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History of the Caliph Vathek - William Beckford · Miss Pims Camouflage

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  Speaker 1: Part three of the History of the Caliph Bathek by
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  Speaker 1: William Beckford. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain
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  Speaker 1: recording by Morgan Scorpion. Having passed the night in this
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  Speaker 1: cool perturbation, the Caliph at daybreak retired to his tent, where,
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  Speaker 1: without taking the least sustenance, he continued to doze till
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  Speaker 1: the dusk of evening began again to come on. He
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  Speaker 1: then resumed his vigils as before, and persevered in observing
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  Speaker 1: them for many nights together. At length, fatigued with so
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  Speaker 1: successless unemployment, he sought relief from change. To this end,
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  Speaker 1: he sometimes paced with hasty strides across the plain, and
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  Speaker 1: as he wildly gazed at the stars, reproached them with
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  Speaker 1: having deceived him. But lo on a sudden the clear
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  Speaker 1: blue sky appeared, streaked over with streams of blood, which
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  Speaker 1: reached from the valley even to the city of Samara.
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  Speaker 1: As this awful phenomenon seemed to touch his tower, Vathek
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  Speaker 1: at first thought of repairing thither to view it more distinctly,
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  Speaker 1: But feeling himself unable to advance, and being overcome with apprehension,
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  Speaker 1: he muffled up his face in his robe. Terrifying as
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  Speaker 1: these prodigies were, this impression upon him was no more
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  Speaker 1: than momentary, and served only to stimulate his love of
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  Speaker 1: the marvelous. Instead. Therefore, of returning to his palace, he
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  Speaker 1: persisted in the resolution of abiding, where the Indian vanished
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  Speaker 1: from his view. One night, however, while he was walking
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  Speaker 1: as usual on the plain, the moon and the stars
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  Speaker 1: at once were eclipsed, and a total darkness ensued. The
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  Speaker 1: earth trembled beneath him, and a voice came forth, the
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  Speaker 1: voice of the gaw, who in accents more sonorous than thunder,
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  Speaker 1: thus addressed him. Wouldst thou devote thyself to me adore
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  Speaker 1: then the terrestrial influences, and abdeu Mahomet. On these conditions,
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  Speaker 1: I will bring THEE to the palace of subterranean Fire.
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  Speaker 1: There shalt thou behold in immense depositories the treasures which
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  Speaker 1: the stars have promised THEE, and which will be conferred
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  Speaker 1: by those intelligences whom thou shalt thus render propitious. It
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  Speaker 1: was from thence I brought my sabers, and it is
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  Speaker 1: there that Solomon ben Daoud reposes. Surrounded by the talismans
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  Speaker 1: that control the world, the astonished Caliph trembled as he answered,
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  Speaker 1: yet in a style that showed him to be no
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  Speaker 1: novice in preternatural adventures. Where art thou be present to
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  Speaker 1: my eyes, dissipate the gloom that perplexes me, and of
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  Speaker 1: which I deem THEE the cause after the many flambeaus
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  Speaker 1: I have burnt to discover THEE, Thou mayst at least
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  Speaker 1: grant a glimpse of thy horrible visage. Abdeu. Then Mahomet,
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  Speaker 1: replied the Indian, and promise me full proofs of thy sincerity.
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  Speaker 1: Otherwise thou shalt never behold me again. The unhappy Caliph,
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  Speaker 1: instigated by insatiable curiosity, thouvished his promises in the utmost profusion.
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  Speaker 1: The sky immediately brightened, and by the light of the planets,
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  Speaker 1: which seemed almost to blaze, Vathek beheld the earth open
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  Speaker 1: and at the extremity of a vast black chasm, a
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  Speaker 1: portal of ebony, before which stood the Indian still blacker,
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  Speaker 1: holding in his hand a golden key that caused the
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  Speaker 1: lock to resound. How cried Vathek, can I descend to
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  Speaker 1: THEE without the certainty of breaking my neck? Come take
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  Speaker 1: me and instantly open the portal. Not so fast, replied
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  Speaker 1: the Indian impatient caliph. Know that I am parched with thirst,
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  Speaker 1: and he cannot open this door till my thirst be
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  Speaker 1: thoroughly appeased. I require the blood of fifty of the
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  Speaker 1: most beautiful sons of thy viziers and great men, or
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  Speaker 1: neither can my thirst nor thy curiosity be satisfied. Return
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  Speaker 1: to Samara, procure for me this necessary libation. Come back hither,
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  Speaker 1: throw it thyself into this chasm, and then shalt thou see.
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  Speaker 1: Having thus spoken, the Indian turned his back on the Caliph, who,
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  Speaker 1: incited by the suggestion of demons, resolved on the direful sacrifice,
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  Speaker 1: He now pretended to have regained his tranquility and set
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  Speaker 1: out for Samara amidst the acclamations of a people who
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  Speaker 1: still loved him, and forbore not to rejoice when they
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  Speaker 1: believed him to have recovered his reason. So successfully did
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  Speaker 1: he conceal the emotion of his heart that even Carathis
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  Speaker 1: and Morakanabad were equally deceived. With the rest Nothing was
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  Speaker 1: her hered of but festivals and rejoicings. The ball, which
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  Speaker 1: no tongue had hitherto ventured to mention, was again brought
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  Speaker 1: on the tapee. A general laugh went round, though many
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  Speaker 1: still smarting under the hands of the surgeon from the
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  Speaker 1: hurts received in that memorable adventure, had no great reason
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  Speaker 1: for mirth. The prevalence of this gay humor was not
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  Speaker 1: a little grateful to verfek As, perceiving how much it
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  Speaker 1: conduced to his project. He put on the appearance of
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  Speaker 1: affability to every one, but especially to his viziers and
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  Speaker 1: the grandees of his court, whom he failed not to
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  Speaker 1: regale with a sumptuous banquet, during which he insensibly inclined
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  Speaker 1: the conversation to the children of his guests, having asked
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  Speaker 1: with a good natured air, who of them were blessed
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  Speaker 1: with the handsomest boys. Every father at once asserted the
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  Speaker 1: pretensions of his own, and the constant imperceptibility grew so
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  Speaker 1: warm that nothing could have withholden them from coming to
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  Speaker 1: blows but their profound reverence or the poe person of
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  Speaker 1: the Caliph. Under the pretense therefore, of reconciling the disputants,
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  Speaker 1: Verthlick took upon him to decide, and with this view,
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  Speaker 1: commanded the boys to be brought. It was not long
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  Speaker 1: before a troop of these poor children made their appearance,
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  Speaker 1: all equipped by their fond mothers with such ornaments as
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  Speaker 1: might give the greatest relief to their beauty, almost advantageously
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  Speaker 1: display the graces of their age. But whilst this brilliant
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  Speaker 1: assemblage attracted the eyes and hearts of every one besides,
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  Speaker 1: the Caliph scrutinized each in his turn with a malignant
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  Speaker 1: aridity that passed for attention, and selected from their number
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  Speaker 1: the fifty whom he judged that Yore would prefer with
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  Speaker 1: an equal show of kindness as before. He proposed to
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  Speaker 1: celebrate a festival on the plane for the entertainment of
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  Speaker 1: his young favorites, who he said ought to rejoice still
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  Speaker 1: more than all at the restoration of his health on
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  Speaker 1: account of the favors he intended for them. The Caliph's
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  Speaker 1: proposal was received with the greatest delight, and soon published
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  Speaker 1: through Samarah litters. Camels and horses were prepared, women and children,
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  Speaker 1: old men and young. Everyone placed himself in the station
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  Speaker 1: he chose. The cavalcade set forward, attended by all the
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  Speaker 1: confectioners in the city and its precincts. The populace, following
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  Speaker 1: on foot, composed an amazing crowd and occasioned no little noise.
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  Speaker 1: All was joy, nor did any one call to mind
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  Speaker 1: what most of them had suffered when they first traveled
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  Speaker 1: the road they were now passing so gaily. The evening
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  Speaker 1: was serene, the air refreshing, the sky clear, and the
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  Speaker 1: flowers exhaled their fragrance. The beams of the declining sun,
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  Speaker 1: whose mild splendor reposed on the summit of the mountain,
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  Speaker 1: shed a glow of ruddy light over its green declivity,
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  Speaker 1: and the white flocks sporting upon it. No sounds were audible,
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  Speaker 1: save the murmurs of the four fountains and the reeds
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  Speaker 1: and voices of shepherds calling to each other from different eminences.
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  Speaker 1: The lovely innocence proceeding to the destined sacrifice added not
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  Speaker 1: a little to the hilarity of the scene. They approached
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  Speaker 1: the plain full of sportiveness, some coursing butterflies, others culling
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  Speaker 1: flowers or picking up the shining little pebbles that attracted
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  Speaker 1: their notice. At intervals, they nimbly started from each other
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  Speaker 1: for the sake of being caught again, and mutually imparting
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  Speaker 1: a thousand caresses the dreadful chasm at whose bottom the
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  Speaker 1: portal of ebony was placed, began to appear. At a distance,
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  Speaker 1: it looked like a black streak that divided the plane.
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  Speaker 1: Morikanabad and his companions took it for some work which
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  Speaker 1: the Caliph had ordered. Unhappy men, little did they surmise
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  Speaker 1: for what it was destined raphek not liking they should
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  Speaker 1: examine it too, nearly stopped the procession and ordered a
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  Speaker 1: spacious circle to performed on this side, at some distance
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  Speaker 1: from the accursed chasms. The bodyguard of eunuchs was detached
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  Speaker 1: to measure out the lists intended for the games and
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  Speaker 1: prepare ringles for the lines to keep off the crowd.
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  Speaker 1: The fifty competitors were soon stripped and presented to the
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  Speaker 1: admiration of the spectators. The suppleness embrace of their delicate limbs,
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  Speaker 1: Their eyes sparkled with a joy which those of their
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  Speaker 1: fond parents reflected. Everyone offered wishes for the little candidate
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  Speaker 1: nearest his heart, and doubted not of his being victorious.
