Page:Fairy tales from the Arabian nights.djvu/505

 of this palace, pray how do you like it? And before I show you the rest, tell me first what you think of this hall.'

At this question the counterfeit Fatima, who, to act his part the better, pretended to hang down his head, without so much as ever once lifting it, at last looked up; and, surveying the hall from one end to the other, he said to the princess, 'As far as such a solitary being as I can judge, this hall is truly admirable and most beautiful; it lacks but one thing.'

'What is that, good mother?' answered the Princess Badroulboudour, 'tell me, I implore you. For my part, I have always believed and have heard that it lacked nothing; but if it does, that want shall be supplied.'

'Princess,' said the false Fatima, with great dissimulation, 'forgive me for the liberty I have taken; but if my opinion can be of any importance, it is that if a roc's egg were hung up in the middle of the dome, this hall would have no parallel in the four quarters of the world, and your palace would be the wonder of the universe.'

'My good mother,' said the princess, 'what is a roc, and where could I get an egg?'

'Princess,' replied the pretended Fatima, 'it is a bird of prodigious size, which inhabits the top of Mount Caucasus; the architect who built your palace can get you one.'

After the Princess Badroulboudour had thanked the false Fatima for what she believed her good advice, she conversed with her upon other matters, but she could not forget the roc's egg, of which she determined to tell Aladdin when he returned from hunting. He had been gone six days, which the magician knew, and therefore took advantage of his absence. But he returned that evening after the false Fatima had taken leave of the princess, and retired to his room. As soon as he arrived, Aladdin went straight up to the princess' apartment, and saluted and embraced her. She seemed to receive him coldly. 'My princess,' said he, 'I think you are not so cheerful as usual. Has anything happened during my absence to give you any trouble or dissatisfaction? If so, do not conceal it from me. I will leave nothing undone that is in my power to please you.'