the history of caliph vathek-第15部分

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


　eunuchs　dragged　him　off　with　horrible　grimaces；　and　repeated　as　he　went：　　〃Ay；　I　foresaw　she　would　play　you　some　ungracious　turn！〃

No　sooner　was　the　Caliph　gone　than　the　Emir　commanded　biers　to　be　brought；　and　forbad　that　any　one　should　enter　the　harem。　　Every　window　was　fastened；　all　instruments　of　music　were　broken；　and　the　Imams　began　to　recite　their　prayers；　towards　the　close　of　this　melancholy　day　Vathek　sobbed　in　silence；　for　they　had　been　forced　to　compose　with　anodynes　his　convulsions　of　rage　and　desperation。

At　the　dawn　of　the　succeeding　morning　the　wide　folding　doors　of　the　palace　were　set　open；　and　the　funeral　procession　moved　forward　for　the　mountain。　　The　wailful　cries　of　〃La　Ilah　illa　Allah！〃　reached　to　the　Caliph；　who　was　eager　to　cicatrise　himself　and　attend　the　ceremonial；　nor　could　he　have　been　dissuaded；　had　not　his　excessive　weakness　disabled　him　from　walking；　at　the　few　first　steps　he　fell　on　the　ground；　and　his　people　were　obliged　to　lay　him　on　a　bed；　where　he　remained　many　days　in　such　a　state　of　insensibility；　as　excited　compassion　in　the　Emir　himself。

When　the　procession　was　arrived　at　the　grot　of　Meimoune；　Shaban　and　Sutlememe　dismissed　the　whole　of　the　train；　excepting　the　four　confidential　eunuchs　who　were　appointed　to　remain。　　After　resting　some　moments　near　the　biers；　which　had　been　left　in　the　open　air；　they　caused　them　to　be　carried　to　the　brink　of　a　small　lake；　whose　banks　were　overgrown　with　a　hoary　moss；　this　was　the　great　resort　of　herons　and　storks；　which　preyed　continually　on　little　blue　fishes。　　The　dwarfs；　instructed　by　the　Emir；　soon　repaired　thither；　and；　with　the　help　of　the　eunuchs；　began　to　construct　cabins　of　rushes　and　reeds；　a　work　in　which　they　had　admirable　skill；　a　magazine　also　was　contrived　for　provisions；　with　a　small　oratory　for　themselves；　and　a　pyramid　of　wood　neatly　piled；　to　furnish　the　necessary　fuel；　for　the　air　was　bleak　in　the　hollows　of　the　mountains。

At　evening　two　fires　were　kindled　on　the　brink　of　the　lake；　and　the　two　lovely　bodies；　taken　from　their　biers；　were　carefully　deposited　upon　a　bed　of　dried　leaves　within　the　same　cabin。　　The　dwarfs　began　to　recite　the　Koran　with　their　clear　shrill　voices；　and　Shaban　and　Sutlememe　stood　at　some　distance；　anxiously　waiting　the　effects　of　the　powder。　　At　length　Nouronihar　and　Gulchenrouz　faintly　stretched　out　their　arms；　and　gradually　opening　their　eyes；　began　to　survey　with　looks　of　increasing　amazement　every　object　around　them；　they　even　attempted　to　rise；　but　for　want　of　strength　fell　back　again；　Sutlememe　on　this　administered　a　cordial；　which　the　Emir　had　taken　care　to　provide。

Gulchenrouz；　thoroughly　aroused；　sneezed　out　aloud；　and　raising　himself　with　an　effort　that　expressed　his　surprise；　left　the　cabin；　and　inhaled　the　fresh　air　with　the　greatest　avidity。

〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　breathe　again！　again　do　I　exist！　　I　hear　sounds！　I　behold　a　firmament　spangled　over　with　stars！〃

Nouronihar；　catching　these　beloved　accents；　extricated　herself　from　the　leaves；　and　ran　to　clasp　Gulchenrouz　to　her　bosom。　　The　first　objects　she　remarked　were　their　long　simars；　their　garlands　of　flowers；　and　their　naked　feet；　she　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　to　reflect；　the　vision　of　the　enchanted　bath；　the　despair　of　her　father；　and；　more　vividly　than　both；　the　majestic　figure　of　Vathek　recurred　to　her　memory；　she　recollected　also　that　herself　and　Gulchenrouz　had　been　sick　and　dying；　but　all　these　images　bewildered　her　mind。　　Not　knowing　where　she　was；　she　turned　her　eyes　on　all　sides；　as　if　to　recognise　the　surrounding　scene；　this　singular　lake；　those　flames　reflected　from　its　glassy　surface；　the　pale　hues　of　its　banks；　the　romantic　cabins；　the　bulrushes　that　sadly　waved　their　drooping　heads；　the　storks　whose　melancholy　cries　blended　with　the　shrill　voices　of　the　dwarfs；　everything　conspired　to　persuade　them　that　the　Angel　of　Death　had　opened　the　portal　of　some　other　world。

Gulchenrouz　on　his　part；　lost　in　wonder；　clung　to　the　neck　of　his　cousin：　　he　believed　himself　in　the　region　of　phantoms；　and　was　terrified　at　the　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；　wh