the history of caliph vathek-第17节

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he　silence　she　preserved；　at　length　addressing　her：

〃Speak；〃　said　he；　〃where　are　we？　do　you　not　see　those　spectres　that　are　stirring　the　burning　coals？　are　they　Monker　and　Nakir；　come　to　throw　us　into　them？　does　the　fatal　bridge　cross　this　lake；　whose　solemn　stillness　perhaps　conceals　from　us　an　abyss；　in　which　for　whole　ages　we　shall　be　doomed　incessantly　to　sink？〃

〃No；　my　children！〃　said　Sutlememe；　going　towards　them；　〃take　comfort！　the　exterminating　Angel；　who　conducted　our　souls　hither　after　yours；　hath　assured　us　that　the　chastisement　of　your　indolent　and　voluptuous　life　shall　be　restricted　to　a　certain　series　of　years；　which　you　must　pass　in　this　dreary　abode；　where　the　sun　is　scarcely　visible；　and　where　the　soil　yields　neither　fruits　nor　flowers。　　These；〃　continued　she；　pointing　to　the　dwarfs；　〃will　provide　for　our　wants；　for　souls　so　mundane　as　ours　retain　too　strong　a　tincture　of　their　earthly　extraction；　instead　of　meats　your　food　will　be　nothing　but　rice；　and　your　bread　shall　be　moistened　in　the　fogs　that　brood　over　the　surface　of　the　lake。〃

At　this　desolating　prospect　the　poor　children　burst　into　tears；　and　prostrated　themselves　before　the　dwarfs；　who　perfectly　supported　their　characters；　and　delivered　an　excellent　discourse　of　a　customary　length　upon　the　sacred　camel；　which　after　a　thousand　years　was　to　convey　them　to　the　paradise　of　the　faithful。

The　sermon　being　ended；　and　ablutions　performed；　they　praised　Allah　and　the　Prophet；　supped　very　indifferently；　and　retired　to　their　withered　leaves。　　Nouronihar　and　her　little　cousin　consoled　themselves　on　finding　that；　though　dead；　they　yet　lay　in　one　cabin。　Having　slept　well　before；　the　remainder　of　the　night　was　spent　in　conversation　on　what　had　befallen　them；　and　both；　from　a　dread　of　apparitions；　betook　themselves　for　protection　to　one　another's　arms。

In　the　morning；　which　was　lowering　and　rainy；　the　dwarfs　mounted　high　poles　like　minarets；　and　called　them　to　prayers；　the　whole　congregation；　which　consisted　of　Sutlememe；　Shaban；　the　four　eunuchs；　and　some　storks；　were　already　assembled。　　The　two　children　came　forth　from　their　cabin　with　a　slow　and　dejected　pace；　as　their　minds　were　in　a　tender　and　melancholy　mood；　their　devotions　were　performed　with　fervour。　　No　sooner　were　they　finished；　than　Gulchenrouz　demanded　of　Sutlememe　and　the　rest；　〃how　they　happened　to　die　so　opportunely　for　his　cousin　and　himself。〃

〃We　killed　ourselves；〃　returned　Sutlememe；　〃in　despair　at　your　death。〃

On　this；　said　Nouronihar；　who；　notwithstanding　what　was　past；　had　not　yet　forgotten　her　vision：　　〃And　the　Caliph！　is　he　also　dead　of　his　grief？　and　will　he　likewise　come　hither？〃

The　dwarfs；　who　were　prepared　with　an　answer；　most　demurely　replied：　　〃Vathek　is　damned　beyond　all　redemption！〃

〃I　readily　believe　so；〃　said　Gulchenrouz；　〃and　I　am　glad　from　my　heart　to　hear　it；　for　I　am　convinced　it　was　his　horrible　look　that　sent　us　hither　to　listen　to　sermons　and　mess　upon　rice。〃

One　week　passed　away　on　the　side　of　the　lake　unmarked　by　any　variety；　Nouronihar　ruminating　on　the　grandeur　of　which　death　had　deprived　her；　and　Gulchenrouz　applying　to　prayers　and　to　panniers；　along　with　the　dwarfs；　who　infinitely　pleased　him。