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  Speaker 1: A breathless suspense awaited the contest of these amiable and
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  Speaker 1: innocent victims. The Caliph, awaiting himself of the first moment
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  Speaker 1: to retire from the crowd, advanced towards the chasm, and
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  Speaker 1: there heard, yet not without shuddering, the voice of the Indian, who,
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  Speaker 1: gnashing his teeth, eagerly demanded, where are they? Where are they?
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  Speaker 1: Perceiveth though not how my mouth waters wentless, Gure, answered
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  Speaker 1: Vathek with emotion. Can nothing content THEE but the massacre
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  Speaker 1: of these lovely victims. Ah wert thou to behold their beauty?
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  Speaker 1: It must certainly move thy compassion perdition on thy compassion, babbler,
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  Speaker 1: cried the Indian, give them me instantly, give them, or
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  Speaker 1: my portal shall be closed against THEE for ever. Not
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  Speaker 1: so loudly, replied the Caliph, blushing, I understand THEE, returned
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  Speaker 1: the Guur with a grin of an ogre. Thou wantest
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  Speaker 1: to summon up more presence of mind? I will for
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  Speaker 1: a moment forbear. During this exquisite dialog, the games went
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  Speaker 1: forward with all alacrity, and at length concluded. Just as
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  Speaker 1: the twilight began to overcast the mountains. Vathek, who was
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  Speaker 1: still standing on the edge of the chasm, called out
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  Speaker 1: with all his might, let my fifty little favorites approach
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  Speaker 1: me separately, and let them come in the order of
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  Speaker 1: their success to the first I will give my diamond bracelet,
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  Speaker 1: to the second, my collar of emeralds, to the third,
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  Speaker 1: my agret of rubies, to the fourth my girdle of topazes,
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  Speaker 1: and to the rest, each a part of my dress,
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  Speaker 1: even down to my slippers. This declaration was received with
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  Speaker 1: reiterated acclamations, and all extolled the liberality of a prince
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  Speaker 1: who would thus strick himself for the amusement of his
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  Speaker 1: subjects and the encouragement of the rising generation. The caliph,
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  Speaker 1: in the meantime, undressed himself by degrees, and raising his
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  Speaker 1: arm as high as he was able, made each of
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  Speaker 1: the prizes glitter in the air. But whilst he delivered
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  Speaker 1: it with one hand to the child, who sprung forward
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  Speaker 1: to receive it, he with the other pushed the poor
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  Speaker 1: innocent into the gulf, where the Guilleau, with a sullen muttering,
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  Speaker 1: incessantly repeated more more. This dreadful device was executed with
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  Speaker 1: so much dexterity that the boy who was approaching him
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  Speaker 1: remained unconscious of the fate of his forerunner. And as
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  Speaker 1: to the spectators, the shades of evening, together with their distance,
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  Speaker 1: secluded them from perceiving any object distinctly. Rafek, having in
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  Speaker 1: this manner thrown in the last of the fifty, and
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  Speaker 1: expecting that the gure on receiving them would have presented
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  Speaker 1: the key, already fancied himself as great as Solomon, and
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  Speaker 1: consequently above being amenable for what he had done. When,
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  Speaker 1: to his utter amazement the chasm closed and the ground
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  Speaker 1: became as entire as the rest of the plain, no
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  Speaker 1: language could express his rage and despair. He execrated the
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  Speaker 1: perfidy of the Indian, loaded him with his most infamous invectives,
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  Speaker 1: and stamped with his foot as resolving to be heard.
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  Speaker 1: He persisted in this demeanor till his strength failed him,
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  Speaker 1: and then fell on the earth like one void of sense.
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  Speaker 1: His viziers and grandees, who were nearer than the rest,
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  Speaker 1: supposed him much first to be sitting on the grass
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  Speaker 1: at play with their amiable children. But at length, prompted
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  Speaker 1: by doubt, they advanced towards the spot and found the
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  Speaker 1: caliph alone, who wildly demanded what they wanted. Our children
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  Speaker 1: are children, cried they, It is assuredly pleasant, said he,
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  Speaker 1: to make me accountable for accidents Your children, while at
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  Speaker 1: play fell from the precipice that was here, and I
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  Speaker 1: should have experienced their fate had I not been saved
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  Speaker 1: by a sudden start back. At these words, the fathers
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  Speaker 1: of the fifty boys cried out aloud. The mothers repeated
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  Speaker 1: their exclamations and octave higher, whilst the rest, without knowing
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  Speaker 1: the cause, soon round the voices of both with still
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  Speaker 1: loud lamentations of their own. Our Calif, said they, and
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  Speaker 1: the report soon circulated. Our Calif has played us this
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  Speaker 1: trick to gratify his accursed fure. Let us punish him
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  Speaker 1: for his purfidy. Let us avenge ourselves, let us avenge
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  Speaker 1: the blood of the innocent. Let us throw this cruel
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  Speaker 1: prince into the gulf that is near, and let his
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  Speaker 1: name be mentioned no more. At this rumor and these menaces, Carathis,
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  Speaker 1: full of consternation, hastened to Marakanabad and said Vizir, thou
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  Speaker 1: have lost two beautiful boys and must necessarily be the
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  Speaker 1: most afflicted of fathers. But you are virtuous. Save your master.
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  Speaker 1: I will brave every hazard, replied the Vizier, to rescue
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  Speaker 1: him from his present danger, but afterwards will abandon him
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  Speaker 1: to his fate. Bababeluk continued, he put yourself at the
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  Speaker 1: head of your eunuchs, disperse the mob, and if possible,
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  Speaker 1: bring back this unhappy prince to his palace. Bababeluk and
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  Speaker 1: his fraternity, felicitating each other in a low voice on
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  Speaker 1: their disability of ever being fathers, obeyed the mandate of
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  Speaker 1: the Vizier, whose, seconding their exertions to the utmost of
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  Speaker 1: his power, at length accomplished his generous enterprise, and retired,
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  Speaker 1: as he resolved to lament at his leisure. No sooner
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  Speaker 1: had the caliph re entered his palace than Carathis commanded
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  Speaker 1: the doors to be fastened. But, perceiving the tumult to
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  Speaker 1: be still violent, and hearing the implications which resounded from
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  Speaker 1: all quarters, she said to her son, whether the populace
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  Speaker 1: be right or wrong, it beholds you to provide for
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  Speaker 1: your safety. Let us retire to your own apartment, and
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  Speaker 1: from thence to the subterranean passage known only to ourselves,
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  Speaker 1: into your tower. There, with the assistance of the mutes
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  Speaker 1: who never leave it, we may be able to make
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  Speaker 1: some resistance. But Babeluk, supposing us to be still in
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  Speaker 1: the palace, will guard its avenues for his own sake,
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  Speaker 1: and we shall soon find, without the counsels of that
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  Speaker 1: lover or a Cannabad, what expedient may be the best
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  Speaker 1: to adopt. Vathek without making the least reply acquiesced in
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  Speaker 1: his mother's proposal, and repeated as he went, nefarious cure.
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  Speaker 1: Where art thou hast thou not yet devoured those poor children?
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  Speaker 1: Where are thy sabers, thy golden keys, thy talismans. Carathis,
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  Speaker 1: who guessed from these interrogations a part of the truth,
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  Speaker 1: had no difficulty to apprehend in getting at the hall
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  Speaker 1: as soon as he should be a little composed in
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  Speaker 1: his tower. This princess was so far from being influenced
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  Speaker 1: by scruples that she was as wicked as woman could be,
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  Speaker 1: which is not saying a little, for the sex pique
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  Speaker 1: themselves on their superiority in every competition. The recital of
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  Speaker 1: the caliph therefore occasioned neither terror nor surprise to his mother.
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  Speaker 1: She felt no emotion but from the promises of her giure,
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  Speaker 1: and said to her son, this scure, it must be confessed,
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  Speaker 1: is somewhat sanguinary in his taste. But the terrestrial powers
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  Speaker 1: are always terrible. Nevertheless, what the one has promised and
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  Speaker 1: the others can confer will prove a sufficient indemnification. No
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  Speaker 1: crimes should be thought too dear for such a reward.
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  Speaker 1: Forbear then to revile the Indian you have not fulfilled
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  Speaker 1: the conditions to which his services are annexed. For instance,
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  Speaker 1: is not a sacrifice to the subterranean geny required, and
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  Speaker 1: should we not be prepared to offer it? As soon
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  Speaker 1: as the tumult is subsided, this charge I will take
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  Speaker 1: on myself and have no doubt of succeeding by means
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  Speaker 1: of your treasures, which, as there are now so many
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  Speaker 1: others in store, may without fear be exhausted. Accordingly, the princess,
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  Speaker 1: who possessed the most consummate skill in the art of persuasion,
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  Speaker 1: went immediately back through the subterranean passage, and, presenting herself
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  Speaker 1: to the populace from a window of the palace, began
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  Speaker 1: to harangue them with all the address of which she
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  Speaker 1: was mistress, whilst for Babylu showered money from both hands
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  Speaker 1: amongst the crowd, who, by these united means were soon appeased.
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  Speaker 1: Every person retired to his home, and Carathis retired to
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  Speaker 1: the tower. Prayer at break of day was announced when
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  Speaker 1: Carathis and Bathek ascended the steps which led to the
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  Speaker 1: summit of the tower, where they remained for some time.
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  Speaker 1: Though the weather was lowering and wet. This impending gloom
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  Speaker 1: corresponded with their malignant dispositions. But when the sun began
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  Speaker 1: to break through the clouds, they ordered a pavilion to
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  Speaker 1: be raised as a screen from the intrusion of his beams.
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  Speaker 1: The Caliph, overcome with fatigue, sought refreshment from repose, at
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  Speaker 1: the same time hoping that significant dreams might attend on
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  Speaker 1: his assembers. Whilst the indefatigable Carathis, followed by a party
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  Speaker 1: of her mutes, descended to prepare whatever she judged proper
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  Speaker 1: for the oblation of the approaching night. End of Part three,
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: Part six of the History of the Caliph Bathek by
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  Speaker 1: William Beckford. This librivoke's recording is in the public domain.
