the history of caliph vathek-第5部分

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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。

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。

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。

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。〃

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。〃

〃Abjure；　then；　Mahomet；〃　replied　the　Indian；　〃and　promise　me　full　proofs　of　thy　sincerity；　otherwise　thou　shalt　never　behold　me　again。〃

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。

〃How；〃　cried　Vathek；　〃can　I　descend　to　thee　without　the　certainty　of　breaking　my　neck？　come；　take　me；　and　instantly　open　the　portal。〃

〃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！〃

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。

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。

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。

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。

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。

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。

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。

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。

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。

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？〃

〃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。〃

〃Perdition　o