Note Page 198 — VATHEK: AN ARABIAN TALE BY WILLIAM BECKFORD (continued 2)

The sabres especially, the blades of which emitted a dazzling radiance, fixed, more than all the rest, the caliph’s attention; who promised himself to decipher, at his leisure, the uncouth characters* engraven on their sides. Without, therefore, demanding their price, he ordered all the coined gold to be brought from his treasury, and commanded the merchant to take what he pleased. The stranger obeyed, took little, and remained silent.