THE FORTY THIEVES 245

frightful to him. “Where are you, my brave
lads,” cried he, “ old companions of my watchings,
inroads, and labour? What can I do without
you? Did I collect you only to lose you by so
base a fate, and so unworthy of your courage ?
Had you died with your sabres in your hands,
like brave men, my regret had been less!
When shall I enlist so gallant a troop again?
And if I could, can I undertake it without
exposing so much gold and treasure to him
who hath already enriched himself out of it?
I cannot, I ought not to think of it, before I have
taken away his life. I will undertake that alone
which I could not accomplish with your powerful
assistance; and when I have taken measures to
secure this treasure from being pillaged, I will
provide for it new masters and successors after
me, who shall preserve and augment it to all
posterity.” This resolution being taken, he was
not at a loss how to execute his purpose; but
easy in his mind, and full of hopes, slept all
that night very quietly.

When he awoke early next morning, he dressed
himself, agreeably to the project he had formed,
went to the town, and took a lodging in a khan.
As he expected what had happened at Ali Baba’s
might make a great noise, he asked his host what