The next day his first object was to inquire what people said of Aladdin; and, taking a walk through the town, he went to the most public and frequented places, where people of the best distinction met to drink a certain warm liquor, which he had drank often when he was there before. As soon as he sat down, he was presented with a glass of it, which he took; but, listening at the same time to the discourse of the company on each side of him, he heard them talking of Aladdin’s palace. When he had drank off his glass, he joined them; and, taking this opportunity, asked them particularly what palace that was they spoke so advantageously of. “From whence come you?” said the person to whom he addressed himself; “you must certainly be a stranger, not to have seen or heard talk of prince Aladdin’s palace (for he was called so after his marriage with the princess Badr-oul-boudour.) I do not say,” continued the man, “that it is one of the wonders of the world, but that it is the only wonder of the world, since nothing so grand, rich, and magnificent was ever seen. Certainly you must have come from a great distance, not to have heard of it; it must have been talked of all over the world. Go and see it, and then judge whether I have told you more than the truth.” “Forgive my ignorance,” replied the African magician; “I arrived here but yesterday, and came from the farthest part of Africa, where the fame of this palace had not reached when I came away. For the affair which brought me hither was so urgent, that my sole object was to get here as soon as I could, without stopping anywhere, or making any acquaintance. But I will not fail to go and see it; my impatience is so great, I will go immediately and satisfy my curiosity, if you will do me the favour to shew me the way thither.” The person to whom the African magician addressed himself took a pleasure in shewing him the way to Aladdin’s palace, and he got up, and went thither instantly. When he came to the palace, and had examined it on all sides, he doubted not but that Aladdin had made use of the lamp to build it. Without attending to the inability of Aladdin, a poor tailor’s son, he knew that none but the genies, the slaves of the lamp, the attaining of which he had missed, could have performed such wonders; and, piqued to the quick at Aladdin’s happiness and greatness, he returned to the khan where he lodged.