Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/336

306 when I told her what had befallen us, she failed me not in aught, but said, “Seek of me all thou needest.”’ ‘Since thou hast this,’ rejoined her husband, ‘I will betake myself to a place I have in my mind; peradventure God the Most High will bring us relief.’

So saying, he took leave of her and kissing the children, went out, not knowing whither he should go, and walked on till he came to Boulac, where he saw a ship about to sail for Damietta. Here he met a man, between whom and his father there had been friendship; and he saluted him and said to him, ‘Whither away?’ ‘To Damietta,’ replied Ali; ‘I have friends there, whom I would fain enquire after and visit and return.’ The man took him home and entreated him hospitably, then, furnishing him with victual [for the voyage] and giving him somewhat of money, embarked him on board the vessel bound for Damietta. When they reached that place, Ali landed, not knowing where to go, but, as he was walking along, a merchant saw him and had pity on him. So he carried him to his house, where he abode awhile, till he said in himself, ‘How long shall this sojourning in other folks’ houses last?’ Then he left the merchant’s house and went down to the quay, where he saw a ship ready to sail for Syria. His host provided him with victual and embarked him in the ship; and it set sail and arrived, in due course, at the coast of Syria, where he landed and journeyed till he entered Damascus. As he walked about the town, a benevolent man saw him and took him to his house, where he abode awhile, till, one day, going abroad, he saw a caravan about to start for Baghdad and bethought himself to journey thither with it. So he returned to his host and taking leave of him, set out with the caravan.

Now God (blessed and exalted be He) inclined to him the heart of one of the merchants, so that he took him