As soon as the sultan got back to his own apartment, he sent for the grand vizier. “Vizier,” said he, “have you seen your son, and has he not told you anything?” The vizier replied, “No.” Then the sultan related all that the princess Badr-oul-boudour had told him, and afterwards said, “I do not doubt but that my daughter has told me the truth; but nevertheless I should be glad to have it confirmed by your son; therefore go and ask him how it was.”
The grand vizier went immediately to his son, and communicated to him what the sultan had told him, and enjoined him to conceal nothing from him, but to tell him the whole truth. “I will disguise nothing from you, father,” replied the son, “for indeed all that the princess says is true; but what relates particularly to myself she knows nothing of. After my marriage, I have passed two such nights as are beyond imagination or expression; not to mention the fright I was in, to feel my bed lifted up four times, and transported from one place to another, without being able to guess how it was done. You shall judge of the miserable condition I was in, to pass two whole nights in nothing but my shirt, standing in a kind of privy, unable to stir out of the place where I was put, or to make the least movement, though I could not perceive any obstacle to prevent me. Yet I must tell you that all this ill-usage does not in the least lessen those sentiments of love, respect and latitude I entertain for the princess, and of which she is so deserving; but I must confess, that notwithstanding all the honour and splendour that attends my marrying my sovereign’s daughter I would much rather die, than live longer in so great an alliance, if I must undergo what I have already endured. I do not doubt but that the princess entertains the same sentiments, and that she will readily agree to a separation, which is so necessary both for her repose and mine. Therefore, father, I beg you, by the same tenderness you had for me to procure me so great an honour, to get the sultan’s consent that our marriage may be declared null and void.”
Notwithstanding the grand vizier’s ambition to have his son allied to the sultan, the firm resolution he saw he had formed to be separated from the princess, made him not think it proper to propose to him to have a little patience for a few days, to see if this disappointment would not have an end; but left him to go and give the sultan an account of what he had told him, assuring him that all was but too true. Without waiting till the sultan himself, whom he found pretty much disposed to it, spoke of breaking the marriage, he begged of him to give his son leave to retire from the palace; alleging for an excuse, that it was not just that the princess should be a moment longer exposed to so terrible a persecution upon his son’s account.
The grand vizier found no great difficulty to obtain what he asked. From that instant the sultan, who had determined it already, gave orders to put a stop to all rejoicings in the palace and town, and sent expresses to all parts of his dominions to countermand his first orders; and in a short time all rejoicings ceased.
This sudden and unexpected change gave rise, both in the city and kingdom, to various speculations and inquiries; but no other account could be given of it, except that both the vizier and his son went out of the palace very much dejected. Nobody but Aladdin knew the secret. He rejoiced within himself for the happy success procured for him by his lamp, which now he had no more occasion to rub to produce the genie, to prevent the consummation of the marriage, which he had certain information was broken off, and that his rival had left the palace. But, what is most particular, neither the sultan nor the grand vizier, who had forgotten Aladdin and his request, had the least thought that he had any hand in the enchantment which caused the dissolution of the marriage.
Nevertheless, Aladdin waited till the three months were completed, which the sultan had appointed for the communication of the marriage between the princess Badr-oul-boudour and himself; but the next day sent his mother to the palace, to remind the sultan of his promise.
Aladdin’s mother went to the palace, as her son had bid her, and stood before the divan in the same place as before. The sultan no sooner cast his eyes upon her, but he knew her again, and remembered her business, and how long he had put her off; therefore, when the grand vizier was beginning to make his report, the sultan interrupted him, and said, “Vizier, I see the good woman who made me the present some months hence: forbear your report till I have heard what she has to say.” The vizier then, looking about the divan, presently perceived Aladdin’s mother, and sent the chief of the officers for her.
Aladdin’s mother came to the foot of the throne and prostrated herself as usual, and when she rose up again, the sultan asked her what she would have. “Sir,” said she, “I come to represent to your majesty, in the name of my son, Aladdin, that the three months, at the end of which you ordered me to come again, are expired; and to beg you to remember your promise.”
The sultan, when he took his time to answer the request of this good woman, the first time he saw her, little thought of hearing any more of a marriage which he imagined must be very disagreeable to the princess, when he only considered the meanness and poverty of Aladdin’s mother in her dress, not above the common run; but this summons for him to be as good as his word was somewhat embarrassing to him; he declined giving an answer till he had consulted his vizier, and signified to him the little inclination he had to conclude a match for his daughter with a stranger whose fortune he supposed to be very mean indeed.
The grand vizier freely told the sultan his thoughts on the matter, and said to him, “In my opinion, sir, there is an infallible way for your majesty to avoid a match so disproportionable, without giving Aladdin, were he better known to your majesty, any cause of complaint; which is, to set so high a value upon the princess, that were he never so rich, he could not come up to it. This is the only way to make him desist from so bold, not to say rash, an undertaking, which he never weighed before he engaged in it.”