the history of caliph vathek-第18部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


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　n