hath betided him.”  Ali Baba also divined that a mishap had happened to prevent his return; not the less, however, he strove to comfort his sister-in-law with words of cheer and said, “O wife of my brother, Kasim haply exerciseth discretion and, avoiding the city, cometh by a roundabout road and will be here anon.  This, I do believe, is the reason why he tarrieth.”  Thereupon comforted in spirit Kasim’s wife fared homewards and sat awaiting her husband’s return; but when half the night was spent and still he came not, she was as one distraught.  She feared to cry aloud for her grief, lest haply the neighbours hearing her should come and learn the secret; so she wept in silence and upbraiding herself fell to thinking, “Wherefore did I disclose this secret to him and beget envy and jealousy of Ali Baba? this be the fruit thereof and hence the disaster that hath come down upon me.”  She spent the rest of the night in bitter tears and early on the morrow tried in hottest hurry to Ali Baba and prayed that he would go forth in quest of his brother; so he strove to console her and straightway set out with his asses for the forest.  Presently, reaching the rock he wondered to see stains of blood freshly shed and not finding his brother or the ten mules he forefelt a calamity from so evil a sign.  He then went to the door and saying, “Open, O Simsim!” he pushed in and saw the dead body of Kasim, two parts hanging to the right, and the rest to the left of the entrance.  Albeit he was affrighted beyond measure of affright he wrapped the quarters in two cloths and laid them upon one of his asses, hiding them care fully with sticks and fuel that none might see them.  Then he placed the bags of gold upon the two other animals and likewise covered them most carefully; and, when all was made ready he closed the cave door with the magical words, and set him forth wending homewards with all ward and watchfulness.  The asses with the load of Ashrafis he made over to his wife and bade her bury the bags with diligence; but he told her not the condition in which he had come upon his brother Kasim.  Then he went with the other ass, to wit, the beast whereon was laid the corpse to the widow’s house and knocked gently at the door.  Now Kasim had a slave-girl shrewd and sharp witted, Morgiana[FN#296] highs.  She as softly undid the bolt and admitted Ali Baba and the ass into the courtyard of the house, when he let down the body from the beast’s back and said, “O Morgiana, haste thee and make thee ready to perform the rites for the burial of thy lord:  I now go to tell the tidings to thy mistress and I will quickly return to help thee in this matter.”  At that instant Kasim’s widow seeing her brother in law, exclaimed, “O Ali Baba, what news bringest thou of my spouse?  Alas, I see grief tokens written upon thy countenance.  Say quickly what hath happened.”  Then he recounted to her how it had fared with her husband and how he had been slain by the robbers and in what wise he had brought home the dead body.—­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazed held her peace till