Antoine Galland, from the telling of Hannā Diyāb · Complete work
The Chalk Mark
The Chalk Mark of 14. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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Laissons Ali Baba jouir des commencemens de sa bonne fortune, et parlons des quarante voleurs. Ils revinrent à leur retraite de la forêt, dans le temps dont ils étoient convenus; mais ils furent dans un grand étonnement de ne pas trouver le corps de Cassim, et il augmenta quand ils se furent aperçus de la diminution de leurs sacs d’or.
« Nous sommes découverts et perdus, dit le capitaine, si nous n’y prenons garde. Et si nous ne cherchons promptement à y apporter le remède, insensiblement nous allons perdre tant de richesses, que nos ancêtres et nous avons amassées avec tant de peine et de fatigues. Tout ce que nous pouvons juger du dommage qu’on nous a fait, c’est que le voleur que nous avons surpris a eu le secret de faire ouvrir la porte, et que nous sommes arrivés heureusement à point nommé dans le temps qu’il en alloit sortir. Mais il n’étoit pas le seul, un autre doit l’avoir comme lui. Son corps emporté et notre trésor diminué, en sont des marques incontestables. Et comme il n’y a pas d’apparence que plus de deux personnes aient eu ce secret, après avoir fait périr l’un, il faut que nous fassions périr l’autre de même. Qu’en dites-vous, braves gens, n’êtes-vous pas de même avis que moi? »
La proposition du capitaine des voleurs fut trouvée si raisonnable par sa compagnie, qu’ils l’approuvèrent tous, et qu’ils tombèrent d’accord qu’il falloit abandonner toute autre entreprise, pour ne s’attacher uniquement qu’à celle-ci, et ne s’en départir qu’il n’y eussent réussi.
« Je n’en attendois pas moins de votre courage et de votre bravoure, reprit le capitaine; mais avant toute chose, il faut que quelqu’un de vous, hardi, adroit et entreprenant aille à la ville, sans armes, et en habit de voyageur et d’étranger, et qu’il emploie tout son savoir-faire pour découvrir si on n’y parle pas de la mort étrange de celui que nous avons massacré comme il le méritoit, qui il étoit, et en quelle maison il demeuroit? C’est ce qu’il nous est important que nous sachions d’abord, pour ne rien faire dont nous ayons lieu de nous repentir, en nous découvrant nous-mêmes dans un pays où nous sommes inconnus depuis si long-temps, et où nous avons un si grand intérêt de continuer de l’être. Mais afin d’animer celui de vous qui s’offrira pour se charger de cette commission, et l’empêcher de se tromper, en nous venant faire un rapport faux, au lieu d’un véritable qui seroit capable de causer notre ruine, je vous demande si vous ne jugez pas à propos qu’en ce cas-là il se soumette à la peine de mort. »
Sans attendre que les autres donnassent leurs suffrages: « Je m’y soumets, dit l’un des voleurs, et je fais gloire d’exposer ma vie, en me chargeant de la commission. Si je n’y réussis pas, vous vous souviendrez au moins que je n’aurai manqué ni de bonne volonté, ni de courage, pour le bien commun de la troupe. »
Ce voleur, après avoir reçu de grandes louanges du capitaine et de ses camarades, se déguisa de manière que personne ne pouvoit le prendre pour ce qu’il étoit. En se séparant de la troupe, il partit la nuit, et il prit si bien ses mesures, qu’il entra dans la ville dans le temps que le jour ne faisoit que commencer à paroître. Il avança jusqu’à la place, où il ne vit qu’une seule boutique ouverte, et c’étoit celle de Baba Moustafa.
Baba Moustafa étoit assis sur son siége, l’alêne à la main, prêt à travailler de son métier. Le voleur alla l’aborder, en lui souhaitant le bon jour; et comme il se fut aperçu de son grand âge: « Bon-homme, dit-il, vous commencez à travailler de grand matin; il n’est pas possible que vous y voyiez encore clair, âgé comme vous l’êtes; et quand il feroit plus clair, je doute que vous ayiez d’assez bons yeux pour coudre? »
« Qui que vous soyez, reprit Baba Moustafa, il faut que vous ne me connoissiez pas. Si vieux que vous me voyez, je ne laisse pas d’avoir les yeux excellens; et vous n’en douterez pas quand vous saurez qu’il n’y a pas long-temps que j’ai cousu un mort dans un lieu où il ne faisoit guère plus clair qu’il fait présentement. »
Le voleur eut une grande joie de s’être adressé en arrivant à un homme qui d’abord, comme il n’en douta pas, lui donnoit de lui-même nouvelle de ce qui l’avoit amené, sans le lui demander.
