an neither do
you nor anybody else any harm. He is dead." "Ah, Morgiana," said Ali
Baba, "what is it you show 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 it, 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."

Morgiana then told him all she had done, from the first observing the
mark upon the house, to the destruction of the robbers, and the flight
of their captain.

On hearing of these brave deeds from the lips of Morgiana, Ali Baba said
to her--"God, by your means, has delivered me from the snares these
robbers laid for my destruction. I owe, therefore, 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."

Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded at the further end by a
great number of large trees. Near these he and the slave Abdalla dug a
trench, long and wide enough to hold the bodies of the robbers; and as
the earth was light, they were not long in doing it. 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, the captain of the forty robbers
returned to the forest with inconceivable mortification. He did not stay
long; the loneliness of the gloomy cavern became frightful to him. He
determined, however, to avenge the fate of his companions, and to
accomplish the death of Ali Baba. For this purpose he returned to the
town, and took a lodging in a khan, and disguised himself as a merchant
in silks. Under this assumed character, he gradually conveyed a great
many sorts of rich stuffs and fine linen to his lodging from the cavern,
but with all the