Part 99

After she had danced several dances with the same propriety and strength, she drew the poniard, and holding it in her hand, dancing a dance, in which she outdid herself, by the many different figures and light movements, and the surprising leaps and wonderful exertions, with which she accompanied it. Sometimes she presented the poniard to one’s breast, and sometimes to another’s, and oftentimes seeming to strike her own. At last, as if she was out of breath, she snatched the tabor from Abdalla with her left hand, and holding the dagger in her right, presented the other side of the tabor, after the manner of those who get a livelihood by dancing, and solicit the liberality of the spectators.

Ali Baba put a piece of gold into the tabor, as did also his son; and Cogia Houssain, seeing that she was coming to him, had pulled his purse out of his bosom to make her a present; but while he was putting his hand into it, Morgiana, with a courage and resolution worthy of herself, plunged the poniard into his heart.

Ali Baba and his son, frightened at this action, cried out aloud. Unhappy wretch! exclaimed Ali Baba, what have you done to ruin me and my family? It was to preserve you, not to ruin you, answered Morgiana; for see here, said she, (opening Cogia Houssain’s garment, and showing the dagger), what an enemy you had entertained! Look well at him, and you will find him to be both the pretended oil-merchant, and the captain of the gang of forty robbers. Remember, too, that he would eat no salt with you; and what would you have more to persuade you of his wicked design? Before I saw him, I suspected him as soon as you told me you had such a guest. I saw him, and you now find that my suspicion was not groundless.

Ali Baba, who immediately felt the new obligation he had to Morgiana for saving his life a second time, embraced her: Morgiana, said he, I gave you your liberty, and then promised you that my gratitude should not stop there, but that I would soon complete it. The time is come for me to give you a proof of it, by making you my daughter-in-law. Then addressing himself to his son, he said to him, I believe you, son, to be so dutiful a child, that you will not refuse Morgiana for your wife. You see that Cogia Houssain sought your friendship with a treacherous design to take away my life; and if he had succeeded, there is no doubt but he would have sacrificed you also to his revenge. Consider, that by marrying Morgiana, you marry the support of my family and your own.

The son, far from showing any dislike, readily consented to the marriage; not only because he would not disobey his father, but that his inclination prompted him to it.

After this, they thought of burying the captain of the robbers with his comrades, and did it so privately, that nobody knew any thing of it till a great many years after, when not any one had any concern in the publication of this remarkable history.

A few days afterwards, Ali Baba celebrated the nuptials of his son and Morgiana with great solemnity and a sumptuous feast, and the usual dancing and spectacles; and had the satisfaction to see that his friends and neighbours, whom he invited, had no knowledge of the true motives of that marriage; but that those who were not unacquainted with Morgiana’s good qualities, commended his generosity and goodness of heart.

Ali Baba forbore, a long time after this marriage, from going again to the robbers’ cave, from the time he brought away his brother Cassim and some bags of gold on three asses, for fear of finding them there, and being surprised by them. He kept away after the death of the thirty-seven robbers and their captain, supposing the other two robbers, whom he could get no account of, might be alive.

But at the year’s end, when he found they had not made any attempt to disturb him, he had the curiosity to make another journey, taking the necessary precautions for his safety. He mounted his horse, and when he came to the cave, and saw no footsteps of men or horses, he looked upon it as a good sign. He alighted off his horse, and tied him to a tree; and presenting himself before the door, and pronouncing these words, _Open, Sesame!_ the door opened. He went in, and by the condition he found things in, he judged that nobody had been there since the false Cogia Houssain, when he fetched the goods for his shop, and that the gang of forty robbers was completely destroyed, and never doubted he was the only person in the world who had the secret of opening the cave, and that all the treasure was solely at his disposal; and having brought with him a wallet, into which he put as much gold as his horse could carry, he returned to town.

Afterwards Ali Baba carried his son to the cave, taught him the secret, which they handed down to their posterity; and using their good fortune with moderation, lived in great honour and splendour, serving the greatest offices of the city.

The Story of Ali Cogia, a Merchant of Bagdad.

In the reign of the caliph Haroun Alraschid, there lived at Bagdad a merchant whose name was Ali Cogia, that was neither one of the richest nor the meanest sort. He was a bachelor, and lived in the house which was his father’s, master of his own actions, content with the profit he made by his trade. But happening to dream a dream for three nights together, that a venerable old man came to him, and, with a severe look, reprimanded him for not having made a pilgrimage to Mecca, he was very much troubled.

