23-the forty thieves-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！







THE　FORTY　THIEVES





IN　a　town　in　Persia　there　dwelt　two　brothers；　one　named

Cassim；　the　other　Ali　Baba。　Cassim　was　married　to　a

rich　wife　and　lived　in　plenty；　while　Ali　Baba　had　to　maintain

his　wife　and　children　by　cutting　wood　in　a　neighboring

forest　and　selling　it　in　the　town。　One　day；　when　Ali

Baba　was　in　the　forest；　he　saw　a　troop　of　men　on　horseback；

coming　toward　him　in　a　cloud　of　dust。　He　was

afraid　they　were　robbers；　and　climbed　into　a　tree　for

safety。　When　they　came　up　to　him　and　dismounted；　he

counted　forty　of　them。　They　unbridled　their　horses　and

tied　them　to　trees。　The　finest　man　among　them；　whom

Ali　Baba　took　to　be　their　captain；　went　a　little　way　among

some　bushes；　and　said：　〃Open；　Sesame！〃＇1＇　so　plainly　that

Ali　Baba　heard　him。　A　door　opened　in　the　rocks；　and

having　made　the　troop　go　in；　he　followed　them；　and　the

door　shut　again　of　itself。　They　stayed　some　time　inside；

and　Ali　Baba；　fearing　they　might　come　out　and　catch

him；　was　forced　to　sit　patiently　in　the　tree。　At　last　the

door　opened　again；　and　the　Forty　Thieves　came　out。　As

the　Captain　went　in　last　he　came　out　first；　and　made　them

all　pass　by　him；　he　then　closed　the　door；　saying：　〃Shut；

Sesame！〃　Every　man　bridled　his　horse　and　mounted；　the

Captain　put　himself　at　their　head；　and　they　returned　as

they　came。





＇1＇　Sesame　is　a　kind　of　grain。





Then　Ali　Baba　climbed　down　and　went　to　the　door

concealed　among　the　bushes；　and　said：　〃Open；　Sesame！〃　and

it　flew　open。　Ali　Baba；　who　expected　a　dull；　dismal　place；

was　greatly　surprised　to　find　it　large　and　well　lighted；

hollowed　by　the　hand　of　man　in　the　form　of　a　vault；　which

received　the　light　from　an　opening　in　the　ceiling。　He　saw

rich　bales　of　merchandisesilk；　stuff…brocades；　all　piled

together；　and　gold　and　silver　in　heaps；　and　money　in

leather　purses。　He　went　in　and　the　door　shut　behind　him。

He　did　not　look　at　the　silver；　but　brought　out　as　many

bags　of　gold　as　he　thought　his　asses；　which　were　browsing

outside；　could　carry；　loaded　them　with　the　bags；　and　hid

it　all　with　fagots。　Using　the　words：　〃Shut；　Sesame！〃　he

closed　the　door　and　went　home。



Then　he　drove　his　asses　into　the　yard；　shut　the　gates；

carried　the　money…bags　to　his　wife；　and　emptied　them　out

before　her。　He　bade　her　keep　the　secret；　and　he　would　go

and　bury　the　gold。　〃Let　me　first　measure　it；〃　said　his　wife。

〃I　will　go　borrow　a　measure　of　someone；　while　you　dig　the

hole。〃　So　she　ran　to　the　wife　of　Cassim　and　borrowed　a

measure。　Knowing　Ali　Baba's　poverty；　the　sister　was

curious　to　find　out　what　sort　of　grain　his　wife　wished　to

measure；　and　artfully　put　some　suet　at　the　bottom　of　the

measure。　Ali　Baba's　wife　went　home　and　set　the　measure

on　the　heap　of　gold；　and　filled　it　and　emptied　it　often；　to

her　great　content。　She　then　carried　it　back　to　her　sister；

without　noticing　that　a　piece　of　gold　was　sticking　to　it；

which　Cassim's　wife　perceived　directly　her　back　was

turned。　She　grew　very　curious；　and　said　to　Cassim　when

he　came　home：　〃Cassim；　your　brother　is　richer　than　you。

He　does　not　count　his　money；　he　measures　it。〃　He　begged

her　to　explain　this　riddle；　which　she　did　by　showing　him

the　piece　of　money　and　telling　him　where　she　found　it。

Then　Cassim　grew　so　envious　that　he　could　not　sleep；　and

