Who is Sarhan al-Beheiry from Miramar and what is their importance?

Sarhan al-Beheiry is the fourth narrator and third boarder to take a room at Mme. Mariana's Miramar Pension. He is descirbed as a dark, solid peasant with piercing eyes and an irritating rural accent. Employed as the deputy head accountant at the Alexandria Textile Mills, he lived with Safeya Barakat before becoming mesmerized by Zohra Salama, a beautiful peasant woman. Sarhan has visions of winning her over and enjoying virginal love with her. He lies to Safeya, who wants to get married, about having to move out because of his career. He then happily moves into the Miramar and begins flirting with Zohra, while continuing for a while his visits to Safeya, pretending to be miserable without her.