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.
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.”
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.”
“Be it so!” replied Carathis, alighting, and at the same time committing
Alboufaki to the charge of her women.
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.”
“We have here then,” subjoined Carathis, “a girl both of courage and
science!”
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!”
Vathek at this apostrophe knitted up his brows, and Carathis inquired
what it could mean.
“She is preposterously sighing after a stripling with languishing eyes
and soft hair, who loves her,” said the Caliph.
“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.”
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.
“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.
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?”
“Fishes,” answered she, “I conjure you, by your glittering scales, tell
me where now is Gulchenrouz?”
“Beyond the rock,” replied the shoal in full chorus; “will this content
you? for we do not delight in expanding our mouths.”
“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.
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!”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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!”
Having thus spoken, Carathis hastened to her son, who was tranquilly
banqueting with Nouronihar in his superb carnation-coloured tent.
“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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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:
“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!”