away from the Sultan's palace in a manner
which none could understand, not even they themselves. The strange
event was told to few, but the Sultan was one of them. He consulted
with the Grand Vizier, and, as both of these parents feared to expose
the young couple to further dangers from unseen foes, the marriage was
canceled, and all the merrymaking in honor of it was stopped. None but
Aladdin knew the cause of all the trouble, and he kept his secret to
himself. Least of all did the Sultan and Grand Vizier, who had quite
forgotten Aladdin, suspect that he had a hand in the matter.

IV

Of course Aladdin had not forgotten the Sultan's promise, and on the
very day which ended the three months, his mother came again to the
divan, and stood in her old place. When the Sultan saw her she was
called forward, and, having bowed to the floor, she said,--

"Sire, I come at the end of three months to ask you to fulfill the
promise you made to my son."

The Sultan could hardly believe the request had been made in earnest,
and, after a few words with the Grand Vizier, decided to propose terms
which one of Aladdin's humble position could not possibly fulfill.

"Good woman," he said, "it is true that sultans ought to abide by
their word, and I am ready to keep mine. But as I cannot marry my
daughter without further proof that your son will be able to support
her in royal state, you may tell him that I will fulfill my promise so
soon as he shall send me forty trays of massy gold, full of the same
sort of jewels you have already given me, and carried by forty black
slaves, who shall be led by as many young and handsome white slaves,
all dressed magnificently. When this is done, I will bestow my
daughter, the princess, upon him. Go, good woman, and tell him so, and
I will wait till you bring me his answer."

As Aladdin's mother hurried home she laughed to think how far the
Sultan's demand would be beyond her son's power. "He awaits your
answer," she said to Aladdin when she had told him all, and added,
laughing, "I believe he may wait long."

"Not so long as you think," replied Aladdin. "This demand is a mere
trifle. I will prepare to answer it at once."

In his own chamber he summoned the genie of the lamp, who appeared
without delay, and promised to carry out Aladdin's commands. Within a
very short time, a train of forty black slaves, led by as many white
slaves, appeared opposite the house i