23-the forty thieves-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

shall　be　no　salt　in　either　the　meat　or　the　bread　that　we　eat

to…night。〃　He　went　to　give　this　order　to　Morgiana；　who

was　much　surprised。　〃Who　is　this　man；〃　she　said；　〃who

eats　no　salt　with　his　meat？〃　〃He　is　an　honest　man；

Morgiana；〃　returned　her　master；　〃therefore　do　as　I　bid　you。〃

But　she　could　not　withstand　a　desire　to　see　this　strange

man；　so　she　helped　Abdallah　to　carry　up　the　dishes；　and

saw　in　a　moment　that　Cogia　Hassan　was　the　robber

Captain；　and　carried　a　dagger　under　his　garment。　〃I　am

not　surprised；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃that　this　wicked

man；　who　intends　to　kill　my　master；　will　eat　no　salt　with

him；　but　I　will　hinder　his　plans。〃



She　sent　up　the　supper　by　Abdallah；　while　she　made

ready　for　one　of　the　boldest　acts　that　could　be　thought　on。

When　the　dessert　had　been　served；　Cogia　Hassan　was　left

alone　with　Ali　Baba　and　his　son；　whom　he　thought　to

make　drunk　and　then　to　murder　them。　Morgiana；　meanwhile；

put　on　a　head…dress　like　a　dancing…girl's；　and　clasped

a　girdle　round　her　waist；　from　which　hung　a　dagger　with　a

silver　hilt；　and　said　to　Abdallah：　〃Take　your　tabor；　and

let　us　go　and　divert　our　master　and　his　guest。〃　Abdallah

took　his　tabor　and　played　before　Morgiana　until　they

came　to　the　door；　where　Abdallah　stopped　playing　and

Morgiana　made　a　low　courtesy。　〃Come　in；　Morgiana；〃

said　Ali　Baba；　〃and　let　Cogia　Hassan　see　what　you　can

do〃；　and；　turning　to　Cogia　Hassan；　he　said：　〃She's　my

slave　and　my　housekeeper。〃　Cogia　Hassan　was　by　no

means　pleased；　for　he　feared　that　his　chance　of　killing　Ali

Baba　was　gone　for　the　present；　but　he　pretended　great

eagerness　to　see　Morgiana；　and　Abdallah　began　to　play

and　Morgiana　to　dance。　After　she　had　performed　several

dances　she　drew　her　dagger　and　made　passes　with　it；

sometimes　pointing　it　at　her　own　breast；　sometimes　at　her

master's；　as　if　it　were　part　of　the　dance。　Suddenly；　out

of　breath；　she　snatched　the　tabor　from　Abdallah　with　her

left　hand；　and；　holding　the　dagger　in　her　right　hand；　held

out　the　tabor　to　her　master。　Ali　Baba　and　his　son　put　a

piece　of　gold　into　it；　and　Cogia　Hassan；　seeing　that　she

was　coming　to　him；　pulled　out　his　purse　to　make　her　a

present；　but　while　he　was　putting　his　hand　into　it

Morgiana　plunged　the　dagger　into　his　heart。



〃Unhappy　girl！〃　cried　Ali　Baba　and　his　son；　〃what　have

you　done　to　ruin　us？〃



〃It　was　to　preserve　you；　master；　not　to　ruin　you；〃

answered　Morgiana。　〃See　here；〃　opening　the　false

merchant's　garment　and　showing　the　dagger；　〃see　what　an

enemy　you　have　entertained！　Remember；　he　would　eat

no　salt　with　you；　and　what　more　would　you　have？　Look

at　him！　he　is　both　the　false　oil　merchant　and　the　Captain

of　the　Forty　Thieves。〃



Ali　Baba　was　so　grateful　to　Morgiana　for　thus　saving

his　life　that　he　offered　her　to　his　son　in　marriage；　who

readily　consented；　and　a　few　days　after　the　wedding　was

celebrated　with　greatest　splendor。



At　the　end　of　a　year　Ali　Baba；　hearing　nothing　of　the

two　remaining　robbers；　judged　they　were　dead；　and　set

out　to　the　cave。　The　door　opened　on　his　saying：　〃Open

Sesame！〃　He　went　in；　and　saw　that　nobody　had　been

there　since　the　Captain　left　it。　He　brought　away　as　much

gold　as　he　could　carry；　and　returned　to　town。　He　told

his　son　the　secret　of　the　cave；　which　his　son　handed　down

in　his　turn；　so　the　children　and　grandchildren　of　Ali　Baba

were　rich　to　the　end　of　their　lives。＇1＇





＇1＇　Arabian　Nights