ALADDIN, OR THE WONDERFUL LAMP. 377

structive request thou hast done. His design is to kill thee;
therefore, take care of thyself.” As the genius said this he
vanished.

Aladdin lost not a syllable of the last words the genius spoke.
He had before heard of the holy woman Fatima, and was not
ignorant of the manner in which she could cure a pain in the
head, at least, as they pretended. He then returned to the
apartment of the princess, but did not mention what had
happened to him. He sat down, and complained of a violent
pain that had suddenly seized his head, and at the same time he
held his hand up to his forehead. The princess directly ordered
them to call the holy woman, and while they were gone, she
related to Aladdin the manner in which she had induced her to
come to the palace, where she had given her an apartment.

The pretended Fatima came; and as soon as she entered,
Aladdin said to her, “I am very happy, my good mother, to see
you, and it is for my advantage to have you here just now. I
am tormented with a violent headache, which has not long
attacked me. I request your assistance ; and from the reliance
I place on your good prayers, I hope you will not refuse me that
favour which you grant to all who are thus afflicted.” When he
had said this he bent his head forward, and the false Fatima
also advanced, putting at the same time her hand upon a poniard
which was concealed in her girdle under her robe. Aladdin,
who watched what she did, seized her hand before she could
draw it, and piercing her to the heart with her own weapon, he
threw her dead upon the floor.

“What have you done, my dear husband!” exclaimed the
princess, in the greatest surprise ; “you have killed the holy
woman.” “No, no, my princess,” answered Aladdin, without
the least emotion, “I have not killed Fatima, but a villain who
was going*to assassinate me if I had not prevented him, It is
this wretch whom you behold,” added he, shewing his face,
“who has strangled Fatima, whom you thought IJ had destroyed,
and therefore regretted ; and who has disguised himself in her
clothes in order to murder me. And to convince you still
further, I must inform you that he is the brother of the African
magician who carried you off.” Aladdin then related to her in
what manner he had learnt these particulars, and he then o, dered
the body to be removed

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