d one of his asses with them, he covered
them over with wood. The other two asses he loaded with bags of gold,
covering them with wood also as before; and then, bidding the door
shut, he came away; but was so cautious as to stop some time at the
end of the forest, that he might not go into the town before night.
When he came home he drove the two asses loaded with gold into his
little yard, and left the care of unloading them to his wife, while he
led the other to his sister-in-law's house.

Ali Baba knocked at the door, which was opened by Morgiana, a clever,
intelligent slave, who was fruitful in inventions to meet the most
difficult circumstances. When he came into the court he unloaded the
ass, and taking Morgiana aside, said to her, "You must observe an
inviolable secrecy. Your master's body is contained in these two
panniers. We must bury him as if he had died a natural death. Go now
and tell your mistress. I leave the matter to your wit and skillful
devices."

Ali Baba helped to place the body in Cassim's house, again recommended
to Morgiana to act her part well, and then returned with his ass.

Morgiana went out early the next morning to a druggist and asked for a
sort of lozenge which was considered efficacious in the most dangerous
disorders. The apothecary inquired who was ill. She replied, with a
sigh, her good master Cassim himself; and that he could neither eat
nor speak.

In the evening Morgiana went to the same druggist again, and with
tears in her eyes, asked for an essence which they used to give to
sick people only when in the last extremity.

"Alas!" said she, taking it from the apothecary, "I am afraid that
this remedy will have no better effect than the lozenges; and that I
shall lose my good master."

On the other hand, as Ali Baba and his wife were often seen to go
between Cassim's and their own house all that day, and to seem
melancholy, nobody was surprised in the evening to hear the lamentable
shrieks and cries of Cassim's wife and Morgiana, who gave out
everywhere that her master was dead. The next morning at daybreak,
Morgiana went to an old cobbler whom she knew to be always ready at
his stall, and bidding him good morrow, put a piece of gold into his
hand, saying, "Baba Mustapha, you must bring with you your sewing
tackle, and come with me; but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you
when you come to such a place."

Baba Mustapha seemed to hesitate a little at these words. "Oh! oh!