Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves - Page 9

Author: Laurence Housman

Thither, at the appointed time, came the forty robbers, bearing in hand fresh booty; and great was their consternation to discover that not only had the body of Cassim been removed, but a good many sacks of gold as well. It was no wonder that this should trouble them, for so long as anyone could command secret access, the cave was useless as a depository for their wealth. The question was, What could they do to put an end to their present insecurity? After long debate it was agreed that

one of their number should go into the town disguised as a traveller, and there, mixing with the common people, learn from their report whether there had been recently any case in their midst of sudden prosperity or sudden death. If such a thing could be discovered, then they made sure of tracking the evil to its source and imposing a remedy.

Although the penalty for failure was death, one of the robbers at once boldly offered himself for the venture, and having transformed himself by disguise and received the wise counsels and commendations of his fellows, he set out for the town.

Arriving at dawn he began to walk up and down the streets and watch the early stirring of the inhabitants. So, before long, he drew up at the door of Baba Mustapha, who, though old, was already seated at work upon his cobbler's bench. The robber accosted him. " I wonder," said he, *' to see a man of your age at work so early. Does not so dull a light strain your eyes? " '* Not so much as you might think," answered Baba Mustapha. " Why, it was but the other day that at this same hour I saw well enough to stitch up a dead body in a place where it was certainly no lighter." " Stitch up a dead body 1" cried the robber in pretended amazement, concealing his joy at this sudden intelligence. " Surely you mean in its winding sheet, for how else can a dead body be stitched? " " No, no," said Mustapha; " what I say I mean; but as it is a secret, I can tell you no more." The robber drew out a piece of gold. " Come," said he, " tell me nothing you do not care to; only show me the house where lay the body that you stitched." Baba Mustapha eyed the gold longingly. " Would that I could," he replied; " but alas! I went to it blindfold." " Well," said the robber," I have heard that a blind man remembers his road; perhaps, though seeing you might lose it, blindfold you might find it again." Tempted by the offer of a second piece of gold, Baba Mustapha was soon persuaded to make the attempt. " It was here that I started," said he, showing the spot, " and I turned as you see me now." The robber then put a bandage over his eyes, and walked beside him through the streets, partly guiding and partly being led, till of his own accord Baba Mtstapha stopped. " It was here," said he. " The door by which I went in should now lie to the right. And he had in fact come exactly opposite to the house which had once been Cassim's, where Ali Baba now dwelt.