He looked at them a long time in his hand, without saying a word,
thinking with himself what he should do; but at last he pulled
out his purse, and put them in. "I cannot assure you," said he to
the robber, "that I can remember the way exactly; but since you
desire, I will try what I can do." At these words Baba Mustapha
rose up, to the great joy of the robber, and without shutting his
shop, where he had nothing valuable to lose, he led the robber to
the place where Morgiana had bound his eyes. "It was here," said
Baba Mustapha, "I was blindfolded; and I turned as you see me."
The robber, who had his handkerchief ready, tied it over his
eyes, walked by him till he stopped, partly leading, and partly
guided by him. "I think," said Baba Mustapha, "I went no
farther," and he had now stopped directly at Cassim's house,
where Ali Baba then lived. The thief, before he pulled off the
band, marked the door with a piece of chalk, which he had ready
in his hand; and then asked him if he knew whose house that was?
to which Baba Mustapha replied, that as he did not live in that
neighbourhood he could not tell.
The robber, finding he could discover no more from Baba Mustapha,
thanked him for the trouble he had taken, and left him to go back
to his stall, while he returned to the forest, persuaded that he
should be very well received.
A little after the robber and Baba Mustapha had parted, Morgiana
went out of Ali Baba's house upon some errand, and upon her
return, seeing the mark the robber had made, stopped to observe
it. "What can be the meaning of this mark?" said she to herself;
"somebody intends my master no good: however, with whatever
intention it was done, it is advisable to guard against the
worst." Accordingly, she fetched a piece of chalk, and marked two
or three doors on each side, in the same manner, without saying a
word to her master or mistress.
In the mean time the thief rejoined his troop in the forest, and
recounted to them his success; expatiating upon his good fortune,
in meeting so soon with the only person who could inform him of
what he wanted to know. All the robbers listened to him with the
utmost satisfaction; when the captain, after commending his
diligence, addressing himself to them all, said, "Comrades, we
have no time to lose: let us set off well armed, without its
appearing who we are; but that we may not excite any suspicion,
let only one or two go into the town together, and join at our
rendezvous, which shall be the great square. In the mean time our
comrade, who brought us the good news, and I, will go and find
out the house, that we may consult what had best be done."
This speech and plan were approved of by all, and they were soon
ready. They filed off in parties of two each, after some interval
of time, and got into the town without being in the least
suspected. The captain and he who had visited the town in the
morning as spy, came in the last. He led the captain into the
street where he had marked Ali Baba's residence; and when they
came to the first of the houses which Morgiana had marked, he
pointed it out. But the captain observed that the next door was
chalked in the same manner, and in the same place; and shewing it
to his guide, asked him which house it was, that, or the first?
The guide was so confounded, that he knew not what answer to
make; but still more puzzled, when he and the captain saw five or
six houses similarly marked. He assured the captain, with an
oath, that he had marked but one, And could not tell who had
chalked the rest, so that he could not distinguish the house
which the cobbler had stopped at.
The captain, finding that their design had proved abortive, went
directly to the place of rendezvous, and told the first of his
troops whom he met that they had lost their labour, and must
return to their cave. He himself set them the example, and they
all returned as they had come.
When the troop was all got together, the captain told them the
reason of their returning; and presently the conductor was
declared by all worthy of death. He condemned himself,
acknowledging that he ought to have taken better precaution, and
prepared to receive the stroke from him who was appointed to cut
off his head.
But as the safety of the troop required that an injury should not
go unpunished, another of the gang, who promised himself that he
should succeed better, presented himself, and his offer being
accepted, he went and corrupted Baba Mustapha, as the other had
done; and being shewn the house, marked it in a place more remote
from sight, with red chalk.
Not long after Morgiana, whose eyes nothing could escape, went
out, and seeing the red chalk, and arguing with herself as she
had done before, marked the other neighbours' houses in the same
place and manner.
The robber, at his return to his company, valued himself much on
the precaution he had taken, which he looked upon as an
infallible way of distinguishing Ali Baba's house from the
others; and the captain and all of them thought it must succeed.
