him." Ali Baba told her that she need not frighten herself, for
that certainly Cassim would not think it proper to come into the
town till the night should be pretty far advanced.

Cassim's wife, considering how much it concerned her husband to
keep the business secret, was the more easily persuaded to believe
her brother-in-law. She went home again, and waited patiently till
midnight. Then her fear redoubled, and her grief was the more
sensible because she was forced to keep it to herself. She
repented of her foolish curiosity, and cursed her desire of prying
into the affairs of her brother and sister-in-law. She spent all
the night in weeping; and, as soon as it was day, went to them,
telling them, by her tears, the cause of her coming.

Ali Baba did not wait for his sister-in-law to desire him to go to
see what was become of Cassim, but departed immediately with his
three asses, begging of her first to moderate her affliction. He
went to the forest, and when he came near the rock, having seen
neither his brother nor the mules in his way, was seriously
alarmed at finding some blood spilled near the door, which he took
for an ill omen; but when he had pronounced the word, and the door
had opened, he was struck with horror at the dismal sight of his
brother's body. He was not long in determining how he should pay
the last dues to his brother; but without adverting to the little
fraternal affection he had shown for him, went into the cave to
find something to enshroud his remains; and having loaded one of
his asses with them, covered them over with wood. The other two
asses he loaded with bags of gold, covering them with wood also as
before; and then bidding the door shut, came away; but was so
cautious as to stop some time at the end of the forest, that he