"
At the mention of eating the Caliph lost all patience; he began to
bellow, and even beat himself (for there was no seeing in the dark). The
rumour every instant increased, and Bababalouk, finding no good could be
done with his master, stopped both his ears against the hurly-burly of
the harem, and called out aloud: "Come, ladies and brothers! all hands to
work! strike light in a moment! never shall it be said that the Commander
of the Faithful served to regale these infidel brutes."
Though there wanted not in this bevy of beauties a sufficient number of
capricious and wayward, yet on the present occasion they were all
compliance; fires were visible in a twinkling in all their cages; ten
thousand torches were lighted at once; the Caliph himself seized a large
one of wax; every person followed his example, and, by kindling ropes'
ends dipped in oil and fastened on poles, an amazing blaze was spread.
The rocks were covered with the splendour of sunshine; the trails of
sparks wafted by the wind communicated to the dry fern, of which there
was plenty. Serpents were observed to crawl forth from their retreats
with amazement and hissings, whilst the horses snorted, stamped the
ground, tossed their noses in the air, and plunged about without mercy.
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