When she had ended her verse behold， somebody knocked at the door. So Nur al-Din rose to open it and one of his boon-companions followed him without being perceived.At the door he found his Steward and asked him，'What is the matter？'； and he answered，'O my lord， what I dreaded for thee hath come to pass！'
'How so？''Know that there remains not a dirham's worth， less or more in my hands. Here are my Daftars and account books showing both income and outlay and the registers of thine original property.'When Nur al-Din heard these words he bowed his head and said，'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah！'When the man who had followed him privily to spy on him heard the Steward's words， he returned to his friends and warned them saying，'Look ye well to what ye do： Nur al-Din is penniless；'and， as the young host came back to his guests， vexation showed itself in his face.Thereupon one of the intimates rose； and， looking at the entertainer， said to him，'O my lord， may be thou wilt give me leave to retire？''And why so early retirement this day？'； asked he and the other answered him，'My wife is in childbirth and I may not be absent from her：
indeed I must return and see how she does.'So he gave him leave， whereupon another rose and said，'O my lord Nur al-Din， I wish now to go to my brother's for he circumciseth his son to-day.'[26] In short each and every asked permission to retire on some pretence or other， till all the ten were gone leaving Nur al-Din alone.Then he called his slave-girl and said to her，'O Anis al-Jalis， hast thou seen what case is mine？'And he related to her what the Steward had told him.Then quoth she，'O my lord， for many nights I had it in my mind to speak with thee of this matter， but I heard thee repeating，'When the World heaps favours on thee， pass on Thy favours to friends ere her hand she stay：
Largesse never let her when fain she comes，Nor niggardise kept her from turning away！'
When I heard these verses I held my peace and cared not to exchange a word with thee.''O Anis al-Jalis，'said Nur al-Din，'thou knowest that I have not wasted my wealth save on my friends， especially these ten who have now left me a pauper， and I think they will not abandon and desert me without relief.''By Allah，'replied she，'they will not profit thee with aught of aid.'Said he，'I will rise at once and go to them and knock at their doors； it may be I shall get from them somewhat wherewith I may trade and leave pastime and pleasuring.'So he rose without stay or delay， and repaired to a street wherein all his ten friends lived.He went up to the nearest door and knocked；
whereupon a handmaid came out and asked him，'Who art thou？'； and he answered，'Tell thy master that Nur al-Din Ali standeth at the door and saith to him，'Thy slave kisseth thy hand and awaiteth thy bounty.''The girl went in and told her master， who cried at her，'Go back and say，'My master is not at home.''So she returned to Nur al-Din， and said to him，'O my lord， my master is out.'Thereupon he turned away and said to himself，'If this one be a whoreson knave and deny himself， another may not prove himself such knave and whoreson.'Then he went up to the next door and sent in a like message to the house-master， who denied himself as the first had done， whereupon he began repeating，'He is gone who when to his gate thou go'st，Fed thy famisht maw with his boiled and roast.'
When he had ended his verse he said，'By Allah， there is no help but that I make trial of them all： perchance there be one amongst them who will stand me in the stead of all the rest.'So he went the round of the ten， but not one of them would open his door to him or show himself or even break a bit of bread before him；
whereupon he recited，'Like a tree is he who in wealth doth wone，And while fruits he the folk to his fruit shall run：
But when bared the tree of what fruit it bare，They leave it to suffer from dust and sun.
Perdition to all of this age！I find Ten rogues for every righteous one.'
Then he returned to his slave-girl and his grief had grown more grievous and she said to him，'O my lord， did I not tell thee， none would profit thee with aught of aid？'And he replied，'By Allah， not one of them would show me his face or know me！''O my lord，'quoth she，'sell some of the moveables and household stuff， such as pots and pans， little by little； and expend the proceeds until Allah Almighty shall provide.'So he sold all of that was in the house till nothing remained when he turned to Anis al-Jalis and asked her'What shall we do now？'； and she answered，'O my lord， it is my advice that thou rise forthwith and take me down to the bazar and sell me.Thou knowest that they father bought me for ten thousand dinars： haply Allah may open thee a way to get the same price， and if it be His will to bring us once more together， we shall meet again.''O Anis al-Jalis，'cried he，'by Allah it is no light matter for me to be parted from thee for a single hour！''By Allah， O my lord，'she replied，'nor is it easy to me either， but Need hath its own law， as the poet said，'Need drives a man into devious roads，And pathways doubtful of trend and scope：
No man to a rope[27] will entrust his weight，Save for cause that calleth for case of rope.''
Thereupon he rose to his feet and took her，[28] whilst the tears rolled down his cheek like rain； and he recited with the tongue of the case these lines，'Stay！ grant one parting look before we part，Nerving my heart this severance to sustain：
But， an this parting deal thee pain and bane，Leave me to die of love and spare thee pain！'
Then he went down with her to the bazar and delivered her to the broker and said to him，'O Hajj Hasan，[29] I pray thee note the value of her thou hast to cry for sale.''O my lord Nur al-Din，'quoth the broker，'the fundamentals are remembered；'[30]
