Having said this, she whirled herself round in a magical way, striking
poor Morakanabad in such a way as caused him to recoil. Then she ordered
her great camel, Aboufaki, to be brought, and, attended by her two
hideous and one-eyed negresses, Nerkes and Cafour, set out to surprise
the lovers. She burst in upon them, foaming with indignation, and said
to Vathek: "Free thyself from the arms of this paltry doxy; drown her in
the water before me, and instantly follow my guidance." But Vathek
replied civilly, but decisively, that he was taking Nouronihar with him;
and the princess, having heard her declare that she would follow him
beyond the Kaf in the land of the Afrits, was appeased, and pronounced
Nouronihar a girl of both courage and science.

With a view, however, of preventing any further trouble arising from
Gulchenrouz, of whose affection for his cousin Vathek had informed her,
she sought to capture the boy, intending to sacrifice him to the giaour.
But as he was fleeing from her he fell into the arms of a genius, the
same good old genius who, happening on the cruel giaour at the instant
of his growling in the horrible chasm, had rescued the fifty little
victims which the impiety of Vathek had devoted to his maw. The genius
placed Gulchenrouz in a nest higher than the clouds, and there kept him
ever young.

Nor was this the only hope of the princess's that was doomed to be
frustrated. She learnt from her astrolabes and instruments of magic that
Motavakel, availing himself of the disgust which was now inveterate
against his brother, had incited commotions among the populace, made
himself master of the palace, and actually invested the great tower. So
she reluctantly abandoned the idea of accompanying Vathek to Istakar,
and returned to Samarah; while he, attended by Nouronihar, resumed his