Aladdin disguised the true reason, which was, that the sultan was not rich enough in jewels to be at so great an expense, but said, “It is true your majesty saw this hall unfinished, but I beg of you now to see if anything is wanting.”
The sultan went directly to the window which was left imperfect, and when he found it like the rest, he fancied that he was mistaken, and examined the two windows on each side, and afterwards all the four-and-twenty; and when he was convinced that the window, which several workmen had been so long about, was finished in so short a time, he embraced Aladdin, and kissed him between his eyes. “My son,” said he, “what a man you are to do such surprising things always in the twinkling of an eye! There is not your fellow in the world. The more I know you, the more I admire you.”
Aladdin received these praises from the sultan with a great deal of modesty, and replied in these words: “Sir, it is a great honour to me to deserve your majesty’s goodwill and approbation, and I assure you I shall study to deserve them more.”
The sultan returned to his palace as he came, but would not let Aladdin go back with him. When he came there, he found the grand vizier waiting for him, to whom he related the wonder he had been a witness of with the utmost admiration, and in such terms as left that minister no room to doubt but that the fact was as the sultan related it; though he was the more confirmed in his belief that Aladdin’s palace was the effect of enchantment, as he told the sultan the first moment he saw it. He was going to repeat the same thing again, but the sultan interrupted him, and said, “You told me so once before. I see, vizier, you have not forgot your son’s marriage to my daughter.” The grand vizier plainly saw how much the sultan was prepossessed, and therefore avoided any disputes, and let him remain in his own opinion. The sultan, as certain as he rose in a morning, went into the closet to look at Aladdin’s palace, and would go many times in a day to contemplate and admire it.
All this time, Aladdin did not confine himself in his palace, but took care to shew himself once or twice a week in the town, by going sometimes to one mosque, and sometimes to another, to prayers or to pay a visit to the grand vizier, who affected to pay his court to him on certain days, or to do the principal lords of the court the honour to return their visits, after he had regaled them at his palace. Every time he went out, he caused two slaves, who walked by the side of his horse, to throw handfuls of money among the people, as he passed through the streets and squares, which were generally on those occasions crowded. Besides, no one came to his palace gates to ask alms, but returned satisfied with his liberality. In short, he so divided his time, that not a week passed but Aladdin went either once or twice a hunting, sometimes in the environs of the city, sometimes further off; at which times the villages through which he passed felt the effects of his generosity, which gained him the love and blessings of the people; and it was common for them to swear by his head. In short, without giving the least umbrage to the sultan, to whom he paid all imaginary respect, it might be said that Aladdin, by his affable behaviour and liberality, had won the affections of the people, and was more beloved than the sultan himself. With all these good qualities he shewed a courage and zeal for the public good which could not be sufficiently applauded. He gave sufficient proofs of both in a revolt on the borders of that kingdom: for he no sooner understood that the sultan was levying an army to disperse the rebels, but he begged the command of it, which he found no difficulty to obtain. As soon as he was at the head of the army, he marched against the rebels with so much expedition, that the sultan heard of the defeat of the rebels before he had received an account of his arrival in the army. And though this action rendered his name famous throughout the kingdom, it made no alteration in his disposition; but he was as affable after his victory as before.