Whilst　this　scene　of　innocence　was　exhibiting　in　the　mountains；　the　Caliph　presented　himself　to　the　Emir　in　a　new　light；　the　instant　he　recovered　the　use　of　his　senses；　with　a　voice　that　made　Bababalouk　quake；　he　thundered　out：　　〃Perfidious　Giaour！　　I　renounce　thee　for　ever！　it　is　thou　who　hast　slain　my　beloved　Nouronihar！　and　I　supplicate　the　pardon　of　Mahomet；　who　would　have　preserved　her　to　me　had　I　been　more　wise；　let　water　be　brought　to　perform　my　ablutions；　and　let　the　pious　Fakreddin　be　called　to　offer　up　his　prayers　with　mine；　and　reconcile　me　to　him；　afterwards　we　will　go　together　and　visit　the　sepulchre　of　the　unfortunate　Nouronihar；　I　am　resolved　to　become　a　hermit；　and　consume　the　residue　of　my　days　on　this　mountain；　in　hope　of　expiating　my　crimes。〃

Nouronihar　was　not　altogether　so　content；　for　though　she　felt　a　fondness　for　Gulchenrouz；　who；　to　augment　the　attachment；　had　been　left　at　full　liberty　with　her；　yet　she　still　regarded　him　as　but　a　bauble；　that　bore　no　competition　with　the　carbuncle　of　Giamschid。　At　times　she　indulged　doubts　on　the　mode　of　her　being；　and　scarcely　could　believe　that　the　dead　had　all　the　wants　and　the　whims　of　the　living。　　To　gain　satisfaction；　however；　on　so　perplexing　a　topic；　she　arose　one　morning　whilst　all　were　asleep；　with　a　breathless　caution；　from　the　side　of　Gulchenrouz；　and；　after　having　given　him　a　soft　kiss；　began　to　follow　the　windings　of　the　lake　till　it　terminated　with　a　rock；　whose　top　was　accessible；　though　lofty；　this　she　clambered　up　with　considerable　toil；　and　having　reached　the　summit；　set　forward　in　a　run；　like　a　doe　that　unwittingly　follows　her　hunter；　though　she　skipped　along　with　the　alertness　of　an　antelope；　yet　at　intervals　she　was　forced　to　desist；　and　rest　beneath　the　tamarisks　to　recover　her　breath。　　Whilst　she；　thus　reclined；　was　occupied　with　her　little　reflections　on　the　apprehension　that　she　had　some　knowledge　of　the　place；　Vathek；　who；　finding　himself　that　morning　but　ill　at　ease；　had　gone　forth　before　the　dawn；　presented　himself　on　a　sudden　to　her　view；　motionless　with　surprise；　he　durst　not　approach　the　figure　before　him；　which　lay　shrouded　up　in　a　simar；　extended　on　the　ground；　trembling　and　pale；　but　yet　lovely　to　behold。　　At　length　Nouronihar；　with　a　mixture　of　pleasure　and　affliction；　raising　her　fine　eyes　to　him；　said：　　〃My　lord；　are　you　come　hither　to　eat　rice　and　hear　sermons　with　me？〃

〃Beloved　phantom！〃　cried　Vathek；　〃dost　thou　speak？　hast　thou　the　same　graceful　form？　the　same　radiant　features？　art　thou　palpable　likewise？〃　and；　eagerly　embracing　her；　added：　　〃here　are　limbs　and　a　bosom　animated　with　a　gentle　warmth！　what　can　such　a　prodigy　mean？〃