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: It was not less light than in the brightest of
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  Speaker 1: the dog days, and the weather was hot in proportion,
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  Speaker 1: but how degrading was the spectacle to behold? The Caliph
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  Speaker 1: bespattered like an ordinary mortal, as the exercise of his
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  Speaker 1: faculties seemed to be suspended. One of his Ethiopian wives
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  Speaker 1: for he delighted in variety, clasped him in her arms,
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  Speaker 1: threw him upon her shoulder like a sack of dates, and,
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  Speaker 1: finding that the fire was hemming them in, set off
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  Speaker 1: with no small expedition considering the weight of her burden.
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  Speaker 1: The other ladies, who had just learnt the use of
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  Speaker 1: their feet, followed her. Their guards galloped after, and the
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  Speaker 1: camel drivers brought up the rear as fast as their
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  Speaker 1: charge would permit. They soon reached the spot where the
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  Speaker 1: wild beasts had commenced the carnage, and which they had
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  Speaker 1: too much spirit to leave, notwithstanding the approaching tumult and
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  Speaker 1: the luxurious supper they had made by Babeluk nevertheless seized
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  Speaker 1: on a few of the plumpest, which were unable to
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  Speaker 1: budge from the place, and began to flay them with
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  Speaker 1: admirable adroitness. The cavalcade being got so far from the
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  Speaker 1: conflagration as that the heat felt rather grateful than violent,
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  Speaker 1: it was immediately resolved on to halt. The tattered chintzes
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  Speaker 1: were picked up, the scraps left by the wolves and
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  Speaker 1: tigers interred, and vengeance was taken on some dozens of
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  Speaker 1: vultures that were too much glutted to rise on the wing,
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  Speaker 1: the camels which had been left unmolested to make sal
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  Speaker 1: ammoniac being numbered, and the ladies once more enclosed in
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  Speaker 1: their cages. The imperial tent was pitched on the levelest
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  Speaker 1: grounds they could find, Bathek reposing upon a mattress of
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  Speaker 1: down and tolerably recovered from the jotting of the Ethiopian, who,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: to his feelings, seemed the roughest totting jade he had
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: hitherto mounted, called out for something to eat. But alas
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: those delicate cakes which had been baked in silver onions
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: for his royal mouth, those rich manchets, amber comfits, flagons
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: of Schira's wine, porcelain vases of snow and graped from
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: the banks of the Tigris were all irredeemably lost, And
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: nothing had for Babeluk to present in their stead but
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: a roasted wolf, vultures, a la dauba, aromatic herbs of
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: the most acrid pregnancy, rotten truffles, boiled thistles, and such
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: other wild plants as most ulcerate the throat and partch
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: of the tongue. Nor was he better provided in the
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: article of drink, for he could procure nothing to accompany
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: these irritating viands but a few vials of abomdable brandy,
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: which had been secreted by the scullions in their slippers.
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: Vathek made wry faces at so savage a repast, and
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: Bababeluc answered them with shrugs and contortions. The caliph, however,
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: ate with tolerable apples, and fell into a nap that
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: lasted six hours. The splendor of the sun reflected from
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: the white cliffs of the mountains, in spite of the
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: curtains that enclosed him, at length disturbed his repose. He
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: awoke terrified and stung to the quick by those wormwood
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: colored flies which emit from their wings a suffocating stench.
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: The miserable monarch was perplexed how to act, though his
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: wits were not idle in seeking expedients, Whilst for Babuluk
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: lay snoring amidst the swarm of those insects that busily
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: thronged to pay court to his nose. The little pages,
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: famished with hunger, had dropped their fans on the ground
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: and exerted their dying voices in bitter reproaches on the caliph,
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: who now for the first time heard the language of truth.
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: Thus stimulated, he renewed his imprecations against the Ghiaux, and
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: bestowed upon Mohammed some soothing expressions. Where am I cried he?
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: What are these dreadful rocks? These valleys of darkness? Are
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: we arrived at? The horrible calf? Is the seamour coming
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: to pluck out my eyes as a punishment for undertaking
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: this impious enterprise. Having said this, he bellowed like a
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: calf and turned himself towards an outlet in the sight
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: of his pavilion. But alas what objects occurred to his view.
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: On one side a plain of black sand that appeared
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: to be unbounded, and on the other perpendicular crags wristled
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: over with those abominable thistles which had so severely lacerated
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: his tongue. He fancied, however, that he perceived amongst the
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: brambles and briars some gigantic flowers, but was mistaken, for
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: these were only the danged pampelaues and the variegated tatters
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: of his gay retinue. As there were several clefts in
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: the rock from whence water seemed to have flowed rathek
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: applied his ear with the hope of catching the sound
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: of some latent runnel, but could only distinguish the low
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: murmurs of his people, who were repining at their journey
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: and complaining for the want of water. To what purpose,
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: asked they, have we been brought hither hath our caliph
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: another tower to build? Or have the relentless athletes, whom
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: Carathis so much loves, fixed in this place their abode
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: at the name of Carathis verthek recollected the tablets he
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: had received from his mother, who assured him they were
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: fought with preternatural qualities, and advised him to consult them
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: as emergencies might require. Whilst he was engaged in turning
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: them over, he heard a shout of joy and a
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: loud clapping of hands. The curtains of his pavilion were
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: soon drawn back, and he beheld for Babeluc, followed by
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: a troop of his favorites, conducting two dwarfs, each a
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: cubit high, who brought between them a large basket of melons,
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: oranges and pomegranates. They were singing in the sweetest tones
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: the words that follow we dwell on the tops of
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: these rocks in a cabin of rushes and canes. The
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: eagles envy us our nest. A small spring supplies us
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: with abdess, and we daily repeat prayers which the prophet approves.
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: We love you, o, commander of the Faithful, our master,
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: the good Emir Fakreddin loves you also. He reveres in
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: your person the vice magent of Mahomet. Little as we
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: are in us, he confides, he knows our hearts to
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: be good, as our bodies are contemptible, and has placed
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: us here to aid those who are bewildered on these
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: dreary mountains. Last night, whilst we were occupied within our
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: cell in reading the Holy Koran, as sudden hurricane blew
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: out our lights and rocked our habitation wore. Two whole
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: hours of palpable darkness prevailed, but we heard sounds at
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: a distance, which we conjectured to proceed from the bells
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: of a cafilla passing over the rocks. Our ears were
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: soon filled with deplorable shrieks, frightful roarings, and the sound
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: of timbles. Chilled with terror, we concluded that the dad Eel,
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: with his exterminating angels, had sent forth their plagues on
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: the earth. In the midst of these melancholy reflections, we
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: perceived flames of the deepest red glow in the horizon,
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: and found ourselves in a few moments covered with flakes
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: of fire. Amazed at so strange an appearance, we took
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: up the volume dictated by the blessed intelligence, and kneeling
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: by the light of the fire that surrounded us, we
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: recited the verse which says, put no trust in anything
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: but the mercy of Heaven. There is no help save
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: in the Holy Prophet. The mountain of Calf itself may tremble,
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: it is the power of Allah only that cannot be moved.
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: After having pronounced these words, we felt consolation, and our
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: minds were hushed into a sacred repose. Silence ensued, and
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: our ears clearly distinguished. A voice in the air saying,
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: servants of my faithful servants, go down to the happy
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: valley of Pakhwddin. Tell him that an illustrious opportunity now
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: offers to satiate the thirst of his horse spitable heart.
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: The commander of true believers is this day bewildered amongst
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: these mountains, and stands in need of thy aid. We
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: obeyed with joy the angelic mission, and our master, filled
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: with pious zeal, has curled with his own hands these melons,
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: oranges and pomegranates. He is following us with a hundred dromedaries,
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: laden with the purest waters of his fountains, and is
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: coming to kiss the fringe of your consecrated robe, and
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: implore you to enter his humble habitation, which placed amidst
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: these barren wilds, resembles an emerald set in lead. The dwarfs,
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: having ended their address, remained still standing, and with hands
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: crossed upon their bosoms, preserved a respectful silence. Vathek, in
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: the midst of this curious harangue, seized the basket, and
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: long before it was finished, the fruits had dissolved in
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: his mouth. As he continued to eat, his piety increased,
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: and in the same breath which recited his prayers, he
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: called for the Koran and sugar. Such was the state
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: of his mind. When the tablets, which were thrown by
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: at the approach of the dwarfs, again attracted his eye,
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: he took them up, but was ready to drop on
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: the ground when he beheld in large red characters these
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: words inscribed by Carathis, which were indeed enough to make
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: him tremble. Beware of thy old doctors and their puny
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: messengers of but one cubid high. Distrust their pious forwards,
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: and instead of eating their melons, impale on a spit
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: the bearers of them. Shouldst thou be such a fool
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: as to visit them, the portal of the subterranean palace
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: will shut in thy face, and with such force as
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: shall shake thee asunder. Thy body shall be spit upon,
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: and bats will engender in thy belly. To what tends
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: this ominous rhapsody? Cries the Caliph, And must I then
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: perish in these deserts with thirst? Whilst I may refresh
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: myself in the valley of melons and cucumbers. A cursed
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: be the game with his portal of ebony. He hath
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: made me dance attendants too long already. Besides, who shall
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: prescribe laws to me? I? Forsooth must not enter any
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: one's habitation? Be it so? But what one can I
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: enter that is not my own? Bababeluc who lost not
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: a syllable of this soliloquy, applauded it with all his heart,
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: and the ladies for the first time agreed with him
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: in opinion. The dwarfs were entertained, caressed, and seated with
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: great ceremony on little cushions of satin. The symmetry of
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: their persons was the subject of criticism. Not an inch
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: of them was suffered to pass unexamined. Knick knacks and
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: dainties were offered in profusion, but all were declined with
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: respectful gravity. They clambered up the sides of the Caliph's seat, and,
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: placing themselves each on one of his shoulders, began to
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: whisper prayers in his ears. Their tongues quivered like the
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: leaves of a poplar, and the patience of Bas was
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: almost exhausted. When the acclamations of the troops announced the
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: approach of Pakreddin, who was come with a hundred old
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: graybeards and as many Korans and dromedaries. They instantly set
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: about their ablutions and began to repeat of his Millah.