«Un mort, reprit-il avec étonnement! » Et pour le faire parler: « Pourquoi coudre un mort, ajouta-t-il? Vous voulez dire apparemment que vous avez cousu le linceul dans lequel il a été enseveli. »
« Non, non, reprit Baba Moustafa: je sais ce que je veux dire. Vous voudriez me faire parler, mais vous n’en saurez pas davantage. »
Le voleur n’avoit pas besoin d’un éclaircissement plus ample pour être persuadé qu’il avoit découvert ce qu’il étoit venu chercher. Il tira une pièce d’or; et en la mettant dans la main de Baba Moustafa, il lui dit:
« Je n’ai garde de vouloir entrer dans votre secret, quoique je puisse vous assurer que je ne le divulguerois pas, si vous me l’aviez confié. La seule chose dont je vous prie, c’est de me faire la grâce de m’enseigner, ou de venir me montrer la maison où vous avez cousu ce mort? »
« Quand j’aurois la volonté de vous accorder ce que vous me demandez, reprit Baba Moustafa, en tenant la pièce d’or prêt à la rendre, je vous assure que je ne pourrois pas le faire: vous devez m’en croire sur ma parole. En voici la raison: c’est qu’on m’a mené jusqu’à un certain endroit où l’on m’a bandé les yeux, et de là je me suis laissé conduire jusque dans la maison, d’où après avoir fait ce que je devois faire, on me ramena de la même manière jusqu’au même endroit. Vous voyez l’impossibilité qu’il y a que je puisse vous rendre service. »
« Au moins, repartit le voleur, vous devez vous souvenir à-peu-près du chemin qu’on vous a fait faire les yeux bandés. Venez, je vous prie, avec moi, je vous banderai les yeux en cet endroit-là, et nous marcherons ensemble par le même chemin et par les mêmes détours, que vous pourrez vous remettre dans la mémoire d’avoir marché; et comme toute peine mérite récompense, voici une autre pièce d’or. Venez, faites-moi le plaisir que je vous demande. » Et en disant ces paroles il lui mit une autre pièce dans la main.
Les deux pièces d’or tentèrent Baba Moustafa; il les regarda quelque temps de sa main sans dire mot, en se consultant pour savoir ce qu’il devoit faire. Il tira enfin sa bourse de son sein, et en les mettant dedans: « Je ne puis vous assurer, dit-il au voleur, que je me souvienne précisément du chemin qu’on me fit faire; mais puisque vous le voulez ainsi, allons, je ferai ce que je pourrai pour m’en souvenir. »
Baba Moustafa se leva à la grande satisfaction du voleur; et sans fermer sa boutique, où il n’y avoit rien de conséquence à perdre, il mena le voleur avec lui jusqu’à l’endroit où Morgiane lui avoit bandé les jeux. Quand ils furent arrivés: « C’est ici, dit Baba Moustafa, qu’on m’a bandé, et j’étois tourné comme vous me voyez. Le voleur qui avoit son mouchoir prêt, les lui banda, et il marcha à côté de lui, en partie en le conduisant, en partie en se laissant conduire par lui, jusqu’à ce qu’il s’arrêtât.
« Il me semble, dit Baba Moustafa, que je n’ai point passé plus loin. » Et il se trouva véritablement devant la maison de Cassim, où Ali Baba demeuroit alors. Avant de lui ôter le mouchoir de devant les yeux, le voleur fit promptement une marque à la porte avec de la craie qu’il tenoit prête; et quand il le lui eut ôté, il lui demanda s’il savoit à qui appartenoit la maison? Baba Moustafa lui répondit qu’il n’étoit pas du quartier, et ainsi qu’il ne pouvoit lui en rien dire.
Comme le voleur vit qu’il ne pouvoit apprendre rien davantage de Baba Moustafa, il le remercia de la peine qu’il lui avoit fait prendre; et après qu’il l’eut quitté et laissé retourner à sa boutique, il reprit le chemin de la forêt, persuadé qu’il seroit bien reçu.
Peu de temps après que le voleur et Baba Moustafa se furent séparés, Morgiane sortit de la maison d’Ali Baba pour quelqu’affaire; et en revenant, elle remarqua la marque que le voleur y avoit faite; elle s’arrêta pour y faire attention.