went　to　his　brother　in　the　morning　before　sunrise。　〃Ali

Baba；〃　he　said；　showing　him　the　gold　piece；　〃you　pretend

to　be　poor　and　yet　you　measure　gold。〃　By　this　Ali　Baba

perceived　that　through　his　wife's　folly　Cassim　and　his

wife　knew　their　secret；　so　he　confessed　all　and　offered

Cassim　a　share。　〃That　I　expect；〃　said　Cassim；　〃but　I

must　know　where　to　find　the　treasure；　otherwise　I　will

discover　all；　and　you　will　lose　all。〃　Ali　Baba；　more　out　of

kindness　than　fear；　told　him　of　the　cave；　and　the　very

words　to　use。　Cassim　left　Ali　Baba；　meaning　to　be

beforehand　with　him　and　get　the　treasure　for　himself。　He

rose　early　next　morning；　and　set　out　with　ten　mules　loaded

with　great　chests。　He　soon　found　the　place；　and　the　door

in　the　rock。　He　said：　〃Open；　Sesame！〃　and　the　door

opened　and　shut　behind　him。　He　could　have　feasted　his

eyes　all　day　on　the　treasures；　but　he　now　hastened　to

gather　together　as　much　of　it　as　possible；　but　when　he　was

ready　to　go　he　could　not　remember　what　to　say　for　thinking

of　his　great　riches。　Instead　of　〃Sesame；〃　he　said：

〃Open；　Barley！〃　and　the　door　remained　fast。　He　named

several　different　sorts　of　grain；　all　but　the　right　one；　and

the　door　still　stuck　fast。　He　was　so　frightened　at　the

danger　he　was　in　that　he　had　as　much　forgotten　the　word

as　if　he　had　never　heard　it。



About　noon　the　robbers　returned　to　their　cave；　and

saw　Cassim's　mules　roving　about　with　great　chests　on

their　backs。　This　gave　them　the　alarm；　they　drew　their

sabres；　and　went　to　the　door；　which　opened　on　their

Captain's　saying：　〃Open；　Sesame！〃　Cassim；　who　had

heard　the　trampling　of　their　horses'　feet；　resolved　to　sell

his　life　dearly；　so　when　the　door　opened　he　leaped　out　and

threw　the　Captain　down。　In　vain；　however；　for　the

robbers　with　their　sabres　soon　killed　him。　On　entering　the

cave　they　saw　all　the　bags　laid　ready；　and　could　not

imagine　how　anyone　had　got　in　without　knowing　their

secret。　They　cut　Cassim's　body　into　four　quarters；　and

nailed　them　up　inside　the　cave；　in　order　to　frighten　anyone

who　should　venture　in；　and　went　away　in　search　of　more

treasure。



As　night　drew　on　Cassim's　wife　grew　very　uneasy；　and

ran　to　her　brother…in…law；　and　told　him　where　her　husband

had　gone。　Ali　Baba　did　his　best　to　comfort　her；　and

set　out　to　the　forest　in　search　of　Cassim。　The　first　thing

he　saw　on　entering　the　cave　was　his　dead　brother。　Full

of　horror；　he　put　the　body　on　one　of　his　asses；　and　bags

of　gold　on　the　other　two；　and；　covering　all　with　some

fagots；　returned　home。　He　drove　the　two　asses　laden　with

gold　into　his　own　yard；　and　led　the　other　to　Cassim's

house。　The　door　was　opened　by　the　slave　Morgiana；

whom　he　knew　to　be　both　brave　and　cunning。　Unloading

the　ass；　he　said　to　her：　〃This　is　the　body　of　your　master；

who　has　been　murdered；　but　whom　we　must　bury　as

though　he　had　died　in　his　bed。　I　will　speak　with　you

again；　but　now　tell　your　mistress　I　am　come。〃　The　wife

of　Cassim；　on　learning　the　fate　of　her　husband；　broke　out

into　cries　and　tears；　but　Ali　Baba　offered　to　take　her　to

live　with　him　and　his　wife　if　she　would　promise　to　keep

his　counsel　and　leave　everything　to　Morgiana；　whereupon

she　agreed；　and　dried　her　eyes。



Morgiana；　meanwhile；　sought　an　apothecary　and　asked

him　for　some　lozenges。　〃My　poor　master；〃　she　said；　〃can

