THE FORTY THIEVES 207

mining how he should pay the last dues to his
brother ; but without adverting to the little fra-
ternal affection he had shown for him, went into
the cave, to find something to enshroud his re-
mains, and having loaded one of his asses with
them, 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, 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, an intelligent slave, fruit-
ful in inventions to ensure success in the most
difficult undertakings; and Ali Baba knew her
to be such. When he came into the court, he
unloaded the ass, and taking Morgiana aside,
said to her, “The first thing I ask of you is
an inviolable secrecy, which you will find is
necessary both for your mistress’s sake and mine.
Your master’s body is contained in these two
bundles, and our business is, to bury him as if

he had died a natural death. Go, tell your
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