the sand,[48] cast
the points, and drew the figures. On examining the planetary crystal,
he found that his brother was no longer living, but had been poisoned;
and by another observation, that he was in the capital of the kingdom
of China; also, that the person who had poisoned him was of mean
birth, though married to a princess, a sultan's daughter.

[Footnote 48: Reml or Raml signifies "sand prepared," or a preparation
of sand on which are marked certain figures serving for a kind of
divination, which we call Geomancy; and the Arabs and Turks _Kikmut al
Reml_. These disposed in a certain number on many unequal lines, are
described also with a pen on paper; and the person who practices
divination by this art is called _Rammal_.--D'Herbelot, art. "Raml."]

When the magician had informed himself of his brother's fate he
resolved immediately to avenge his death, and at once departed for
China; where, after crossing plains, rivers, mountains, deserts, and a
long tract of country without delay, he arrived after incredible
fatigues. When he came to the capital of China he took a lodging at a
khan. His magic art soon revealed to him that Aladdin was the person
who had been the cause of the death of his brother. He had heard, too,
all the persons of repute in the city talking of a woman called
Fatima, who was retired from the world, and of the miracles she
wrought. As he fancied that this woman might be serviceable to him in
the project he had conceived, he made more minute inquiries, and
requested to be informed more particularly who that holy woman was,
and what sort of miracles she performed.

"What!" said the person whom he addressed, "have you never seen or
heard of her? She is the admiration of the whole town, for her
fasting, her austerities, and her exemplary life. Except Mondays and
Fridays, she never stirs out of her little cell; and on those days on
which she comes into the town she does an infinite deal of good; for
there is not a person who is diseased but she puts her hand on him and
cures him."

Having ascertained the place where the hermitage of this holy woman
was, the magician went at night, and plunged a poniard into her
heart--killed this good woman. In the morning he dyed his face of the
same hue as hers, and arraying himself in her garb, taking her veil,
the large necklace she wore round her waist, and her stick, went
straight to the palace of Aladdin.

As soon as the people saw the holy woman, as