the history of caliph vathek-第17部分

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o？〃　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。〃

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。

〃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。〃

The　poor　peasants；　who　were　not　over…pleased　with　their　party；　remained　open…mouthed　with　surprise。

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　woodmen　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。

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。

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：

〃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。〃

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。〃

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。

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。

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。

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