As a good Mussulman, he knew he was obliged to undertake a pilgrimage; but as he had a house, shop, and goods, he had always believed that they might stand for a sufficient reason to excuse him, endeavouring by his charity, and other good works, to atone for that neglect. But after this dream, his conscience was so much pricked, that the fear lest any misfortune should befal him, made him resolve not to defer it any longer; and to be able to go that year, he sold off his household goods, his shop, and with it the greatest part of his merchandises, reserving only some, which he thought might turn to a better account at Mecca: and meeting with a tenant for his house, let that also.

Things being thus disposed, he was ready to go when the Bagdad caravan set out for Mecca: the only thing he had to do was to secure a sum of a thousand pieces of gold, which would have been troublesome to carry along with him, besides the money he had set apart to defray his expenses on the road, and for other purposes. To this end he made choice of a jar of a proportionable size, put the thousand pieces of gold into it, and covered them over with olives. When he had closed the mouth of the jar, he carried it to a merchant, a particular friend of his, and said to him, You know, brother, that in a few days I set out with the caravan, on my pilgrimage to Mecca. I beg the favour of you, that you would take charge of a jar of olives, and keep it for me till I return. The merchant promised him he would, and in an obliging manner said, Here, take the key of my warehouse, and set your jar where you please. I promise you shall find it there when you come again.

On the day the caravan was to set out, Ali Cogia joined it, with a camel loaded with what merchandises he thought fit to carry along with him, which served him to ride on, and arrived safe at Mecca, where he visited, along with other pilgrims, the temple so much celebrated and frequented by Mussulmen of all nations every year, who come from all parts of the world, and observe religiously the ceremonies prescribed them; and when he had acquitted himself of the duties of his pilgrimage, he exposed the merchandises he had brought with him, to sell or exchange them.

Two merchants passing by, and seeing Ali Cogia’s goods, thought them so fine and choice, that they stopped some time to look at them, though they had no occasion for them; and when they had satisfied their curiosity, one of them said to the other, as they were going away, If this merchant knew to what profit these goods would turn at Cairo, he would carry them thither, and not sell them here, though this is a good mart.

Ali Cogia heard these words; and as he had often heard talk of the beauties of Egypt, he was resolved to take the opportunity of seeing them, and taking a journey thither. Therefore, after having packed up his goods again, instead of returning to Bagdad, he set out for Egypt, with the caravan of Cairo; and when he came thither, he found his account in his journey, and in a few days sold all his goods to a greater advantage than he hoped for. With the money he bought others, with an intent to go to Damascus; and while he waited for the opportunity of a caravan, which was to set forward in six weeks, he saw all the rarities at Cairo, as also the pyramids; and sailing up the Nile, viewed the famous towns on each side of that river.

As the Damascus caravans took Jerusalem in their way, our Bagdad merchant had the opportunity of visiting the temple, looked upon by all the Mussulmen to be the most holy, after that of Mecca, whence this city takes its name of _Noble Holiness_.

Ali Cogia found Damascus so delicious a place, abounding with fine meads, pleasantly watered, and delightful gardens, that it exceeded the descriptions given of it in history. Here he made a long abode, but, nevertheless, had not forgot his native Bagdad: for which place he set out, and arrived at Aleppo, where he made some stay; and from thence, after having passed the Euphrates, he bent his course to Moussoul, with an intention, in his return, to come by a shorter way down the Tigris.

When Ali Cogia came to Moussoul, the Persian merchants, with whom he travelled from Aleppo, and with whom he had contracted a great friendship, had got so great an ascendant over him by their civilities and agreeable conversation, that they easily persuaded him not to leave them till they came to Schiraz, from whence he might easily return to Bagdad with a considerable profit. They led him through the towns of Sultania, Rei, Coam, Caschan, Ispahan, and from thence to Schiraz; from whence he had the complaisance to bear them company to India, and so came back again with them to Schiraz; insomuch that, including the stay he made in every town, he was seven years absent from Bagdad, whither he then resolved to return.

All this time his friend, with whom he had left his jar of olives, neither thought of him nor them; but just at the time when he was on the road with a caravan from Schiraz, one evening, when this merchant was supping at home with his family, the discourse happening to fall upon olives, his wife was desirous to eat some, saying, she had not tasted any for a long while. Now you speak of olives, said the merchant, you put me in mind of a jar, which Ali Cogia left with me seven years ago, when he went to Mecca; and put it himself in my warehouse, for me to keep for him against he returned. What is become of him I know not; though, when the caravan came back, they told me he was gone for Egypt. Certainly he must be dead, since he has not returned in all this time; and we may eat the olives if they prove good. Give me a plate and a candle, and I will go and fetch some of them, and we will taste them.

