man who is but now come in by the door." So he looked and saw him clad in worn clothes and on him a patched gown[FN#449] worth two dirhams: his face was yellow and he was covered with dust and was as he were an offcast of the pilgrims.[FN#450] He was groaning as groaneth a sick man in need, walking with a tottering gait and swaying now to the right and then to the left, and in him was realized his saying who said,[FN#451] "Lack-gold abaseth man and doth his worth away, Even as the setting sun that pales with ended day. He passeth 'mongst the folk and fain would hide his head; And when alone, he weeps with tears that never stay. Absent, none taketh heed to him or his concerns; Present, he hath no part in life or pleasance aye. By Allah, whenas men with poverty are cursed, But strangers midst their kin and countrymen are they!" And the saying of another, "The poor man fares by everything opposed: * On him to shut the door Earth ne'er shall fail: Thou seest men abhor him sans a sin, * And foes he finds tho' none the cause can tell: The very dogs, when sighting wealthy man, * Fawn at his feet and wag the flattering tail; Yet, an some day a pauper loon they sight, * All at him bark and, gnashing fangs, assail." And how well quoth a third, "If generous youth be blessed with luck and wealth, * Displeasures fly his path and perils fleet: His enviers pimp for him and par'site-wise * E'en without tryst his mistress hastes to meet. When loud he farts they say 'How well he sings!' * And when he fizzles[FN#452] cry they, 'Oh, how sweet!'" —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the Nine Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night, She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when his son said to Abd al-Rahman, "Look at yonder pauper!" he asked, "O my son, who is this?" And Kamar al-Zaman answered, "This is Master Obayd the jeweller, husband of the woman who is imprisoned with us." Quoth Abd al-Rahman, "Is this he of whom thou toldest me?"; and quoth his son, "Yes; and indeed I wot him right well." Now the manner of Obayd's coming thither was on this wise. When he had farewelled Kamar al-Zaman, he went to his shop and thence going home, laid his hand on the door, whereupon it opened and he entered and found neither his wife nor the slave-girl, but saw the house in sorriest plight, quoting in mute speech his saying who said,[FN#453] "The chambers were like a bee-hive well stocked: * When their bees quitted it, they became empty."