" Immediately,
recurring to her astrolabes and instruments of magic, she took the
altitude of the planets, and discovered by her calculations, to her great
mortification, that a formidable revolt had taken place at Samarah; that
Motavakel, availing himself of the disgust which was inveterate against
his brother, had incited commotions amongst the populace, made himself
master of the palace, and actually invested the great tower, to which
Morakanabad had retired, with a handful of the few that still remained
faithful to Vathek.
"What!" exclaimed she; "must I lose then my tower! my mutes! my
negresses! my mummies! and, worse than all, the laboratory in which I
have spent so many a night, without knowing at least if my hair-brained
son will complete his adventure? No! I will not be the dupe!
Immediately will I speed to support Morakanabad; by my formidable art the
clouds shall sleet hailstones in the faces of the assailants, and shafts
of red-hot iron on their heads; I will spring mines of serpents and
torpedos from beneath them, and we shall soon see the stand they will
make against such an explosion!"
Having thus spoken, Carathis hastened to her son, who was tranquilly
banqueting with Nouronihar in his superb carnation-coloured tent.
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