ess and diligence
to her sister-in-law, carried the measure back again, but without taking
notice that a piece of gold had stuck to the bottom. "Sister," said she,
giving it to her again, "you see that I have not kept your measure long;
I am obliged to you for it, and return it with thanks."

As soon as her sister-in-law was gone, Cassim's wife looked at the
bottom of the measure, and was inexpressibly surprised to find a piece
of gold stuck to it. Envy immediately possessed her breast. "What!" said
she, "has Ali Baba gold so plentiful as to measure it? Where has that
poor wretch got all this wealth?" Cassim, her husband, was not at home,
but at his counting-house, which he left always in the evening. His wife
waited for him, and thought the time an age; so great was her impatience
to tell him the circumstance, at which she guessed he would be as much
surprised as herself.

When Cassim came home, his wife said to him: "Cassim, I know you think
yourself rich, but you are much mistaken; Ali Baba is infinitely richer
than you; he does not count his money, but measures it." Cassim desired
her to explain the riddle, which she did, by telling him the stratagem
she had used to make the discovery, and showed him the piece of money,
which was so old that they could not tell in what prince's reign it was
coined. Cassim, instead of being pleased, conceived a base envy at his
brother's prosperity; he could not sleep all that night, and went to him
in the morning before sunrise, although after he had married the rich
widow, he had never treated him as a brother, but neglected him. "Ali
Baba," said he, accosting him, "you are very reserved in your affairs;
you pretend to be miserably poor, and yet you measure gold." "How,
brother?" replied Ali Baba; "I do not know what you mean: explain
yourself." "Do not pretend ignorance," replied Cassim, showing him the
piece of gold his wife had given him. "How many of these pieces," added
he, "have you? My wife found this at the bottom of the measure you
borrowed yesterday."

By this discourse, Ali Baba perceived that Cassim and his wife, through
his own wife's folly, knew what they had so much reason to conceal; but
what was done could not be recalled; therefore, without shewing the
least surprise or trouble, he confessed all, told his brother by what
chance he had discovered this retreat of the thieves, in what place it
was; and offered him part of his treasure to keep the secret. "I expect