23-the forty thieves-第2章

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known　it；　we　have　killed　one；　we　must　now　find　the　other。

To　this　end　one　of　you　who　is　bold　and　artful　must　go

into　the　city　dressed　as　a　traveler；　and　discover　whom　we

have　killed；　and　whether　men　talk　of　the　strange　manner

of　his　death。　If　the　messenger　fails　he　must　lose　his　life；

lest　we　be　betrayed。〃　One　of　the　thieves　started　up　and

offered　to　do　this；　and　after　the　rest　had　highly　commended

him　for　his　bravery　he　disguised　himself；　and　happened

to　enter　the　town　at　daybreak；　just　by　Baba　Mustapha's

stall。　The　thief　bade　him　good…day；　saying：　〃Honest　man；

how　can　you　possibly　see　to　stitch　at　your　age？〃　〃Old　as

I　am；〃　replied　the　cobbler；　〃I　have　very　good　eyes；　and

will　you　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I　sewed　a　dead

body　together　in　a　place　where　I　had　less　light　than　I　have

now。〃　The　robber　was　overjoyed　at　his　good　fortune；　and；

giving　him　a　piece　of　gold；　desired　to　be　shown　the　house

where　he　stitched　up　the　dead　body。　At　first　Mustapha

refused；　saying　that　he　had　been　blindfolded；　but　when

the　robber　gave　him　another　piece　of　gold　he　began　to

think　he　might　remember　the　turnings　if　blindfolded　as

before。　This　means　succeeded；　the　robber　partly　led　him；

and　was　partly　guided　by　him；　right　in　front　of　Cassim's

house；　the　door　of　which　the　robber　marked　with　a　piece

of　chalk。　Then；　well　pleased；　he　bade　farewell　to　Baba

Mustapha　and　returned　to　the　forest。　By　and　by

Morgiana；　going　out；　saw　the　mark　the　robber　had　made；

quickly　guessed　that　some　mischief　was　brewing；　and

fetching　a　piece　of　chalk　marked　two　or　three　doors　on

each　side；　without　saying　anything　to　her　master　or

mistress。



The　thief；　meantime；　told　his　comrades　of　his　discovery。

The　Captain　thanked　him；　and　bade　him　show　him　the

house　he　had　marked。　But　when　they　came　to　it　they

saw　that　five　or　six　of　the　houses　were　chalked　in　the　same

manner。　The　guide　was　so　confounded　that　he　knew　not

what　answer　to　make；　and　when　they　returned　he　was　at

once　beheaded　for　having　failed。　Another　robber　was

dispatched；　and；　having　won　over　Baba　Mustapha；　marked

the　house　in　red　chalk；　but　Morgiana　being　again　too

clever　for　them；　the　second　messenger　was　put　to　death

also。　The　Captain　now　resolved　to　go　himself；　but；　wiser

than　the　others；　he　did　not　mark　the　house；　but　looked　at

it　so　closely　that　he　could　not　fail　to　remember　it。　He

returned；　and　ordered　his　men　to　go　into　the　neighboring

villages　and　buy　nineteen　mules；　and　thirty…eight　leather

jars；　all　empty　except　one；　which　was　full　of　oil。　The

Captain　put　one　of　his　men；　fully　armed；　into　each；　rubbing

the　outside　of　the　jars　with　oil　from　the　full　vessel。

Then　the　nineteen　mules　were　loaded　with　thirty…seven

robbers　in　jars；　and　the　jar　of　oil；　and　reached　the　town

by　dusk。　The　Captain　stopped　his　mules　in　front　of　Ali

Baba's　house；　and　said　to　Ali　Baba；　who　was　sitting　outside

for　coolness：　〃I　have　brought　some　oil　from　a　distance

to　sell　at　to…morrow's　market；　but　it　is　now　so　late　that

I　know　not　where　to　pass　the　night；　unless　you　will　do

me　the　favor　to　take　me　in。〃　Though　Ali　Baba　had　seen

the　Captain　of　the　robbers　in　the　forest；　he　did　not

recognize　him　in　the　disguise　of　an　oil　merchant。　He　bade　him

welcome；　opened　his　gates　for　the　mules　to　enter；　and

went　to　Morgiana　to　bid　her　prepare　a　bed　and　supper　for

his　guest。　He　brought　the　stranger　into　his　hall；　and　after

they　had　supped　went　again　to　speak　to　Morgiana　in　the

kitchen；　while　the　Captain　went　into　the　yard　under　pretense

of　seeing　after　his　mules；　but　really　to　tell　his　men

what　to　do。　Beginning　at　the　first　jar　and　ending　at　the

last；　he　said　to　each　man：　〃As　soon　as　I　throw　some

stones　from　the　window　of　the　chamber　where　I　lie；　cut

the　jars　open　with　your　knives　and　come　out；　and　I　will

be　with　you　in　a　trice。〃　He　returned　to　the　house；　and

Morgiana　led　him　to　his　chamber。　She　then　told　Abdallah；

