Suffer me therefore to depart, for I may
not tarry longer, nor accept thy gracious offer." Hereto the host made
reply: "I pray thee, O my lord, tell me what may be the reason so
urgent and weighty." And Khwajah Hasan answered: "The cause is this. I
must not, by order of the physician who cured me lately of my
complaint, eat aught of food prepared with salt." Quoth Ali Baba:
"An this be all, deprive me not, I pray thee, of the honor thy company
will confer upon me. As the meats are not yet cooked, I will forbid
the kitchener to make use of any salt. Tarry here awhile, and I will
return anon to thee." So saying, Ali Baba went in to Morgiana and bade
her not put salt into any one of the dishes, and she, while busied
with her cooking, fell to marveling greatly at such order and asked
her master, "Who is he that eateth meat wherein is no salt?" He
answered: "What to thee mattereth it who he may be? Only do thou my
bidding." She rejoined: "'Tis well. All shall be as thou wishest." But
in mind she wondered at the man who made such strange request, and
desired much to look upon him.
Wherefore, when all the meats were ready for serving up, she
helped the slave boy Abdullah to spread the table and set on the meal,
and no sooner did she see Khwajah Hasan than she knew who he was,
albeit he had disguised himself in the dress of a stranger merchant.
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