliph, to whom these complaints were but unpromising +auguries, drove over the bodies of these wretched old men, and at +length arrived at the foot of the terrace of black marble; there +he descended from his litter, handing down Nouronihar; both with +beating hearts stared wildly around them, and expected with an +apprehensive shudder the approach of the Giaour; but nothing as +yet announced his appearance.</p> +<p>A death-like stillness reigned over the mountain and through +the air; the moon dilated on a vast platform the shades of the +lofty columns, which reached from the terrace almost to the +clouds; the gloomy watch-towers, whose numbers could not be +counted, were veiled by no roof, and their capitals, of an +architecture unknown in the records of the earth, served as an +asylum for the birds of darkness, which, alarmed at the approach +of such visitants, fled away croaking.</p> +<p>The chief of the eunuchs, trembling with fear, besought Vathek +that a fire might be kindled.</p> +<p>“No!” replied he, “there is no time left to +think of such trifles; abide where thou art, and expect my +commands.”</p> +<p>Having thus spoken, he presented his hand to Nouronihar, and, +ascending the steps of a vast staircase, reached the terrace, +which was flagged with squares of marble, and resembled a smooth +expanse of water, upon whose surface not a leaf ever dared to +vegetate; on the right rose the watch-towers, ranged before the +ruins of an immense palace, whose walls were embossed with +various figures; in front stood forth the colossal forms of four +creatures, composed of the leopard and the griffin; and, though +but of stone, inspired emotions of terror; near these were +distinguished by the splendour of the moon, which streamed full +on the place, characters like those on the sabres of the Giaour, +that possessed the same virtue of changing every moment; these, +after vacillating for some time, at last fixed in Arabic letters, +and prescribed to the Caliph the following words:</p> +<p>“Vathek! thou hast violated the conditions of my +parchment, and deservest to be sent back; but, in favour to thy +companion, and as the meed for what thou hast done to obtain it, +EBLIS permitteth that the portal of his palace shall be opened, +and the subterranean fire will receive thee into the number of +its adorers.”</p> +<p>He scarcely had read these words before the mountain against +which the terrace was reared trembled, and the watch-towers were +ready to topple headlong upon them; the rock yawned, and +disclosed within it a staircase of polished marble that seemed to +approach the abyss; upon each stair were planted two large +torches, like those Nouronihar had seen in her vision, the +camphorated vapour ascending from which gathered into a cloud +under the hollow of the vault.</p> +<p>This appearance, instead of terrifying, gave new courage to +the daughter of Fakreddin. Scarcely deigning to bid adieu +to the moon and the firmament, she abandoned without hesitation +the pure atmosphere to plunge into these infernal +exhalations. The gait of those impious personages was +haughty and determined; as they descended by the effulgence of +the torches they gazed on each other with mutual admiration, and +both appeared so resplendent, that they already esteemed +themselves spiritual Intelligences; the only circumstance that +perplexed them was their not arriving at the bottom of the +stairs; on hastening their descent with an ardent impetuosity, +they felt their steps accelerated to such a degree, that they +seemed not walking, but falling from a precipice. Their +progress, however, was at length impeded by a vast portal of +ebony, which the Caliph without difficulty recognised; here the +Giaour awaited them with the key in his hand.</p> +<p>“Ye are welcome,” said he to them, with a ghastly +smile, “in spite of Mahomet and all his dependants. I +will now admit you into that palace where you have so highly +merited a place.”</p> +<p>Whilst he was uttering these words he touched the enamelled +lock with his key, and the doors at once expanded, with a noise +still louder than the thunder of mountains, and as suddenly +recoiled the moment they had entered.</p> +<p>The Caliph and Nouronihar beheld each other with amazement, at +finding themselves in a place which, though roofed with a vaulted +ceiling, was so spacious and lofty that at first they took it for +an immeasurable plain. But their eyes at length growing +familiar to the grandeur of the objects at hand, they extended +their view to those at a distance, and discovered rows of columns +and arcades, which gradually diminished till they terminated in a +point, radiant as the sun when he darts his last beams athwart +the ocean; the pavement, strewed over with gold dust and saffron, +exhaled so subtle an odour as almost overpowered them; they, +however, went on, and observed an infinity of censers, in which +ambergris and the wood of aloes were continually burning; between +the several columns were placed tables, each spread with a +profusion of viands, and wines of every species sparkling in +vases of crystal. A throng of Genii and other fantastic +spirits of each sex danced in troops, at the sound of music which +issued from beneath.