For God’s sake, husband, said the wife, do not commit so base an action: you know that nothing is more sacred than what is committed to one’s care and trust. You say Ali Cogia has been gone to Mecca, and is not returned; but you have been told that he is gone into Egypt; and how do you know but he may be gone farther? As you have no news of his death, he may return to-morrow, for any thing you can tell; and what a disgrace would it be to you and your family, if he should come, and you not restore him his jar in the same condition he left it! I declare I have no desire of the olives, and will not taste of them: for when I mentioned them, it was only by way of discourse; besides, do you think that they can be good, after they have been kept so long? They must be all mouldy, and spoiled; and if Ali Cogia should return, as I have a strong persuasion he will, and should find they have been opened, what will he think of your honour? I beg of you to let them alone.

The wife had not argued so long with her husband, but that she read his obstinacy in his face. In short, he never regarded what she said, but got up, took a candle and a plate, and went into the warehouse. Well, husband, said the wife again, remember I have no hand in this business, and that you cannot lay any thing to my charge, if you should have cause to repent of this action.

The merchant’s ears were deaf to these remonstrances of his wife, and he persisted in his design. When he came into the warehouse, he opened the jar, and found the olives all mouldy; but to see if they were all so to the bottom, he turned some of them upon the plate, and by shaking the jar, some of the gold tumbled out.

At the sight of the gold, the merchant, who was naturally covetous, looked into the jar, and perceived that he had shaken out almost all the olives, and what remained was fine gold coin. He immediately put the olives into the jar again, covered it up, and returned to his wife. Indeed, wife, said he, you was in the right to say that the olives were all mouldy; for I found it so, and have made up the jar just as Ali Cogia left it; so that he will not perceive that they have been touched, if he should return. You had better have taken my advice, said the wife, and not meddled with them. God grant no mischief comes of it!

The merchant was not more affected with his wife’s last words than he had been by her former, but spent almost the whole night in thinking how he might appropriate Ali Cogia’s gold to his own use, and keep possession of it, in case Ali Cogia should return and ask him for the jar. The next morning, he went and bought some olives of that year, took out the old and the gold, and filled the jar with the new, covered it up, and put it in the same place where Ali Cogia left it.

About a month after the merchant had committed so base an action, for which he was to pay dear, Ali Cogia arrived at Bagdad; and as he had let his house, he alighted at a khan, choosing to stay there till he had signified his arrival to his tenant, and he had provided himself with another house.

The next morning, Ali Cogia went to pay a visit to the merchant his friend, who received him in the most obliging manner imaginable, and expressed a great deal of joy at his return, after so many years absence; telling him that he had begun to lose all hopes of ever seeing him again.

After the usual compliments on both sides on such a meeting, Ali Cogia desired the merchant to return him the jar of olives which he had left with him, and to excuse the liberty he had taken in giving him so much trouble.

My dear friend, Ali Cogia, replied the merchant, you are to blame to make all these apologies; your vessel has been no inconvenience to me: on such an occasion I should have made as free with you: there, take the key of my warehouse; go and take it; you will find it in the same place where you left it.

Ali Cogia went into the merchant’s warehouse, took his jar, and after having returned him the key, and thanks for the favour he had done him, returned with it to the khan where he lodged; and opening the jar, and putting his hand down as low as the pieces of gold lay, was very much surprised to find none. At first, he thought he might perhaps be mistaken; and, to discover the truth, poured out all the olives into all his travelling kitchen-utensils, without so much as finding one single piece of money. His astonishment was so great, that he stood for some time motionless; then lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven, he cried out, Is it possible that a man, whom I took to be my good friend, should be guilty of so base an action?

Ali Cogia, cruelly alarmed at the fear of so considerable a loss, returned immediately to the merchant. My good friend, said he, be not surprised to see me come back so soon. I own the jar of olives to be the same put into your magazine; but with the olives I put a thousand pieces of gold into it, which I do not find. Perhaps you might have occasion for them, to employ them in trade; if so, they are at your service; only put me out of my pain, and give me an acknowledgment, after which you may pay me again at your own convenience.

The merchant, who expected that Ali Cogia would come with such a complaint, had meditated an answer. Friend Ali Cogia, said he, when you brought your jar of olives to me, did I touch it? did not I give you the key of my warehouse? did not you carry it there yourself, and did not you find it in the same place, covered in the same manner as when you left it? And if you put gold in it, you should have found it again. You told me that they were olives, and I believed it. This is all I know of the matter: you may believe me, if you please; but I never touched them.

Ali Cogia made use of all the mild ways he could think of to oblige the merchant to do him right. I love peace and quietness, said he to him, and shall be very sorry to come to those extremities which will bring the greatest disgrace upon you: consider that merchants, as we are, ought to abandon all interest to preserve a good reputation. Once again I tell you, I should be very much concerned if your obstinacy shall oblige me to force you to do me justice; for I would rather almost lose what is my right than have recourse to law.

