, one of the women looking through the window
perceived Aladdin, and instantly told her mistress. The princess, who
could not believe the joyful tidings, hastened herself to the window,
and seeing Aladdin, immediately opened it. The noise of opening the
window made Aladdin turn his head that way, and perceiving the princess
he saluted her with joy. "To lose no time," said she to him, "I have
sent to have the private door opened for you; enter, and come up." The
private door, which was just under the princess's apartment, was soon
opened, and Aladdin conducted up into the chamber. It is impossible to
express the joy of both at seeing each other, after so cruel a
separation. After embracing and shedding tears of joy, they sat down,
and Aladdin said: "I beg of you, princess, in Heaven's name, before we
talk of anything else, to tell me, both for your own sake, the sultan
your father's, and mine, what is become of an old lamp which I left upon
a shelf in my robing-chamber, when I departed for the chase."

"Alas! dear husband," answered the princess, "I was afraid our
misfortune might be owing to that lamp: and what grieves me most is,
that I have been the cause of it." "Princess," replied Aladdin, "do not
blame yourself, for I ought to have taken more care of it. But let us
now think only of repairing the loss; tell me what has happened, and
into whose hands it has fallen." The princess then related how she had
changed the old lamp for a new one, and how the next morning she found
herself in the unknown country they were then in, which she was told was
Africa, by the traitor who had transported her thither by his magic art.

"Princess," said Aladdin, interrupting her, "you have informed me who
the traitor is, by telling me we are in Africa. He is the most
perfidious of men; but this is neither a time nor place to give you a
full account of his villainies. I desire you only to tell me what he has
done with the lamp, and where he has put it." "He carries it carefully
wrapt up in his bosom," said the princess; "and this I can assure you,
because he pulled it out before me, and showed it to me in triumph."

"Princess," said Aladdin, "do not be displeased that I trouble you with
so many questions, since they are equally important to us both. But to
come to what most particularly concerns me: tell me, I conjure you, how
so wicked and perfidious a man treats you?" "Since I have been here,"
replied the princess, "he repairs once e