r, and expressed his regret for the
apparent harshness with which he had treated him. "My son," said he, "be
not displeased at my proceedings against you; they arose from my
paternal love, and therefore you ought to forgive the excesses to which
it hurried me." "Sire," replied Aladdin, "I have not the least reason to
complain of your conduct, since you did nothing but what your duty
required. This infamous magician, the basest of men, was the sole cause
of my misfortune."

The African magician, who was thus twice foiled in his endeavour to ruin
Aladdin, had a younger brother, who was as skilful a magician as
himself, and exceeded him in wickedness and hatred of mankind. By mutual
agreement they communicated with each other once a year, however widely
separate might be their place of residence from each other. The younger
brother not having received as usual his annual communication, prepared
to take a horoscope and ascertain his brother's proceedings. He, as well
as his brother, always carried a geomantic square instrument about him;
he prepared the sand, 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.

When the magician had informed himself of his brother's fate, he
resolved immediately to revenge 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