d have followed the perfidious Giaour, had not an invisible
agency arrested his progress. The multitude that pressed after him were
at once checked in the same manner, and a calm instantaneously ensued.
They all gazed at each other with an air of astonishment; and,
notwithstanding that the loss of veils and turbans, together with torn
habits and dust blended with sweat, presented a most laughable spectacle,
there was not one smile to be seen; on the contrary, all, with looks of
confusion and sadness, returned in silence to Samarah, and retired to
their inmost apartments, without ever reflecting that they had been
impelled by an invisible power into the extravagance for which they
reproached themselves; for it is but just that men, who so often arrogate
to their own merit the good of which they are but instruments, should
attribute to themselves the absurdities which they could not prevent.

The Caliph was the only person that refused to leave the valley. He
commanded his tents to be pitched there, and stationed himself on the
very edge of the precipice, in spite of the representations of Carathis
and Morakanabad, who pointed out the hazard of its brink giving way, and
the vicinity to the magician that had so severely tormented him. Vathek
derided all their remonstrances, and, having ordered a thousand flambeaux
to be lighted, and directed his attendants to proceed in lighting more,
lay down on the slippery margin, and attempted, by help of this
artificial splendour, to look through that gloom which all the fires of
the empyrean had been insufficient to pervade. One while he fancied to
himself voices arising from the depth of the gulf; at another he seemed
to distinguish the accents of the Indian, but all was no more than the
hollow murmur of waters, and the din of the cataracts that rushed from
steep to steep down the sides of the mountain.

Having passed the night in this cruel perturbation, the Caliph at
daybreak retired to his tent, where, without taking the least sustenance,
he continued to doze till the dusk of evening began again to come on. He
then resumed his vigils as before, and persevered in observing them for
many nights together. At length, fatigued with so successless an
employment, he sought relief from change. To this end he sometimes paced
with hasty strides across the plain, and, as he wildly gazed at the
stars, reproached them with having deceived him; but, lo! on a sudden the
clear blue sky ap