The princess Badr-oul-boudour, 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 shewed 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 Badr-oul-boudour 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 shewn 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.
When he had sat down, the princess, to free him from his embarrassment, broke silence first. Looking at him all the time in a manner sufficient to make him believe that he was not so odious to her as she had given him to understand before, said to him, “You are doubtless, amazed to find me so much altered to-day from what I used to be; but your surprise will not be so great when I acquaint you that I am naturally of a disposition so opposite to melancholy and grief, sorrow and uneasiness, that I always strive to put them as far away as possible when I find the subject of them is past. I have reflected on what you told me of Aladdin’s fate, and know the sultan my father’s temper so well, that I am persuaded, with you, that Aladdin could not escape the terrible effects of his rage; therefore should I continue to lament him all my life, my tears cannot recall him. For this reason, after I have paid all the duties my love requires of me to his memory, now he is in the grave, I think I ought to endeavour to comfort myself. These are the motives of the change you see in me; and to begin to cast off all melancholy, I am resolved to banish it entirely; and persuaded you will bear me company to-night, I have ordered a supper to be prepared; but as I have no wines but of China, I have a great desire to taste of the product of Africa, where I now am, and doubt not you will get some of the best.”
The African magician, who looked upon the happiness of coming so soon and so easily into the princess Badr-oul-boudour’s good graces as impossible, could not think of words expressive enough to testify how sensible he was of her favours: but to put an end the sooner to a conversation which would have embarrassed him, if he had engaged farther in it, he turned it upon the wines of Africa, and said, “Of all the advantages Africa can boast, that of producing the most excellent wines is one of the principal. I have a vessel of seven years old, which has never been broached; and it is indeed, not praising it too much to say it is the finest wine in the world. If my princess,” added he, “will give me leave, I will go and fetch two bottles, and return again immediately.” “I should be sorry to give you that trouble,” replied the princess, “you had better send for them.” “It is necessary I should go myself,” answered the African magician; “for nobody but myself knows where the key of the cellar is laid, or has the secret to unlock the door.” “If it be so,” said the princess, “make haste back again; for the longer you stay the greater will be my impatience, and we shall sit down to supper as soon as you come back.”
The African magician, full of hopes of his expected happiness, rather flew than ran, and returned quickly with the wine. The princess not doubting in the least but he would make haste, put with her own hand the powder Aladdin gave her into the cup that was set apart for that purpose. They sat down at the table opposite to each other, the magician’s back towards the beaufet. The princess presented him with the best at the table, and said to him, “If you please, I will entertain you with a concert of vocal and instrumental music: but as we are only two, I think conversation may be more agreeable.” This the magician took as a new favour.
After they had eaten some time, the princess called for some wine, and drank the magician’s health; and afterwards said to him, “Indeed you were in the right to commend your wine, since I never tasted of any so delicious in my life.” “Charming princess,” said he, holding in his hand the cup which had been presented to him, “my wine becomes more exquisite by your approbation of it.” “Then drink my health,” replied the princess; “you will find I understand wines.” He drank the princess’s health, and returning the cup, said, “I think myself happy, princess, that I reserved this wine for so good an occasion; and I own I never before drank any so excellent in every respect.”
When they had drank two or three cups more a-piece the princess, who had completely charmed the African magician by her civility and obliging behaviour, gave the signal to the slave who served them with wine, bidding her bring the cup which had been filled for herself, and at the same time bring the magician a full cup. When they both had their cups in their hands, she said to him, “I know not how you here express your loves when drinking together as we are: with us in China, the lover and his mistress reciprocally exchange cups, and drink each other’s health;” at the same time she presented to him the cup which was in her hand, and held out her hand to receive his. He for his part hastened to make the exchange with the more pleasure, because he looked upon this favour as the most certain token of an entire conquest over the princess, which raised his happiness to its height. Before he drank, he said to her, with the cup in his hand, “Indeed, princess, we Africans are not so refined in the art of love as you Chinese: and instructing me in a lesson I was ignorant of, informs me how sensible I ought to be of the favour done me. I shall never, lovely princess, forget my recovering, by drinking out of your cup, that life, which your cruelty, had it continued, would have made me despair of.”
The princess Badr-oul-boudour, who began to be tired with this barefaced declaration of the African magician, interrupted him, by saying, “Let us drink first, and then say what you will afterwards;” and at the same time set the cup to her lips, while the African magician, who was eager to get his wine off first, drank up the very last drop. In finishing it he had reclined his head back, to show his eagerness, and remained some time in that state. The princess kept her cup at her lips, till she saw his eyes turn in his head, and he fell backwards lifeless.