</p> +<p>In the midst of this immense hall a vast multitude was +incessantly passing, who severally kept their right hands on +their hearts, without once regarding anything around them; they +had all the livid paleness of death; their eyes, deep sunk in +their sockets, resembled those phosphoric meteors that glimmer by +night in places of interment. Some stalked slowly on, +absorbed in profound reverie; some, shrieking with agony, ran +furiously about, like tigers wounded with poisoned arrows; whilst +others, grinding their teeth in rage, foamed along, more frantic +than the wildest maniac. They all avoided each other, and, +though surrounded by a multitude that no one could number, each +wandered at random, unheedful of the rest, as if alone on a +desert which no foot had trodden.</p> +<p>Vathek and Nouronihar, frozen with terror at a sight so +baleful, demanded of the Giaour what these appearances might +mean, and why these ambulating spectres never withdrew their +hands from their hearts.</p> +<p>“Perplex not yourselves,” replied he bluntly, +“with so much; at once you will soon be acquainted with +all; let us haste and present you to Eblis.”</p> +<p>They continued their way through the multitude but, +notwithstanding their confidence at first, they were not +sufficiently composed to examine with attention the various +perspectives of halls and of galleries that opened on the right +hand and left, which were all illuminated by torches and +braziers, whose flames rose in pyramids to the centre of the +vault. At length they came to a place where long curtains, +brocaded with crimson and gold, fell from all parts in striking +confusion; here the choirs and dances were heard no longer; the +light which glimmered came from afar.</p> +<p>After some time Vathek and Nouronihar perceived a gleam +brightening through the drapery, and entered a vast tabernacle +carpeted with the skins of leopards; an infinity of elders with +streaming beards, and Afrits in complete armour, had prostrated +themselves before the ascent of a lofty eminence, on the top of +which, upon a globe of fire, sat the formidable Eblis. His +person was that of a young man, whose noble and regular features +seemed to have been tarnished by malignant vapours; in his large +eyes appeared both pride and despair; his flowing hair retained +some resemblance to that of an angel of light; in his hand, which +thunder had blasted, he swayed the iron sceptre that causes the +monster Ouranabad, the Afrits, and all the powers of the abyss to +tremble; at his presence the heart of the Caliph sank within him, +and for the first time he fell prostrate on his face. +Nouronihar, however, though greatly dismayed, could not help +admiring the person of Eblis; for she expected to have seen some +stupendous giant. Eblis, with a voice more mild than might +be imagined, but such as transfused through the soul the deepest +melancholy, said:</p> +<p>“Creatures of clay, I receive you into mine empire; ye +are numbered amongst my adorers; enjoy whatever this palace +affords; the treasures of the pre-adamite Sultans, their +bickering sabres, and those talismans that compel the Dives to +open the subterranean expanses of the mountain of Kaf, which +communicate with these; there, insatiable as your curiosity may +be, shall you find sufficient to gratify it; you shall possess +the exclusive privilege of entering the fortress of Aherman, and +the halls of Argenk, where are portrayed all creatures endowed +with intelligence, and the various animals that inhabited the +earth prior to the creation of that contemptible being whom ye +denominate the Father of Mankind.”</p> +<p>Vathek and Nouronihar, feeling themselves revived and +encouraged by this harangue, eagerly said to the Giaour:</p> +<p>“Bring us instantly to the place which contains these +precious talismans.”</p> +<p>“Come!” answered this wicked Dive, with his +malignant grin, “come! and possess all that my sovereign +hath promised, and more.”</p> +<p>He then conducted them into a long aisle adjoining the +tabernacle, preceding them with hasty steps, and followed by his +disciples with the utmost alacrity. They reached, at +length, a hall of great extent, and covered with a lofty dome, +around which appeared fifty portals of bronze, secured with as +many fastenings of iron; a funereal gloom prevailed over the +whole scene; here, upon two beds of incorruptible cedar, lay +recumbent the fleshless forms of the pre-adamite kings, who had +been monarchs of the whole earth; they still possessed enough of +life to be conscious of their deplorable condition; their eyes +retained a melancholy motion; they regarded each other with looks +of the deepest dejection; each holding his right hand motionless +on his heart; at their feet were inscribed the events of their +several reigns, their power, their pride, and their crimes; +Soliman Raad, Soliman Daki, and Soliman Di Gian Ben Gian, who, +after having chained up the Dives in the dark caverns of Kaf, +became so presumptuous as to doubt of the Supreme Power; all +these maintained great state, though not to be compared with the +eminence of Soliman Ben Daoud.