The magician never doubted but this was the lamp he wanted. There could be no other such in this palace, where all was gold or silver. He snatched it eagerly out of the eunuch’s hand, and thrusting it as far as he could into his breast, offered him his basket, and bid him choose which he liked best. The eunuch picked out one, and carried it to the princess Badr-oul-boudour; but the exchange was no sooner made, than the place rung with the shouts of the children, deriding the magician’s folly.
The African magician gave everybody leave to laugh as much as they pleased: he stayed not long about Aladdin’s palace, but made the best of his way, without crying any longer, “New lamps for old ones.” His end was answered, and by his silence he got rid of the children and the mob.
As soon as he got out of the square between the two palaces, he skulked down the streets which were the least frequented; and having no more occasion for his lamps or basket, set all down in the midst of a street where nobody saw him; then scouring down another street or two, he walked till he came to one of the city gates, and pursuing his way through the suburbs, which were very long, he bought some provisions before he left the city, got into the fields, and turned into the road which led to a lonely remote place, where he stopped for a time, to execute the design he came about, never caring for his horse, which he left at the khan; but thinking himself perfectly compensated by the treasure he had acquired.
In this place the African magician passed the remainder of the day, till the darkest time of night, when he pulled the lamp out of his breast, and rubbed it. At that summons, the genie appeared, and said, “What wouldst thou have? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who have that lamp in their hands; both I and the other slaves of the lamp.” “I command thee,” replied the magician, “to transport me immediately, and the palace which thou and the other slaves of the lamp have built in this town, such as it is, and with all the people in it, to such a place in Africa.” The genie made no reply, but with the assistance of the other genies, the slaves of the lamp, transported him and the palace entire immediately to the place he appointed in Africa; where we will leave the magician, palace, and the princess Badr-oul-boudour, to speak of the surprise of the sultan.
As soon as the sultan rose the next morning, according to custom, he went into his closet, to have the pleasure of contemplating and admiring Aladdin’s palace; but when he first looked that way, and, instead of a palace, saw an empty space, such as it was before the palace was built, he thought he was mistaken, and rubbed his eyes: he looked again, and saw nothing more the second time than the first, though the weather was fine, the sky clear, and the daybreak beginning to appear had made all objects very distinct. He looked through the two openings on the right and left, and saw nothing more than he had formerly been used to see out of them. His amazement was so great, that he stood for some time turning his eyes to the spot where the palace had stood, but where it was no longer to be seen. He could not comprehend how so large a palace as Aladdin’s which he saw plainly every day, and but the day before, should vanish so soon, and not leave the least remains behind. “Certainly,” said he to himself, “I am not mistaken; it stood there; if it had tumbled down, the materials would have lain in heaps; and if it had been swallowed up by an earthquake, there would be some mark left.” Whatever was the case, though he was convinced that no palace stood there, he could not help staying there some time, to see whether he might not be mistaken. At last he retired to his apartment, not without looking behind him before he quitted the spot, and ordered the grand vizier to be fetched in all haste; and in the meantime sat down, his mind agitated by so many different thoughts, that he knew not what to resolve on.
The grand vizier did not make the sultan wait long for him, but came with so much precipitation, that neither he nor his attendants, as they passed by, missed Aladdin’s palace; neither did the porters, when they opened the palace gates, observe any alteration.
When he came into the sultan’s presence, he said to him, “Sir, the haste in which your majesty sent for me makes me believe something very extraordinary has happened, since you know this is council-day, and I shall not fail attending you there very soon.” “Indeed,” said the sultan, “it is something very extraordinary, as you say, and you will allow it to be so: tell me what has become of Aladdin’s palace.” “Aladdin’s palace!” replied the grand vizier, in great amazement; “I thought as I passed by it, it stood in its usual place: such substantial buildings are not so easily removed.” “Go into my closet,” said the sultan, “and tell me if you can see it.”
The grand vizier went into the closet, where he was struck with no less amazement than the sultan had been. When he was well assured that there was not the least appearance of this palace, he returned to the sultan. “Well,” said the sultan, “have you seen Aladdin’s palace?” “Sir,” answered the vizier, “your majesty may remember that I had the honour to tell you, that that palace, which was the subject of your admiration, with all its immense riches, was only the work of magic and a magician; but your majesty would not pay the least attention to what I said.”
The sultan, who could not deny what the grand vizier had represented to him, flew into a 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 has 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.”