neither　eat　nor　speak；　and　no　one　knows　what　his　distemper

is。〃　She　carried　home　the　lozenges　and　returned

next　day　weeping；　and　asked　for　an　essence　only　given　to

those　just　about　to　die。　Thus；　in　the　evening；　no　one　was

surprised　to　hear　the　wretched　shrieks　and　cries　of

Cassim's　wife　and　Morgiana；　telling　everyone　that　Cassim

was　dead。　The　day　after　Morgiana　went　to　an　old　cobbler

near　the　gates　of　the　town　who　opened　his　stall　early；　put

a　piece　of　gold　in　his　hand；　and　bade　him　follow　her　with

his　needle　and　thread。　Having　bound　his　eyes　with　a

handkerchief；　she　took　him　to　the　room　where　the　body

lay；　pulled　off　the　bandage；　and　bade　him　sew　the　quarters

together；　after　which　she　covered　his　eyes　again　and　led

him　home。　Then　they　buried　Cassim；　and　Morgiana　his

slave　followed　him　to　the　grave；　weeping　and　tearing　her

hair；　while　Cassim's　wife　stayed　at　home　uttering　lamentable

cries。　Next　day　she　went　to　live　with　Ali　Baba；　who

gave　Cassim's　shop　to　his　eldest　son。



The　Forty　Thieves；　on　their　return　to　the　cave；　were

much　astonished　to　find　Cassim's　body　gone　and　some　of

their　money…bags。　〃We　are　certainly　discovered；〃　said

the　Captain；　〃and　shall　be　undone　if　we　cannot　find　out

who　it　is　that　knows　our　secret。　Two　men　must　have

known　it；　we　have　killed　one；　we　must　now　find　the　other。

To　this　end　one　of　you　who　is　bold　and　artful　must　go

into　the　city　dressed　as　a　traveler；　and　discover　whom　we

have　killed；　and　whether　men　talk　of　the　strange　manner

of　his　death。　If　the　messenger　fails　he　must　lose　his　life；

lest　we　be　betrayed。〃　One　of　the　thieves　started　up　and

offered　to　do　this；　and　after　the　rest　had　highly　commended

him　for　his　bravery　he　disguised　himself；　and　happened

to　enter　the　town　at　daybreak；　just　by　Baba　Mustapha's

stall。　The　thief　bade　him　good…day；　saying：　〃Honest　man；

how　can　you　possibly　see　to　stitch　at　your　age？〃　〃Old　as

I　am；〃　replied　the　cobbler；　〃I　have　very　good　eyes；　and

will　you　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I　sewed　a　dead

body　together　in　a　place　where　I　had　less　light　than　I　have

now。〃　The　robber　was　overjoyed　at　his　good　fortune；　and；

giving　him　a　piece　of　gold；　desired　to　be　shown　the　house

where　he　stitched　up　the　dead　body。　At　first　Mustapha

refused；　saying　that　he　had　been　blindfolded；　but　when

the　robber　gave　him　another　piece　of　gold　he　began　to

think　he　might　remember　the　turnings　if　blindfolded　as

before。　This　means　succeeded；　the　robber　partly　led　him；

and　was　partly　guided　by　him；　right　in　front　of　Cassim's

house；　the　door　of　which　the　robber　marked　with　a　piece

of　chalk。　Then；　well　pleased；　he　bade　farewell　to　Baba

Mustapha　and　returned　to　the　forest。　By　and　by

Morgiana；　going　out；　saw　the　mark　the　robber　had　made；

quickly　guessed　that　some　mischief　was　brewing；　and

fetching　a　piece　of　chalk　marked　two　or　three　doors　on

each　side；　without　saying　anything　to　her　master　or

mistress。



The　thief；　meantime；　told　his　comrades　of　his　discovery。

The　Captain　thanked　him；　and　bade　him　show　him　the

house　he　had　marked。　But　when　they　came　to　it　they

saw　that　five　or　six　of　the　houses　were　chalked　in　the　same

manner。　The　guide　was　so　confounded　that　he　knew　not

what　answer　to　make；　and　when　they　returned　he　was　at

once　beheaded　for　having　failed。　Another　robber　wa