ts were eager to
display them before him; but the figure of Aladin, who was there as a
slave, appeared to him so ravishingly beautiful that he attracted his
particular attention. He wished to conduct him to the palace, hoping
that his service might be agreeable to the monarch; so that, after
having purchased what was proper, he returned, together with Aladin,
to the palace, where the King appeared satisfied with his bargains.

"Sire," said the eunuch, "your Majesty seems pleased with what I have
purchased; but the most beautiful article in the _kan_[12] was a young
man of such complete beauty that I thought him the perfect image of
him who is mentioned in the Alcoran, before whom the eleven stars
prostrated themselves, as before the sun and the moon."

[Footnote 12: The _kan_ is a place allotted for the shops of foreign
merchants, where they expose their merchandise for sale.]

The King, curious to see this slave, ordered him to be brought with
his master, and they both quickly appeared before the King.

The appearance of the young stranger did not belie the favourable
character which the chief of the eunuchs had given of him. The King
could not believe that so beautiful a slave could owe his birth to a
class of men so vulgar as that which composed the caravan. He made
inquiry concerning him of their chief, to whom he communicated his
doubts on that point.

"Sire," replied the merchant, "this young man does not in reality
belong to any of us, and we know neither his family nor origin. We
were attacked in the desert by a band of robbers; we defended
ourselves with bravery. Part of them remained on the field of battle,
the rest fled, and left in our hands the young man who now engages
your curiosity. Custom condemned him to death, but we could not think
of inflicting it. We asked him concerning his station and family, and
he told us that he was the son of the chief of these vagabonds. We
know no more of him, and can say nothing more to your Majesty with any
degree of certainty."

"Let him be left here," said the King; "I want him to enter into my
service."

"Your Majesty," replied the chief, "may dispose as you please of all
that belongs to the slaves of your throne."

At that instant Aladin fell at the feet of the monarch, with his face
on the ground, and kissed his robe. The King ordered the chief of the
eunuchs to admit him into the class of slaves which were most
frequently about his person.

Nature spoke