Page 20 - Child's own book

apprehension, and pursued his way,but when they came within
half a league of the city, the detach merit surrounded him, and
ihc officer Said* li Prince Aladdin, I am commanded by the sul­
tan to ai-rest you, and to carry you before him as a criminal.”
They then fastened hoih his arms, anr] in this manner tlie
officer obliged Al.iddin to fid low him on Y"Ot into the town.
When the soldiers came near the town, the people seeing Alad­
din Jed thus a culprit^ douhted not that his head wouJd be cut
o(F| but us he w;jjj generally beloved, sotnc took satires and
other kind of arms; :md those wIkj had none, inhered stones,
jrtjd followed the detachment ; and in this itiiaiilK-f they readied
the palace* Aladdin niis carried before the sultan ; who, as
stum :is lu* saw him. ordered (hat hU head .should be instantly
-p %
cut dfF, without hearing hun, ur^ving him any opportunity to
explain himself; As soon aw tlie executioner had taken ofF the
chains, ho caused Aladdin to kneel d^fivn ; then drawing1 his
sabre. he waited only for the SttJtan's signal to separate the
head from tlie body. At that infant tlie populace had forced
the guard of soldiers, and were scaling tlie waifs of the palace.
The Miltiin ordered the executioner to unbind Aladdin ; and
desired thu grand vfjder to tell the people that Aladdin was
pardoned, U'hen Aladdin fmmd himself at liberty, he turned
towards the sultan, and said to Inm in an affecting manner,
“ I beg your majesty to let me know my crime?"— “ Thy
crime ?’* answered tlie sultan : 14 follow me !" The sultan then
took him into his closet. tVhen he came to the door, he
said to him, i4 You ouflpjjt to know where your palace stood;
)oi>k and toll me what has become of it*"— “ I heg your majesty,"
said Aladdin, lt to allow me forty days to make my inquiries,"
— (< I give you forty days,’’ add the sultan.
For three days Aladdin rambled about till he wag tired. At
the close of the third day he came to a river’s side; there,under