首页 >出版文学> Aladdin and the Magic Lamp>第2章
  Shetoldhimthat,havingseenhim,shewillinglyobeyedherfatherinthismatter。Aftertheweddinghadtakenplace,Aladdinledherintothehall,whereafeastwasspread,andshesuppedwithhim,afterwhichtheydancedtillmidnight。
  NextdayAladdininvitedtheSultantoseethepalace。Onenteringthehallwiththefour—and—twentywindowswiththeirrubies,diamondsandemeralds,hecried,"Itisaworld’swonder!
  Thereisonlyonethingthatsurprisesme。Wasitbyaccidentthatonewindowwasleftunfinished?""No,sir,bydesign,"
  returnedAladdin。"IwishedyourMajestytohavethegloryoffinishingthispalace。"TheSultanwaspleased,andsentforthebestjewelersinthecity。Heshowedthemtheunfinishedwindow,andbadethemfititupliketheothers。"Sir,"repliedtheirspokesman,"wecannotfindjewelsenough。"TheSultanhadhisownfetched,whichtheysoonused,buttonopurpose,forinamonth’stimetheworkwasnothalfdone。Aladdinknowingthattheirtaskwasvain,badethemundotheirworkandcarrythejewelsback,andthegeniefinishedthewindowathiscommand。TheSultanwassurprisedtoreceivehisjewelsagain,andvisitedAladdin,whoshowedhimthewindowfinished。TheSultanembracedhim,theenviousviziermeanwhilehintingthatitwastheworkofenchantment。
  Aladdinhadwontheheartsofthepeoplebyhisgentlebearing。
  HewasmadecaptainoftheSultan’sarmies,andwonseveralbattlesforhim,butremainedascourteousasbefore,andlivedthusinpeaceandcontentforseveralyears。
  ButfarawayinAfricathemagicianrememberedAladdin,andbyhismagicartsdiscoveredthatAladdin,insteadofperishingmiserablyinthecave,hadescaped,andhadmarriedaprincess,withwhomhewaslivingingreathonourandwealth。Heknewthatthepoortailor’ssoncouldonlyhaveaccomplishedthisbymeansofthelamp,andtravellednightanddaytillhereachedthecapitalofChina,bentonAladdin’sruin。Ashepassedthroughthetownheheardpeopletalkingeverywhereaboutamarvelouspalace。"Forgivemyignorance,"heasked,"whatisthepalaceyouspeakof?"HaveyounotheardofPrinceAladdin’spalace,"wasthereply,"thegreatestwonderintheworld?Iwilldirectyouifyouhaveamindtoseeit。"Themagicianthankedhimwhospoke,andhavingseenthepalaceknewthatithadbeenraisedbytheGenieoftheLamp,andbecamehalfmadwithrage。Hedeterminedtogetholdofthelamp,andagainplungeAladdinintothedeepestpoverty。
  Unluckily,Aladdinhadgonea—huntingforeightdays,whichgavethemagicianplentyoftime。Heboughtadozenlamps,putthemintoabasket,andwenttothepalace,crying:"Newlampsforold!"
  followedbyajeeringcrowd。ThePrincess,sittinginthehalloffour—and—twentywindows,sentaslavetofindoutwhatthenoisewasabout,whocamebacklaughing,sothatthePrincessscoldedher。
  "Madam,"repliedtheslave,"whocanhelplaughingtoseeanoldfoolofferingtoexchangefinenewlampsforoldones?"Anotherslave,hearingthis,said,"Thereisanoldoneonthecornicetherewhichhecanhave。"Nowthiswasthemagiclamp,whichAladdinhadleftthere,ashecouldnottakeitouthuntingwithhim。ThePrincess,notknowingitsvalue,laughinglybadetheslavetakeitandmaketheexchange。
  Shewentandsaidtothemagician:"Givemeanewlampforthis。"
  Hesnatcheditandbadetheslavetakeherchoice,amidthejeersofthecrowd。Littlehecared,butleftoffcryinghislamps,andwentoutofthecitygatestoalonelyplace,whereheremainedtillnightfall,whenhepulledoutthelampandrubbedit。Thegenieappeared,andatthemagician’scommandcarriedhim,togetherwiththepalaceandthePrincessinit,toalonelyplaceinAfrica。
  NextmorningtheSultanlookedoutofthewindowtowardsAladdin’spalaceandrubbedhiseyes,foritwasgone。HesentfortheVizierandaskedwhathadbecomeofthepalace。TheVizierlookedouttoo,andwaslostinastonishment。Heagainputitdowntoenchantment,andthistimetheSultanbelievedhim,andsentthirtymenonhorsebacktofetchAladdinbackinchains。Theymethimridinghome,boundhim,andforcedhimtogowiththemonfoot。