Nouronihar　with　diffidence　answered：　　〃You　know；　my　lord；　that　I　died　on　the　night　you　honoured　me　with　your　visit；　my　cousin　maintains　it　was　from　one　of　your　glances；　but　I　cannot　believe　him；　for　to　me　they　seem　not　so　dreadful。　　Gulchenrouz　died　with　me；　and　we　were　both　brought　into　a　region　of　desolation；　where　we　are　fed　with　a　wretched　diet。　　If　you　be　dead　also；　and　are　come　hither　to　join　us；　I　pity　your　lot；　for　you　will　be　stunned　with　the　noise　of　the　dwarfs　and　the　storks；　besides；　it　is　mortifying　in　the　extreme　that　you；　as　well　as　myself；　should　have　lost　the　treasures　of　the　subterranean　palace。〃

At　the　mention　of　the　subterranean　palace　the　Caliph　suspended　his　caresses；　to　seek　from　Nouronihar　an　explanation　of　her　meaning。　She　then　recapitulated　her　vision；　what　immediately　followed；　and　the　history　of　her　pretended　death；　adding　also　a　description　of　the　place　of　expiation　from　whence　she　had　fled；　and　all　in　a　manner　that　would　have　extorted　his　laughter；　had　not　the　thoughts　of　Vathek　been　too　deeply　engaged。　　No　sooner；　however；　had　she　ended；　than　he　again　clasped　her　to　his　bosom；　and　said：

〃Light　of　my　eyes！　the　mystery　is　unravelled；　we　both　are　alive！　your　father　is　a　cheat；　who；　for　the　sake　of　dividing；　hath　deluded　us　both；　and　the　Giaour；　whose　design；　as　far　as　I　can　discover；　is　that　we　shall　proceed　together；　seems　scarce　a　whit　better；　it　shall　be　some　time　at　least　before　he　find　us　in　his　palace　of　fire。　　Your　lovely　little　person　in　my　estimation　is　far　more　precious　than　all　the　treasures　of　the　pre…adamite　Sultans；　and　I　wish　to　possess　it　at　pleasure；　and　in　open　day；　for　many　a　moon；　before　I　go　to　burrow　underground　like　a　mole。　　Forget　this　little　trifler；　Gulchenrouz；　and〃

〃Ah！　my　lord！〃　interposed　Nouronihar；　〃let　me　entreat　that　you　do　him　no　evil。〃

〃No；　no！〃　replied　Vathek；　〃I　have　already　bid　you　forbear　to　alarm　yourself　for　him；　he　has　been　brought　up　too　much　on　milk　and　sugar　to　stimulate　my　jealousy；　we　will　leave　him　with　the　dwarfs；　who；　by　the　bye；　are　my　old　acquaintances；　their　company　will　suit　him　far　better　than　yours。　　As　to　other　matters；　I　will　return　no　more　to　your　father's；　I　want　not　to　have　my　ears　dinned　by　him　and　his　dotards　with　the　violation　of　the　rites　of　hospitality；　as　if　it　were　less　an　honour　for　you　to　espouse　the　sovereign　of　the　world　than　a　girl　dressed　up　like　a　boy！〃

Nouronihar　could　find　nothing　to　oppose　in　a　discourse　so　eloquent；　she　only　wished　the　amorous　monarch　had　discovered　more　ardour　for　the　carbuncle　of　Giamschid；　but　flattered　herself　it　would　gradually　increase；　and　therefore　yielded　to　his　will　with　the　most　bewitching　submission。

When　the　Caliph　judged　it　proper；　he　called　for　Bababalouk；　who　was　asleep　in　the　cave　of　Meimoune；　and　dreaming　that　the　phantom　of　Nouronihar；　having　mounted　him　once　more　on　her　swing；　had　just　given　him　such　a　jerk；　that　he　one　moment　soared　above　the　mountains；　and　the　next　sunk　into　the　abyss；　starting　from　his　sleep　at　the　voice　of　his　master；　he　ran　gasping　for　breath；　and　had　nearly　fallen　backward　at　the　sight；　as　he　believed；　of　the　spectre　by　whom　he　had　so　lately　been　haunted　in　his　dream。

〃Ah；　my　lord！〃　cried　he；　recoiling　ten　steps；　and　covering　his　eyes　with　both　hands：　　〃do　you　then　perform　the　office　of　a　Goul？　'tis　true　you　have　dug　up　the　dead；　yet　hope　n