her　fellow…slave；　to　set　on　the　pot　to　make　some　broth　for

her　master；　who　had　gone　to　bed。　Meanwhile　her　lamp

went　out；　and　she　had　no　more　oil　in　the　house。　〃Do　not

be　uneasy；〃　said　Abdallah；　〃go　into　the　yard　and　take

some　out　of　one　of　those　jars。〃　Morgiana　thanked　him

for　his　advice；　took　the　oil　pot；　and　went　into　the　yard。

When　she　came　to　the　first　jar　the　robber　inside　said

softly：　〃Is　it　time？〃



Any　other　slave　but　Morgiana；　on　finding　a　man　in　the

jar　instead　of　the　oil　she　wanted；　would　have　screamed

and　made　a　noise；　but　she；　knowing　the　danger　her　master

was　in；　bethought　herself　of　a　plan；　and　answered　quietly：

〃Not　yet；　but　presently。〃　She　went　to　all　the　jars；　giving

the　same　answer；　till　she　came　to　the　jar　of　oil。　She　now

saw　that　her　master；　thinking　to　entertain　an　oil　merchant；

had　let　thirty…eight　robbers　into　his　house。　She　filled　her

oil　pot；　went　back　to　the　kitchen；　and；　having　lit　her

lamp；　went　again　to　the　oil　jar　and　filled　a　large　kettle　full

of　oil。　When　it　boiled　she　went　and　poured　enough　oil

into　every　jar　to　stifle　and　kill　the　robber　inside。　When

this　brave　deed　was　done　she　went　back　to　the　kitchen；

put　out　the　fire　and　the　lamp；　and　waited　to　see　what

would　happen。



In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　Captain　of　the　robbers

awoke；　got　up；　and　opened　the　window。　As　all　seemed

quiet；　he　threw　down　some　little　pebbles　which　hit　the

jars。　He　listened；　and　as　none　of　his　men　seemed　to　stir

he　grew　uneasy；　and　went　down　into　the　yard。　On　going

to　the　first　jar　and　saying；　〃Are　you　asleep？〃　he　smelt　the

hot　boiled　oil；　and　knew　at　once　that　his　plot　to　murder

Ali　Baba　and　his　household　had　been　discovered。　He

found　all　the　gang　was　dead；　and；　missing　the　oil　out　of

the　last　jar；　became　aware　of　the　manner　of　their　death。

He　then　forced　the　lock　of　a　door　leading　into　a　garden；

and　climbing　over　several　walls　made　his　escape。　Morgiana

heard　and　saw　all　this；　and；　rejoicing　at　her　success；

went　to　bed　and　fell　asleep。



At　daybreak　Ali　Baba　arose；　and；　seeing　the　oil　jars

still　there；　asked　why　the　merchant　had　not　gone　with　his

mules。　Morgiana　bade　him　look　in　the　first　jar　and　see　if

there　was　any　oil。　Seeing　a　man；　he　started　back　in

terror。　〃Have　no　fear；〃　said　Morgiana；　〃the　man　cannot

harm　you：　he　is　dead。〃　Ali　Baba；　when　he　had　recovered

somewhat　from　his　astonishment；　asked　what　had　become

of　the　merchant。　〃Merchant！〃　said　she；　〃he　is　no　more　a

merchant　than　I　am！〃　and　she　told　him　the　whole　story；

assuring　him　that　it　was　a　plot　of　the　robbers　of　the　forest；

of　whom　only　three　were　left；　and　that　the　white　and　red

chalk　marks　had　something　to　do　with　it。　Ali　Baba　at

once　gave　Morgiana　her　freedom；　saying　that　he　owed

her　his　life。　They　then　buried　the　bodies　in　Ali　Baba's

garden；　while　the　mules　were　sold　in　the　market　by　his

slaves。



The　Captain　returned　to　his　lonely　cave；　which　seemed

frightful　to　him　without　his　lost　companions；　and　firmly

resolved　to　avenge　them　by　killing　Ali　Baba。　He　dressed

himself　carefully；　and　went　into　the　town；　where　he　took

lodgings　in　an　inn。　In　the　course　of　a　great　many　journeys

to　the　forest　he　carried　away　many　rich　stuffs　and　much

fine　linen；　and　set　up　a　shop　opposite　that　of　Ali　Baba's

son。　He　called　himself　Cogia　Hassan；　and　as　he　was　both

civil　and　well　dressed　he　soon　made　friends　with　Ali

Baba's　son；　and　through　him　with　Ali　Baba；　whom　he

was　continually　asking　to　sup　with　him。　Ali　Baba；　wishing

to　return　his　kindness；　invited　him　into　his　house　and

received　him　smiling；　thanking　him　for　his　kindness　to　his

son。　When　the　merchant　was　about　to　take　his　leave　Ali

Baba　stopped　him；　saying：　〃Where　are　you　going；　sir；　in

such　haste？　Will　you　not　stay　and　sup　with　me？〃　The

merchant　refused；　saying　that　he　had　a　reason；　and；　on

Ali　Baba's　asking　him　what　that　was；　he　replied：　〃It　is；

sir；　that　I　can　eat　no　victuals　that　have　any　salt　in　them。〃

〃If　that　is　all；〃　said　Ali　Baba；　〃let　me　tell　you　that　there

shall　be　no　salt　in　either　the　meat　or　the