</p> +<p>This king, so renowned for his wisdom, was on the loftiest +elevation, and placed immediately under the dome; he appeared to +possess more animation than the rest; though from time to time he +laboured with profound sighs, and, like his companions, kept his +right hand on his heart; yet his countenance was more composed, +and he seemed to be listening to the sullen roar of a vast +cataract, visible in part through the grated portals: this was +the only sound that intruded on the silence of these doleful +mansions. A range of brazen vases surrounded the +elevation.</p> +<p>“Remove the covers from these cabalistic +depositories,” said the Giaour to Vathek, “and avail +thyself of the talismans, which will break asunder all these +gates of bronze; and not only render thee master of the treasures +contained within them, but also of the spirits by which they are +guarded.”</p> +<p>The Caliph, whom this ominous preliminary had entirely +disconcerted, approached the vases with faltering footsteps, and +was ready to sink with terror when he heard the groans of +Soliman. As he proceeded a voice from the livid lips of the +Prophet articulated these words:</p> +<p>“In my life-time I filled a magnificent throne, having +on my right hand twelve thousand seats of gold, where the +patriarchs and the prophets heard my doctrines; on my left the +sages and doctors, upon as many thrones of silver, were present +at all my decisions. Whilst I thus administered justice to +innumerable multitudes, the birds of the air librating over me +served as a canopy from the rays of the sun; my people +flourished, and my palace rose to the clouds; I erected a temple +to the Most High, which was the wonder of the universe; but I +basely suffered myself to be seduced by the love of women, and a +curiosity that could not be restrained by sublunary things; I +listened to the counsels of Aherman and the daughter of Pharaoh, +and adored fire and the hosts of heaven; I forsook the holy city, +and commanded the Genii to rear the stupendous palace of Istakar, +and the terrace of the watch-towers, each of which was +consecrated to a star; there for a while I enjoyed myself in the +zenith of glory and pleasure; not only men, but supernatural +existences were subject also to my will. I began to think, +as these unhappy monarchs around had already thought, that the +vengeance of Heaven was asleep; when at once the thunder burst my +structures asunder and precipitated me hither; where, however, I +do not remain, like the other inhabitants, totally destitute of +hope, for an angel of light hath revealed that, in consideration +of the piety of my early youth, my woes shall come to an end when +this cataract shall for ever cease to flow; till then I am in +torments, ineffable torments! an unrelenting fire preys on my +heart.”</p> +<p>Having uttered this exclamation, Soliman raised his hands +towards heaven, in token of supplication, and the Caliph +discerned through his bosom, which was transparent as crystal, +his heart enveloped in flames. At a sight so full of horror +Nouronihar fell back, like one petrified, into the arms of +Vathek, who cried out with a convulsive sob:</p> +<p>“O Giaour! whither hast thou brought us? Allow us +to depart, and I will relinquish all thou hast promised. O +Mahomet! remains there no more mercy?”</p> +<p>“None! none!” replied the malicious Dive. +“Know, miserable prince! thou art now in the abode of +vengeance and despair; thy heart also will be kindled, like those +of the other votaries of Eblis. A few days are allotted +thee previous to this fatal period; employ them as thou wilt; +recline on these heaps of gold; command the Infernal Potentates; +range at thy pleasure through these immense subterranean domains; +no barrier shall be shut against thee; as for me, I have +fulfilled my mission; I now leave thee to thyself.” +At these words he vanished.