Replied he, “What evil have I done to thee?  I showed thee favours more than any man hath ever dealt to another.  Thou wouldst not heed my rede, but didst harden thy heart and lustedst to obtain this wealth and to pry into the hidden treasures of the earth.  Thou wouldst not be content with what thou hadst and thou didst misdoubt my words thinking that I would play thee false.  Thy case is beyond all hope, for never more wilt thou regain thy sight; no, never.  Then said I with tears and lamentations, “O Fakir, take back thy fourscore camels laden with gold and precious stones and wend thy way:  I absolve thee from all blame, natheless I beseech thee by Allah Almighty to restore my sight an thou art able.”  He answered not a word, but leaving me in miserable plight presently took the load to Bassorah, driving before him the fourscore camels laden with wealth.  I cried aloud and besought him to lead me with him away from the life destroying wilderness, or to put me on the path of some caravan, but he regarded not my cries and abandoned me there.—­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

          The end of the Six Hundred and Tenth Night.

Then said she:—­I have heard, O auspicious King, that Baba Abdullah the blind man resumed his story, saying:—­So when the Darwaysh departed from me, I had well nigh died of grief and wrath at the loss of my sight and of my riches, and from the pangs of thirst[FN#257] and hunger.  Next day by good fortune a caravan from Bassorah passed that way; and, seeing me in such a grievous condition, the merchants had compassion on me and made me travel with them to Baghdad.  Naught could I do save beg my bread in order to keep myself alive; so I became a mendicant and made this vow to Allah Almighty that, as a punishment for this my unlucky greed and cursed covetise, I would require a cuff upon my ear from everyone who might take pity on my case and give an alms.  On this wise it was that yesterday I pursued thee with such pertinacity.—­When the blind man made an end of his story the Caliph said, “O Baba Abdullah! thine offence was grievous; may Allah have mercy on thee therefor.  It now remaineth to thee to tell thy case to devotees and anchorites that they may offer up their potent prayers in thy behalf.  Take no thought for thy daily wants:  I have determined that for thy living thou shalt have a dole of four dirhams a day from my royal treasury according to thy need as long as thou mayest live.  But see that thou go no more to ask for alms about my city.”  So Baba Abdullah returned thanks to the Prince of True Believers, saying, “I will do according to thy bidding.”  Now when the Caliph Harun al-Rashid had heard the story of Baba Abdullah and the Darwaysh, he turned to and addressed the young man whom he had seen riding at fullest speed upon the mare and savagely lashing and ill-treating her.  “What is thy name?” quoth he, and quoth the youth, bowing his brow groundwards, “My name, O Commander of the Faithful, is Sidi Nu’uman."[FN#258]