Page:Sinbad the sailor & other stories from the Arabian nights.djvu/195

 palace, saying among themselves, "It will be a bad day for the Sultan if he cuts off Aladdin's head." But the Sultan knew not of this rising of the people, and, being filled with rage at the loss ot his daughter, no sooner set eyes on Aladdin among his captors than he ordered him to the executioner. Now when this came to the ears of the people, they surrounded the palace and barred its gates and doors, and raised a great clamour without, so that the Sultan sent his Grand Vizier to ascertain the cause. Presently he returned, saying, "O King of the Age, the people have risen in a great multitude, and they are shouting that they will pull down the palace over thy head if any harm come to Aladdin. Wherefore it were better to pardon Aladdin, and so avert this great calamity, for it is evident the people love Aladdin more than they love us."

Meanwhile on the scaffold the executioner had spread the mat of death and Aladdin was kneeling thereon blind-folded, ready for the blow. The executioner walked round him thrice and then turned towards the Sultan, who stood at a window and awaited his command to strike. At this moment the cries of the people grew louder and fiercer and the Sultan beheld them scaling the walls of the palace. Then fear gat hold of him for the issue, and he signalled to the executioner to stay his hand, and bade the Vizier proclaim to the people that Aladdin was pardoned.

As soon as Aladdin was freed from his chains he begged speech of the Sultan, and said to him, "O my Lord, I thank thee for thy clemency, though I know not yet wherein my offence lay." "O base one," replied the Sultan; "hitherto I found thee blameless, but now—" he turned to the Grand Vizier, adding, "Lead him to the windows overlooking his 139