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: Rathek to get rid of these officious monitors, followed their example,
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: for his hands were burning. The good Emir, who was
• 30:24
  Speaker 1: punctiliously religious, and likewise a great deal in compliments made
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: in harangue five times more prolix and insipid than his
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: harbingers had already delivered. The Caliph, unable any longer to refrain, exclaimed,
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: for the love of Mahomet, my dear Pakhreddin have done,
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: Let us proceed to your valley and enjoy the fruits
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: that Heaven hath vouchsafed you. The hint of proceeding put
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: all into motion. The venerable attendance of the Emir set
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: forward somewhat slowly, but Vathek, having ordered his little pages
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: in private to goad on the dromedaries, Loud fits of
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: laughter broke forth from the cages. For the unwieldly curveting
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: of these poor beasts and the ridiculous distress of their
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: superannuated riders, afforded the ladies no small entertainment. They descended, however,
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: unhurt into the valley by the large steps which the
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: Emir had cut in the rock, and already the murmuring
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: of streams and the rustling of leaves began to catch
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: their attention. The cavalcades soon entered a path which were
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: skirted by flowering shrubs and extended to a vast wood
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: of palm trees whose branches overspread a building of hewn stone.
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: This edifice was crowned with nine domes and adorned with
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: as many portals of bronze, on which was engraven the
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: following inscription, This is the asylum of pilgrims, the refuge
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: of travelers, and the depository of secrets for all parts
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: of the world. Nine pages, beautiful as the day, and
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: clothed in robes of Egyptian linen, very long and very modest,
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: were standing at each door. They received the whole retinue
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: with an easy and inviting air. Four of the most
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: amiable placed the caliph on a magnificent tuck trevens for
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: others somewhat less graceful took charge of the babeluc, who
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: capered for joy at the snug little cabin that fell
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: to his share. The pages that remained waited on the
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: rest of the train. When everything masculine was gone out
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: of sight, the gate of a large enclosure on the
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: right turned on its harmonious hinges, and a young female
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: of a slender form came forth. Her light brown hair
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: floated in the hazy breeze of the twilight. A troop
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: of young maidens, like the Pleiades, attended her on tiptoe.
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: They hastened to the pavilions that contained the Sultanas, and
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: the young lady, gracefully bending, said to them, charming princesses,
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: everything is ready. We have prepared beds for your repose,
• 32:49
  Speaker 1: and stood your apartments with jasmine. No insects will keep
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: off slumber from visiting your eyelids. We will dispel them
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: with a thousand plumes. Come, then, amiable lady, refresh your
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: delicate feet and your ivory limbs in valves of rose water,
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: and by the light of perfumed lamps. Your servants will
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: amuse you with tails. The sultanas accepted with pleasure these
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: obliging offers, and followed the young lady to the Emir's harem,
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: where we must for a moment leave them and return
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: to the caliph. Vathek found himself beneath a vast dome
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: illuminated by a thousand lamps of rock crystal, as many
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: vases of the same material filled with excellent sherbet sparkled
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: on a large table where a profusion of viands were spread.
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: Amongst others were sweetbreads stewed in milk of almonds, saffron soups,
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: and lamb a la creme, all of which the Caliph
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: was amazingly fond. He took of each as much as
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: was able, testified his sense of the Emir's friendship by
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: the gaiety of his hut, and made the dwarfs dance
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: against their will, for these little devotees Durst not refuse
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: the commander of the faithful. At last, he spread himself
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: on the sofa and slept sounder than he had ever before.
• 34:03
  Speaker 1: Beneath this dome, a general silence prevailed, for there was
• 34:07
  Speaker 1: nothing to disturb it but the jaws of the Babuluk,
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: who had untrust himself to eat with greater advantage. Being
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: anxious to make amends for his fast in the mountains,
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: as his spirits were too high to admit of his sleeping,
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: and not loving to be idle, he proposed with himself
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: to visit the harem and repair to his charge of
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: the ladies, to examine if they had been properly lubricated
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: with the balm of Meckler, if their eyebrows and tresses
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: were in order, and in a word, to perform all
• 34:34
  Speaker 1: the little offices they might need. He sought for a
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: long time together, but without being able to find out
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: the door, he durst not speak aloud for fear of
• 34:43
  Speaker 1: disturbing the Caliph, and not a soul was stirring in
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: the precincts of the palace. He almost despaired of effecting
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: his purpose when a low whispering just reached his ear.
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: It came from the Dwarfs, who were returned to their
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: old occupation, and for the nine hundred and ninety ninth
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: time in their lives, were reading over the Koran. They
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: very politely invited Bababeluk to be of their party, but
• 35:07
  Speaker 1: his head was full of other concerns. The Dwarfs, though
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: scandalized at his dissolute morals, directed him to the apartments
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: he wanted to find his way. Thither lay through a
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: hundred dark corridors, along which he groped as he went,
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: and at last began to catch from the extremity of
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: a passage the charming gossiping of the women, which not
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: a little delighted his heart. Aha, what not yet asleep?
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: Cried he, and, taking long strides as he spoke. Did
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: you not suspect me of abjuring my charge? I stayed,
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: but to finish what my master had left. Two of
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: the black eunuchs, on hearing a voice so loud, detached
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: a party in haste, saber in hand to discover the cause,
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: but presently was repeated on all sides, tis only by Babeluc,
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: no one but Bababeluk. This circumspect guardian having gone up
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: to a thin veil of carnation colored silk that hung
• 36:03
  Speaker 1: before the doorway, distinguished by means of the softened splendor
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: that shone through it. An oval bath of dark porphyry,
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: surrounded by curtains festooned in large folds. Through the apertures
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: between them, as they were not drawn close, groups of
• 36:18
  Speaker 1: young slaves were visible, among whom Bababeluk perceived his pupils
• 36:22
  Speaker 1: indulgently expanding their arms as if to embrace the perfumed
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: water and refresh themselves out of their fatigues. The looks
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: of tender languor, their confidential whispers, and the enchanting smiles
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: with which they were imparted the exquisite fragrance of the
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: roses all combined to inspire a voluptuousness which even Bababeluk
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: himself was scarce able to withstand. He summoned up. However,
• 36:47
  Speaker 1: his usual solemnity, and in the peremptory tone of authority,
• 36:51
  Speaker 1: commanded the ladies instantly to leave the bath. Whilst he
• 36:56
  Speaker 1: was issuing these mandates, the young Naurunah, daughter of the Emir,
• 37:00
  Speaker 1: who was sprightly as an antelope and full of wanton gaiety,
• 37:03
  Speaker 1: beckoned one of her slaves to let down the great swing,
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: which was suspended to the ceiling by cords of silk,
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: and whilst this was doing, winked to her companions in
• 37:12
  Speaker 1: the bath, who chagrined to reforce from so soothing a
• 37:16
  Speaker 1: state of indurance, began to twist it around for babylu
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: and tease him with a thousand bagaries. End of Part six,
• 37:30
  Speaker 1: Part eight of the History of the Caliph Bathek by
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: William Beckford. This librivo's recording is in the public domain.
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: During these occurrences, the moon arose, the wind subsided, and
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: the evening became so serene an inviting that a resolution
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: was taken to sap on the spot. Sutla Mimee, who
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: excelled in dressing a salad, having filled large bowls of
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: porcelain with eggs of small birds curds, turned with citron juice,
• 37:58
  Speaker 1: slices of cucumber, and the inmost leaves of delicate herbs.
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: Handed it round from one to another, and gave each
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: their share in a large spoon of cocknos gelchen ruse nestling,
• 38:10
  Speaker 1: as usual in the bosom of Noaronaha pouted out his
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: vermilion little lips against the offer of sutter memee, and
• 38:16
  Speaker 1: would take it only from the hand of his cousin,
• 38:19
  Speaker 1: on whose mouth he hung like a bee. Inebriated with
• 38:22
  Speaker 1: the quintessence of flowers, one of the eunuchs ran to
• 38:26
  Speaker 1: fetch melons, whilst others were employed in showering down almonds
• 38:30
  Speaker 1: from the branches that overhung this amiable party. In the
• 38:34
  Speaker 1: midst of this festive scene, there appeared a light on
• 38:36
  Speaker 1: the top of the highest mountain, which attracted the notice
• 38:39
  Speaker 1: of every eye. This light was not less bright than
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: the moon when at full and might have been taken
• 38:45
  Speaker 1: for her, had it not been that the moon was
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: already risen. The phenomenon occasioned a general surprise, and no
• 38:54
  Speaker 1: one could conjecture the cause. It could not be of fire,
• 38:58
  Speaker 1: for the light was clear and blurish. Nor had Miteus
• 39:01
  Speaker 1: ever been seen of that magnitude or splendor. This strange
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: light faded for a moment and immediately renewed its brightness.
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: It first appeared motionless at the foot of the rock,
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: whence it darted in an instant to sparkle in a
• 39:16
  Speaker 1: thicket of palm trees, from whence it glided along the torrent,
• 39:20
  Speaker 1: and at last fixed in a glen that was narrow
• 39:22
  Speaker 1: and dark. The movement had taken its direction. Golchen Russ,
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: whose heart always trembled at anything sudden or rare, drew
• 39:31
  Speaker 1: Noroonaha by the robe and anxiously requested her to return
• 39:34
  Speaker 1: to the harem. The women were importunate in seconding the entreaty,
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: but the curiosity of the Emir's daughter prevailed. She not
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: only refused to go back, but resolved at all hazards
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: to pursue the appearance. Whilst they were debating what was
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: best to be done, the light shone forth, so dazzling
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: a blaze, that they all fled away, shrieking. Nouroniha followed
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: them a few steps, but, but coming to the turn
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: of a little by path, stopped and went back alone.
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: As she ran with an alertness peculiar to herself. It
• 40:08
  Speaker 1: was not long before she came to the place where
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: they had just been suffing. The globe of fire now
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: appeared stationary in the glen and burned in majestic stillness noronihar.
