d to strike it into her own bosom. Suddenly she
paused, and holding the poniard in the right hand, presented her left to
her master as if begging some money; upon which Ali Baba and his son
each gave her a small piece of money. She then turned to the pretended
Cogia Hassan, and while he was putting his hand into his purse, she
plunged the poniard into his heart.

"Wretch!" cried Ali Baba, "thou hast ruined me and my family."

"No, sir," replied Morgiana, "I have preserved, and not ruined you and
your son. Look well at this traitor, and you will find him to be the
pretended oil-merchant who came once before to rob and murder you."

Ali Baba pulled off the turban and the cloak which the false Cogia
Hassan wore and discovered that he was not only the pretended
oil-merchant, but the captain of the forty robbers who had slain his
brother Cassim; nor could he doubt that his perfidious aim had been to
destroy him, and probably his son, with the concealed dagger. Ali Baba,
who felt the new obligation he owed to Morgiana for thus saving his life
a second time, embraced her and said, "My dear Morgiana, I give you
your liberty; but my gratitude must not stop there: I will also marry
you to my son, who can esteem and admire you no less than does his
father." Then turning to his son, he added, "You, my son, will not
refuse the wife I offer; for, in marrying Morgiana, you take to wife the
preserver and benefactor of yourself and family." The son, far from
showing any dislike, readily and joyfully accepted his proposed bride,
having long entertained an affection for the good slave Morgiana.

Having rejoiced in their deliverance, they buried the captain that night
with great privacy, in the trench along with his troop of robbers; and a
few days afterwards, Ali Baba celebrated the marriage of his son and
Morgiana with a sumptuous entertainment. Every one who knew Morgiana
said she was worthy of her good fortune, and highly commended her
master's generosity toward her.

During a twelvemonth Ali Baba forbore to go near the forest, but at
length his curiosity incited him to make another journey.

When he came to the cave he saw no footsteps of either men or horses;
and having said, "Open Sesame," he went in, and judged by the state of
things deposited in the cavern that no one had been there since the
pretended Cogia Hassan had removed the merchandise to his shop in the
city. Ali Baba took as much gold home as his horse could carry.