ALI BABA
19
dance, ordered her to come in to entertain his guest with some of her best dancing.
Cogia Hassan was not very well pleased with this entertainment, yet was compelled, for fear of discovering himself, to seem pleased with the dancing, while, in fact, he wished Morgiana out of the apartment, alarmed lest he should lose the present opportunity of murdering Ali Baba and his son.
Morgiana continued dancing with the outmost grace and agility. Then, drawing a poinard from her girdle, she performed many astonishing feats with it:—sometimes presenting the point to one, and sometimes to another, and, to the astonishment of all, seemed to plunge it into her own bosom.
Suddenly she paused, and, holding the poinard in the right hand, presented her left to her master, begging a little money: Ali Baba and his son, astonished at the request, presented her with a small piece of money.
She then turned to the pretended Cogia Hassan, and while he was putting his hand into his purse, she plunged the poinard into his heart.
'Wretch!' exclaimed Ali Baba, starting from his seat, 'thou hast ruined me and my family.'
'No, Sir,' replied Morgiana, 'I have preserved and not ruined you and your son. Look well at this traitor, and you will find him to be the pretended oil-merchant who came once before to rob and murder you.'
Morgiana having pulled off the turban and the cloak which the false Cogia Hassan wore,