• 40:20
  Speaker 1: Compressing her hands upon her bosom, hesitated for some moments
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: to advance. The solitude of her situation was new, the
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: silence of the night awful, and every object inspired sensations
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: which till then she never had felt. The affright of
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: Gulchenros recurred to her mind, and she a thousand times
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: turned to go back, But this luminous appearance was always
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: before her. Urged on by an irresistible impulse, she continued
• 40:47
  Speaker 1: to approach it, in defiance of every obstacle that opposed
• 40:50
  Speaker 1: her progress. At length, she arrived at the opening of
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: the glen, but instead of coming up to the light,
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: she found herself surrounded by by darkness. Excepting that at
• 41:02
  Speaker 1: a considerable distance a faint spark glimmered by fits, she
• 41:06
  Speaker 1: stopped a second time. The sound of waterfalls mingling their murmurs,
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: the hollow rustlings amongst the palm branches, and the funereal
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: screams of the birds from their rifted trunks all conspired
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: to fill her with terror. She imagined every moment that
• 41:22
  Speaker 1: she trod on some venomous reptile. All the stories of
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: malignant divats and dismal ghuls thronged into her memory. But
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: her curiosity was notwithstanding more predominant than her fears. She
• 41:36
  Speaker 1: therefore firmly entered a winding track that led towards the spark,
• 41:40
  Speaker 1: But being a stranger to the path, she had not
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: gone far till she began to repent of her rashness.
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: Alas said she that I were but in those secure
• 41:49
  Speaker 1: and illuminated apartments where my evenings glided on with gulchen roos,
• 41:54
  Speaker 1: Dear child, how would thy heart flutter with terror? Wert
• 41:57
  Speaker 1: thou wandering in these wild solitudes like me? At the
• 42:01
  Speaker 1: close of this apostrophe, she regained her road, and, coming
• 42:05
  Speaker 1: to steps hewn out in the rock, ascended them undismayed.
• 42:08
  Speaker 1: The light, which was now gradually enlarging, appeared above her
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: on the summit of the mountain. At length she distinguished
• 42:16
  Speaker 1: a plaintive and melodious union of voices proceeding from the
• 42:19
  Speaker 1: sort of cavern that resembled the dirges which are sung
• 42:23
  Speaker 1: over tombs. A sound likewise like that which arises from
• 42:27
  Speaker 1: the filling of baths. At the same time struck her ear.
• 42:32
  Speaker 1: She continued ascending and discovered large wax torches in full blaze,
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: planted here and there in the fishes of the rock.
• 42:39
  Speaker 1: This preparation filled her with fear, whilst the subtle and
• 42:43
  Speaker 1: potent odor which the torches exhaled caused her to sink
• 42:46
  Speaker 1: almost lifeless at the entrance of the groth, casting her
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: eyes within in this kind of trance, she beheld a
• 42:52
  Speaker 1: large cistern of gold filled with the water, whose vapor
• 42:55
  Speaker 1: distilled on her face a dew of the essence of roses.
• 42:59
  Speaker 1: A soft symphony resounded through the glot. On the sides
• 43:03
  Speaker 1: of the system, she noticed appendages of royalty diadems and
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: feathers of the heron, all sparkling with carbuncles. Whilst her
• 43:11
  Speaker 1: attention was fixed on this display of magnificence, the music ceased,
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: and the voice instantly demanded, for what monarch were these
• 43:19
  Speaker 1: torches kindled, this bath prepared, and these habiliments which belong
• 43:24
  Speaker 1: not only to the sovereigns of the earth, but even
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: to the talismanic powers, to which a second voice answered,
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: they are for the charming daughter of the Emir Fakhreddin,
• 43:35
  Speaker 1: What replied the first For that trifler who consumes her
• 43:39
  Speaker 1: time with a giddy child immersed in softness, and who
• 43:42
  Speaker 1: can at best make but an enervated husband, And can
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: she rejoined the other voice be amused with such empty trifles?
• 43:51
  Speaker 1: Whilst the Caliph, the sovereign of the world, he who
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: is destined to enjoy the treasures of the pre Adamite sultans,
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: a prince six feet high, and whose eyes purveyed the
• 44:01
  Speaker 1: inmost soul of a female, is inflamed with the love
• 44:04
  Speaker 1: of her No she will be wise enough to answer
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: that passion alone that can aggrandize her glory. No doubt
• 44:11
  Speaker 1: she will and despise the puppet of her fancy. Then
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: all the riches this place contains, as well as the
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: carbunclog gianskid, shall be hers. You, Judge Wright, returned the
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: first voice, and I haste to Istakar to prepare the
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: palace of subterranean fire for the reception of the bridal pair.
• 44:31
  Speaker 1: The voices ceased, the torches were extinguished, the most entire
• 44:35
  Speaker 1: darkness succeeded, and Nouronihar, recovering with a start, found herself
• 44:39
  Speaker 1: declined on the sofa in the harem of her father.
• 44:43
  Speaker 1: She clapped her hands and immediately came together Gulchenros and
• 44:46
  Speaker 1: her women, who, in despair at having lost her, had
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: despatched eunuchs to seek her in every direction. Shaban appeared
• 44:54
  Speaker 1: with the rest and began to reprimand her with an
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: air of consequence. Little impertinent said he, whence got you
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: false keys? Or are you beloved of some genius that
• 45:07
  Speaker 1: hath given you a pick lock? I will try the
• 45:10
  Speaker 1: extent of your power. Come to your chamber through the
• 45:13
  Speaker 1: two skylights, and expect not the company of Golchenrose be expeditious.
• 45:18
  Speaker 1: I will shut you up in the double tower. At
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: these menaces, Noronihar indignantly raised her head, opened on Chaban,
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: her black eyes, which since the important dialog of the
• 45:30
  Speaker 1: enchanted grot, were considerably enlarged, and said, go speak thus
• 45:35
  Speaker 1: to slaves, but learn to reverence her who was born
• 45:38
  Speaker 1: to give laws and subject all to her power. She
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: was proceeding in the same style, but was interrupted by
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: a sudden explanation of the Caliph. The Caliph, the curtains
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: at once were thrown open, and the slaves prostrate in
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: double rows. Whilst poor little Golchenrose hid himself beneath the
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: elevation of a sofa. At first first appeared a file
• 46:01
  Speaker 1: of black eunuchs, trailing after them long trains of muslin,
• 46:04
  Speaker 1: embroidered with gold and holding in their hands sensed, which
• 46:08
  Speaker 1: dispensed as they passed the grateful perfume of the wood
• 46:11
  Speaker 1: of aloes. Next marched for Babeluk with a solemn strut
• 46:15
  Speaker 1: and tossing his head as not overpleased at the visit.
• 46:19
  Speaker 1: Vathek came close after superbly robed. His gait was unembarrassed
• 46:24
  Speaker 1: and noble, and his presence would have engaged admiration, though
• 46:28
  Speaker 1: he had not been the sovereign of the world. He
• 46:31
  Speaker 1: approached Nironihar with a throwing heart and seemed enraptured at
• 46:35
  Speaker 1: the full effulgence of her ragant eyes, of which he
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: had before caught but a few glimpses. But she instantly
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: depressed them, and her confusion augmented her beauty. Barbabeluk, who
• 46:47
  Speaker 1: was a sower, adept in coincidences of this nature, and
• 46:51
  Speaker 1: knew that the worst game should be played with the
• 46:53
  Speaker 1: best face, immediately made a signal for all to retire,
• 46:57
  Speaker 1: and no sooner did he perceive beneath the sofa the
• 46:59
  Speaker 1: little one's feet. Then he drew him forth without ceremony,
• 47:03
  Speaker 1: set him upon his shoulders, and lavished on him as
• 47:06
  Speaker 1: he went off a thousand odious caresses. Golchenruse cried out
• 47:10
  Speaker 1: and resisted till his cheeks became the color of the
• 47:13
  Speaker 1: blossom of the pomegranate, and the tears that started into
• 47:16
  Speaker 1: his eyes shot forth a gleam of indignation. He cast
• 47:21
  Speaker 1: a significant glance at Narnahar, which the Caliph, noticing, asked,
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: is that then, your gulchenhouse, sovereign of the world, answered
• 47:31
  Speaker 1: she spare my cousin, whose innocence and gentleness deserve not
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: your anger. Take comfort, said Vathek with a smile. He
• 47:40
  Speaker 1: is in good hands. But Babuluk is fond of children
• 47:43
  Speaker 1: and never goes without sweetness and comforts. The daughter of
• 47:48
  Speaker 1: Pakreddin was abashed and suffered Gulchenrous to be borne away
• 47:52
  Speaker 1: without adding a word. The tumult of her bosom betrayed
• 47:55
  Speaker 1: her confusion, and Rathek, becoming still more impassioned, gave loose
• 48:00
  Speaker 1: to his frenzy, which had only not subdued the last
• 48:03
  Speaker 1: faint strugglings of reluctance, when the Emir, suddenly bursting in
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: slew his face upon the ground at the feet of
• 48:10
  Speaker 1: the Caliph, and said, commander of the faithful, abase not
• 48:15
  Speaker 1: yourself to the meanness of your slave. No, Emir replied Bradphick.
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: I raise her to an equality with myself. I declare
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: her my wife, and the glory of your race shall
• 48:27
  Speaker 1: extend from one generation to another. Alas my lord, said Pakwaddin,
• 48:35
  Speaker 1: as he plucked off the honors of his beard, cut
• 48:38
  Speaker 1: short the days of your faithful servant. Rather than force
• 48:41
  Speaker 1: him to depart from his word, the Roonihar as her
• 48:44
  Speaker 1: hands evinced, is solemnly promised to golchen Rose, the son
• 48:48
  Speaker 1: of my brother Ali Hassan. They are united also in heart.
• 48:52
  Speaker 1: Their faith is mutually plighted, and defiances so sacred cannot
• 48:56
  Speaker 1: be broken. What, then, replied the Caliph bluntly, would you
• 49:01
  Speaker 1: surrender this divine beauty to a husband more womanish than herself?
• 49:06
  Speaker 1: And can you imagine that I will suffer her charms
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: to decay in hands so inefficient and nerveless. No, she
• 49:12
  Speaker 1: is destined to live out her life within my embraces.
