Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp - Page 43

Author: Laurence Housman

" O my beloved," he said, " I wish thee to attire thyself gaily, and adorn thyself with jewels in the sparkle of which no grief can live; and, when the accursed cometh, greet him with a smile and a look from thy lovely eyes. Then invite him to sup with thee, and, when thou hast aroused a blinding passion in his bosom, he will forget the Lamp which lieth there. See," he drew forth the powder, " this is benj, the ' son of an instant.' It cannot be detected in red wine. Thou knowest the rest: pledge him in a cup and see to it that the benj is in his and not in thine. Thou canst do this? "

" Yea," replied Bedr-el-Budur. "It is difficult, but I will dare all for thee; and well I know that this accursed wretch deserves not to live." And on this assurance Aladdin withdrew to a private chamber and sat him down to wait. He realized his extreme danger, for he knew that if the Dervish so much as suspected his existence in the flesh a rub of the Lamp and a word to the Slave would bring him instant death; but he did not know that Bedr-el-Budur, having learnt the virtues of the Lamp, had exacted a pledge from the Dervish that he would make no further use of it until she had given him her final decision as to whether she would come to him of her own free will and accord, which she maintained was a better thing than subsequently to be compelled by the abominable power of sorcery.

When the Dervish appeared, she sat weeping as usual, and it was not until, in his protestations of love, he said words that were suitable to her purpose that she paused and half dried her tears as if it needed little more to make her weigh his petition with care Observing this he drew near and sat by her side, and now, though no longer weeping, she had not yet found words for him. He took her hand, but she snatched it away crying, " No, it cannot be! Never can I forget Aladdin 1 " He pleaded with her, and his passion made him eloquent. She pushed him away petulantly. " Nay, nay," she cried, " I cannot resign my heart to thee at will. Give me, I pray thee, a little space of time - two days; one day - I may decide in one, if weeping do not kill me." The Dervish smote his breast. " Think, O Lovely One, how I have waited to win thee as man wins woman, when in a moment I could call thee mine by other means." And his hand moved to his bosom where lay the Lamp. " Stay!" she cried, rising and standing before him. " Thy pledge! Abide thou in patience. I will come to thee in one hour."