THE FORTY THIEVES 219

“Certainly,” replied Baba Mustapha, “you
must be a stranger, and do not know me; for,
old as I am, I have extraordinary good eyes ;
and you will not doubt it when I tell you that
I sewed a dead body together in a place where
I had not so much light as I have now.”

The robber was overjoyed to think that he
had addressed himself, at his first coming into
the town, to a man who in all probability could
give him the intelligence he wanted. “A dead
body!” replied he, with affected amazement, to
make him explain himself. “What could you
sew up a dead body for? You mean, you sewed
up his winding-sheet.” ‘No, no,” answered
Baba Mustapha; ‘“‘I perceive your meaning: you
want to have me speak out, but you shall know
no more.”

The robber wanted no farther assurance to be
persuaded that he had discovered what he sought.
He pulled out a piece of gold, and putting it into
Baba Mustapha’s hand, said to him, ‘‘I do not
want to learn your secret, though I can assure
you I would not divulge it if you trusted me
with it. The only thing which I desire of you
is, to do me the favour to show me the house
where you stitched up the dead body.”

“If I were disposed to do you that favour,”