</p> +<p>The Caliph and Nouronihar remained in the most abject +affliction; their tears unable to flow, scarcely could they +support themselves. At length, taking each other +despondingly by the hand, they went faltering from this fatal +hall, indifferent which way they turned their steps; every portal +opened at their approach; the Dives fell prostrate before them; +every reservoir of riches was disclosed to their view; but they +no longer felt the incentives of curiosity, pride, or +avarice. With like apathy they heard the chorus of Genii, +and saw the stately banquets prepared to regale them; they went +wandering on from chamber to chamber, hall to hall, and gallery +to gallery, all without bounds or limit, all distinguishable by +the same lowering gloom, all adorned with the same awful +grandeur, all traversed by persons in search of repose and +consolation, but who sought them in vain; for every one carried +within him a heart tormented in flames: shunned by these various +sufferers, who seemed by their looks to be upbraiding the +partners of their guilt, they withdrew from them to wait in +direful suspense the moment which should render them to each +other the like objects of terror.</p> +<p>“What!” exclaimed Nouronihar; “will the time +come when I shall snatch my hand from thine!”</p> +<p>“Ah!” said Vathek; “and shall my eyes ever +cease to drink from thine long draughts of enjoyment! Shall +the moments of our reciprocal ecstasies be reflected on with +horror? It was not thou that broughtest me hither; the +principles by which Carathis perverted my youth have been the +sole cause of my perdition!” Having given vent to +these painful expressions, he called to an Afrit, who was +stirring up one of the braziers, and bade him fetch the Princess +Carathis from the palace of Samarah.</p> +<p>After issuing these orders, the Caliph and Nouronihar +continued walking amidst the silent crowd, till they heard voices +at the end of the gallery; presuming them to proceed from some +unhappy beings, who, like themselves, were awaiting their final +doom, they followed the sound, and found it to come from a small +square chamber, where they discovered sitting on sofas five young +men of goodly figure, and a lovely female, who were all holding a +melancholy conversation by the glimmering of a lonely lamp; each +had a gloomy and forlorn air, and two of them were embracing each +other with great tenderness. On seeing the Caliph and the +daughter of Fakreddin enter, they arose, saluted, and gave them +place; then he who appeared the most considerable of the group +addressed himself thus to Vathek:</p> +<p>“Strangers! who doubtless are in the same state of +suspense with ourselves, as you do not yet bear your hands on +your hearts, if you are come hither to pass the interval allotted +previous to the infliction of our common punishment, condescend +to relate the adventures that have brought you to this fatal +place, and we in return will acquaint you with ours, which +deserve but too well to be heard; we will trace back our crimes +to their source, though we are not permitted to repent; this is +the only employment suited to wretches like us!”</p> +<p>The Caliph and Nouronihar assented to the proposal, and Vathek +began, not without tears and lamentations, a sincere recital of +every circumstance that had passed. When the afflicting +narrative was closed, the young man entered on his own. +Each person proceeded in order, and when the fourth prince had +reached the midst of his adventures, a sudden noise interrupted +him, which caused the vault to tremble and to open.</p> +<p>Immediately a cloud descended, which gradually dissipating, +discovered Carathis on the back of an Afrit, who grievously +complained of his burden. She, instantly springing to the +ground, advanced towards her son, and said:</p> +<p>“What dost thou here in this little square +chamber? As the Dives are become subject to thy beck, I +expected to have found thee on the throne of the pre-adamite +kings.”</p> +<p>“Execrable woman!” answered the Caliph; +“cursed be the day thou gavest me birth! go, follow this +Afrit; let him conduct thee to the hall of the Prophet Soliman, +there thou wilt learn to what these palaces are destined, and how +much I ought to abhor the impious knowledge thou hast taught +me.”</p> +<p>“The height of power to which thou art arrived has +certainly turned thy brain,” answered Carathis; “but +I ask no more than permission to show my respect for the +Prophet. It is, however, proper thou shouldest know, that +(as the Afrit has informed me neither of us shall return to +Samarah) I requested his permission to arrange my affairs, and he +politely consented; availing myself, therefore, of the few +moments allowed me, I set fire to the tower, and consumed in it +the mutes, negresses, and serpents which have rendered me so much +good service; nor should I have been less kind to Morakanabad, +had he not prevented me by deserting at last to thy +brother. As for Bababalouk, who had the folly to return to +Samarah, and all the good brotherhood to provide husbands for thy +wives, I undoubtedly would have put them to the torture, could I +but have allowed them the time; being, however, in a hurry, I +only hung him after having caught him in a snare with thy wives, +whilst them I buried alive by the help of my negresses, who thus +spent their last moments greatly to their satisfaction. +With respect to Dilara, who ever stood high in my favour, she +hath evinced the greatness of her mind by fixing herself near in +the service of one of the Magi, and I think will soon be our +own.”