« Que signifie cette marque, dit-elle en elle-même, quelqu’un voudroit-il du mal à mon maître, ou l’a-t-on faite pour se divertir? À quelque intention qu’on l’ait pu faire, ajouta-t-elle, il est bon de se précautionner contre tout événement. »
Elle prend aussitôt de la craie; et comme les deux ou trois portes au-dessus et au-dessous étoient semblables, elle les marqua au même endroit, et elle rentra dans la maison sans parler de ce qu’elle venoit de faire, ni à son maître ni à sa maîtresse.
Le voleur cependant qui continuoit son chemin, arriva à la forêt, et rejoignit sa troupe de bonne heure. En arrivant, il fit rapport du succès de son voyage, en exagérant le bonheur qu’il avoit eu d’avoir trouvé d’abord un homme par lequel il avoit appris le fait dont il étoit venu s’informer, ce que personne que lui n’eût pu lui apprendre. Il fut écouté avec une grande satisfaction; et le capitaine, en prenant la parole, après l’avoir loué de sa diligence: « Camarades, dit-il en s’adressant à tous, nous n’avons pas de temps à perdre, partons bien armés, sans qu’il paroisse que nous le soyons; et quand nous serons entrés dans la ville séparément, les uns après les autres, pour ne pas donner de soupçon, que le rendez-vous soit dans la grande place, les uns d’un côté, les autres de l’autre, pendant que j’irai reconnoître la maison avec notre camarade, qui vient de nous apporter une si bonne nouvelle, afin que là-dessus je juge du parti qui nous conviendra le mieux. »
Le discours du capitaine des voleurs fut applaudi, et ils furent bientôt en état de partir. Ils défilèrent deux à deux, trois à trois; et en marchant à une distance raisonnable les uns des autres, ils entrèrent dans la ville sans donner aucun soupçon. Le capitaine et celui qui étoit venu le matin, y entrèrent les derniers. Celui-ci mena le capitaine dans la rue où il avoit marqué la maison d’Ali Baba; et quand il fut devant une des portes qui avoit été marquée par Morgiane, il la lui fit remarquer, en lui disant que c’étoit celle-là. Mais en continuant leur chemin sans s’arrêter, afin de ne pas se rendre suspects, comme le capitaine eut observé que la porte qui suivoit étoit marquée de la même marque et au même endroit, il le fit remarquer à son conducteur, et il lui demanda si c’étoit celle-ci ou la première? Le conducteur demeura confus, et il ne sut que répondre, encore moins quand il eut vu avec le capitaine que les quatre ou cinq portes qui suivoient, avoient aussi la même marque. Il assura au capitaine, avec serment, qu’il n’en avoit marqué qu’une.
« Je ne sais, ajouta-t-il, qui peut avoir marqué les autres avec tant de ressemblance; mais dans cette confusion, j’avoue que je ne peux distinguer laquelle est celle que j’ai marquée. »
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from Antoine Galland’s French text of “Histoire d’Ali Baba, et de quarante voleurs exterminés par une esclave” (Les Mille et une nuits, Le Normant edition of 1806, volume VI), paragraph for paragraph, and checked against the French before publication.
Let us leave Ali Baba to enjoy the first fruits of his good fortune, and speak of the forty robbers. They came back to their hideout in the forest at the time they had agreed on, but they were greatly astonished not to find Cassim's body, and their astonishment grew when they noticed how their sacks of gold had dwindled.
"We are discovered and lost," said the captain, "if we are not careful. If we do not quickly look for a remedy, little by little we shall lose all the riches that our forefathers and we ourselves have gathered with so much trouble and toil. All we can judge of the damage done to us is that the thief we caught had the secret of opening the door, and that by good luck we arrived at the very moment he was about to come out. But he was not the only one; someone else must have it as well. His body carried off and our treasure diminished are proof beyond dispute. And since it is not likely that more than two people had the secret, having killed the one, we must kill the other in the same way. What do you say, brave men? Are you not of the same mind as I am?"
The robber captain's proposal seemed so reasonable to his band that they all approved it, and they agreed that they must drop every other undertaking, devote themselves to this one alone, and not give it up until they had succeeded.
"I expected no less of your courage and daring," the captain went on. "But before anything else, one of you, bold, clever, and enterprising, must go into the city unarmed, dressed as a traveler and a stranger, and use all his skill to find out whether people there are talking about the strange death of the man we slaughtered as he deserved, who he was, and in what house he lived. That is what we must learn first, so that we do nothing we might have cause to regret by revealing ourselves in a country where we have been unknown for so long, and where it is so much in our interest to remain so. But to spur on whichever of you offers to take this errand, and to keep him from deceiving us by bringing back a false report instead of a true one, which could bring about our ruin, I ask whether you do not think it right that in that case he should submit to the penalty of death."