They conveyed themselves into the town with the same precaution
as before; but when the robber and his captain came to the
street, they found the same difficulty; at which the captain was
enraged, and the robber in as great confusion as his predecessor.
Thus the captain and his troop were forced to retire a second
time, and much more dissatisfied; while the robber, who had been
the author of the mistake, underwent the same punishment; which
he willingly submitted to.
The captain, having lost two brave fellows of his troop, was
afraid of diminishing it too much by pursuing this plan to get
information of the residence of their plunderer. He found by
their example that their heads were not so good as their hands on
such occasions; and therefore resolved to take upon himself the
important commission.
Accordingly he went and addressed himself to Baba Mustapha, who
did him the same service he had done to the other robbers. He did
not set any particular mark on the house, but examined and
observed it so carefully, by passing often by it, that it was
impossible for him to mistake it.
The captain, well satisfied with his attempt, and informed of
what he wanted to know, returned to the forest; and when he came
into the cave, where the troop waited for him, said, "Now,
comrades, nothing can prevent our full revenge, as I am certain
of the house, and in my way hither I have thought how to put it
into execution, but if any one can form a better expedient, let
him communicate it." He then told them his contrivance; and as
they approved of it, ordered them to go into the villages about,
and buy nineteen mules, with thirty-eight large leather jars, one
full of oil, and the others empty.
In two or three days' time the robbers had purchased the mules
and jars, and as the mouths of the jars were rather too narrow
for his purpose, the captain caused them to be widened; and after
having put one of his men into each, with the weapons which he
thought fit, leaving open the seam which had been undone to leave
them room to breathe, he rubbed the jars on the outside with oil
from the full vessel.
Things being thus prepared, when the nineteen mules were loaded
with thirty-seven robbers in jars, and the jar of oil, the
captain, as their driver, set out with them, and reached the town
by the dusk of the evening, as he had intended. He led them
through the streets till he came to Ali Baba's, at whose door he
designed to have knocked; but was prevented by his sitting there
after supper to take a little fresh air. He stopped his mules,
addressed himself to him, and said, "I have brought some oil a
great way, to sell at to-morrow's market; and it is now so late
that I do not know where to lodge. If I should not be troublesome
to you, do me the favour to let me pass the night with you, and I
shall be very much obliged by your hospitality."
Though Ali Baba had seen the captain of the robbers in the
forest, and had heard him speak, it was impossible to know him in
the disguise of an oil-merchant. He told him he should be
welcome, and immediately opened his gates for the mules to go
into the yard. At the same time he called to a slave, and ordered
him, when the mules were unloaded, not only to put them into the
stable, but to give them fodder; and then went to Morgiana, to
bid her get a good supper for his guest.
He did more. To make his guest as welcome as possible, when he
saw the captain had unloaded his mules, and that they were put
into the stables as he had ordered, and he was looking for a
place to pass the night in the air, he brought him into the hall
where he received his company, telling him he would not suffer
him to be in the court. The captain excused himself on pretence
of not being troublesome; but really to have room to execute his
design, and it was not till after the most pressing importunity
that he yielded. Ali Baba, not content to keep company with the
man who had a design on his life till supper was ready, continued
talking with him till it was ended, and repeating his offer of
service.
The captain rose up at the same time with his host; and while Ali Baba
went to speak to Morgiana he withdrew into the yard, under pretence of
looking at his mules. Ali Baba, after charging Morgiana afresh to take
care of his guest, said to her, "To-morrow morning I design to go to
the bath before day; take care my bathing-linen be ready, give them to
Abdoollah," which was the slave's name, "and make me some good broth
against I return." After this he went to bed.
In the mean time the captain of the robbers went from the stable
to give his people orders what to do; and beginning at the first
jar, and so on to the last, said to each man: "As soon as I throw
some stones out of the chamber window where I lie, do not fail to
cut the jar open with the knife you have about you for the
purpose, and come out, and I will immediately join you." After
this he returned into the house, when Morgiana taking up a light,
conducted him to his chamber, where she left him; and he, to
avoid any suspicion, put the light out soon after, and laid
himself down in his clothes, that he might be the more ready to
rise.
