246 ALI BABA AND

news there was in the city? Upon which the
inn-keeper told him a great many circumstances,
which did not concern him in the least. He
judged by this, that the reason why Ali Baba
kept his affairs so secret was for fear people
should know where the treasure lay, and because
he knew his life would be sought on account of
it. This urged him the more to neglect nothing
to rid himself of so cautious an enemy.

The captain now assumed the character of a
merchant, and conveyed gradually a great many
sorts of rich stuffs and fine linen to his lodging
from the cavern, but with all the necessary pre-
cautions imaginable to conceal the place whence
he brought them. In order to dispose of the
merchandises, when he had amassed them to-
gether, he took a warehouse, which happened to
be opposite to Cassim’s, which Ali Baba’s son had
occupied since the death of his uncle.

He took the name of Khaujeh Houssain, and,
as a new-comer, was, according to custom, ex-
tremely civil and complaisant to all the merchants
his neighbours. Ali Baba’s son was, from his
vicinity, one of the first to converse with Khaujeh
Houssain, who strove to cultivate his friendship
more particularly when, two or three days after
he was settled, he recognised Ali Baba, who came