"
"Be it so," answered the Caliph, "provided we finish and I dine."
In fact, these good people, out of breath from ascending eleven thousand
stairs in such haste, and chagrined at having spilt by the way the water
they had taken, were no sooner arrived at the top than the blaze of the
flames and the fumes of the mummies at once overpowered their senses. It
was a pity; for they beheld not the agreeable smile with which the mutes
and the negresses adjusted the cord to their necks; these amiable
personages rejoiced, however, no less at the scene; never before had the
ceremony of strangling been performed with so much facility; they all
fell without the least resistance or struggle, so that Vathek in the
space of a few moments found himself surrounded by the dead bodies of his
faithfullest subjects, all which were thrown on the top of the pile.
Carathis, whose presence of mind never forsook her, perceiving that she
had carcases sufficient to complete her oblation, commanded the chains to
be stretched across the staircase, and the iron doors barricaded, that no
more might come up.
No sooner were these orders obeyed than the tower shook, the dead bodies
vanished in the flames, which at once changed from a swarthy crimson to a
bright rose colour; an ambient vapour emitted the most exquisite
fragrance, the marble columns rang with harmonious sounds, and the
liquefied horns diffused a delicious perfume.
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