with calmness, and after this should think of asking me where lie your riches and your estate, what answer would you have me return him?”
“Let us not be uneasy, mother,” replied Aladdin, ‘‘about what may never happen. First, let us see how the sultan receives, and what answer he gives you. If he desires to be informed of what you mention, I am confident that the lamp will not fail me in time of need.”
The tailor’s widow reflected that the lamp might be capable of doing greater wonders than just providing victuals for them, and this removed all the difficulties which might have prevented her from undertaking the service she had promised. Aladdin, who penetrated into his mother’s thoughts, said to her: “Above all things, mother, be sure to keep secret our possession of the lamp, for thereon depends the success we have to expect;” and after this caution they parted to go to rest. Aladdin rose before daybreak, awakened his mother, pressing her to get herself dressed to go to the sultan’s palace, and to get admittance, if possible, before the great officers of state went in to take their seats in the divan, where the sultan always assisted in person.
Aladdin’s mother took the china dish, in which they had put the jewels the day before, wrapped in two napkins, one finer than the other, which was tied at the four corners for more easy carriage, and set out for the palace. When she came to the gates, the grand vizier, the other viziers, and most distinguished lords of the court, were just gone in; but, notwithstanding the great crowd of people who had business there, she got into the divan, a spacious hall, the entrance into which was very magnificent. She placed herself just before the sultan, grand vizier, and the great lords, who sat in council, on his right and left hand.
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