eem
melancholy, nobody was surprised in the evening to hear the lamentable
shrieks and cries of Cassim's wife and Morgiana, who gave out everywhere
that her master was dead. The next morning at daybreak Morgiana went to
an old cobbler whom she knew to be always early at his stall, and
bidding him good-morrow, put a piece of gold into his hand, saying,
"Baba Mustapha, you must bring with you your sewing tackle, and come
with me; but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you when you come to
such a place."

Baba Mustapha seemed to hesitate a little at these words. "Oh! oh!"
replied he, "you would have me do something against my conscience, or
against my honour?" "God forbid," said Morgiana, putting another piece
of gold into his hand, "that I should ask anything that is contrary to
your honour! only come along with me and fear nothing."

Baba Mustapha went with Morgiana, who, after she had bound his eyes with
a handkerchief at the place she had mentioned, conveyed him to her
deceased master's house, and never unloosed his eyes till he had entered
the room where she had put the corpse together. "Baba Mustapha," said
she, "you must make haste and sew the parts of this body together; and
when you have done, I will give you another piece of gold."

After Baba Mustapha had finished his task, she blindfolded him again,
gave him the third piece of gold as she had promised, and recommending
secrecy to him carried him back to the place where she first bound his
eyes, pulled off the bandage, and let him go home, but watched him that
he returned toward his stall, till he was quite out of sight, for fear
he should have the curiosity to return and dodge her; she then went
home. Morgiana, on her return, warmed some water to wash the body, and
at the same time Ali Baba perfumed it with incense, and wrapped it in
the burying clothes with the accustomed ceremonies. Not long after the
proper officer brought the bier, and when the attendants of the mosque,
whose business it was to wash the dead, offered to perform their duty,
she told them that it was done already. Shortly after this the imaun and
the other ministers of the mosque arrived. Four neighbours carried the
corpse to the burying-ground, following the imaun, who recited some
prayers. Ali Baba came after with some neighbours, who often relieved
the others in carrying the bier to the burying-ground. Morgiana, a slave
to the deceased, followed in the procession, weeping, beating her
b