Without waiting for the others to give their votes, one of the robbers said, "I submit to it, and I count it an honor to risk my life by taking on the errand. If I do not succeed, you will at least remember that I lacked neither good will nor courage for the common good of the band."
This robber, after receiving great praise from the captain and his comrades, disguised himself so that no one could take him for what he was. Leaving the band, he set out by night and timed his journey so well that he entered the city just as daylight was beginning to appear. He went on as far as the square, where he saw only one shop open, and that was Baba Mustafa's.
Baba Mustafa was sitting on his stool, awl in hand, ready to ply his trade. The robber went up to him and wished him good day, and noticing how old he was, said, "Good man, you start work very early. At your age you cannot possibly see clearly yet, and even if it were lighter, I doubt your eyes are good enough for sewing."
"Whoever you are," Baba Mustafa replied, "you must not know me. Old as I look, my eyes are excellent all the same, and you won't doubt it when you hear that not long ago I sewed up a dead man in a place hardly lighter than it is now."
The robber was overjoyed that on arriving he had come upon a man who, as he had no doubt, was giving him news of the very thing that had brought him there, of his own accord, without being asked.
"A dead man!" he replied in surprise. And to make him talk, he added, "Why sew up a dead man? I suppose you mean you sewed the shroud he was buried in."
"No, no," Baba Mustafa replied. "I know what I mean. You would like to make me talk, but you will learn nothing more."
The robber needed no further explanation to be convinced that he had found what he had come to look for. He drew out a gold piece and, putting it into Baba Mustafa's hand, said to him:
"I have no wish to pry into your secret, though I can assure you I would not reveal it if you entrusted it to me. The only thing I ask is that you do me the kindness of telling me, or coming to show me, the house where you sewed up this dead man."
"Even if I wanted to grant what you ask," Baba Mustafa replied, holding the gold piece ready to give it back, "I assure you I could not do it; you must take my word for it. Here is the reason. I was led to a certain place where I was blindfolded, and from there I let myself be guided into the house, and after I had done what I had to do, I was brought back the same way to the same place. You see it is impossible for me to be of service to you."
"At least," the robber answered, "you must remember roughly the way you were made to walk with your eyes bound. Come with me, I beg you. I will blindfold you at that spot, and we will walk together by the same road and the same turnings that you can recall having walked. And since every trouble deserves a reward, here is another gold piece. Come, do me the favor I ask." And as he said these words he put another piece in his hand.
The two gold pieces tempted Baba Mustafa. He looked at them in his hand for some time without saying a word, weighing what he ought to do. At last he drew his purse from his breast and, putting them into it, said to the robber, "I cannot promise that I remember exactly the way I was taken, but since you wish it, let us go. I will do what I can to remember it."
To the robber's great satisfaction, Baba Mustafa got up, and without closing his shop, where there was nothing of value to lose, he led the robber with him to the place where Morgiana had blindfolded him. When they had arrived, Baba Mustafa said, "This is where I was blindfolded, and I was turned the way you see me now." The robber, who had his handkerchief ready, bound his eyes and walked beside him, partly leading him and partly letting himself be led, until he stopped.
"I don't think I went any farther," said Baba Mustafa. And in fact he was standing before Cassim's house, where Ali Baba now lived. Before taking the handkerchief from his eyes, the robber quickly made a mark on the door with chalk he held ready, and when he had taken it off, he asked him whether he knew whose house it was. Baba Mustafa answered that he did not live in that quarter and so could tell him nothing about it.
Since the robber saw that he could learn nothing more from Baba Mustafa, he thanked him for the trouble he had put him to, and after he had left him and let him go back to his shop, he took the road to the forest, sure that he would be well received.
Shortly after the robber and Baba Mustafa had parted, Morgiana left Ali Baba's house on some errand, and on her way back she noticed the mark the robber had made. She stopped to look at it closely.
"What does this mark mean?" she said to herself. "Does someone wish my master harm, or was it made for fun? Whatever the purpose," she added, "it is wise to guard against anything that may happen."
At once she took some chalk, and since the two or three doors above and below were alike, she marked them in the same place, and she went back into the house without saying a word about what she had just done, either to her master or to her mistress.