Morgiana, remembering Ali Baba's orders, got his bathing-linen
ready, and ordered Abdoollah to set on the pot for the broth; but
while she was preparing it, the lamp went out, and there was no
more oil in the house, nor any candles. What to do she did not
know, for the broth must be made. Abdoollah seeing her very
uneasy, said, "Do not fret and teaze yourself, but go into the
yard, and take some oil out of one of the jars."
Morgiana thanked Abdoollah for his advice, took the oil-pot, and
went into the yard; when as she came nigh the first jar, the
robber within said softly, "Is it time?"
Though the robber spoke low, Morgiana was struck with the voice
the more, because the captain, when he unloaded the mules, had
taken the lids off this and all the other jars to give air to his
men, who were ill enough at their ease, almost wanting room to
breathe.
As much surprised as Morgiana naturally was at finding a man in a
jar instead of the oil she wanted, many would have made such a
noise as to have given an alarm, which would have been attended
with fatal consequences; whereas Morgiana comprehending
immediately the importance of keeping silence, from the danger
Ali Baba, his family, and herself were in, and the necessity of
applying a speedy remedy without noise, conceived at once the
means, and collecting herself without shewing the least emotions,
answered, "Not yet, but presently." She went in this manner to
all the jars, giving the same answer, till she came to the jar of
oil.
By this means, Morgiana found that her master Ali Baba, who
thought that he had entertained an oil merchant, had admitted
thirty-eight robbers into his house, regarding this pretended
merchant as their captain. She made what haste she could to fill
her oil-pot, and returned into her kitchen; where, as soon as she
had lighted her lamp, she took a great kettle, went again to the
oil-jar, filled the kettle, set it on a large wood-fire, and as
soon as it boiled went and poured enough into every jar to stifle
and destroy the robber within.
When this action, worthy of the courage of Morgiana, was executed
without any noise, as she had projected, she returned into the
kitchen with the empty kettle; and having put out the great fire
she had made to boil the oil, and leaving just enough to make the
broth, put out the lamp also, and remained silent; resolving not
to go to rest till she had observed what might follow through a
window of the kitchen, which opened into the yard.
She had not waited long before the captain of the robbers got up,
opened the window, and finding no light, and hearing no noise, or
any one stirring in the house, gave the appointed signal, by
throwing little stones, several of which hit the jars, as he
doubted not by the sound they gave. He then listened, but not
hearing or perceiving any thing, whereby he could judge that his
companions stirred, he began to grow very uneasy, threw stones
again a second and also a third time, and could not comprehend
the reason that none of them should answer his signal. Much
alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and going to the
first jar, whilst asking the robber whom he thought alive if he
was in readiness, smelt the hot boiled oil, which sent forth a
steam out of the jar. Hence he suspected that his plot to murder
Ali Baba and plunder his house was discovered. Examining all the
jars one after another, he found that all his gang were dead; and
by the oil he missed out of the last jar guessed the means and
manner of their death. Enraged to despair at having failed in his
design, he forced the lock of a door that led from the yard to
the garden, and climbing over the walls, made his escape.
When Morgiana heard no noise, and found, after waiting some time,
that the captain did not return, she concluded that he had chosen
rather to make his escape by the garden than the street-door,
which was double locked. Satisfied and pleased to have succeeded
so well, in saving her master and family, she went to bed.
Ali Baba rose before day, and, followed by his slave, went to the
baths, entirely ignorant of the important event which had
happened at home; for Morgiana had not thought it safe to wake
him before, for fear of losing her opportunity; and after her
successful exploit she thought it needless to disturb him.
When he returned from the baths, the sun was risen; he was very
much surprised to see the oil-jars, and that the merchant was not
gone with the mules. He asked Morgiana, who opened the door, and
had let all things stand as they were, that he might see them,
the reason of it? "My good master," answered she, "God preserve
you and all your family; you will be better informed of what you
wish to know when you have seen what I have to shew you, if you
will but give yourself the trouble to follow me."