Ali Cogia, replied the merchant, you agree that you left a jar of olives with me; and now you have taken it away, you come and ask me for a thousand pieces of gold. Did you ever tell me that such a sum was in the jar? I did not even know that they were olives, for you never showed them to me. I wonder you do not as well ask me for diamonds and pearls instead of gold; begone about your business, and do not raise a mob about my shop: for some persons had already stopped. These last words were pronounced in so great heat and passion, as not only made those who stood about the shop already stay longer, and created a great mob, but the neighbouring merchants came out of their shops to see what was the dispute between Ali Cogia and the merchant, and endeavour to reconcile them; and when Ali Cogia had informed them of his grievance, they asked the merchant what he had to say.

The merchant owned that he had kept the jar for Ali Cogia in his warehouse, but denied that ever he meddled with it; and swore that he knew it was full of olives only because Ali Cogia told him so, and bid them all bear witness of the insult and affront offered him. You bring it upon yourself, said Ali Cogia, taking him by the arm; but since you use me so basely, I cite you to the law of God; let us see whether you will have the assurance to say the same thing before the cady.

The merchant could not refuse this summons, which every good Mussulman is bound to observe, or be declared a rebel against religion; but said, With all my heart; we shall soon see who is in the wrong.

Ali Cogia carried the merchant before the cady, before whom he accused him of cheating him of a thousand pieces of gold, which he had left with him. The cady asked him if he had any witnesses; to which he replied, that he had not taken that precaution, because he believed the person he trusted his money with to be his friend, and always took him for an honest man.

The merchant made the same defence he had done before the merchants his neighbours, offering to make oath that he never had the money he was accused of, and that he did not so much as know there was such a sum; upon which the cady took his oath, and dismissed him acquitted.

Ali Cogia, extremely mortified to find that he must sit down with so considerable a loss, protested against the sentence, declaring to the cady that he would appeal to the caliph Haroun Alraschid, who would do him justice; which protestation the cady only looked upon as the effect of the common resentment of all those who lose their cause, and thought he had done his duty in acquitting a person who had been accused without witnesses.

While the merchant returned home, triumphing over Ali Cogia, and overjoyed at his good fortune, Ali Cogia went and drew up a petition; and the next day, observing the time when the caliph came from noon prayers, he placed himself in the street he was to pass through, and holding out his hand with the petition, an officer appointed for that purpose, who always goes before the caliph, came and took it to present it.

As Ali Cogia knew that it was the caliph’s custom to read the petitions at his return to the palace, he went into the court, and waited till the officer who had taken the petition read it, and came out of the caliph’s apartment, who told him that the caliph had appointed an hour to hear him next day; and then asking him where the merchant lived, he sent to notify him to attend at the same time.

That same evening, the caliph, the grand vizier Giafar, and Mesrour, the chief of the eunuchs, went all disguised through the town, as I have already told your majesty it was his custom occasionally to do: and, passing through a street, the caliph heard a noise, and mending his pace, he came to a gate, which led into a little court; through a hole he perceived ten or twelve children playing by moonlight.

The caliph, who was curious to know at what play the children played, sat down upon a stone bench just by; and, still looking through the hole, he heard one of the briskest and liveliest of the children say, Let us play at the cady. I will be the cady; bring Ali Cogia and the merchant who cheated him of the thousand pieces of gold before me.

These words of the child put the caliph in mind of the petition Ali Cogia had given him that day, and made him redouble his attention to see the issue of the trial.

As the affair of Ali Cogia and the merchant made a great noise in Bagdad, it had not escaped the children, who all accepted the proposition with joy, and agreed on the part each was to act: not one of them refused him that made the proposal to be cady; and when he had taken his seat, which he did with all the seeming gravity of a cady, another, as an officer of the court, presented two before him, one as Ali Cogia, and the other as the merchant against whom he complained.

Then the pretended cady, directing his discourse to the feigned Ali Cogia, asked him what he had to lay to that merchant’s charge.

Ali Cogia, after a low bow, informed the young cady of the fact, and related every particular, and afterwards begged that he would use his authority, that he might not lose so considerable a sum of money.

Then the feigned cady, turning about to the merchant, asked him why he did not return the money which Ali Cogia demanded of him.

The feigned merchant alleged the same reasons as the real merchant had done before the cady himself, and offered to confirm by oath that what he had said was truth.

Not so fast, replied the pretended cady; before you come to your oath, I should be glad to see the jar of olives. Ali Cogia, said he, addressing himself to the lad who acted that part, have you brought the jar? No, replied he. Then go and fetch it immediately, said the other.