lla
ad Deen carried it about with him, or where he kept it; and this
he was to discover by an operation of geomancy. As soon as he
entered his lodging, he took his square box of sand, which he
always carried with him when he travelled, and after he had
performed some operations, he found that the lamp was in Alla ad
Deen's palace, and so great was his joy at the discovery that he
could hardly contain himself. "Well," said he, "I shall have the
lamp, and defy Alla ad Deen's preventing my carrying it off, and
making him sink to his original meanness, from which he has taken
so high a flight."

It was Alla ad Deen's misfortune at that time to be absent in the
chase for eight days, and only three were expired, which the
magician came to know by this means. After he had performed the
magical operation, which gave him so much joy, he went to the
superintendent of the khan, entered into conversation with him on
indifferent subjects, and among the rest, told him he had been to
see Alla ad Deen's palace; and after exaggerating on all that he
had seen most worthy of observation, added, "But my curiosity
leads me farther, and I shall not be satisfied till I have seen
the person to whom this wonderful edifice belongs." "That will be
no difficult matter," replied the master of the khan, "there is
not a day passes but he gives an opportunity when he is in town,
but at present he is not at the palace, and has been gone these
three days on a hunting-match, which will last eight."

The magician wanted to know no more; he took his leave of the
superintendent of the khan, and returning to his own chamber,
said to himself, "This is an opportunity I ought by no means to
neglect, but must make the best use of it." To that end, he went
to a coppersmith, and asked for a dozen copper lamps: the master
of the shop told him he had not so many by him, but if he would
have patience till the next day, he would have them ready. The
magician appointed his time, and desired him to take care that
they should be handsome and well polished. After promising to pay
him well, he returned to his inn.

The next day the magician called for the twelve lamps, paid the
man his full price, put them into a basket which he bought on
purpose, and with the basket hanging on his arm, went directly to
Alla ad Deen's palace: as he approached he began crying, "Who
will change old lamps for new ones?" As he went along, a crowd of
children collected, who hooted, and th