private door. When he came into the princess's apartments, he said to
her, "Princess, you must take your part in the scheme which I propose
for our deliverance. You must overcome your aversion to the magician,
and assume a most friendly manner toward him, and ask him to oblige you
by partaking of an entertainment in your apartments. Before he leaves,
ask him to exchange cups with you, which he, gratified at the honour you
do him, will gladly do, when you must give him the cup containing this
powder. On drinking it he will instantly fall asleep, and we will obtain
the lamp, whose slaves will do all our bidding, and restore us and the
palace to the capital of China."

The princess obeyed to the utmost her husband's instructions. She
assumed a look of pleasure on the next visit of the magician, and asked
him to an entertainment, which he most willingly accepted. At the close
of the evening, during which the princess had tried all she could to
please him, she asked him to exchange cups with her, and giving the
signal, had the drugged cup brought to her, which she gave to the
magician. He drank it out of compliment to the princess to the very last
drop, when he fell backward lifeless on the sofa.

The princess, in anticipation of the success of her scheme, had so
placed her women from the great hall to the foot of the staircase, that
the word was no sooner given that the African magician was fallen
backward, than the door was opened, and Aladdin admitted to the hall.
The princess rose from her seat, and ran, overjoyed, to embrace him; but
he stopped her, and said, "Princess, retire to your apartment; and let
me be left alone, while I endeavour to transport you back to China as
speedily as you were brought from thence."

When the princess, her women, and slaves were gone out of the hall,