Page:Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp.djvu/268

222 When Alaeddin heard this, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said to her, “Harkye, Lady Bedrulbudour; it is my present intent to go out and return in disguise. Marvel thou not at this and let one of thy slave-girls abide await at the privy door, to open to me forthright, when she seeth me coming; and I will cast about for a device whereby I may slay this accursed one.” Then he rose and going forth the [privy] door of his palace, walked on till he encountered a peasant by the way and said to him, “Harkye, sirrah, take my clothes and give me thine.” The man demurred, but Alaeddin enforced him and taking his clothes from him, donned them and gave him his own costly apparel. Then he fared on in the high road till he came to the city and entering, betook himself to the drug-market, where for two dinars he bought of [one of] the druggists two drachms of rare strong henbane, the son of its minute, and retracing his steps, returned to the palace. When the damsel saw him, she opened him the privy door and he went in to the Lady Bedrulbudour and said to her, “Harkye,