e inability of a poor tailor's son,
he knew that none but the genies, the slaves of the lamp, could have
performed such wonders; and piqued to the quick at Aladdin's happiness
and splendour, he returned to the khan where he lodged.

The next point was to ascertain where the lamp was; whether Aladdin
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 Aladdin'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 I defy Aladdin to prevent my carrying it off, thus making him
sink to his original meanness, from which he has taken so high a
flight."

It was Aladdin'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. After he had performed the magical operation 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
Aladdin's palace; and after exaggerating on all that he had seen most
worthy of observation, added: "But my curiosity leads me further, 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 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." 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 Al