her, and saluting her respectfully, as soon as she had entered her apartment, “if I have the misfortune to have displeased you by my boldness in aspiring to the possession of so lovely a creature, I must tell you, that you ought to blame your bright eyes and charms, not me.” “Prince,’’ answered the princess, “I am obedient to the will of my father; and it is enough for me to have seen you, to tell you that I obey without reluctance.”
Aladdin, charmed with so agreeable an answer, would not keep the princess standing; but took her by the hand, which he kissed with the greatest demonstration of joy, and led her into a large hall, illuminated with an infinite number of wax candles; where, by the care of the genie, a noble feast was served up. The dishes were of massy gold, and contained the most delicate viands, and all the other ornaments and embellishments of the hall were answerable to this display. The princess, dazzled to see so much riches, said to Aladdin: “I thought, prince, that nothing in the world was so beautiful as the sultan my father’s palace, but the sight of this hall alone is sufficient to shew I was deceived.”
Then Aladdin led the princess to the place appointed for her, and as soon as she and his mother were seated, a band of the most harmonious instruments, accompanied with the voices of beautiful ladies, began a concert, which lasted without intermission to the end of the repast. The princess was so charmed, that she declared she had never heard anything like it in the sultan her father’s court; but she knew not that these musicians were fairies chosen by the genie, the slave of the lamp.
When the supper was ended, there entered a company of female dancers, who performed, according to the custom of the country, several figure dances, singing at the same time verses in praise of the bride and bridegroom. About midnight the happy
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