"232 ALI BABA AND

preparing it, the lamp went out, and there was no
more oil in the house, nor any candles. What to
do she did not know, for the broth must be made.
Abdoollah, seeing her very uneasy, said, “ Do not
fret and tease yourself, but go into the yard and
take some oil out of one of the jars.”

Morgiana thanked Abdoollah for his advice,
took the oil-pot, and went into the yard; when,
as she came nigh the first jar, the robber within
said softly, “Is it time?”

Though the robber spoke low, Morgiana was
struck with the voice the more, because the
captain, when he unloaded the mules, had taken
the lids off this and all the other jars to give air
to his men, who were ill enough at their ease,
almost wanting room to breathe.

As much surprised as Morgiana naturally was
at finding a man in a jar instead of the oil she
wanted, many would have made such a noise as
to have given an alarm, which would have been
attended with fatal consequences; whereas Mor-
giana, comprehending immediately the importance
of keeping silence, from the danger Ali Baba, his
family, and herself were in, and the necessity of
applying a speedy remedy without noise, con-
ceived at once the means, and collecting herself
without showing the least emotions, answered,