Part 89

The sultan, who could not deny what the grand vizier had represented to him, flew into the greater passion. Where is that impostor, that wicked wretch, said he, that I may have his head cut off immediately? Sir, replied the grand vizier, it is some days since he came to take his leave of your majesty; he ought to be sent to, to know what is become of his palace, since he cannot be ignorant of what has been transacted. That is too great an indulgence, replied the sultan; go and order a detachment of thirty horse, to bring him to me loaded with chains. The grand vizier went and gave orders for a detachment of thirty horse, and instructed the officer who commanded them, how they were to act, that Aladdin might not escape them. The detachment pursued their orders; and, about five or six leagues from the town, met him returning from hunting. The officer went up to him, and told him that the sultan was so impatient to see him, that he had sent them to accompany him home.

Aladdin had not the least suspicion of the true reason of their meeting him, but pursued his way hunting; but when he came within half a league of the city, the detachment surrounded him, and the officer addressed himself to him, and said, Prince Aladdin, it is with great regret that I declare to you the sultan’s order to arrest you, and to carry you before him as a criminal. I beg of you not to take it ill that we acquit ourselves of our duty, and to forgive us.

Aladdin, who felt himself innocent, was very much surprised at this declaration, and asked the officer if he knew what crime he was accused of, who replied he did not. Then Aladdin, finding that his retinue was much inferior to this detachment, alighted off his horse, and said to the officer, Execute your orders; I am not conscious that I have committed any crime against the sultan’s person or government. A large long chain was immediately put about his neck, and fastened round his body, so that both his arms were pinioned down; then the officer put himself at the head of the detachment, and one of the troopers taking hold of the end of the chain, and proceeding after the officer, led Aladdin, who was obliged to follow him on foot, into the town.

When this detachment entered the suburbs, the people, who saw Aladdin thus led as a state criminal, never doubted but that his head was to be cut off; and as he was generally beloved, some took sabres and other arms; and those who had none, gathered stones, and followed the detachment. The last five of the detachment faced about to disperse them; but their numbers presently increased so much, that the detachment began to think that it would be well if they could get into the sultan’s palace before Aladdin was rescued; to prevent which, according to the different extent of the streets, they took care to cover the ground by extending or closing. In this manner they arrived at the palace square, and there drew up in a line, and faced about till their officer and the trooper that led Aladdin had got within the gates, which were immediately shut.

Aladdin was carried before the sultan, who waited for him, attended by the grand vizier, in a balcony; and as soon as he saw him, he ordered the executioner, who waited there on purpose, to cut off his head without hearing him, or giving him leave to clear himself.

As soon as the executioner had taken off the chain that was fastened about Aladdin’s neck and body, and laid down a skin stained with the blood of the many criminals he had executed, he made Aladdin kneel down, and tied a bandage over his eyes. Then drawing his sabre, he took his measures to strike the blow, by flourishing it three times in the air, waiting for the sultan’s giving the signal to separate his head from his body.

At that instant the grand vizier perceiving that the populace had forced the guard of horse, and crowded the great square before the palace, and were scaling the walls in several places, and beginning to pull them down to force their way in, he said to the sultan, before he gave the signal, I beg of your majesty to consider what you are going to do, since you will hazard your palace being forced; and who knows what fatal consequence may attend it? My palace forced! replied the sultan; who can have that boldness? Sir, answered the grand vizier, if your majesty but cast your eyes towards the great square, and on the palace walls, you will know the truth of what I say.

The sultan was so frightened when he saw so great a crowd, and perceiving how enraged they were, that he ordered the executioner to put his sabre immediately in the scabbard, and to unbind Aladdin; and at the same time, bid the chiaoux declare to the people that the sultan had pardoned him and that they might retire.

Then all those who had already got upon the walls, and were witnesses of what had passed, abandoned their design, and got quickly down, overjoyed that they had saved the life of a man they dearly loved, published the news among the rest, which was presently confirmed by the chiaoux from the top of the terraces. The justice which the sultan had done to Aladdin soon disarmed the populace of their rage; the tumult abated, and the mob dispersed.

When Aladdin found himself at liberty, he turned towards the balcony, and perceiving the sultan, raised his voice, and said to him in a moving manner, I beg of your majesty to add one favour more to that which I have already received, which is, to let me know my crime. Your crime! answered the sultan; perfidious wretch! do you not know it? Come up hither, and I will show it you.

Aladdin went up, and presenting himself to the sultan, the latter going before him without looking at him, said, Follow me; and then led him into his closet. When he came to the door, he said, Go in; you ought to know whereabouts your palace stood; look around, and tell me what is become of it.