As soon as Morgiana had shut the door, Ali Baba followed her;
when she requested him to look into the first jar and see if
there was any oil. Ali Baba did so, and seeing a man, started
back in alarm, and cried out. "Do not be afraid," said Morgiana,
"the man you see there can neither do you nor any body else any
harm. He is dead." "Ah, Morgiana!" said Ali Baba, "what is it you
shew me? Explain yourself." "I will," replied Morgiana; "moderate
your astonishment, and do not excite the curiosity of your
neighbours; for it is of great importance to keep this affair
secret. Look into all the other jars."
Ali Baba examined all the other jars, one after another: and when
he came to that which had the oil in, found it prodigiously sunk,
and stood for some time motionless, sometimes looking at the
jars, and sometimes at Morgiana, without saying a word, so great
was his surprise: at last, when he had recovered himself, he
said, "And what is become of the merchant?"
"Merchant!" answered she, "he is as much one as I am; I will tell
you who he is, and what is become of him; but you had better hear
the story in your own chamber; for it is time for your health
that you had your broth after your bathing."
While Ali Baba retired to his chamber, Morgiana went into the
kitchen to fetch the broth, but before he would drink it, he
first entreated her to satisfy his impatience, and tell him what
had happened, with all the circumstances; and she obeyed him.
"Last night, sir," said she, "when you were gone to bed, I got
your bathing-linens ready, and gave them to Abdoollah;
afterwards I set on the pot for the broth, but as I was preparing
the materials, the lamp, for want of oil, went out; and as there
was not a drop more in the house, I looked for a candle, but
could not find one: Abdoollah seeing me vexed, put me in mind of
the jars of oil which stood in the yard. I took the oil-pot, went
directly to the jar which stood nearest to me; and when I came to
it, heard a voice within, saying, 'Is it time?' Without being
dismayed, and comprehending immediately the malicious intention
of the pretended oil-merchant, I answered, 'Not yet, but
presently.' I then went to the next, when another voice asked me
the same question, and I returned the same answer; and so on,
till I came to the last, which I found full of oil; with which I
filled my pot.
"When I considered that there were thirty seven robbers in the
yard, who only waited for a signal to be given by the captain,
whom you took to be an oil-merchant, and entertained so
handsomely, I thought there was no time to be lost; I carried my
pot of oil into the kitchen, lighted the lamp, afterwards took
the biggest kettle I had, went and filled it full of oil, set it
on the fire to boil, and then poured as much into each jar as was
sufficient to prevent them from executing the pernicious design
they had meditated: after this I retired into the kitchen, and
put out the lamp; but before I went to bed, waited at the window
to know what measures the pretended merchant would take.
"After I had watched some time for the signal, he threw some
stones out of the window against the jars, but neither hearing
nor perceiving any body stirring, after throwing three times, he
came down, when I saw him go to every jar, after which, through
the darkness of the night, I lost sight of him. I waited some
time longer, and finding that he did not return, doubted not but
that, seeing he had missed his aim, he had made his escape over
the walls of the garden. Persuaded that the house was now safe, I
went to bed.
"This," said Morgiana, "is the account you asked of me; and I am
convinced it is the consequence of what I observed some days ago,
but did not think fit to acquaint you with: for when I came in
one morning early, I found our street door marked with white
chalk, and the next morning with red; upon which, both times,
without knowing what was the intention of those chalks, I marked
two or three neighbours' doors on each side in the same manner.
If you reflect on this, and what has since happened, you will
find it to be a plot of the robbers of the forest, of whose gang
there are two wanting, and now they are reduced to three: all
this shews that they had sworn your destruction, and it is proper
you should be upon your guard, while there is one of them alive:
for my part I shall neglect nothing necessary to your
preservation, as I am in duty bound."
When Morgiana had left off speaking, Ali Baba was so sensible of
the great service she had done him, that he said to her, "I will
not die without rewarding you as you deserve: I owe my life to
you, and for the first token of my acknowledgment, give you your
liberty from this moment, till I can complete your recompense as
I intend. I am persuaded with you, that the forty robbers have
laid snares for my destruction. God, by your means, has delivered
me from them as yet, and I hope will continue to preserve me from
their wicked designs, and by averting the danger which threatened
me, will deliver the world from their persecution and their
cursed race. All that we have to do is to bury the bodies of
these pests of mankind immediately, and with all the secrecy
imaginable, that nobody may suspect what is become of them. But
that labour Abdoollah and I will undertake."
Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded at the farther end by
a great number of large trees. Under these he and the slave dug a
trench, long and wide enough to hold all the robbers, and as the
earth was light, they were not long in doing it. Afterwards they
lifted the bodies out of the jars, took away their weapons,
carried them to the end of the garden, laid them in the trench,
and levelled the ground again. When this was done, Ali Baba hid
the jars and weapons; and as he had no occasion for the mules, he
sent them at different times to be sold in the market by his
slave.
While Ali Baba took these measures to prevent the public from
knowing how he came by his riches in so short a time, the captain
of the forty robbers returned to the forest with inconceivable
mortification; and in his agitation, or rather confusion, at his
ill success, so contrary to what he had promised himself, entered
the cave, not being able, all the way from the town, to come to
any resolution how to revenge himself of Ali Baba.
The loneliness of the gloomy cavern became frightful to him.
"Where are you, my brave lads," cried he, "old companions of my
watchings, inroads, and labour? What can I do without you? Did I
collect you only to lose you by so base a fate, and so unworthy
of your courage! Had you died with your sabres in your hands,
like brave men, my regret had been less! When shall I enlist so
gallant a troop again? And if I could, can I undertake it without
exposing so much gold and treasure to him who hath already
enriched himself out of it? I cannot, I ought not to think of it,
before I have taken away his life. I will undertake that alone
which I could not accomplish with your powerful assistance; and
when I have taken measures to secure this treasure from being
pillaged, I will provide for it new masters and successors after
me, who shall preserve and augment it to all posterity." This
resolution being taken, he was not at a loss how to execute his
purpose; but easy in his mind, and full of hopes, slept all that
night very quietly.
When he awoke early next morning, he dressed himself, agreeably
to the project he had formed, went to the town, and took a
lodging in a khan. As he expected what had happened at Ali Baba's
might make a great noise, he asked his host what news there was
in the city? Upon which the inn-keeper told him a great many
circumstances, which did not concern him in the least. He judged
by this, that the reason why Ali Baba kept his affairs so secret,
was for fear people should know where the treasure lay; and
because he knew his life would be sought on account of it. This
urged him the more to neglect nothing to rid himself of so
cautious an enemy.
The captain now assumed the character of a merchant, and conveyed
gradually a great many sorts of rich stuffs and fine linen to his
lodging from the cavern, but with all the necessary precautions
imaginable to conceal the place whence he brought them. In order
to dispose of the merchandizes, when he had amassed them
together, he took a warehouse, which happened to be opposite to
Cassim's, which Ali Baba's son had occupied since the death of
his uncle.
He took the name of Khaujeh Houssain, and as a new-comer, was,
according to custom, extremely civil and complaisant to all the
merchants his neighbours. Ali Baba's son was from his vicinity
one of the first to converse with Khaujeh Houssain, who strove to
cultivate his friendship more particularly, when, two or three
days after he was settled, he recognized Ali Baba, who came to
see his son, and stopped to talk with him as he was accustomed to
do. When he was gone, the impostor learnt from his son who he
was. He increased his assiduities, caressed him in the most
engaging manner, made him some small presents, and often asked
him to dine and sup with him; when he treated him very
handsomely.
Ali Baba's son did not choose to lie under such obligation to
Khaujeh Houssain, without making the like return; but was so much
straitened for want of room in his house, that he could not
entertain him so well as he wished; he therefore acquainted his
father Ali Baba with his intention, and told him that it did not
look well for him to receive such favours from Khaujeh Houssain,
without inviting him in return.
Ali Baba, with great pleasure, took the treat upon himself.
"Son," said he, "to-morrow being Friday, which is a day that the
shops of such great merchants as Khaujeh Houssain and yourself
are shut, get him to take a walk with you, and as you come back,
pass by my door, and call in. It will look better to have it
happen accidentally, than if you gave him a formal invitation. I
will go and order Morgiana to provide a supper."