• 49:16
  Speaker 1: Such is my will retire and disturb not the time
• 49:19
  Speaker 1: I devote to the homage of her charms. The irritated
• 49:24
  Speaker 1: Emir drew forth his saber, presented it to Vathek, and
• 49:27
  Speaker 1: stretching out his neck, said, in a firm tone of voice,
• 49:31
  Speaker 1: strike your unhappy host, my lord. He has lived long
• 49:35
  Speaker 1: enough since he hath seen the Prophet's vice regent violate
• 49:39
  Speaker 1: the rights of hospitality. At his uttering these words, Noroonahar,
• 49:44
  Speaker 1: unable to support her any longer the conflict of her passions,
• 49:48
  Speaker 1: sank down in a swoon. Vathek, both terrified for her
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: life and furious at an opposition to his will, bade
• 49:56
  Speaker 1: Fakredin assist his daughter, and withdrew, darting his terrible look.
• 50:00
  Speaker 1: The unfortunate Emir, who suddenly fell backward, bathed in a
• 50:03
  Speaker 1: sweat as cold as the damp of death. Gulchenrouss, who
• 50:09
  Speaker 1: had escaped from the hands of the Babuluk and was
• 50:11
  Speaker 1: that instant, returned, called out for help as loudly as
• 50:14
  Speaker 1: he could, not having strength to afford it himself. Pale
• 50:19
  Speaker 1: and panting, the poor child attempted to revive Neronihar by caresses,
• 50:24
  Speaker 1: and it happened that the swilling warmth of his lips
• 50:26
  Speaker 1: restored her to life. But kwdin beginning also to recover
• 50:31
  Speaker 1: from the look of the Caliph, with difficulty, tottered to
• 50:33
  Speaker 1: a seat, and, after warily casting round his eye to
• 50:36
  Speaker 1: see if this dangerous prince was gone, sent for Chabban
• 50:40
  Speaker 1: and stood for Meimae, and said to them, apart, my friends.
• 50:45
  Speaker 1: Violent evils require as violent remedies. The Caliph has brought
• 50:49
  Speaker 1: desolation and horror into my family, and how shall we
• 50:53
  Speaker 1: resist his power? Another of his looks will send me
• 50:56
  Speaker 1: to my grave. Fetch then, that not scotic powder which
• 51:00
  Speaker 1: the dervish brought me from Arakhan. A dose of it,
• 51:04
  Speaker 1: the effect of which will continue three days, must be
• 51:07
  Speaker 1: administered to each of these children. The Caliph will believe
• 51:10
  Speaker 1: them to be dead, for they will have all the
• 51:12
  Speaker 1: appearance of death. We shall go as if to inter
• 51:16
  Speaker 1: them in the cave of Maimunee, at the entrance of
• 51:19
  Speaker 1: the great desert of sand, and near the cabin of
• 51:21
  Speaker 1: my dwarfs. When all the spectators shall be withdrawn, You,
• 51:25
  Speaker 1: Shaban and four select eunuchs shall convey them to the lake,
• 51:29
  Speaker 1: where provisions shall be ready to support them. A month
• 51:33
  Speaker 1: for one day allotted to the surprise this eventful occasion,
• 51:36
  Speaker 1: five to the tears, a fortnight to reflection, and the
• 51:40
  Speaker 1: rest to prepare for renewing. His progress will, according to
• 51:44
  Speaker 1: my calculation, fill up the whole time that Bathek will tarry,
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: and I shall then be freed from his intrusion. Your plan,
• 51:52
  Speaker 1: says Sutlememe, is a good one, if it can but
• 51:55
  Speaker 1: be effected. I have remarked that Navonahar is well able
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: to support the glances of the Caliph, and that he
• 52:02
  Speaker 1: is far from being sparing of them. To her be assured, therefore,
• 52:07
  Speaker 1: notwithstanding her fondness for Gulchenlaws, she will never remain quiet
• 52:11
  Speaker 1: while she knows him to be here, unless we can
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: persuade her that both herself and Gulchenrose are really dead,
• 52:17
  Speaker 1: and that they were conveyed to those rocks for a
• 52:19
  Speaker 1: limited season to expiate the little faults of which their
• 52:22
  Speaker 1: love was the cause. We will add that we killed
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: ourselves in despair, and that your dwarfs, whom they never
• 52:29
  Speaker 1: yet saw, will preach to them delectable sermons. I will
• 52:33
  Speaker 1: engage that everything shall succeed to the bent of your wishes.
• 52:38
  Speaker 1: Be it so said Pakwdin, I approve your proposal, Let
• 52:42
  Speaker 1: us lose not a moment to give it effect. They
• 52:46
  Speaker 1: forthwith hastened to seek for the powder, which, being mixed
• 52:49
  Speaker 1: in the sherbet, was immediately drank by Gulchenros and Nouronihar.
• 52:55
  Speaker 1: Within the space of an hour, both were seized with
• 52:57
  Speaker 1: violent palpitations and a general numbness grow gradually ensued. They
• 53:02
  Speaker 1: arose from the floor, where they had remained ever since
• 53:04
  Speaker 1: the Caliph's departure, and, ascending to the sofa, reclined themselves
• 53:08
  Speaker 1: at full length upon it, clasping each other's embraces. Cherish me,
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: my dear Noronaha, said golchen Rose. Put thy hand upon
• 53:18
  Speaker 1: my heart, for it feels as if it were frozen.
• 53:22
  Speaker 1: Alas thou art as cold as myself has. The Caliph
• 53:27
  Speaker 1: murdered us both with his terrible look. I am dying,
• 53:31
  Speaker 1: cried she in a faltering voice. Press me closer, I
• 53:36
  Speaker 1: am ready to expire. Let us die, then, together, answered
• 53:41
  Speaker 1: the little golchen Rose, whilst his breast labored with a
• 53:44
  Speaker 1: convulsive sigh. Let me at least breathe forth my soul
• 53:48
  Speaker 1: on thy lips. They spoke no more and became as
• 53:52
  Speaker 1: dead immediately. The most piercing cries were heard through the Harem,
• 53:58
  Speaker 1: whilst Shabban and Sutlememi personated with greater adroitness the parts
• 54:02
  Speaker 1: of persons in despair. The Emir, who was sufficiently mortified
• 54:06
  Speaker 1: to be forced into such untoward expedients, and had now
• 54:09
  Speaker 1: for the first time made a trial of his powder,
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: was under no necessity of counterfeiting grief. The slaves, who
• 54:16
  Speaker 1: had flocked together from all quarters, stood motionless at the
• 54:19
  Speaker 1: spectacle before them. All lights were extinguished save two lamps,
• 54:24
  Speaker 1: which shed a warm glimmering over the faces of these
• 54:26
  Speaker 1: lovely flowers that seemed to be faded in the springtime
• 54:29
  Speaker 1: of life. Funeral vestments were prepared, their bodies were washed
• 54:33
  Speaker 1: with rose water, their beautiful traces were braided and incensed,
• 54:37
  Speaker 1: and they were wrapped in siemas whiter than alabaster. At
• 54:41
  Speaker 1: the moment that their attendants were placing two wreaths of
• 54:44
  Speaker 1: their favorite jasmines on their brows, the caliph, who had
• 54:47
  Speaker 1: just heard of the tragical catastrophe, arrived. He looked not
• 54:51
  Speaker 1: less pale and haggard than the Gauls that wander at
• 54:54
  Speaker 1: night among graves. Forgetful of himself and everyone else he
• 54:58
  Speaker 1: broke through the midst of the slaves, fell prostrate at
• 55:02
  Speaker 1: the foot of the sofa. Beat his bosom, called himself
• 55:05
  Speaker 1: atrocious murderer, and invoked upon his head a thousand imprecations.
• 55:11
  Speaker 1: With a trembling hand, he raised the veil that covered
• 55:14
  Speaker 1: the countenance of Navonah, and, uttering a loud shriek, fell
• 55:18
  Speaker 1: lifeless on the floor. The chief of the eunuchs dragged
• 55:22
  Speaker 1: him off with horrible grimaces, and repeated, as he went ay,
• 55:27
  Speaker 1: I foresaw she would play you some ungracious term. End
• 55:33
  Speaker 1: of Part eight, Part ten of the History of the
• 55:45
  Speaker 1: khalifh Ethic by William Bedford. This librivoke's recording is in
• 55:49
  Speaker 1: the public domain. But let us return to the Caliph
• 55:53
  Speaker 1: and her who ruled over his heart. Bababe Luc had
• 55:57
  Speaker 1: pitched the tents and closed up the extremis of the
• 56:00
  Speaker 1: valley with the magnificent screens of India cloth, which were
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: guarded by Ethiopian slaves with their drawn sabers. To preserve
• 56:08
  Speaker 1: the verdure of this beautiful enclosure in its natural freshness,
• 56:12
  Speaker 1: the white eunuchs went continually rounded with their red water vessels.
• 56:17
  Speaker 1: The waving of fans was heard near the Imperial pavilion,
• 56:20
  Speaker 1: where by the voluptuous light that glowed to the muslins,
• 56:24
  Speaker 1: the Caliph enjoyed at full view all the attractionings of
• 56:27
  Speaker 1: noirvonihaa Inebriated with delight, he was all ear to her
• 56:32
  Speaker 1: charming voice, which accompanied the lute, while she was not
• 56:35
  Speaker 1: less captivated with his descriptions of Samara and the Towerful
• 56:39
  Speaker 1: of Wonders, but especially with his relation of the adventure
• 56:43
  Speaker 1: of the ball and the chasm of the Giere with
• 56:46
  Speaker 1: its ebony portal. In this manner they conversed for a
• 56:50
  Speaker 1: day and a night. They bathed together in a basin
• 56:53
  Speaker 1: of black marble, which admirably relieved the fairness of naroniha
• 56:58
  Speaker 1: by Babeluk, whose good grain races this beauty had regained,
• 57:02
  Speaker 1: spared no attention that their repasts might be served up
• 57:05
  Speaker 1: with the minutest exactness. Some exquisite rarity was ever placed
• 57:09
  Speaker 1: before them, and he sent even to Shiraz for that
• 57:12
  Speaker 1: fragrant and delicious wine which had been hoarded up in
• 57:15
  Speaker 1: bottles prior to the birth of Mohammed. He had excavated
• 57:19
  Speaker 1: little ovens in the rock to bake the nice manchets,
• 57:22
  Speaker 1: which were prepared by the hands of Noroonahar, from whence
• 57:25
  Speaker 1: they had derived a flavor so grateful to Vathek that
• 57:28
  Speaker 1: he regarded the ragus of his other wives as entirely mawkish,
• 57:32
  Speaker 1: whilst they would have dined at the emir or chagrin
• 57:35
  Speaker 1: at finding themselves so neglected if Bakreddin, notwithstanding his resentment,
• 57:40
  Speaker 1: had not taken pity upon them. The Sultana du Lara,
• 57:45
  Speaker 1: who till then had been the favorite, took this dereliction
• 57:48
  Speaker 1: of the caliph to heart with a vehemence natural to
• 57:50
  Speaker 1: her character, For during her continuance in favor, she had
• 57:55
  Speaker 1: imbibed from Vathek many of his extravagant fancies, and was
• 57:58
  Speaker 1: filled with impatience to behold the superb tombs of Istakar
• 58:02
  Speaker 1: and the Palace of forty columns. Besides, having been brought
• 58:07
  Speaker 1: up amongst the magi, she had fondly cherished the idea
• 58:10
  Speaker 1: of the caliph devoting himself to the worship of fire. Thus,
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: his voluptuous and desultory life with her rival was to
• 58:17
  Speaker 1: her a double source of affliction. The transient piety of
• 58:21
  Speaker 1: Rathek had occasioned her some serious alarms, but the present
• 58:25
  Speaker 1: was an evil of far greater magnitude. She resolved, therefore,
• 58:29
  Speaker 1: without hesitation, to write to Carathis and acquaint her that
• 58:33
  Speaker 1: all things went ill, that they had eaten, slept, and
• 58:37
  Speaker 1: reveled at an old emirs whose sanctity was very formidable,
• 58:41
  Speaker 1: and that after all the prospect of possessing the treasures
• 58:44
  Speaker 1: of the pre Adamite sultans was no less remote than before.