  Thepeople,however,wholovedhim,followed,armed,toseethathecametonoharm。HewascarriedbeforetheSultan,whoorderedtheexecutionertocutoffhishead。TheexecutionermadeAladdinkneeldown,bandagedhiseyes,andraisedhisscimitartostrike。AtthatinstanttheVizier,whosawthatthecrowdhadforcedtheirwayintothecourtyardandwerescalingthewallstorescueAladdin,calledtotheexecutionertostayhishand。
  Thepeople,indeed,lookedsothreateningthattheSultangavewayandorderedAladdintobeunbound,andpardonedhiminthesightofthecrowd。Aladdinnowbeggedtoknowwhathehaddone。
  "Falsewretch!"saidtheSultan,"comehither,"andshowedhimfromthewindowtheplacewherehispalacehadstood。Aladdinwassoamazedhecouldnotsayaword。"Whereisyourpalaceandmydaughter?"demandedtheSultan。"ForthefirstIamnotsodeeplyconcerned,butmydaughterImusthave,andyoumustfindherorloseyourhead。"Aladdinbeggedforfortydaysinwhichtofindher,promisingifhefailedtoreturntosufferdeathattheSultan’spleasure。Hisprayerwasgranted,andhewentforthsadlyfromtheSultan’spresence。
  Forthreedayshewanderedaboutlikeamadman,askingeveryonewhathadbecomeofhispalace,buttheyonlylaughedandpitiedhim。
  Hecametothebanksofariver,andkneltdowntosayhisprayersbeforethrowinghimselfin。Indoingsoherubbedtheringhestillwore。Thegeniehehadseeninthecaveappeared,andaskedhiswill。"Savemylife,genie,"saidAladdin,"andbringmypalaceback。"Thatisnotinmypower,"saidthegenie;
  "IamonlytheSlaveoftheRing;youmustaskhimofthelamp。"
  "Evenso,"saidAladdin,"butthoucansttakemetothepalace,andsetmedownundermydearwife’swindow。"HeatoncefoundhimselfinAfrica,underthewindowofthePrincess,andfellasleepoutofsheerweariness。
  Hewasawakenedbythesingingofthebirds,andhisheartwaslighter。
  Hesawplainlythatallhismisfortuneswereowningtothelossofthelamp,andvainlywonderedwhohadrobbedhimofit。
  ThatmorningthePrincessroseearlierthanshehaddonesinceshehadbeencarriedintoAfricabythemagician,whosecompanyshewasforcedtoendureonceaday。She,however,treatedhimsoharshlythathedarednotlivetherealtogether。Asshewasdressing,oneofherwomenlookedoutandsawAladdin。
  ThePrincessranandopenedthewindow,andatthenoiseshemade,Aladdinlookedup。Shecalledtohimtocometoher,andgreatwasthejoyoftheseloversatseeingeachotheragain。AfterhehadkissedherAladdinsaid:"Ibegofyou,Princess,inGod’sname,beforewespeakofanythingelse,foryourownsakeandmine,tellmewhathasbecomeofanoldlampIleftonthecorniceinthehalloffour—and—twentywindowswhenIwenta—hunting。"
  "Alas,"shesaid,"Iamtheinnocentcauseofoursorrows,"andtoldhimoftheexchangeofthelamp。"NowIknow,"criedAladdin,"thatwehavetothanktheAfricanmagicianforthis!
  Whereisthelamp?""Hecarriesitaboutwithhim,"saidthePrincess。"Iknow,forhepulleditoutofhisbreasttoshowme。
  Hewishesmetobreakmyfaithwithyouandmarryhim,sayingthatyouwerebeheadedbymyfather’scommand。Heisforeverspeakingillofyou,butIonlyreplybymytears。IfIpersist,Idoubtnotbuthewilluseviolence。"Aladdincomfortedher,andleftherforawhile。Hechangedclotheswiththefirstpersonhemetinthetown,andhavingboughtacertainpowderreturnedtothePrincess,wholethiminbyalittlesidedoor。"Putonyourmostbeautifuldress,"hesaidtoher,"andreceivethemagicianwithsmiles,leadinghimtobelievethatyouhaveforgottenme。
  Invitehimtosupwithyou,andsayyouwishtotastethewineofhiscountry。Hewillgoforsome,andwhileheisgoneIwilltellyouwhattodo。"ShelistenedcarefullytoAladdinandwhenhelefther,arrayedherselfgailyforthefirsttimesincesheleftChina。Sheputonagirdleandhead—dressofdiamondsandseeinginaglassthatshewasmorebeautifulthanever,receivedthemagician,saying,tohisgreatamazement:"IhavemadeupmymindthatAladdinisdead,andthatallmytearswillnotbringhimbacktome,soIamresolvedtomournnomore,andhavethereforeinvitedyoutosupwithme;butIamtiredofthewinesofChina,andwouldfaintastethoseofAfrica。"Themagicianflewtohiscellar,andthePrincessputthepowderAladdinhadgivenherinhercup。WhenhereturnedsheaskedhimtodrinkherhealthinthewineofAfrica,handinghimhercupinexchangeforhis,asasignshewasreconciledtohim。Beforedrinkingthemagicianmadeheraspeechinpraiseofherbeauty,butthePrincesscuthimshort,saying:"Letusdrinkfirst,andyoushallsaywhatyouwillafterwards。"Shesethercuptoherlipsandkeptitthere,whilethemagiciandrainedhistothedregsandfellbacklifeless。