Aladdin looked round, but saw nothing. He perceived very well the spot of ground his palace had stood on; but not being able to divine how it should disappear, this extraordinary and surprising event threw him into so great confusion and amazement, that he could not return one word of answer.

The sultan growing impatient, said to him again, Where is your palace, and what is become of my daughter? Then Aladdin breaking silence, said to him, Sir, I see very well, and own that the palace which I have built is not in the same place it was, but is vanished; neither can I tell your majesty where it may be, but can assure you I have no hand in it.

I am not so much concerned about your palace, replied the sultan; I value my daughter ten thousand times before it, and would have you find her out, otherwise I will cause your head to be struck off, and no consideration shall prevent it.

I beg of your majesty, answered Aladdin, to grant me forty days to make my inquiries; and if in that time I have not the success I wish for, I will come again, and offer my head at the foot of your throne, to be disposed of at your pleasure. I give you the forty days you ask for, said the sultan; but think not to abuse the favour I show you, by imagining you shall escape my resentment; for I will find you out in whatsoever part of the world you are.

Aladdin went out of the sultan’s presence with great humiliation, and in a condition worthy of pity. He crossed the courts of the palace, hanging down his head, and in so great confusion that he durst not lift up his eyes. The principal officers of the court, who had all professed themselves his friends, and whom he had never disobliged, instead of going up to him to comfort him, and offer him a retreat in their houses, turned their backs on him, as much to avoid seeing him, as lest he should know them. But had they accosted him with a word of comfort, or offer of service, they would have no more known Aladdin. He did not know himself, and was no longer in his senses, as plainly appeared by asking every body he met, and at every house, if they had seen his palace, or could tell him any news of it.

These questions made every body believe that Aladdin was mad. Some laughed at him, but people of sense and humanity, particularly those who had had any connexion of business or friendship with him, really pitied him. For three days he rambled about the city after this manner, without coming to any resolution, or eating any thing but what some good people forced him to take out of charity.

At last, as he could no longer, in his unhappy condition, stay in a city where he had formerly made so fine a figure, he quitted it, and took the road to the country; and after he had traversed several fields in a frightful uncertainty, at the approach of night he came to a river side. There, possessed by his despair, he said to himself, Where shall I seek my palace? In what province, country, or part of the world, shall I find that and my dear princess whom the sultan expects from me? I shall never succeed; I had better free myself at once from so much fruitless fatigue and such bitter grief which preys upon me. He was just going to throw himself into the river, but as a good Mussulman, true to his religion, he thought he could not do it without first saying his prayers. Going to prepare himself, he went first to the river side to wash his hands and face, according to custom. But that place being steep and slippery, by reason of the water beating against it, he slid down and had certainly fallen into the river, but for a little rock which projected about two feet out of the earth. Happily also for him, he still had on the ring which the African magician put on his finger before he went down into the subterraneous abode to fetch the precious lamp, which had not been taken from him. In slipping down the bank he rubbed the ring so hard by holding on the rock, that immediately the same genie appeared whom he saw in the cave where the magician left him. What wouldst thou have? said the genie. I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those that have that ring on their finger; both I and the other slaves of the ring.

Aladdin, agreeably surprised at an apparition he so little expected in the despair he was in, replied, Save my life, genie, a second time, either by showing me the place where the palace I have caused to be built now stands, or immediately transport it back where it first stood. What you command me, answered the genie, is not in my power; I am only the slave of the ring; you must address yourself to the slave of the lamp. If it be so, replied Aladdin, I command thee by the power of the ring to transport me to the place where my palace stands, in what part of the world soever it is, and set me down under the princess Badroulboudour’s window. These words were no sooner out of his mouth, but the genie transported him into Africa, to the midst of a large meadow, where his palace stood, a small distance from a great city, and set him exactly under the windows of the princess’s apartments, and then left him. All this was done almost in an instant.

Aladdin, notwithstanding the darkness of the night, knew his palace and the princess Badroulboudour’s apartment again very well; but as the night was far advanced, and all was quiet in the palace, he retired to some distance, and sat down at the foot of a large tree. There, full of hopes, and reflecting on his happiness, for which he was indebted to pure chance, he found himself in a much more peaceable situation than when he was arrested and carried before the sultan, and delivered from the danger of losing his life. He amused himself some time with these agreeable thoughts; but not having slept for five or six days, he was not able to resist the drowsiness which came upon him, but fell fast asleep where he was.