</p> +<p>Vathek, too much cast down to express the indignation excited +by such a discourse, ordered the Afrit to remove Carathis from +his presence, and continued immersed in thought, which his +companion durst not disturb.</p> +<p>Carathis, however, eagerly entered the dome of Soliman, and, +without regarding in the least the groans of the Prophet, +undauntedly removed the covers of the vases, and violently seized +on the talismans; then, with a voice more loud than had hitherto +been heard within these mansions, she compelled the Dives to +disclose to her the most secret treasures, the most profound +stores, which the Afrit himself had not seen; she passed by rapid +descents, known only to Eblis and his most favoured potentates, +and thus penetrated the very entrails of the earth, where +breathes the Sansar, or icy wind of death; nothing appalled her +dauntless soul; she perceived, however, in all the inmates who +bore their hands on their hearts a little singularity, not much +to her taste. As she was emerging from one of the abysses, +Eblis stood forth to her view; but, notwithstanding he displayed +the full effulgence of his infernal majesty, she preserved her +countenance unaltered, and even paid her compliments with +considerable firmness.</p> +<p>This superb monarch thus answered: “Princess, whose +knowledge and whose crimes have merited a conspicuous rank in my +empire, thou dost well to employ the leisure that remains; for +the flames and torments, which are ready to seize on thy heart, +will not fail to provide thee with full employment.” +He said this, and was lost in the curtains of his tabernacle.</p> +<p>Carathis paused for a moment with surprise; but, resolved to +follow the advice of Eblis, she assembled all the choirs of +Genii, and all the Dives, to pay her homage; thus marched she in +triumph through a vapour of perfumes, amidst the acclamations of +all the malignant spirits, with most of whom she had formed a +previous acquaintance; she even attempted to dethrone one of the +Solimans for the purpose of usurping his place, when a voice, +proceeding from the abyss of Death, proclaimed, “All is +accomplished!” Instantaneously the haughty forehead +of the intrepid princess was corrugated with agony; she uttered a +tremendous yell, and fixed, no more to be withdrawn, her right +hand upon her heart, which was become a receptacle of eternal +fire.</p> +<p>In this delirium, forgetting all ambitious projects and her +thirst for that knowledge which should ever be hidden from +mortals, she overturned the offerings of the Genii, and, having +execrated the hour she was begotten and the womb that had borne +her, glanced off in a whirl that rendered her invisible, and +continued to revolve without intermission.</p> +<p>At almost the same instant the same voice announced to the +Caliph, Nouronihar, the five princes, and the princess, the awful +and irrevocable decree. Their hearts immediately took fire, +and they at once lost the most precious of the gifts of +Heaven—Hope. These unhappy beings recoiled with looks +of the most furious distraction; Vathek beheld in the eyes of +Nouronihar nothing but rage and vengeance, nor could she discern +aught in his but aversion and despair. The two princes who +were friends, and till that moment had preserved their +attachment, shrank back, gnashing their teeth with mutual and +unchangeable hatred. Kalilah and his sister made reciprocal +gestures of imprecation, whilst the two other princes testified +their horror for each other by the most ghastly convulsions, and +screams that could not be smothered. All severally plunged +themselves into the accursed multitude, there to wander in an +eternity of unabating anguish.</p> +<p>Such was, and such should be, the punishment of unrestrained +passions and atrocious actions! Such is, and such should +be, the chastisement of blind ambition, that would transgress +those bounds which the Creator hath prescribed to human +knowledge; and, by aiming at discoveries reserved for pure +Intelligence, acquire that infatuated pride, which perceives not +that the condition appointed to man is to be ignorant and +humble.</p> +<p>Thus the Caliph Vathek, who, for the sake of empty pomp and +forbidden power, had sullied himself with a thousand crimes, +became a prey to grief without end, and remorse without +mitigation; whilst the humble and despised Gulchenrouz passed +whole ages in undisturbed tranquillity, and the pure happiness of +childhood.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF THE CALIPH VATHEK***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 2060-h.htm or 2060-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/6/2060 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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