the history of caliph vathek-第22章

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ncles；　especially　that　of　Giamschid；　which　hath　also　been　promised　to　be　conferred　upon　her；　she　therefore　shall　go　along　with　us；　for　I　intend　to　repose　with　her　beneath　the　canopies　of　Soliman；　I　can　sleep　no　more　without　her。〃

〃Be　it　so！〃　replied　Carathis；　alighting；　and　at　the　same　time　committing　Alboufaki　to　the　charge　of　her　women。

Nouronihar；　who　had　not　yet　quitted　her　hold；　began　to　take　courage；　and　said；　with　an　accent　of　fondness　to　the　Caliph：　　〃Dear　Sovereign　of　my　soul！　　I　will　follow　thee；　if　it　be　thy　will；　beyond　the　Kaf　in　the　land　of　the　Afrits；　I　will　not　hesitate　to　climb　for　thee　the　nest　of　the　Simurgh；　who；　this　lady　excepted；　is　the　most　awful　of　created　existences。〃

〃We　have　here　then；〃　subjoined　Carathis；　〃a　girl　both　of　courage　and　science！〃

Nouronihar　had　certainly　both；　but；　notwithstanding　all　her　firmness；　she　could　not　help　casting　back　a　look　of　regret　upon　the　graces　of　her　little　Gulchenrouz；　and　the　days　of　tenderness　she　had　participated　with　him；　she　even　dropped　a　few　tears；　which　Carathis　observed；　and　inadvertently　breathed　out　with　a　sigh：　〃Alas！　my　gentle　cousin！　what　will　become　of　him！〃

Vathek　at　this　apostrophe　knitted　up　his　brows；　and　Carathis　inquired　what　it　could　mean。

〃She　is　preposterously　sighing　after　a　stripling　with　languishing　eyes　and　soft　hair；　who　loves　her；〃　said　the　Caliph。

〃Where　is　he？〃　asked　Carathis。　　〃I　must　be　acquainted　with　this　pretty　child；　for；〃　added　she；　lowering　her　voice；　〃I　design　before　I　depart　to　regain　the　favour　of　the　Giaour；　there　is　nothing　so　delicious　in　his　estimation　as　the　heart　of　a　delicate　boy；　palpitating　with　the　first　tumults　of　love。〃

Vathek；　as　he　came　from　the　bath；　commanded　Bababalouk　to　collect　the　women　and　other　movables　of　his　harem；　embody　his　troops；　and　hold　himself　in　readiness　to　march　in　three　days；　whilst　Carathis　retired　alone　to　a　tent；　where　the　Giaour　solaced　her　with　encouraging　visions；　but　at　length　waking；　she　found　at　her　feet　Nerkes　and　Cafour；　who　informed　her　by　their　signs　that；　having　led　Alboufaki　to　the　borders　of　a　lake；　to　browse　on　some　moss　that　looked　tolerably　venomous；　they　had　discovered　certain　blue　fishes　of　the　same　kind　with　those　in　the　reservoir　on　the　top　of　the　tower。

〃Ah！　ha！〃　said　she；　〃I　will　go　thither　to　them；　these　fish　are　past　doubt　of　a　species　that；　by　a　small　operation；　I　can　render　oracular；　they　may　tell　me　where　this　little　Gulchenrouz　is；　whom　I　am　bent　upon　sacrificing。〃　　Having　thus　spoken；　she　immediately　set　out　with　her　swarthy　retinue。

It　being　but　seldom　that　time　is　lost　in　the　accomplishment　of　a　wicked　enterprise；　Carathis　and　her　negresses　soon　arrived　at　the　lake；　where；　after　burning　the　magical　drugs　with　which　they　were　always　provided；　they；　stripping　themselves　naked；　waded　to　their　chins；　Nerkes　and　Cafour　waving　torches　around　them；　and　Carathis　pronouncing　her　barbarous　incantations。　　The　fishes　with　one　accord　thrust　forth　their　heads　from　the　water；　which　was　violently　rippled　by　the　flutter　of　their　fins；　and；　at　length　finding　themselves　constrained　by　the　potency　of　the　charm；　they　opened　their　piteous　mouths；　and　said：　　〃From　gills　to　tail　we　are　yours；　what　seek　ye　to　know？〃

〃Fishes；〃　answered　she；　〃I　conjure　you；　by　your　glittering　scales；　tell　me　where　now　is　Gulchenrouz？〃

〃Beyond　the　rock；〃　replied　the　shoal　in　full　chorus；　〃will　this　content　you？　for　we　do　not　delight　in　expanding　our　mouths。〃

〃It　will；〃　returned　the　princess；　〃I　am　not　to　learn　that　you　like　not　long　conversations；　I　will　leave　you　therefore　to　repose；　though　I　had　other　questions　to　propound。〃　　The　instant　she　had　spoken　the　water　became　smooth；　and　the　fishes　at　once　disappeared。