The next morning, as soon as day appeared, Aladdin was agreeably awakened not only by the singing of the birds which had roosted in the tree under which he had passed the night, but all those which perched in the thick groves of the palace garden. When he cast his eyes on that wonderful edifice, he felt an inexpressible joy to think he should soon be master of it again, and once more possess his dear princess Badroulboudour. Pleased with these hopes, he immediately got up, went towards the princess’s apartment, and walked some time under her window, in expectation of her rising, that he might see her. During this expectation, he began to consider with himself from whence the cause of his misfortunes proceeded; and after mature reflection, he no longer doubted that it was owing to his having put his lamp out of his sight. He accused himself of negligence, and the little care he took of it, to let it be a moment away from him. But what puzzled him most was, he could not imagine who had been so jealous of his happiness. He would soon have guessed this, if he had known that both he and his palace were in Africa, the very name of which would soon have made him remember the magician, his declared enemy; but the genie, the slave of the ring, had not made the least mention of the name of the place, nor had Aladdin asked him.

The princess Badroulboudour rose earlier that morning than she had done since her transportation into Africa by the magician, whose presence she was forced to support once a day, because he was master of the palace; but she had always treated him so harshly, that he dared not reside in it. As she was dressing, one of the women looking through the window, perceived Aladdin, and presently ran and told her mistress. The princess, who could not believe the news, went that moment herself to the window, and seeing Aladdin, immediately opened it. The noise the princess made in opening the window made Aladdin turn his head that way, who, knowing the princess, saluted her with an air that expressed his joy. To lose no time, said she to him, I have sent to have the private door opened for you; enter, and then come up; she then shut the window.

The private door, which was just under the princess’s apartment, was soon opened, and Aladdin was conducted up into the princess’s chamber. It is impossible to express the joy of those lovers at seeing each other, after a separation which they both thought was for ever. They embraced several times, and showed all the marks of a sincere love and tenderness, after an event so unforeseen and melancholy. After these embracings, and shedding tears of joy, they sat down, and Aladdin assuming the discourse, said, I beg of you, princess, in God’s name, before we talk of any thing else, to tell me, both for your own sake, and the sultan your father’s, and mine, what is become of an old lamp which I left upon the cornice in the hall of the four-and-twenty windows, before I went to hunting?

Alas! dear husband, answered the princess, I am afraid our misfortune is owing to that lamp: and what grieves me most is, that I have been the cause of it. Princess, replied Aladdin, do not blame yourself, since it was entirely my fault, and I ought to have taken more care of it. But let us now think only of repairing the loss; tell me what has happened, and into whose hands it has fallen.

Then the princess Badroulboudour gave Aladdin an account how she changed the old lamp for a new one, which she ordered to be fetched, that he might see it, and how the next morning she found herself in the unknown country they were then in, which she was told was Africa by the traitor who had transported her thither by his magic art.

Princess, said Aladdin, interrupting her, you have informed me who the traitor is, by telling me we are in Africa. He is the most perfidious of all men; but this is neither a time nor place to give you a full account of his villanies. I desire you only to tell me what he has done with the lamp, and where he has put it. He carries it carefully wrapt up in his bosom, said the princess; and this I can assure you, because he pulled it out before me, and showed it to me in triumph.

Princess, said Aladdin, do not be displeased that I trouble you with so many questions, since they are equally important both to you and me. But to come to what most particularly concerns me. Tell me, I conjure you, how so wicked and perfidious a man treats you. Since I have been here, replied the princess, he comes once every day to see me; and I am persuaded the little satisfaction he receives from his visits makes him come no oftener. All his discourse tends to persuade me to break that faith I have pledged to you, and to take him for a husband; giving me to understand, I ought not to entertain any hopes of ever seeing you again, for that you were dead, and had had your head struck off by the sultan my father’s order. He added, to justify himself, that you were an ungrateful wretch; that your good fortune was owing to him, and a great many other things of that nature, which I forbear to repeat: but as he received no answer from me but grievous complaints and tears, he was always forced to retire with as little satisfaction as he came. I doubt not his intention is to allow me time to vanquish my grief, in hopes afterwards that I may change my sentiments; and if I persevere in an obstinate refusal, to use violence. But my dear husband’s presence removes all my disquiets.

I am confident it is not in vain, replied Aladdin, since my princess’s fears are removed, and I think I have found the means to deliver you from both your enemy and mine: to execute this design, it is necessary for me to go to the town. I shall return by noon, and then will communicate my design to you, and tell you what must be done by you to ensure success. But that you may not be surprised, I think it proper to acquaint you that I shall change my apparel, and beg of you to give orders that I may not wait long at the private door, but that it may be opened at the first knock: all which the princess promised to observe.

