." She carried home the lozenges and
returned next day weeping, and asked for an essence only given to those
just about to die. Thus, in the evening, no one was surprised to hear
the wretched shrieks and cries of Cassim's wife and Morgiana, telling
everyone that Cassim was dead. The day after Morgiana went to an old
cobbler near the gates of the town who opened his stall early, put a
piece of gold in his hand, and bade him follow her with his needle and
thread. Having bound his eyes with a handkerchief, she took him to the
room where the body lay, pulled off the bandage, and bade him sew the
quarters together, after which she covered his eyes again and led him
home. Then they buried Cassim, and Morgiana his slave followed him to
the grave, weeping and tearing her hair, while Cassim's wife stayed at
home uttering lamentable cries. Next day she went to live with Ali Baba,
who gave Cassim's shop to his eldest son.

The Forty Thieves, on their return to the cave, were much astonished to
find Cassim's body gone and some of their money-bags. "We are certainly
discovered," said the Captain, "and shall be undone if we cannot find
out who it is that knows our secret. Two men must have known it; we have
killed one, we must now find the other. To this end one of you who
is bold and artful must go into the city dressed as a traveler, and
discover whom we have killed, and whether men talk of the strange manner
of his death. If the messenger fails he must lose his life, lest we be
betrayed." One of the thieves started up and offered to do this, and
after the rest had highly commended him for his bravery he disguised
himself, and happened to enter the town at daybreak, just by Baba
Mustapha's stall. The thief bade him good-day, saying: "Honest man, how
can you possibly see to stitch at your age?" "Old as I am," replied the
cobbler, "I have very good eyes, and will you believe me when I tell you
that I sewed a dead body together in a place where I had less light than
I have now." The robber was overjoyed at his good fortune, and, giving
him a piece of gold, desired to be shown the house where he stitched
up the dead body. At first Mustapha refused, saying that he had been
blindfolded; but when the robber gave him another piece of gold he began
to think he might remember the turnings if blindfolded as before. This
means succeeded; the robber partly led him, and was partly guided by
him, right in front of Cassim's house, the door of which