• 58:48
  Speaker 1: This letter was entrusted to the care of two woodmen,
• 58:51
  Speaker 1: who were at work in one of the great forests
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: of the mountains, and being acquainted with the shortest cuts,
• 58:57
  Speaker 1: arrived in ten days at Samara. The Princess Carathis was
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: engaged at chess with Moracannabad. When the arrival of these
• 59:05
  Speaker 1: wood fellers was announced. She, after some weeks of Bathek's absence,
• 59:09
  Speaker 1: had forsaken the upper regions of her tower. Because everything
• 59:13
  Speaker 1: appeared in confusion among the stars whom she consulted relative
• 59:17
  Speaker 1: to the fate of her son. In vain did she
• 59:20
  Speaker 1: renew her fumigations and extend herself on the roof to
• 59:23
  Speaker 1: obtain mystic visions. Nothing more could she see in her
• 59:26
  Speaker 1: dreams than pieces of brocade nosegays of flowers, and other
• 59:30
  Speaker 1: unmeaning googles. These disappointments had thrown her into a state
• 59:35
  Speaker 1: of dejection which no drug in her power was sufficient
• 59:38
  Speaker 1: to remove. Her only resource was in Mourcanabad, who was
• 59:42
  Speaker 1: a good man and endowed with a decent share of confidence.
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: Yet whilst in her company, he never thought himself on
• 59:49
  Speaker 1: Ros's No person knew aught of Vathek, and a thousand
• 59:54
  Speaker 1: ridiculous stories were propagated at his expense. The eagerness of
• 59:58
  Speaker 1: Carathis may be easily guessed receiving the letter, as well
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 1: as her rage at reading the dissolute conduct of her son.
• 1:00:05
  Speaker 1: Is it so said she? Either I will perish, or
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 1: Vathek shall enter the palace of fire. Let me expire
• 1:00:12
  Speaker 1: in flames, provided he may reign on the throne of Solomon.
• 1:00:17
  Speaker 1: Having said this and whirled herself round in a magical
• 1:00:20
  Speaker 1: manner which struck Moricanabad with such terror as caused him
• 1:00:24
  Speaker 1: to recoil, she ordered her great camel Alboufaki to be brought,
• 1:00:28
  Speaker 1: and the hideous Nurkis with the unrelenting Kafort to attend.
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 1: I require no other retinue, said she to Moricanabad. I
• 1:00:37
  Speaker 1: am going on affairs of emergency, a truce. Therefore to parade.
• 1:00:41
  Speaker 1: Take you care of the people, Please them well in
• 1:00:44
  Speaker 1: my absence, for we shall expend large sums, and one
• 1:00:47
  Speaker 1: knows not what may betide. The night was uncommonly dark,
• 1:00:51
  Speaker 1: and a pestilential blast ravaged the plain of Catoul. That
• 1:00:55
  Speaker 1: would have deterred any other traveler, however urgent the call.
• 1:00:59
  Speaker 1: But Carathis enjoyed most whatever filled others with dread. No
• 1:01:03
  Speaker 1: case concurred in opinion with her, and kfor had a
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 1: particular predilection for a pestilence. In the morning, this accomplished caravan,
• 1:01:12
  Speaker 1: with the wood Fellers, who directed their route, halted on
• 1:01:15
  Speaker 1: the edge of an extensive marsh. From whence so noxious
• 1:01:18
  Speaker 1: a vapor arose, as would have destroyed any animal, but Albuphaki,
• 1:01:23
  Speaker 1: who naturally inhaled these malignant fogs. The peasants entreated their
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 1: convoy not to sleep in this place. To sleep, cried Carathis,
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 1: what an excellent thought. I never sleep, but provisions. And
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 1: as to my attendants, their occupations are too many to
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 1: close the only eye they each have. The poor peasants,
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 1: who were not over pleased with their party remained open mouthed.
• 1:01:48
  Speaker 1: With surprise, Carathis alighted as well as her negresses, and
• 1:01:54
  Speaker 1: severally stripping off their outer garments. They all ran in
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 1: their drawers to cull from those spots where the soul
• 1:02:00
  Speaker 1: unshonne fiercest the venomous plants that grew on the marsh.
• 1:02:04
  Speaker 1: This provision was made for the family of the Emir,
• 1:02:07
  Speaker 1: and whoever might retard the expedition to Istakhar. The woodmen
• 1:02:11
  Speaker 1: were overcome with fear when they beheld these three horrible
• 1:02:14
  Speaker 1: phantoms run and not much relishing. The company of Alboufaki
• 1:02:19
  Speaker 1: stood aghast at the command of a Carathis to set forward,
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 1: notwithstanding it was noon and the heat fierce enough to
• 1:02:27
  Speaker 1: calcine even rocks. In spite, however, of every remonstrance, they
• 1:02:32
  Speaker 1: were forced implicitly to submit. Albufaki, who delighted in solitude,
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 1: constantly snorted whenever he perceived himself near a habitation, and Carathis,
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 1: who was apt to spoil him with indulgence as constantly
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 1: turned him aside. Saw that the peasants were precluded from
• 1:02:49
  Speaker 1: procuring subsistence for the milch, goats and ewes which Providence
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 1: had sent toward the district they traversed to refresh travelers
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: with their milk, all fled at the sight of the
• 1:02:58
  Speaker 1: hideous animal and his strange riders. As to Carathis, she
• 1:03:03
  Speaker 1: needed no common aliment, for her invention had previously furnished
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 1: her with an opiate to stay her stomach, some of
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 1: which she imparted to her mutes. At the fall of night,
• 1:03:15
  Speaker 1: albu Faki making a sudden stop stamped with his foot, which,
• 1:03:19
  Speaker 1: to Carathis, who understood his paces, was a certain indication
• 1:03:23
  Speaker 1: that she was near the confines of some cemetery. The
• 1:03:27
  Speaker 1: moon shed a bright light on the spot, which served
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 1: to discover a long wall with a large door in it,
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 1: standing ajar and so high that Alboufaki might easily enter.
• 1:03:39
  Speaker 1: The miserable guides, who perceived their end approaching, humbly implored
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 1: Carathis as she had now so good an opportunity to
• 1:03:46
  Speaker 1: inter them, and immediately gave up the ghost. Noirkis and
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 1: kafor whose wit was of a style peculiar to themselves,
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 1: were by no means parsimonious of it on the folly
• 1:03:58
  Speaker 1: of these poor people, Nor could anything have been found
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 1: more suited to their tastes than the sight of the
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: burying ground and the sepulchers which its precincts contained. There
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 1: were at least two thousand of them on the declivity
• 1:04:11
  Speaker 1: of a hill, some in the form of pyramids, others
• 1:04:15
  Speaker 1: like columns, and in short, the variety of their shapes
• 1:04:19
  Speaker 1: was endless. Carathis was too much immersed in her sublime
• 1:04:23
  Speaker 1: contemplations to stop at the view, charming as it appeared
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 1: in her eyes. Pondering the advantages that might accrue from
• 1:04:30
  Speaker 1: her present situation, she could not forbear to exclaim, so
• 1:04:37
  Speaker 1: beautiful a cemetery must be haunted by ghouls, and they
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 1: want not for intelligence. Having heedlessly suffered my guides to expire,
• 1:04:46
  Speaker 1: I will apply for directions to them, and as an inducement,
• 1:04:49
  Speaker 1: will invite them to regale on these fresh corpses. After
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 1: this short soliloquy, she beckoned to Nurkes and Cafour, and
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 1: made signs with her fingers as much as to say,
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 1: go knock against the sides of these tombs, and strike
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 1: up your delightful warblings that are so like to those
• 1:05:07
  Speaker 1: of the guests whose company I wished to obtain. The
• 1:05:10
  Speaker 1: negresses full of joy at the behests of their mistress,
• 1:05:14
  Speaker 1: and promising themselves much pleasure from the society of the Gauls,
• 1:05:18
  Speaker 1: went with an air of conquest, and began their knockings
• 1:05:21
  Speaker 1: at the tombs. As their strokes were repeated, a hollow
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 1: noise was heard in the earth. The surface hove up
• 1:05:28
  Speaker 1: into heaps, and the Gauls on all sides protruded their
• 1:05:32
  Speaker 1: noses to inhale the effluvia which the carcasses of the
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 1: wood men began to emit. They assembled before a sarcophagus
• 1:05:39
  Speaker 1: of white marble, where Carathis was seated between the bodies
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 1: of her miserable guides. The princess received her visitants with
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 1: distinguished politeness, and when supper was ended, proceeded with them
• 1:05:51
  Speaker 1: to business, having soon learned from them everything she wished
• 1:05:54
  Speaker 1: to discover. It was her intention to set forward forthwith
• 1:05:57
  Speaker 1: on her journey, but her negress lesses, who were forming
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: tender connections with the Gauls, importuned her with all their
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 1: fingers to wait at least till the dawn. Carathis, however,
• 1:06:09
  Speaker 1: being chastity in the abstract and an implacable enemy to
• 1:06:13
  Speaker 1: love and repose, at once, rejected their prayer mounted Albufaki
• 1:06:18
  Speaker 1: and commanded them to take their seats in a moment.