  ThePrincessthenopenedthedoortoAladdin,andflungherarmsaroundhisneck;butAladdinwenttothedeadmagician,tookthelampoutofhisvest,andbadethegeniecarrythepalaceandallinitbacktoChina。Thiswasdone,andthePrincessinherchamberfeltonlytwolittleshocks,andlittlethoughtshewashomeagain。
  TheSultan,whowassittinginhiscloset,mourningforhislostdaughter,happenedtoolookup,andrubbedhiseyes,fortherestoodthepalaceasbefore!Hehastenedthither,andAladdinreceivedhiminthehallofthefour—and—twentywindows,withthePrincessathisside。Aladdintoldhimwhathadhappened,andshowedhimthedeadbodyofthemagician,thathemightbelieve。
  Atendays’feastwasproclaimed,anditseemedasifAladdinmightnowlivetherestofhislifeinpeace;butitwasnotmeanttobe。
  TheAfricanmagicianhadayoungerbrother,whowas,ifpossible,morewickedandmorecunningthanhimself。HetravelledtoChinatoavengehisbrother’sdeath,andwenttovisitapiouswomancalledFatima,thinkingshemightbeofusetohim。Heenteredhercellandclappedadaggertoherbreast,tellinghertoriseanddohisbiddingonpainofdeath。Hechangedclotheswithher,colouredhisfacelikehers,putonherveil,andmurderedher,thatshemighttellnotales。ThenhewenttowardsthepalaceofAladdin,andallthepeople,thinkinghewastheholywoman,gatheredroundhim,kissinghishandsandbegginghisblessing。
  WhenhegottothepalacetherewassuchanoisegoingonroundhimthatthePrincessbadeherslavelookoutthewindowandaskwhatwasthematter。Theslavesaiditwastheholywoman,curingpeoplebyhertouchoftheirailments,whereuponthePrincess,whohadlongdesiredtoseeFatima,sentforher。OncomingtothePrincessthemagicianofferedupaprayerforherhealthandprosperity。WhenhehaddonethePrincessmadehimsitbyher,andbeggedhimtostaywithheralways。ThefalseFatima,whowishedfornothingbetter,consented,butkepthisveildownforfearofdiscovery。Theprincessshowedhimthehall,andaskedhimwhathethoughtofit。"Itistrulybeautiful,"saidthefalseFatima。"Inmyminditwantsbutonething。"Andwhatisthat?"saidthePrincess。"Ifonlyaroc’segg,"repliedhe,"werehungupfromthemiddleofthisdome,itwouldbethewonderoftheworld。"
  AfterthisthePrincesscouldthinkofnothingbuttheroc’segg,andwhenAladdinreturnedfromhuntinghefoundherinaveryillhumour。Hebeggedtoknowwhatwasamiss,andshetoldhimthatallherpleasureinthehallwasspoiltforwantofaroc’segghangingfromthedome。"Ifthatisall,"repliedAladdin,"youshallsoonbehappy。"Heleftherandrubbedthelamp,andwhenthegenieappearedcommandedhimtobringaroc’segg。Thegeniegavesuchaloudandterribleshriekthatthehallshook。
  "Wretch!"hecried,"isitnotenoughthatIhavedoneeverythingforyou,butyoumustcommandmetobringmymasterandhanghimupinthemidstofthisdome?Youandyourwifeandyourpalacedeservetobeburnttoashes,butthatthisrequestdoesnotcomefromyou,butfromthebrotheroftheAfricanmagician,whomyoudestroyed。Heisnowinyourpalacedisguisedastheholywoman,whomhemurdered。Heitwaswhoputthatwishintoyourwife’shead。
  Takecareofyourself,forhemeanstokillyou。"Sosaying,thegeniedisappeared。
  AladdinwentbacktothePrincess,sayinghisheadached,andrequestingthattheholyFatimashouldbefetchedtolayherhandsonit。Butwhenthemagiciancamenear,Aladdin,seizinghisdagger,piercedhimtotheheart。
  "Whathaveyoudone?"criedthePrincess。"Youhavekilledtheholywoman!""Notso,"repliedAladdin,"butawickedmagician,"andtoldherofhowshehadbeendeceived。
  AfterthisAladdinandhiswifelivedinpeace。
  HesucceededtheSultanwhenhedied,andreignedformanyyears,leavingbehindhimalonglineofkings。