Morgiana, who was always ready to obey her master, could not help
being surprised at his strange order.
"Who is this strange man," said she, "who eats no salt with his meat?
Your supper will be spoiled, if I keep it back so long."
"Do not be angry, Morgiana," replied Ali Baba. "He is an honest man,
therefore do as I bid you."
Morgiana obeyed, though with no little reluctance, and had a curiosity
to see this man who ate no salt. To this end, when she had finished
what she had to do in the kitchen, she helped Abdalla to carry up the
dishes; and looking at Cogia Houssain, she knew him at first sight,
notwithstanding his disguise, to be the captain of the robbers, and
examining him very carefully, perceived that he had a dagger under his
garment.
"I am not in the least amazed," said she to herself, "that this wicked
man, who is my master's greatest enemy, would eat no salt with him,
since he intends to assassinate him; but I will prevent him."
Morgiana, while they were at supper, determined in her own mind to
execute one of the boldest acts ever meditated. When Abdalla came for
the dessert of fruit, and had put it with the wine and glasses before
Ali Baba, Morgiana retired, dressed herself neatly with a suitable
headdress like a dancer, girded her waist with a silver-gilt girdle,
to which there hung a poniard with a hilt and guard of the same metal,
and put a handsome mask on her face. When she had thus disguised
herself, she said to Abdalla, "Take your tabor, and let us go and
divert our master and his son's friend, as we do sometimes when he is
alone.
Pages:
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269