"
The hint of proceeding put all into motion; the venerable attendants of
the Emir set forward somewhat slowly, but Vathek, having ordered his
little pages in private to goad on the dromedaries, loud fits of laughter
broke forth from the cages, for the unwieldy curvetting of these poor
beasts, and the ridiculous distress of their superannuated riders,
afforded the ladies no small entertainment.
They descended, however, unhurt into the valley, by the large steps which
the Emir had cut in the rock; and already the murmuring of streams and
the rustling of leaves began to catch their attention. The cavalcade
soon entered a path which was skirted by flowering shrubs, and extended
to a vast wood of palm-trees, whose branches overspread a building of
hewn stone. This edifice was crowned with nine domes, and adorned with
as many portals of bronze, on which was engraven the following
inscription: "This is the asylum of pilgrims, the refuge of travellers,
and the depository of secrets for all parts of the world."
Nine pages, beautiful as the day, and clothed in robes of Egyptian linen,
very long and very modest, were standing at each door.
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