my companions and how
and how shall I shall I company with lepers."
company with lepers?" So I said to him, "I will
So I said to him, "I will bear no man company,"
bear no one company," and he was silent at my
and he was silent. words.

Next day I continued Next day I walked on
my journey alone, till I alone, till I came to
came to Acabeh, where Al-Akabah, where I entered
I entered the Mosque and the mosque and found the
was amazed to find the leper seated in the prayer
leper seated in the prayer- niche. So I said to myself,
niche. "Glory be to God," "Glory be to Allah!
said I in myself. "How how hath this fellow preceded
hath this fellow foregone me hither." But
me hither?" But he he raised his head to me
raised his eyes to me and said with a smile, "O
and said, smiling, "O, Abu al-Hasan, He doth
Aboulhusn, He doth for for the weak that which
the weak that which the surpriseth the strong!"
strong wonder at." I I passed that night confounded
passed that night in at what I had
perplexity, confounded at seen; and, as soon as
what I had seen, and in morning dawned, set out
the morning set out again again by myself; but
by myself; but when I when I came to Arafat
came to Arafat and entered and entered the mosque,
the mosque, behold, behold! there was the leper
there was the leper seated seated in the niche. So I
in the niche! So I threw threw myself upon him
myself upon him and kissing and kissing his feet said,
his feet, said, "O my "O my lord, I crave thy
lord, I crave thy company." company." But he answered,
But he said, "This may in no
"This may nowise be." way be." Then I began
Whereupon I fell a-weeping weeping and wailing at
and lamenting, and the loss of his company
he said: "Peace: weeping when he said, "Spare thy
will avail thee nothing," tears, which will avail thee
And he recited the naught!" and he recited
following verses: these couplets:

For my estrangement dost thou Why dost thou weep when I
weep,--whereas it came depart and thou didst parting
from thee,--And restoration claim; and cravest union
dost implore, when non