which she carried up, and as soon as Abdoollah had taken the meat
away, set it upon the table; after that, she placed three glasses
by Ali Baba, and going out, took Abdoollah with her to sup, and
to give Ali Baba the more liberty of conversation with his guest.

Khaujeh Houssain, or rather the captain of the robbers, thought
he had now a favourable opportunity of being revenged on Ali
Baba. "I will," said he to himself, "make the father and son both
drunk: the son, whose life I intend to spare, will not be able to
prevent my stabbing his father to the heart; and while the slaves
are at supper, or asleep in the kitchen, I can make my escape
over the gardens as before."

Instead of going to supper, Morgiana, who had penetrated the
intentions of the counterfeit Khaujeh Houssain, would not give
him time to put his villanous design into execution, but dressed
herself neatly with a suitable head-dress like a dancer, girded
her waist with a silver-gilt girdle, to which there hung a
poniard with a hilt and guard of the same metal, and put a
handsome mask on her face. When she had thus disguised herself,
she said to Abdoollah, "Take your tabor, and let us go and divert
our master and his son's guest, as we do sometimes when he is
alone."

Abdoollah took his tabor and played all the way into the hall
before Morgiana, who, when she came to the door, made a low
obeisance, with a deliberate air, in order to draw attention, and
by way of asking leave to exhibit her skill. Abdoollah, seeing
that his master had a mind to say something, left off playing.
"Come in, Morgiana," said Ali Baba, "and let Khaujeh Houssain see
what you can do, that he may tell us what he thinks of you."
"But, sir," said he, turning towards his guest, "do not think
that I put myself to any expense to give you this diversion,
since these are my slave and my cook and housekeeper; and I hope
you will not find the entertainment they give us disagreeable."

Khaujeh Houssain, who did not expect this diversion after supper,
began to fear he should not be able to improve the opportunity he
thought he had found; but hoped, if he now missed his aim, to
secure it another time, by keeping up a friendly correspondence
with the father and son; therefore, though he could have wished
Ali Baba would have declined the dance, he pretended to be
obliged to him for it, and had the complaisance to express his
satisfaction at what he saw pleased his host.

As soon as Abdoollah