The History of Caliph Vathek | Page 4

decrees of his destiny.

With this view the inquisitive prince passed most of his nights on the
summit of his tower, till he became an adept in the mysteries of
astrology, and imagined that the planets had disclosed to him the most
marvellous adventures, which were to be accomplished by an
extraordinary personage from a country altogether unknown. Prompted
by motives of curiosity, he had always been courteous to strangers, but
from this instant he redoubled his attention, and ordered it to be
announced by sound of trumpet, through all the streets of Samarah, that
no one of his subjects, on peril of displeasure, should either lodge or
detain a traveller, but forthwith bring him to the palace.
Not long after this proclamation there arrived in his metropolis a man
so hideous that the very guards who arrested him were forced to shut
their eyes as they led him along. The Caliph himself appeared startled
at so horrible a visage, but joy succeeded to this emotion of terror when
the stranger displayed to his view such rarities as he had never before
seen, and of which he had no conception.
In reality, nothing was ever so extraordinary as the merchandise this
stranger produced; most of his curiosities, which were not less
admirable for their workmanship than splendour, had, besides, their
several virtues described on a parchment fastened to each. There were
slippers which enabled the feet to walk; knives that out without the
motion of a hand; sabres which dealt the blow at the person they were
wished to strike; and the whole enriched with gems that were hitherto
unknown.
The sabres, whose blades emitted a dazzling radiance, fixed more than
all the Caliph's attention, who promised himself to decipher at his
leisure the uncouth characters engraven on their sides. Without,
therefore, demanding their price, he ordered all the coined gold to be
brought from his treasury, and commanded the merchant to take what
he pleased; the stranger complied with modesty and silence.
Vathek, imagining that the merchant's taciturnity was occasioned by the
awe which his presence inspired, encouraged him to advance, and
asked him, with an air of condescension, "Who he was? whence he
came? and where he obtained such beautiful commodities?" The man,

or rather monster, instead of making a reply, thrice rubbed his forehead,
which, as well as his body, was blacker than ebony, four times clapped
his paunch, the projection of which was enormous, opened wide his
huge eyes, which glowed like firebrands, began to laugh with a hideous
noise, and discovered his long amber-coloured teeth bestreaked with
green.
The Caliph, though a little startled, renewed his inquiries, but without
being able to procure a reply; at which, beginning to be ruffled, he
exclaimed: "Knowest thou, varlet, who I am? and at whom thou art
aiming thy gibes?" Then, addressing his guards, "Have ye heard him
speak? is he dumb?"
"He hath spoken," they replied, "though but little."
"Let him speak again, then," said Vathek, "and tell me who he is, from
whence he came, and where he procured these singular curiosities, or I
swear by the ass of Balaam that I will make him rue his pertinacity."
The menace was accompanied by the Caliph with one of his angry and
perilous glances, which the stranger sustained without the slightest
emotion, although his eyes were fixed on the terrible eye of the prince.
No words can describe the amazement of the courtiers when they
beheld this rude merchant withstand the encounter unshocked. They all
fell prostrate with their faces on the ground to avoid the risk of their
lives, and continued in the same abject posture till the Caliph exclaimed
in a furious tone, "Up, cowards! seize the miscreant! see that he be
committed to prison and guarded by the best of my soldiers! Let him,
however, retain the money I gave him; it is not my intent to take from
him his property; I only want him to speak."
No sooner had he uttered these words than the stranger was surrounded,
pinioned with strong fetters, and hurried away to the prison of the great
tower, which was encompassed by seven empalements of iron bars, and
armed with spikes in every direction longer and sharper than spits.
The Caliph, nevertheless, remained in the most violent agitation; he sat

down indeed to eat, but of the three hundred covers that were daily
placed before him could taste of no more than thirty-two. A diet to
which he had been so little accustomed was sufficient of itself to
prevent him from sleeping; what then must be its effect when joined to
the anxiety that preyed upon his spirits? At the first glimpse of dawn he
hastened to the prison, again to importune this intractable stranger; but
the rage of Vathek exceeded