nted, called out for something to eat.
But, alas! those delicate cakes which had been baked in silver ovens for
his royal mouth, those rich manchets, amber comfits, flagons of Schiraz
wine, porcelain vases of snow, and grapes from the banks of the Tigris,
were all irremediably lost! And nothing had Bababalouk to present in
their stead but a roasted wolf, vultures _a la daube_, aromatic herbs of
the most acrid poignancy, rotten truffles, boiled thistles, and such
other wild plants as most ulcerate the throat and parch up the tongue.
Nor was he better provided in the article of drink, for he could procure
nothing to accompany these irritating viands but a few vials of
abominable brandy, which had been secreted by the scullions in their
slippers.

Vathek made wry faces at so savage a repast, and Bababalouk answered them
with shrugs and contortions; the Caliph, however, ate with tolerable
appetite, and fell into a nap that lasted six hours. The splendour of
the sun reflected from the white cliffs of the mountains, in spite of the
curtains that enclosed him, at length disturbed his repose; he awoke
terrified, and stung to the quick by those wormwood-coloured flies, which
emit from their wings a suffocating stench. The miserable monarch was
perplexed how to act, though his wits were not idle in seeking
expedients, whilst Bababalouk lay snoring amidst a swarm of those
insects, that busily thronged to pay court to his nose. The little
pages, famished with hunger, had dropped their fans on the ground, and
exerted their dying voices in bitter reproaches on the Caliph, who now
for the first time heard the language of truth.

Thus stimulated, he renewed his imprecations against the Giaour, and
bestowed upon Mahomet some soothing expressions. "Where am I?" cried he;
"what are these dreadful rocks? these valleys of darkness? are we arrived
at the horrible Kaf? is the Simurgh coming to pluck out my eyes, as a
punishment for undertaking this impious enterprise!" Having said this,
he bellowed like a calf and turned himself towards an outlet in the side
of his pavilion; but, alas! what objects occurred to his view! on one
side a plain of black sand that appeared to be unbounded, and on the
other perpendicular crags, bristled over with those abominable thistles
which had so severely lacerated his tongue. He fancied, however, that he
perceived, amongst the brambles and briers, some gigantic flowers, but
was mistaken; for these were