The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-24


 galleries, where flaming braziers sent their fires in pyramids to the roof. they went through the hurrying and unheed- Ing throng until they came to where, upon a lofty globe of fire, sat Eblis, lord of the lower regions. Elders with streaming boards and afrits in armor were prostrate before him. His person was that of a young man whose noble and regular features seemed to have been tarnished by malignant vapors. Tn his large eyes appeared both pride and despair In his hand, which thunder had blasted, he swayed an iron sceptre In voice mild, but which diffused through the soul the deepest melan- choly, he addressed them as creatures of clay and told them that henceforth they were numbered among his adorers.
 should find enough to gratify their curiosity and that the talismans and
 the walth of the pre-Adamite sultans were open to them.
 Bring Us at once to the talismans." said yathek to the giaour who acted as guide. They were taken to hall of great extent covered with vast dome around which appeared 50 portals of bronze A funereal gloom pervaded the place. Upon two beds of incorruptible cedar lay the recumbent, feshless forms of the pre- Atlantic sutans who had been masters of the world They still retained enough of life to be conscious of their deplorable conditions and they regarded each other with the deepest dejection, each holding his right hand upon his heart. At their feet were inscribed the chief events of their reigns, their pride and their crimes. In more state than these sultans reposed the wasted figures of Soliman ben Daoud He from time to time heaved a deep sigh, like the others kept his hand upon his heart and seemed to be listening to the roar of a vast cataract visible in part through the open portals-the only sound
 except his signs heard in the gloomy hall. For allowing himself to be seduced by love of women and led astray by his unsuitable curiosity into the pursuit of necromancy he was destined to lie there, not entirely without hope, but until the great cataract should cease to fall. As Solman threw his hands toward
 heaven in gesture of supplication Vat hex and his companion saw to their hor-
 TOT through his breast, as transparent as crystal that his heart was enveloped in raging flames. "Oh. Mahomet.' cried
 yathek in terror, lis there no hope?"
 None" replied the giaour, your heart shall also burn forever with flames as do those of all the other votaries of Eblis. But few days are allowed thee and
 with them tlie wealth thou covetest and the power of the talismans.'
 Taking advantage or this Vathek or dered an afrit to bring. him Carathis from the palace of Samarah. This order was obeyed and Carathis was at first delighted to find herself in the abode of Eblis. But when she learned, as the others had, the price at which all the power and wealth of the internal region had been pur- chased she fell like them into dejection, and for the few days which remained all the fetes. the delights, the wealth and power at their disposal could not cheer them At last the fatal hour arrived; Vathek, Carathis and Nouronihar felt their hearts burn with unquenchable fire and joined the ghastly throng which ever 1 fled about the terrible hall of Ebis.
 Such was and such should be the pun
 shment of unrestrained passions and atro- ] cious actions. Such is and should be the chastisement of blind ambition and that | reckless curiosity which would transgress
 the bounds which the Creator has set to ] human knowledge and that infatuated
 pride which perceives not that the ap-
 pointed condition of man is to be ignor-
 ant and to be humble. Thus Vathek,
 who for the sake of empty pomp and for
 bidden power, sullied himself with a
 thousand crimes, became a prey to grief l and remorse without end while the hum- i bIe and despised Gulchenrouz passed 1 whole ages in undisturbed tranquility and
 the pure happiness of childhood. i Next weeks one-page classic will be i Joseph Andrews" by Henry Fielding