In the usual version of Vathek, when the antihero goes to Eblis` infernal realm, he encounters a group of other damned royalty awaiting their appointed dooms in a sort of lobby of hell, & these characters tell him their stories, beautiful dark tales in a decadent arabian nights flavour, which beckford himself, it is said, felt were too dangerous in their blasphemy to be published - or at least for him to be associated too. Personally i like the episodes more than the story of Vathek himself, excellent though it is....