an impulse of ecstasy, and struck light with all her force.  The mutes followed her example:  but Vathek, extenuated with hunger and impatience, was unable to support himself, and fell down in a swoon.  The sparks had already kindled the dry wood; the venomous oil burst into a thousand blue flames; the mummies, dissolving, emitted a thick dun vapor; and the rhinoceros’ horns beginning to consume, all together diffused such a stench, that the Caliph, recovering, started from his trance and gazed wildly on the scene in full blaze around him.  The oil gushed forth in a plenitude of streams; and the negresses, who supplied it without intermission, united their cries to those of the Princess.  At last the fire became so violent, and the flames reflected from the polished marble so dazzling, that the Caliph, unable to withstand the heat and the blaze, effected his escape, and clambered up the imperial standard.

In the mean time, the inhabitants of Samarah, scared at the light which shone over the city, arose in haste, ascended their roofs, beheld the tower on fire, and hurried half-naked to the square.  Their love to their sovereign immediately awoke; and apprehending him in danger of perishing in his tower, their whole thoughts were occupied with the means of his safety.  Morakanabad flew from his retirement, wiped away his tears, and cried out for water like the rest.  Bababalouk, whose olfactory nerves were more familiarized to magical odors, readily conjecturing that Carathis was engaged in her favorite amusements, strenuously exhorted them not to be alarmed.  Him, however, they treated as an old poltroon; and forbore not to style him a rascally traitor.  The camels and dromedaries were advancing with water, but no one knew by which way to enter the tower.  Whilst the populace was obstinate in forcing the doors, a violent east wind drove such a volume of flame against them, as at first forced them off, but afterwards rekindled their zeal.  At the same time, the stench of the horns and mummies increasing, most of the crowd fell backward in a state of suffocation.  Those that kept their feet mutually wondered at the cause of the smell, and admonished each other to retire.  Morakanabad, more sick than the rest, remained in a piteous condition.  Holding his nose with one hand, he persisted in his efforts with the other to burst open the doors, and obtain admission.  A hundred and forty of the strongest and most resolute at length accomplished their purpose....

Carathis, alarmed at the signs of her mutes, advanced to the staircase, went down a few steps, and heard several voices calling out from below:—­

“You shall in a moment have water!”

Being rather alert, considering her age, she presently regained the top of the tower, and bade her son suspend the sacrifice for some minutes, adding:—­

“We shall soon be enabled to render it more grateful.  Certain dolts of your subjects, imagining, no doubt, that we were on fire, have been rash enough to break through those doors, which had hitherto remained inviolate, for the sake of bringing up water.  They are very kind, you must allow, so soon to forget the wrongs you have done them:  but that is of little moment.  Let us offer them to the Giaour.  Let them come up:  our mutes, who neither want strength nor experience, will soon dispatch them, exhausted as they are with fatigue.”