Meanwhile the robber, going on his way, reached the forest and rejoined his band in good time. On arriving, he reported the success of his journey, making much of his luck in finding at the very first a man from whom he had learned the fact he had come to find out, which no one but that man could have told him. He was heard with great satisfaction, and the captain, taking the floor after praising him for his diligence, addressed them all: "Comrades, we have no time to lose. Let us set out well armed, without appearing to be. When we have entered the city separately, one after another, so as to arouse no suspicion, let our meeting place be the great square, some on one side and some on the other, while I go and look at the house with our comrade who has just brought us such good news, so that I can judge from that what course will suit us best."
The robber captain's speech was applauded, and they were soon ready to leave. They filed off by twos and threes, and walking at a reasonable distance from one another, they entered the city without arousing any suspicion. The captain and the man who had come that morning entered last. This man led the captain into the street where he had marked Ali Baba's house, and when he was in front of one of the doors Morgiana had marked, he pointed it out, telling him that was the one. But as they went on without stopping, so as not to draw suspicion, the captain noticed that the next door bore the same mark in the same place. He pointed this out to his guide and asked him whether it was this one or the first. The guide was dumbfounded and did not know what to answer, still less when he saw, with the captain, that the four or five doors after it also bore the same mark. He swore to the captain that he had marked only one.
"I don't know," he added, "who can have marked the others so exactly alike, but in this confusion, I confess I cannot tell which one I marked."
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same French text of Galland’s 1806 Le Normant edition, paragraph for paragraph.
We'll leave Ali Baba to start enjoying his good luck. Now let's talk about the forty robbers. They came back to their hideout in the forest at the time they had agreed. They were very surprised when they didn't find Cassim's body. They were even more surprised when they saw there were fewer sacks of gold than before.
"If we're not careful," the leader said, "we've been found out, and we're finished. If we don't fix this fast, we'll slowly lose everything. Our ancestors and we worked hard and suffered to collect all this treasure. Here's what we can tell about the harm that's been done to us. The thief we caught knew the secret of how to open the door. We were lucky to show up just as he was about to leave. But he wasn't the only one. Someone else must know it too. The body is gone, and some of our treasure is gone. That proves it. It isn't likely that more than two people knew the secret. We've killed one of them. Now we have to kill the other one the same way. What do you say, men? Don't you agree with me?"
The men thought the leader's plan made a lot of sense. They all agreed with it. They decided they would give up every other job and focus only on this one. They wouldn't stop until they had pulled it off.
"I expected nothing less from brave men like you," the leader said. "But first, one of you has to go into town. It has to be someone bold, smart, and willing to take risks. He'll go without weapons, dressed like a traveler from somewhere else. He has to use every trick he knows to find out if people are talking about the strange death of the man we killed. He got what he deserved. We need to know who he was and which house he lived in. We have to find that out first, so we don't do anything we'll be sorry for. We don't want to give ourselves away. Nobody around here has known about us for a very long time, and it's very important that it stays that way. But whoever volunteers for this job needs a reason to do it well. He must not make a mistake and bring us back false information instead of the truth. That could destroy us. So I'm asking you: don't you think that if he gets it wrong, he should be put to death?"
One of the robbers spoke up before the others could vote. "I accept that," he said. "I'm proud to risk my life by taking on the job. If I fail, at least you'll remember that I wanted to help the group and I wasn't short on courage."
The leader and the others praised him highly. Then he put on a disguise so good that nobody could have guessed who he really was. He left the group and set out at night. He timed it just right, so he got into town as the sun was coming up. He walked to the town square. Only one shop was open there, and it was Baba Mustafa's.
Baba Mustafa was sitting on his stool with his awl in his hand, ready to start work. The robber went up to him and said good morning. He could see that Baba Mustafa was very old. "Sir," he said, "you start work very early. At your age you can't possibly see well yet. And even if it were lighter, I doubt your eyes are good enough to sew."
"Whoever you are," Baba Mustafa answered, "you must not know me. I may look old, but my eyes are still excellent. You'll believe me when I tell you that not long ago I sewed up a dead man in a place that was hardly any lighter than it is right now."
The robber was thrilled. He had only just arrived, and already he had found a man who was telling him, without even being asked, exactly what he had come to find out. He was sure of it.
"A dead man?" he said, acting surprised. He wanted to keep him talking. "Why would anyone sew up a dead man? I guess you mean you sewed the cloth he was buried in."
"No, no," Baba Mustafa said. "I know what I'm saying. You want to get me talking, but you won't find out anything else."
