He played on with spirit, and in half an hour had earned in pence what was a small fortune to a destitute man.

他兴致勃勃地演奏着，半小时之内就赚了一大堆便士，这对一个一文不名的人来说，等于是一笔巨款。

youdao

A destitute man, if he is not supported by the parish, can only get relief at the casual wards, and as each casual ward will only admit him for one night, he is automatically kept moving.

一个赤贫者，教区不管的话，只能从临时收容所那里得到救济，而因为每间收容所都只允许他住一晚，他就自然而然不得不一直换地方。

youdao

But remember ladies, not too long ago, you would simply have been destitute and forced to depend on a man.

FORBES: The Right to Choose: Work and Motherhood