treated them splendidly every day; and in short, spared for no
sort of pleasure. But this course did not last long; for by the
time the year was out, I had got to the bottom of my box, and
then all my table-friends vanished. I made a visit to every one
of them successively, and represented to them the miserable
condition I was in, but none of them offered to relieve me. Upon
this I renounced their friendship, and retrenched so far, as to
live within the compass of my income, bound myself to keep
company with none but the first stranger I might meet with coming
every day into Bagdad, and to entertain him but one day and one
night. I have told you the rest before; and I thank my good
fortune this day for having met with a stranger of so much
worth."

The caliph was well satisfied with this information, and said to
Abou Hassan, "I cannot enough commend the measures you have
taken, and the prudence with which you have acted, by forsaking
your debauchery; a conduct rarely to be met with in young
persons; and I esteem you the more for being steady to your
resolution. It was a slippery path you trod in, and I cannot but
admire your self-command, that, after having seen the end of your
ready money, you could so far refrain as not to enter upon your
rents, or even your estate. In short, I must own, I envy your
situation. You are the happiest man in the world, to enjoy every
day the company of some one with whom you can discourse freely
and agreeably, and to whom you give an opportunity to declare,
wherever he goes, how handsome he was received by you. But we
talk too long without drinking; come, drink, and pour out a glass
for me."