palace, resolved
that his expedition should be uncommonly splendid. With this view he
confiscated on all sides the property of his subjects, whilst his worthy
mother stripped the seraglios she visited of the gems they contained.
She collected all the sempstresses and embroiderers of Samarah and other
cities to the distance of sixty leagues, to prepare pavilions,
palanquins, sofas, canopies, and litters for the train of the monarch.
There was not left in Masulipatam a single piece of chintz, and so much
muslin had been bought up to dress out Bababalouk and the other black
eunuchs, that there remained not an ell in the whole Irak of Babylon.

During these preparations Carathis, who never lost sight of her great
object, which was to obtain favour with the Powers of Darkness, made
select parties of the fairest and most delicate ladies of the city; but
in the midst of their gaiety she contrived to introduce serpents amongst
them, and to break pots of scorpions under the table; they all bit to a
wonder; and Carathis would have left them to bite, were it not that, to
fill up the time, she now and then amused herself in curing their wounds
with an excellent anodyne of her own invention, for this good princess
abhorred being indolent.

Vathek, who was not altogether so active as his mother, devoted his time
to the sole gratification of his senses, in the palaces which were
severally dedicated to them; he disgusted himself no more with the Divan
or the Mosque. One half of Samarah followed his example, whilst the
other lamented the progress of corruption.

In the midst of these transactions the embassy returned which had been
sent in pious times to Mecca. It consisted of the most reverend
Moullahs, who had fulfilled their commission and brought back one of
those precious besoms which are used to sweep the sacred Caaba: a present
truly worthy of the greatest potentate on earth!

The Caliph happened at this instant to be engaged in an apartment by no
means adapted to the reception of embassies, though adorned with a
certain magnificence, not only to render it agreeable, but also because
he resorted to it frequently, and stayed a considerable time together.
Whilst occupied in this retreat he heard the voice of Bababalouk calling
out from between the door and the tapestry that hung before it: "Here are
the excellent Mahomet Ebn Edris al Shafei, and the seraphic Al
Mouhadethin, who have brought the besom from Mecca, and with tear