Aladdin and the Magic Lamp | Page 6

and opened the
window, and at the noise she made, Aladdin looked up. She called to
him to come to her, and great was the joy of these lovers at seeing each
other again. After he had kissed her Aladdin said: "I beg of you,
Princess, in God's name, before we speak of anything else, for your
own sake and mine, tell me what has become of an old lamp I left on
the cornice in the hall of four-and-twenty windows when I went
a-hunting." "Alas," she said, "I am the innocent cause of our sorrows,"
and told him of the exchange of the lamp. "Now I know," cried Aladdin,
"that we have to thank the African magician for this! Where is the
lamp?" "He carries it about with him," said the Princess. "I know, for
he pulled it out of his breast to show me. He wishes me to break my
faith with you and marry him, saying that you were beheaded by my
father's command. He is forever speaking ill of you, but I only reply by
my tears. If I persist, I doubt not but he will use violence." Aladdin
comforted her, and left her for a while. He changed clothes with the
first person he met in the town, and having bought a certain powder
returned to the Princess, who let him in by a little side door. "Put on
your most beautiful dress," he said to her, "and receive the magician
with smiles, leading him to believe that you have forgotten me. Invite
him to sup with you, and say you wish to taste the wine of his country.
He will go for some, and while he is gone I will tell you what to do."
She listened carefully to Aladdin and when he left her, arrayed herself
gaily for the first time since she left China. She put on a girdle and
head-dress of diamonds and seeing in a glass that she was more
beautiful than ever, received the magician, saying, to his great
amazement: "I have made up my mind that Aladdin is dead, and that all
my tears will not bring him back to me, so I am resolved to mourn no
more, and have therefore invited you to sup with me; but I am tired of

the wines of China, and would fain taste those of Africa." The magician
flew to his cellar, and the Princess put the powder Aladdin had given
her in her cup. When he returned she asked him to drink her health in
the wine of Africa, handing him her cup in exchange for his, as a sign
she was reconciled to him. Before drinking the magician made her a
speech in praise of her beauty, but the Princess cut him short, saying:
"Let us drink first, and you shall say what you will afterwards." She set
her cup to her lips and kept it there, while the magician drained his to
the dregs and fell back lifeless. The Princess then opened the door to
Aladdin, and flung her arms around his neck; but Aladdin went to the
dead magician, took the lamp out of his vest, and bade the genie carry
the palace and all in it back to China. This was done, and the Princess
in her chamber felt only two little shocks, and little thought she was
home again.
The Sultan, who was sitting in his closet, mourning for his lost
daughter, happened to look up, and rubbed his eyes, for there stood the
palace as before! He hastened thither, and Aladdin received him in the
hall of the four-and-twenty windows, with the Princess at his side.
Aladdin told him what had happened, and showed him the dead body
of the magician, that he might believe. A ten days' feast was proclaimed,
and it seemed as if Aladdin might now live the rest of his life in peace;
but it was not meant to be.
The African magician had a younger brother, who was, if possible,
more wicked and more cunning than himself. He travelled to China to
avenge his brother's death, and went to visit a pious woman called
Fatima, thinking she might be of use to him. He entered her cell and
clapped a dagger to her breast, telling her to rise and do his bidding on
pain of death. He changed clothes with her, coloured his face like hers,
put on her veil, and murdered her, that she might tell no tales. Then he
went towards the palace of Aladdin, and all the people, thinking he was
the holy woman, gathered round him, kissing his hands and begging his
blessing. When he got to the palace there was such a noise going on
round him that the Princess bade her slave look