Prev | Current Page 883 | Next

Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"

" Then, passing through the kitchen,
he reached the chamber wherein a bed had been dispread for him,
Morgiana showing the way with a lamp. Quoth she, "An thou need aught
beside, I pray thee command this thy slave, who is ever ready to
obey thy say!" He made answer, "Naught else need I." Then, putting out
the light, he lay down on the bed to sleep awhile ere the time came to
rouse his men and finish off the work.
Meanwhile Morgiana did as her master had bidden her. She first
took out a suit of clean white clothes and made it over to Abdullah,
who had not yet gone to rest. Then she placed the pigskin upon the
hearth to boil the broth and blew the fire till it burnt briskly.
After a short delay she needs must see an the broth be boiling, but by
that time all the lamps had gone out and she found that the oil was
spent and that nowhere could she get a light. The slave boy Abdullah
observed that she was troubled and perplexed hereat, and quoth he to
her: "Why make so much ado? In yonder shed are many jars of oil. Go
now and take as much soever as thou listest." Morgiana gave thanks
to him for his suggestion, and Abdullah, who was lying at his ease
in the hall, went off to sleep so that he might wake betimes and serve
Ali Baba in the bath.


Pages:
871 872 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 882 883 884 885 886 887 888 889 890 891 892 893 894 895