In the meantime, the jewellers and goldsmiths reached the palace, and were introduced into the sultan’s presence, where the first jeweller, presenting the jewels which he had brought back, said, in the name of all the rest, “Sir, your majesty knows how long we have been upon the work you were pleased to set us about, in which we used all imaginable industry. It was far advanced, when Aladdin obliged us not only to leave off, but to undo what we had already begun, and bring your majesty your jewels back.” The sultan asked them if Aladdin gave them any reason for so doing, and they answering that he had given them none, he ordered a horse to be brought to him presently, which he mounted, and rode to Aladdin’s palace, with some few attendants on foot by his side. When he came there, he alighted at the staircase, which led up to the hall with the twenty-four windows, and went directly up to it, without giving previous notice to Aladdin; but it happened that at that very juncture Aladdin was opportunely there, and had just time to receive him at the door.
The sultan, without giving Aladdin time to complain obligingly of his not giving him notice, that he might have acquitted himself with the more duty and respect, said to him, “Son, I come myself to know the reason why you left so noble and magnificent a hall as this is imperfect.”
Aladdin disguised the true reason, which was, that the sultan was not rich enough in jewels to be at so great an expense, but said, “It is true your majesty saw this hall unfinished, but I beg of you now to see if anything is wanting.”
The sultan went directly to the window which was left imperfect, and when he found it like the rest, he fancied that he was mistaken, and examined the two windows on each side, and afterwards all the four-and-twenty; and when he was convinced that the window, which several workmen had been so long about, was finished in so short a time, he embraced Aladdin, and kissed him between his eyes. “My son,” said he, “what a man you are to do such surprising things always in the twinkling of an eye! There is not your fellow in the world. The more I know you, the more I admire you.”
Aladdin received these praises from the sultan with a great deal of modesty, and replied in these words: “Sir, it is a great honour to me to deserve your majesty’s goodwill and approbation, and I assure you I shall study to deserve them more.”
The sultan returned to his palace as he came, but would not let Aladdin go back with him. When he came there, he found the grand vizier waiting for him, to whom he related the wonder he had been a witness of with the utmost admiration, and in such terms as left that minister no room to doubt but that the fact was as the sultan related it; though he was the more confirmed in his belief that Aladdin’s palace was the effect of enchantment, as he told the sultan the first moment he saw it. He was going to repeat the same thing again, but the sultan interrupted him, and said, “You told me so once before. I see, vizier, you have not forgot your son’s marriage to my daughter.” The grand vizier plainly saw how much the sultan was prepossessed, and therefore avoided any disputes, and let him remain in his own opinion. The sultan, as certain as he rose in a morning, went into the closet to look at Aladdin’s palace, and would go many times in a day to contemplate and admire it.
All this time, Aladdin did not confine himself in his palace, but took care to shew himself once or twice a week in the town, by going sometimes to one mosque, and sometimes to another, to prayers or to pay a visit to the grand vizier, who affected to pay his court to him on certain days, or to do the principal lords of the court the honour to return their visits, after he had regaled them at his palace. Every time he went out, he caused two slaves, who walked by the side of his horse, to throw handfuls of money among the people, as he passed through the streets and squares, which were generally on those occasions crowded. Besides, no one came to his palace gates to ask alms, but returned satisfied with his liberality. In short, he so divided his time, that not a week passed but Aladdin went either once or twice a hunting, sometimes in the environs of the city, sometimes further off; at which times the villages through which he passed felt the effects of his generosity, which gained him the love and blessings of the people; and it was common for them to swear by his head. In short, without giving the least umbrage to the sultan, to whom he paid all imaginary respect, it might be said that Aladdin, by his affable behaviour and liberality, had won the affections of the people, and was more beloved than the sultan himself. With all these good qualities he shewed a courage and zeal for the public good which could not be sufficiently applauded. He gave sufficient proofs of both in a revolt on the borders of that kingdom: for he no sooner understood that the sultan was levying an army to disperse the rebels, but he begged the command of it, which he found no difficulty to obtain. As soon as he was at the head of the army, he marched against the rebels with so much expedition, that the sultan heard of the defeat of the rebels before he had received an account of his arrival in the army. And though this action rendered his name famous throughout the kingdom, it made no alteration in his disposition; but he was as affable after his victory as before.
Aladdin had behaved himself after this manner several years, when the African magician, who undesignedly had been the instrument of raising him to so high a pitch of fortune, bethought himself of him in Africa, whither after his expedition, he returned; and though he was almost persuaded that Aladdin died miserably in the subterraneous abode where he left him, yet he had the curiosity to inform himself about his end with certainty; and as he was a great geomancer, he took out of a cupboard a square covered box, which he made use of in his geomantic observations, then set himself down on his sofa, set it before him and uncovered it. After he had prepared and levelled the sand which was in it, with an intention to discover whether or no Aladdin died in the subterraneous abode, he cast the points, drew the figures, and formed a horoscope, by which, when he came to examine it, he found that Aladdin instead of dying in the cave, had escaped out of it, lived splendidly, was very rich, had married a princess, and was very much honoured and respected.
The magician no sooner understood by the rules of his diabolical art, that Aladdin had arrived to that height of good fortune, but a colour came into his face, and he cried out in a rage, “This poor sorry tailor’s son has discovered the secret and virtue of the lamp! I believed his death to be certain, but find too plainly he enjoys the fruit of my labour and study. But I will prevent his enjoying it long, or perish in the attempt.” He was not a great while deliberating on what he should do; but the next morning mounted a barb which was in his stable, set forwards, and never stopped but just to refresh himself and horse, till he arrived at the capital of China. He alighted, took up his lodgings in a khan, and stayed there the remainder of the day and the night, to refresh himself after so long a journey.
The next day his first object was to inquire what people said of Aladdin; and, taking a walk through the town, he went to the most public and frequented places, where people of the best distinction met to drink a certain warm liquor, which he had drank often when he was there before. As soon as he sat down, he was presented with a glass of it, which he took; but, listening at the same time to the discourse of the company on each side of him, he heard them talking of Aladdin’s palace. When he had drank off his glass, he joined them; and, taking this opportunity, asked them particularly what palace that was they spoke so advantageously of. “From whence come you?” said the person to whom he addressed himself; “you must certainly be a stranger, not to have seen or heard talk of prince Aladdin’s palace (for he was called so after his marriage with the princess Badr-oul-boudour.) I do not say,” continued the man, “that it is one of the wonders of the world, but that it is the only wonder of the world, since nothing so grand, rich, and magnificent was ever seen. Certainly you must have come from a great distance, not to have heard of it; it must have been talked of all over the world. Go and see it, and then judge whether I have told you more than the truth.” “Forgive my ignorance,” replied the African magician; “I arrived here but yesterday, and came from the farthest part of Africa, where the fame of this palace had not reached when I came away. For the affair which brought me hither was so urgent, that my sole object was to get here as soon as I could, without stopping anywhere, or making any acquaintance. But I will not fail to go and see it; my impatience is so great, I will go immediately and satisfy my curiosity, if you will do me the favour to shew me the way thither.”