18 ALADDIN OR THE
As soon as the sultaness was dressed, she went to the princess’s apartment, wished her good-morrow, and kissed her. But how great was her surprise when she returned no answer. How comes it, child, said she, that you do not return my caresses? Come, tell me freely, and leave me no longer in a painful suspense. At last the princess broke silence with a great sigh, and told the sultaness what had happened to her. The sultaness heard all the princess told her very patiently, but would not believe it. You did well, child, said she, not to speak of this to your father: take care not to mention it to any body; for you will certainly be thought mad if you talk at this rate. Madam, replied the princess, I can assure you I am in my right senses: ask my husband, and he will tell you the same story. I will, said the sultaness; but if he should talk in the same manner, I shall not be better persuaded of the truth.
Then she sent for the vizier’s son, to know of him something of what the princess had told her; but he resolved to disguise the matter. Son-in-law, said the sultaness, are you as much infatuated as your wife? Madam, replied the vizier’s son, may I be so bold as to ask the reason of that question? Oh! that is enough, answered the sultaness; I ask no more.
Aladdin never disputed but that the new-married couple were to be together again that night, and therefore, having as great an inclination to disturb them, he had recourse to his lamp, and when the genius appeared, he said to him, the grand vizier’s son and the princess are to lie together again to-night: go, and as soon as they are in bed, bring the bed hither.
The genius obeyed Aladdin as faithfully and exactly as the day before. The sultan was very anxious to know how she passed the second night, and therefore went into her chamber as early as the morning before. The grand vizier’s son no sooner heard him coining, but he jumped out of bed, and ran hastily into the wardrobe. Well, daughter, said the sultan, are you in a better humour than you was yesterday morning? Still the princess was silent, and the sultan perceived her to be more troubled than before, but provoked that his daughter should conceal it, he said to her in a rage, with his sabre in his hand, Daughter, tell me what is the matter, or I will cut off your head immediately. The princess at last broke silence, and said with tears in her eyes, My dear father and sultan, I ask your majesty’s pardon if I have offended you, and hope, that out of your goodness and clemency you will have compassion on me, when I have told you, in what a miserable condition I have spent this last night and the night before.
After this preamble, which appeased and affected the sultan, she told him what had happened to her in so moving a manner, that he was most sensibly grieved. The sultan immediately felt all the extreme uneasiness so surprising an adventure must have given the princess. And as soon as he got back to his own apartment, he sent for the grand vizier. Vizier, said he, have you seen your son, and has he not told you any thing ? The vizier replied, No. Then the sultan related all that the princess Badroulboudour had told him, and afterwards said, I do not doubt but that my daughter has told me the truth; but nevertheless I should
