On this fatal accident, he came to himself, and perceiving that he had brought misfortune upon himself by his insupportable pride, beat his face, tore his clothes, and cried so loud, that the neighbours came about him; and the people, who were going to their noon prayers, stopped to know what was the matter.  Being on a Friday, more people went to prayers than usual; some of them took pity on Alnaschar, and others only laughed at his extravagance.  In the mean time, his vanity being dispersed with his property, he bitterly bewailed his loss; and a lady of rank passing by upon a mule richly caparisoned, my brother’s situation moved her compassion.  She asked who he was, and what he cried for?  They told her, that he was a poor man, who had laid out the little money he possessed in the purchase of a basket of glassware, that the basket had fallen, and all his glasses were broken.  The lady immediately turned to an eunuch who attended her, and said to him, “Give the poor man what you have about you.”  The eunuch obeyed, and put into my brother’s hands a purse with five hundred pieces of gold.  Alnaschar was ready to die with joy when he received it.  He gave a thousand blessings to the lady, and shutting up his shop, where he had no more occasion to sit, went to his house.

While he was pondering over his good luck, he heard somebody knock at his door.  Before he opened, he asked who it was, and knowing by the voice that it was a woman, he let her in.  “My son,” said she, “I have a favour to beg of you:  the hour of prayer is come, let me perform my ablutions in your house, that I may be fit to say my prayers.”  My brother looking at her, and seeing that she was well advanced in years, though he knew her not, granted her request, and sat down again still full of his new adventure.  He put his gold in a long strait purse, proper to carry at his girdle.  The old woman in the mean time said her prayers, and when she had done, came to my brother and bowed twice to the ground, so low, that she touched it with her forehead:  then rising up, she wished him all happiness.

The old woman then bowed again, and thanked him for his civility.  Being meanly clad, and very humble, he thought she asked alms; upon which he offered her two pieces of gold.  The old woman stepped back in a sort of surprise, as if my brother had affronted her.  “Good God!” said she, “what is the meaning of this?  Is it possible, sir, that you took me for one of those impudent beggars who push into people’s houses to ask alms?  Take back your money:  thank heaven, I need it not.  I belong to a young lady of this city, who is a perfect beauty, and very rich; she lets me want for nothing.”