The robber didn't need any more explanation. He was sure he had found what he had come for. He took out a gold coin, put it in Baba Mustafa's hand, and said:
"I'm not trying to find out your secret. Though I promise that if you told me, I wouldn't tell anyone. All I'm asking is for you to do me a favor. Tell me where the house is where you sewed up the dead man, or come and show me."
Baba Mustafa held the gold coin out, ready to give it back. "Even if I wanted to do what you're asking," he said, "I promise you I couldn't. You'll have to trust me. Here's why. Someone took me to a certain spot and covered my eyes. From there I let them lead me to the house. After I did what I was there to do, they brought me back the same way to the same spot. So you see, there's no way I can help you."
"You must at least remember more or less which way they walked you with your eyes covered," the robber said. "Please come with me. I'll cover your eyes at that spot. We'll walk the same way together, with the same turns, as far as you can remember them. Everyone deserves to be paid for their trouble, so here's another gold coin. Come on, do me this favor." As he said this, he put another coin in Baba Mustafa's hand.
The two gold coins were too tempting for Baba Mustafa. He looked at them in his hand for a while without saying anything. He was trying to decide what to do. Finally he pulled his purse out from inside his shirt and put the coins in it. "I can't promise I remember exactly which way they took me," he told the robber. "But since that's what you want, let's go. I'll do my best to remember."
The robber was very pleased when Baba Mustafa stood up. Baba Mustafa didn't lock his shop, since there was nothing valuable in it to lose. He led the robber to the spot where Morgiana had covered his eyes. When they got there, Baba Mustafa said, "This is where they covered my eyes. I was facing the way I am now." The robber had his handkerchief ready. He tied it over Baba Mustafa's eyes. He walked next to him, sometimes leading him and sometimes letting Baba Mustafa lead, until Baba Mustafa stopped.
"I don't think I went any further than this," Baba Mustafa said. And sure enough, he was standing in front of Cassim's house, where Ali Baba was now living. Before taking the handkerchief off Baba Mustafa's eyes, the robber quickly drew a mark on the door with a piece of chalk he had ready. Then he took off the handkerchief and asked Baba Mustafa if he knew who owned the house. Baba Mustafa said he didn't live in that part of town, so he couldn't tell him.
The robber could see he wasn't going to get anything else out of Baba Mustafa. He thanked him for his trouble. He left him and let him go back to his shop. Then he headed back to the forest. He was sure the others would be pleased with him.
A little while after the robber and Baba Mustafa went their separate ways, Morgiana left Ali Baba's house to do an errand. On her way back, she noticed the mark the robber had made on the door. She stopped to take a good look at it.
"What does this mark mean?" she thought. "Does someone want to hurt my master? Or did someone just do it as a joke? Whatever the reason," she thought, "it's smart to be ready for anything."
Right away she got some chalk. The two or three doors on either side looked just the same. So she marked them all in the same place. Then she went back into the house. She didn't say anything about what she had done, not to her master and not to her mistress.
Meanwhile the robber kept going and got back to the forest. He met up with the others early. As soon as he arrived, he told them how well his trip had gone. He made a big deal out of how lucky he had been. Right away he had found a man who told him exactly what he had come to learn. Nobody but that man could have told him. The others were very happy with what they heard. The leader praised him for doing such a fast, careful job. Then he spoke to the whole group. "Men," he said, "we don't have any time to lose. Let's go, with plenty of weapons, but hidden so nobody can tell. We'll go into town separately, one after another, so nobody gets suspicious. We'll meet in the big square. Some of you wait on one side and some on the other. Meanwhile I'll go look at the house with our friend here, who just brought us such good news. Then I'll decide what our best move is."
The men cheered the leader's plan. They were soon ready to go. They left in groups of two and three. They kept a fair distance between groups, and they got into town without anyone getting suspicious. The leader and the man who had come that morning went in last. The man took the leader to the street where he had marked Ali Baba's house. When they got to one of the doors Morgiana had marked, he pointed to it and said that was the one. They kept walking without stopping, so as not to look suspicious. But the leader noticed that the next door had the same mark in the same place. He pointed it out to his guide and asked him which one it was, this one or the first one. The guide was confused and didn't know what to say. He was even more confused when he and the leader saw that the next four or five doors also had the same mark. He swore to the leader that he had marked only one door.
"I don't know who could have marked the others so they look exactly the same," he said. "But with all this confusion, I have to admit I can't tell which one I marked."