When Aladdin was got out of the palace by that door, he looked round about him on all sides, and perceiving a peasant going into the country, he hastened after him; and when he had overtaken him, made a proposal to him to change clothes, which the man agreed to: they went behind a hedge, and there made the exchange. The countryman went about his business, and Aladdin to the city. After traversing several streets, he came to that part of the town where all sorts of merchants and artisans had their particular streets according to their trades. He went into that of the druggists; and going into one of the largest and best furnished shops, asked the druggist if he had a certain powder which he named.

The druggist looking upon Aladdin by his habit to be very poor, and that he had not money enough to pay for it, told him he had it, but that it was very dear; upon which Aladdin, penetrating into his thoughts, pulled out his purse, and allowing him some gold, asked for half a drachm of the powder; which the druggist weighed, and wrapt up in a piece of paper, and gave him, telling him the price was a piece of gold. Aladdin put the money into his hand, and staying no longer in the town but just to get a little refreshment, returned to the palace, where he waited not long at the private door. When he came into the princess’s apartment, he said to her, Princess, perhaps the aversion you tell me you have for your ravisher, may be an objection to your executing what I am going to propose to you; but give me leave to tell you, it is proper that you should at this juncture dissemble a little, and do violence to your inclinations, if you would deliver yourself from him, and give my lord the sultan your father the satisfaction of seeing you again.

If you will take my advice, continued he, dress yourself this moment in one of your richest habits, and when the African magician comes, make no difficulty to give him the best reception; receive him with an open countenance, without affectation or constraint, yet so as that, if there remains any cloud of affliction, he may imagine time will dissipate it. In your conversation, let him understand that you strive to forget me; and that he may be the more fully convinced of your sincerity, invite him to sup with you, and give him to understand you should be glad to taste some of the best wines of his country. He will presently go to fetch you some. During his absence, put into one of the cups like that you are accustomed to drink out of, this powder, and setting it by, charge the slave you design that night to attend you, upon a signal you shall agree upon with her, to bring that cup to you. When the magician and you have eaten and drank as much as you choose, let her bring you the cup, and change cups with him. He will take it as so great a favour that he will not refuse you, and will empty the cup; but no sooner will he have drank it off, than you will see him fall backwards. If you have any reluctance to drink out of his cup, you may pretend only to do it, without fear of being discovered; for the effect of the powder is so quick, that he will not have time enough to know whether you drink or not.

When Aladdin had finished, I own, answered the princess, I shall do myself a great violence in consenting to make the magician such advances as I see are absolutely necessary for me to make; but what cannot one resolve to do against a cruel enemy? I will therefore follow your advice, since both my repose and yours depend on it. After the princess had agreed to the measures proposed by Aladdin, he took his leave of her, and went and spent the rest of the day in the neighbourhood of the palace till it was night, when he might safely return to the private door.

The princess Badroulboudour, who was not only inconsolable to be separated from her dear husband, whom she loved from the first moment, and still continued to love more out of inclination than duty, but also from the sultan her father, who had always showed a tender and paternal love for her, had, ever since that cruel separation, lived in great neglect of her person. She had almost, as one may say, forgot the neatness so becoming persons of her sex and quality, particularly after the first time the magician paid her a visit; and she understood by some of the women, who knew him again, that it was he who took the old lamp in exchange for a new one, which notorious cheat rendered the sight of him more abhorred. However, the opportunity of taking the revenge he deserved sooner than she durst hope for, made her resolve to gratify Aladdin. As soon, therefore, as he was gone, she sat down at her toilet, and was dressed by her women to the best advantage, in the richest habit, most suitable to her design. Her girdle was of the finest and largest diamonds set in gold, which she suited with a necklace of pearls, six on a side, so well proportioned to that in the middle, which was the largest and most valuable, that the greatest sultanesses and queens would have been proud to have been adorned with only two of the smallest. Her bracelets, which were of diamonds and rubies intermixed, answered admirably to the richness of the girdle and necklace.

When the princess Badroulboudour was completely dressed, she consulted her glass and women upon her adjustment; and when she found she wanted no charms to flatter the foolish passion of the African magician, she sat down on a sofa, expecting his arrival.

The magician came at the usual hour, and as soon as he entered the great hall, where the princess waited to receive him, she rose up in all her beauty and charms, and pointed with her hand to the most honourable place, waiting till he sat down, that she might sit at the same time, which was a piece of civility she had never shown him before.

The African magician, dazzled more with the lustre of the princess’s eyes than the glittering of the jewels with which she was adorned, was very much surprised. The majestic and graceful air with which she received him, so opposite to her former behaviour, quite confounded him.