Carathis；　inflated　with　the　venom　of　her　projects；　strode　hastily　over　the　rock；　and　found　the　amiable　Gulchenrouz　asleep　in　an　arbour；　whilst　the　two　dwarfs　were　watching　at　his　side；　and　ruminating　their　accustomed　prayers。　　These　diminutive　personages　possessed　the　gift　of　divining　whenever　an　enemy　to　good　Mussulmans　approached；　thus　they　anticipated　the　arrival　of　Carathis；　who；　stopping　short；　said　to　herself：　　〃How　placidly　doth　he　recline　his　lovely　little　head！　how　pale　and　languishing　are　his　looks！　it　is　just　the　very　child　of　my　wishes！〃

The　dwarfs　interrupted　this　delectable　soliloquy　by　leaping　instantly　upon　her；　and　scratching　her　face　with　their　utmost　zeal。　But　Nerkes　and　Cafour；　betaking　themselves　to　the　succour　of　their　mistress；　pinched　the　dwarfs　so　severely　in　return；　that　they　both　gave　up　the　ghost；　imploring　Mahomet　to　inflict　his　sorest　vengeance　upon　this　wicked　woman　and　all　her　household。

At　the　noise　which　this　strange　conflict　occasioned　in　the　valley；　Gulchenrouz　awoke；　and；　bewildered　with　terror；　sprung　impetuously　upon　an　old　figtree　that　rose　against　the　acclivity　of　the　rocks；　from　thence　gained　their　summits；　and　ran　for　two　hours　without　once　looking　back。　　At　last；　exhausted　with　fatigue；　he　fell　as　if　dead　into　the　arms　of　a　good　old　Genius；　whose　fondness　for　the　company　of　children　had　made　it　his　sole　occupation　to　protect　them；　and　who；　whilst　performing　his　wonted　rounds　through　the　air；　happening　on　the　cruel　Giaour　at　the　instant　of　his　growling　in　the　horrible　chasm；　rescued　the　fifty　little　victims　which　the　impiety　of　Vathek　had　devoted　to　his　maw；　these　the　Genius　brought　up　in　nests　still　higher　than　the　clouds；　and　himself　fixed　his　abode　in　a　nest　more　capacious　than　the　rest；　from　which　he　had　expelled　the　possessors　that　had　built　it。

These　inviolable　asylums　were　defended　against　the　Dives　and　the　Afrits　by　waving　streamers；　on　which　were　inscribed；　in　characters　of　gold　that　flashed　like　lightning；　the　names　of　Allah　and　the　Prophet。　　It　was　there　that　Gulchenrouz；　who　as　yet　remained　undeceived　with　respect　to　his　pretended　death；　thought　himself　in　the　mansions　of　eternal　peace；　he　admitted　without　fear　the　congratulations　of　his　little　friends；　who　were　all　assembled　in　the　nest　of　the　venerable　Genius；　and　vied　with　each　other　in　kissing　his　serene　forehead　and　beautiful　eyelids。　　This　he　found　to　be　the　state　congenial　to　his　soul；　remote　from　the　inquietudes　of　earth；　the　impertinence　of　harems；　the　brutality　of　eunuchs；　and　the　lubricity　of　women：　　in　this　peacable　society；　his　days；　months；　and　years　glided　on；　nor　was　he　less　happy　than　the　rest　of　his　companions；　for　the　Genius；　instead　of　burthening　his　pupils　with　perishable　riches　and　the　vain　sciences　of　the　world；　conferred　upon　them　the　boon　of　perpetual　childhood。

Carathis；　unaccustomed　to　the　loss　of　her　prey；　vented　a　thousand　execrations　on　her　negresses　for　not　seizing　the　child；　instead　of　amusing　themselves　with　pinching　to　death　the　dwarfs；　from　which　they　could　gain　no　advantage。　　She　returned　into　the　valley　murmuring；　and　finding　that　her　son　was　not　risen　from　the　arms　of　Nouronihar；　discharged　her　ill…humour　upon　both。　　The　idea；　however；　of　departing　next　day　for　Istakar；　and　cultivating；　through　the　good　offices　of　the　Giaour；　an　intimacy　with　Eblis　himself；　at　length　consoled　her　chagrin。　　But　Fate　had　ordained　it　otherwise。

In　the　evening；　as　Carathis　was　conversing　with　Dilara；　who；　through　her　contrivance；　had　become　of　the　party；　and　whose　taste　resembled　her　own；　Bababalouk　came　to　acquaint　her　〃that　the　sky　towards　Samarah　looked　of　a　fiery　red；　and　seemed　to　portend　some　alarming　disaster。〃　　Immediately；　recurring　to　her　astrolabes　and　instruments　of　magic；　she　took　the　altitude　of　the　planets；　and　discovered　by　her　calculations；　to　her　great　mortification；　that　a　formidable　revolt　had　taken　place　at　Samarah；　that　Motavakel；　availing　himself　of　the　disgust　which　was　inveterate　against　his　brother；　had　incited　commotions　amongst　the　populace；　made　himself　master　of　the　palace；　and　actually　invested　the　great　tower；　to　which　Morakanabad　had　retired；　with　a　handful　of　the　few　that　still　remained　faithful　to　Vathek。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　she；　〃must　I　lose　then　my　tower！　my　mutes！　my　negresses！　my　mummies！　and；　worse　than　all；　the　laboratory　in　which　I　have　spent　so　many　a　night；　without　knowing　at　least　if　my　hair…　brained　son　will　complete　his　adventure？　　No！　　I　will　not　be　the　dupe！　　Immediately　w