the history of caliph vathek-第16部分

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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。〃

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：

〃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〃

〃Ah！　my　lord！〃　interposed　Nouronihar；　〃let　me　entreat　that　you　do　him　no　evil。〃

〃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！〃

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。

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。

〃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。〃

〃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。〃

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

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。

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。

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。

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。

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　filed　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。

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。

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　flam