d myself forced from your majesty and my
dear husband; not only from the love I bore my husband, but from
the uneasiness I laboured under through fear that he, though
innocent, might feel the effects of your anger, to which I knew
he was left exposed. I suffered but little from the insolence of
the wretch who had carried me off; for having secured the
ascendant over him, I always put a stop to his disagreeable
overtures, and was as little constrained as I am at present.
"As to what relates to my transportation, Alla ad Deen had no
concern in it; I was myself the innocent cause of it." To
persuade the sultan of the truth of what she said, she gave him a
full account of how the African magician had disguised himself,
and offered to change new lamps for old ones; how she had amused
herself in making that exchange, being entirely ignorant of the
secret and importance of the wonderful lamp; how the palace and
herself were carried away and transported into Africa, with the
African magician, who was recognised by two of her women and the
eunuch who made the exchange of the lamp, when he had the
audacity, after the success of his daring enterprise, to propose
himself for her husband; how he persecuted her till Alla ad
Deen's arrival; how they had concerted measures to get the lamp
from him again, and the success they had fortunately met with by
her dissimulation in inviting him to supper, and giving him the
cup with the powder prepared for him. "For the rest," added she,
"I leave it to Alla ad Deen to recount."
Alla ad Deen had not much to tell the sultan, but only said,
"When the private door was opened I went up into the great hall,
where I found the magician lying dead on the sofa, and as I
thought it not proper for the princess to stay there any longer,
I desired her to go down into her own apartment, with her women
and eunuchs. As soon as I was alone, and had taken the lamp out
of the magician's breast, I made use of the same secret he had
done, to remove the palace, and carry off the princess; and by
that means the palace was re-conveyed to the place where it stood
before; and I have the happiness to restore the princess to your
majesty, as you commanded me. But that your majesty may not think
that I impose upon you, if you will give yourself the trouble to
go up into the hall, you may see the magician punished as he
deserved."
The sultan, to be assured of the truth, rose instantly, and went
into the hall, where,
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