As soon as it was ready I had need to light a
lamp so that I might see to skim it, but all the oil was spent, and,
learning this, I told my want to the slave boy Abdullah, who advised
me to draw somewhat from the jars which stood under the shed.
Accordingly I took a can and went to the first vessel, when suddenly I
heard a voice within whisper with all caution, 'Is it now time for
us to sally forth?' I was amazed thereat, and judged that the
pretended merchant had laid some plot to slay thee, so I replied, 'The
time is not yet come.' Then I went to the second jar and heard another
voice, to which I made the like answer, and so on with all of them.
I now was certified that these men awaited only some signal from their
chief, whom thou didst take to guest within thy walls supposing him to
he a merchant in oil, and that after thou receivedst him hospitably
the miscreant had brought these men to murther thee and to plunder thy
good and spoil thy house.
"But I gave him no opportunity to will his wish. The last jar I
found full of od, and taking somewhat therefrom, I lit the lamp. Then,
putting a large caldron upon the fire, I filled it up with oil which I
brought from the jar and made a fierce blaze under it, and when the
contents were seething hot, I took out sundry cansful with intent to
scald them all to death, and going to each jar in due order, I
poured within them, one by one, boiling oil.
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