• 1:06:21
  Speaker 1: Four days and four nights, she continued her route without
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 1: turning on the right hand or the left. On the
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 1: fifth she traversed the mountains and half burnt forests, and
• 1:06:31
  Speaker 1: arrived on the sixth before the beautiful screens, which concealed
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 1: from all eyes the voluptuous wanderings of her son. It
• 1:06:38
  Speaker 1: was daybreak and the guards were snoring on their posts
• 1:06:41
  Speaker 1: in careless security, when the rough trot of Albufaki awoke
• 1:06:45
  Speaker 1: them in consternation. Imagining that a group of specters ascended
• 1:06:49
  Speaker 1: from the Abyss was approaching, they all, without ceremony, took
• 1:06:53
  Speaker 1: to their heels. Vathek was at that instant with Navnaha
• 1:06:57
  Speaker 1: in the bath, hearing tales and laughing at Bababeluk, who
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 1: related them. But no sooner did the outcry of his
• 1:07:05
  Speaker 1: guards reach him than he flounced from the water like
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: a carp and as soon threw himself back at the
• 1:07:12
  Speaker 1: sight of Carathis, who, advancing with her negresses upon Albubaki,
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: broke through the muslin awnings and veils of the pavilion.
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 1: At this sudden apparition, Neronaha for she was not at
• 1:07:24
  Speaker 1: all times free from remorse, fancied that the moment of
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 1: celestial vengeance was come, and clung about the caliph in
• 1:07:32
  Speaker 1: amorous despondent Carathis, still seated on her camel, foamed with
• 1:07:36
  Speaker 1: indignation at the spectacle which obtruded itself on her chaste view,
• 1:07:41
  Speaker 1: She thundered forth without check or mercy, thou double headed
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 1: and four legged monster? What means all this winding and writhing?
• 1:07:50
  Speaker 1: Art thou not ashamed to be seen grasping this limber
• 1:07:53
  Speaker 1: sapling in preference to the scepter of the pre Adamite sultans?
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 1: Is it, then, for this paltry doxy that thou hast
• 1:08:00
  Speaker 1: violated the conditions in the parchment of Argueur. Is it
• 1:08:04
  Speaker 1: on her thou hast lavished thy precious moments? Is this
• 1:08:08
  Speaker 1: the fruit of the knowledge I have taught thee? Is
• 1:08:11
  Speaker 1: this the end of thy journey? Tear thyself from the
• 1:08:14
  Speaker 1: arms of this little simpleton, drown her in the water
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 1: before me, and instantly follow my guidance. In the first
• 1:08:22
  Speaker 1: abolition of his fury, Vathek resolved to make a skeleton
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: of Albufaki and to stuff the skins of Carathis and
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 1: her blacks, but the idea of the girl, the palace
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 1: of Istakar, the sabers, and the Talismans flashing before his
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 1: imagination with the simultaneousness of lightning. He became more moderate
• 1:08:41
  Speaker 1: and said to his mother, in a civil but decisive tone,
• 1:08:46
  Speaker 1: dread lady, thou shalt be obeyed, but I will not
• 1:08:50
  Speaker 1: drown nor Roonihar. She is sweeter to me than a
• 1:08:53
  Speaker 1: mirror bollen comfit, and is enamored of carbuncles, especially that
• 1:08:59
  Speaker 1: of Giamschid, which hath also been promised to be conferred
• 1:09:02
  Speaker 1: upon her. She therefore shall go along with us, for
• 1:09:05
  Speaker 1: I intend to repose with her beneath the canopies of Solomon.
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 1: I can sleep no more without her. Be it, so
• 1:09:13
  Speaker 1: replied Carathis, alighting and at the same time committing Albufaki
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 1: to the charge of her women. Noroonaha, who had not
• 1:09:21
  Speaker 1: yet quitted her hold, began to take courage and said,
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 1: with an accent of fondness, to the Caliph, dear sovereign
• 1:09:28
  Speaker 1: of my soul, I will follow thee if it be
• 1:09:32
  Speaker 1: thy will beyond the calf in the land of the Afrites.
• 1:09:36
  Speaker 1: I will not hesitate to climb for thee the nest
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: of the seymour, who this lady excepted, is the most
• 1:09:43
  Speaker 1: awful of created existences we have here, then subjoined Carathis
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 1: a girl of both courage and science. Noroonaha had certainly both,
• 1:09:54
  Speaker 1: But notwithstanding all her firmness, she could not help casting
• 1:09:57
  Speaker 1: back a look of regret upon the graces of her
• 1:09:59
  Speaker 1: little gulchin Was and the days of tenderness she had
• 1:10:03
  Speaker 1: participated with him. She even dropped a few tears, which
• 1:10:08
  Speaker 1: Carathus observed and inadvertently breathed out with a sigh. Alas,
• 1:10:13
  Speaker 1: my gentle cousin, what will become of him? Rathek at
• 1:10:18
  Speaker 1: this apostrophe knitted up his brows, and Carathis inquired what
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 1: it could mean. She is preposterously sighing after a stripling
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 1: with languishing eyes and soft hair. Who loves her? Said
• 1:10:30
  Speaker 1: the caliph? Where is he asked Carathis, I must be
• 1:10:36
  Speaker 1: acquainted with this pretty child, for added, she lowering her voice,
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 1: I design before I depart to regain the favor of
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 1: the Geog. There is nothing so delicious in his estimation
• 1:10:48
  Speaker 1: as the heart of a delicate boy. Palpitating with the
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 1: first tumult of love. Rathek, as he came from the bath,
• 1:10:56
  Speaker 1: commanded Bababuluk to collect the women and other movables of
• 1:10:59
  Speaker 1: his haarlem embody his troops, and hold himself in readiness
• 1:11:03
  Speaker 1: to march in three days, whilst Carathis retired alone to
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 1: a tent, where the Giau solaced her with encouraging visions.
• 1:11:11
  Speaker 1: But at length waking she found at her feet Nurkees
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: and Kafau, who informed her by their signs that, having
• 1:11:18
  Speaker 1: led Albufaki to the borders of a lake to browse
• 1:11:21
  Speaker 1: on some moss that looked tolerably venomous, they had discovered
• 1:11:25
  Speaker 1: certain blue fishes of the same kind with those in
• 1:11:27
  Speaker 1: the reservoir on the top of the tower. Aha said she,
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 1: I will go thither to them. These fish are passed
• 1:11:35
  Speaker 1: out of a species that by a small operation I
• 1:11:39
  Speaker 1: can render oracula. They may tell me where this little
• 1:11:42
  Speaker 1: Gulchendros is, whom I am bent upon sacrificing. Having thus spoken,
• 1:11:48
  Speaker 1: she immediately set out with her swarthy retinue. It being
• 1:11:52
  Speaker 1: but seldom that time is lost in the accomplishment of
• 1:11:54
  Speaker 1: a wicked enterprise, Carathis and her negresses soon arrived at
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: the lake, whereafter joinning the magical drugs with which they
• 1:12:01
  Speaker 1: were always provided, they, stripping themselves naked, waded to their
• 1:12:05
  Speaker 1: chins mercase and kaffaw, waving torches around them, and Carathis
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 1: pronouncing her barbarous incantations. The fishes, with one accord, thrust
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 1: forth their heads from the water, which was violently rippled
• 1:12:18
  Speaker 1: by the flutter of their fins, and at length, finding
• 1:12:22
  Speaker 1: themselves constrained by the potency of the charm, they opened
• 1:12:25
  Speaker 1: their piteous mouths and said, from gills to Taiale, we
• 1:12:29
  Speaker 1: are yours. What seek ye to know? Fishes? Answered she,
• 1:12:34
  Speaker 1: I conjure you by your glittering scales. Tell me where
• 1:12:38
  Speaker 1: now is Gulchenros beyond the rock, replied the shawl. In
• 1:12:42
  Speaker 1: full course? Will this content you? For we do not
• 1:12:46
  Speaker 1: delight in expanding our mouths, it will, returned the princess.
• 1:12:51
  Speaker 1: I am not to learn that you like not long conversations.
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 1: I will leave you therefore to repose, though I had
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: other questions to propan. The instant she had spoken, the
• 1:13:02
  Speaker 1: water became smooth, and the fishes at once disappeared. Carathis,
• 1:13:08
  Speaker 1: inflated with the venom of her projects, strode hastily over
• 1:13:11
  Speaker 1: the rock, and found the amiable Gulchen Rules asleep in
• 1:13:14
  Speaker 1: an arbor, whilst the two dwarfs were watching at his
• 1:13:17
  Speaker 1: side and ruminating their accustomed prayers. These diminutive personages possessed
• 1:13:23
  Speaker 1: the gift of divining whenever an enemy to good Mussulmans approached.
• 1:13:28
  Speaker 1: Thus they anticipated the arrival of Carathis, who, stopping short,
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: said to herself, how placidly doth he recline his lovely
• 1:13:36
  Speaker 1: little head, How pale and languishing are his looks. It
• 1:13:40
  Speaker 1: is just the very child of my wishes. The dwarfs
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 1: interrupted this delectable soliloquy by leaping instantly upon her and
• 1:13:48
  Speaker 1: scratching her face with their utmost zeal. But Noirkis and Kaffort,
• 1:13:53
  Speaker 1: betaking themselves to the succor of their mistress, pinched the
• 1:13:56
  Speaker 1: dwarf so severely in return that they both gave up
• 1:13:59
  Speaker 1: the ghosts, imploring Mahomet to inflict his sorest vengeance upon
• 1:14:03
  Speaker 1: this wicked woman and all her household. End of Part ten.