One day, my sister, who treated me like a mother, said to me, “O brother, you are the delight of my eyes, and the living emblem of the dead dust of our parents; by your arrival the longing of my heart is satisfied; whenever I see you, I am infinitely rejoiced; you have made me completely happy; but God has created men to work for their living, and they ought not to sit idle at home.  If a man becomes idle and stays at home, the people of the world cast unfavourable reflections on him; more especially the people of this city, both great and little, though it concerns them not, will say, on your remaining [with me and doing nothing,] ’That having lavished and spent his father’s worldly wealth, he is now living on the scraps from his brother-in-law’s board.’  This is an excessive want of proper pride, and will be our ridicule, and the subject of shame to the memory of our parents; otherwise I would keep you near my heart, and make you shoes of my own skin, and have you wear them.  Now, my advice is that you should make an effort at travelling; please God the times will change, and in place of your present embarrassment and destitution, gladness and prosperity may be the result.”  On hearing this speech my pride was roused; I approved of her advice, and replied, very well, you are now in the place of my mother, and I will do whatever you say.  Having thus received my consent, she went into the interior of her house, and brought out, by the assistance of her female slaves and servants, fifty toras [106] of gold and laid them before me, saying, “A caravan of merchants is on the point of setting out for Damascus. [107] Do you purchase with this money some articles of merchandise.  Having put them under the care of a merchant of probity, take from him a proper receipt for them:  and do you also proceed to Damascus.  When you arrive there in safety, receive the amount sales of your goods, and the profit which may accrue [from your merchant,] or sell them yourself [as may be most convenient or advantageous.”] I took the money and went to the bazar; [108] and having bought articles of merchandise, I delivered them over in charge to an eminent merchant, and set my mind at ease on receiving a satisfactory receipt from him.  The merchant embarked with the goods on board a vessel, and set off by sea, [109] and I prepared to go by land.  When I took leave of my excellent sister, she gave me a rich dress and a superb horse with jewelled harness; she put some sweetmeats in a leather bag and hung it to the pummel of my saddle, and she suspended a flask of water from the crupper; she tied a sacred rupee on my arm, [110] and having marked my forehead with tika, [111] “Proceed,” said she, suppressing her tears, “I have put thee under the protection of God; thou showest thy back in going, in the same happy state show me soon your face.”  I also said, after repeating the prayer of welfare, “God be your protector also.  I obey your commands.”  Coming out from thence, I mounted my horse, and having placed my reliance on the protection of the Almighty, I set forward, and throwing two stages into one, I soon reached the neighbourhood of Damascus.