But hush thee, speak not aloud,
lest haply the neighbors learn the secret and it end in our confusion.
Look now into all the jars, one by one from first to last." So Ali
Baba examined them severally and found in each a man fully armed and
accoutered, and all lay scalded to death. Hereat, speechless for sheer
amazement, he stared at the jars, but presently, recovering himself,
he asked, "And where is he, the oil merchant?" Answered she: "Of him
also I will inform thee. The villain was no trader, but a traitorous
assassin whose honeyed words would have ensnared thee to thy doom. And
now I will tell thee what he was and what hath happened, but meanwhile
thou art fresh from the hammam and thou shouldst first drink
somewhat of this broth for thy stomach's and thy health's sake." So
Ali Baba went within and Morgiana served up the mess, after which
quoth her master: "I fain would hear this wondrous story. Prithee tell
it to me, and set my heart at ease." Hereat the handmaid fell to
relating whatso had betided in these words:
"O my master, when thou badest me boil the broth and retiredst to
rest, thy slave in obedience to thy command took out a suit of clean
white clothes and gave it to the boy Abdullah, then kindled the fire
and set on the broth.
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