On his return he had recourse to an operation of geomancy to find out
where the lamp was--whether Aladdin carried it about with him, or
where he left it. The result of his consultation informed him, to his
great joy, that the lamp was in the palace.
"Well," said he, rubbing his hands in glee, "I shall have the lamp,
and I shall make Aladdin return to his original mean condition."
The next day the magician learned from the chief superintendent of
the khan where he lodged that Aladdin had gone on a hunting expedition
which was to last for eight days, of which only three had expired. The
magician wanted to know no more. He resolved at once on his plans. He
went to a coppersmith, and asked for a dozen copper lamps; the master
of the shop told him he had not so many by him, but if he would have
patience till the next day he would have them ready. The magician
appointed his time, and desired him to take care that they should be
handsome and well polished.
The next day the magician called for the twelve lamps, paid the man
his full price, put them into a basket hanging on his arm, and went
directly to Aladdin's palace. As he approached, he began crying, "Who
will exchange old lamps for new?" And as he went along, a crowd of
children collected, who hooted, and thought him, as did all who
chanced to be passing by, a madman or a fool to offer to exchange new
lamps for old.
The African magician regarded not their scoffs, hootings, or all they
could say to him, but still continued crying, "Who will exchange old
lamps for new?" He repeated this so often, walking backward and
forward in front of the palace, that the princess, who was then in the
hall of the four-and-twenty windows, hearing a man cry something, and
seeing a great mob crowding about him, sent one of her women slaves to
know what he cried.
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