impatience, was unable to support himself, and fell down in a
swoon. The sparks had already kindled the dry wood, the venomous oil
burst into a thousand blue flames, the mummies dissolving emitted a thick
dun vapour, and the rhinoceros' horns beginning to consume, all together
diffused such a stench, that the Caliph, recovering, started from his
trance, and gazed wildly on the scene in full blaze around him. The oil
gushed forth in a plenitude of streams; and the negresses, who supplied
it without intermission, united their cries to those of the princess. At
last the fire became so violent, and the flames reflected from the
polished marble so dazzling, that the Caliph, unable to withstand the
heat and the blaze, effected his escape, and clambered up the imperial
standard.

In the meantime the inhabitants of Samarah, scared at the light which
shone over the city, arose in haste, ascended their roofs, beheld the
tower on fire, and hurried half naked to the square. Their love to their
sovereign immediately awoke; and, apprehending him in danger of perishing
in his tower, their whole thoughts were occupied with the means of his
safety. Morakanabad flew from his retirement, wiped away his tears, and
cried out for water like the rest. Bababalouk, whose olfactory nerves
were more familiarised to magical odours, readily conjecturing that
Carathis was engaged in her favourite amusements, strenuously exhorted
them not to be alarmed. Him, however, they treated as an old poltroon,
and forbore not to style him a rascally traitor. The camels and
dromedaries were advancing with water, but no one knew by which way to
enter the tower. Whilst the populace was obstinate in forcing the doors
a violent east wind drove such a volume of flame against them, as at
first forced them off, but afterwards re-kindled their zeal; at the same
time the stench of the horns and mummies increasing, most of the crowd
fell backward in a state of suffocation; those that kept their feet
mutually wondered at the cause of the smell, and admonished each other to
retire. Morakanabad, more sick than the rest, remained in a piteous
condition; holding his nose with one hand, he persisted in his efforts
with the other to burst open the doors and obtain admission. A hundred
and forty of the strongest and most resolute at length accomplished their
purpose; having gained the staircase by their violent exertions, they
attained a great height in a quarter of an