despair at having failed in his design, he forced the lock of a door that led from the yard to the garden, and climbing over the walls made his escape.
When Morgiana saw him depart, she went to bed, pleased to have succeeded so well in saving her master and family.
“I am sorry not to have been able to finish the story of Ali Baba,” Scheherazade interrupted herself to say at this moment, “but you perceive, my lord, that day has come.”
“We must then wait until the coming night for the remainder,” the sultan replied, and smiling at his wife, he departed.
She, therefore, began again as follows, once the time had come:
When Ali Baba returned from the baths, he was very much surprised to see the oil-jars, and that the merchant was not gone with the mules. He asked Morgiana, who opened the door, the reason of it. “My good master,” answered she, “God preserve you and all your family. You will be better informed of what you wish to know when you have seen what I have to show you, if you will follow me.”
242
