Madame？〃 he added in a more formal voice。
〃Thank you；〃 said Domini； who had already got up； moved by the
examining look cast at her。
There was nothing in it to resent； and she had not resented it； but it
had recalled her to the consciousness that they were utter strangers
to each other。
As they came out on the pale riband of sand which circled the little
room Domini said：
〃How wild and extraordinary that tune is！〃
〃Larbi's。 I suppose it is； but no African music seems strange to me。 I
was born on my father's estate； near Tunis。 He was a Sicilian； but
came to North Africa each winter。 I have always heard the tomtoms and
the pipes； and I know nearly all the desert songs of the nomads。〃
〃This is a love…song； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 Larbi is always in love； they tell me。 Each new dancer catches
him in her net。 Happy Larbi！〃
〃Because he can love so easily？〃
〃Or unlove so easily。 Look at him； Madame。〃
At a little distance； under a big banana tree； and half hidden by
clumps of scarlet geraniums； Domini saw a huge and very ugly Arab；
with an almost black skin； squatting on his heels； with a long yellow
and red flute between his thick lips。 His eyes were bent down； and he
did not see them； but went on busily playing； drawing from his flute
coquettish phrases with his big and bony fingers。
〃And I pay him so much a week all the year round for doing that；〃 the
Count said。
His grating voice sounded kind and amused。 They walked on； and Larbi's
tune died gradually away。
〃Somehow I can't be angry with the follies and vices of the Arabs；〃
the Count continued。 〃I love them as they are； idle； absurdly amorous；
quick to shed blood； gay as children； whimsical aswell； Madame； were
I talking to a man I might dare to say pretty women。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃I will； then。 I glory in their ingrained contempt of civilisation。
But I like them to say their prayers five times in the day as it is
commanded； and no Arab who touches alcohol in defiance of the
Prophet's law sets foot in my garden。〃
There was a touch of harshness in his voice as he said the last words；
the sound of the autocrat。 Somehow Domini liked it。 This man had
convictions； and strong ones。 That was certain。 There was something
oddly unconventional in him which something in her responded to。 He
was perfectly polite； and yet； she was quite sure； absolutely careless
of opinion。 Certainly he was very much a man。
〃It is pleasant； too；〃 he resumed； after a slight pause； 〃to be
surrounded by absolutely thoughtless people with thoughtful faces and
mysterious eyeswells without truth at the bottom of them。〃
She laughed。
〃No one must think here but you！〃
〃I prefer to keep all the folly to myself。 Is not that a grand
cocoanut？〃
He pointed to a tree so tall that it seemed soaring to heaven。
〃Yes； indeed。 Like the one that presides over the purple dog。〃
〃You have seen my fetish？〃
〃Smain showed him to me； with reverence。〃
〃Oh； he is king here。 The Arabs declare that on moonlight nights they
have heard him joining in the chorus of the Kabyle dogs。〃
〃You speak almost as if you believed it。〃
〃Well； I believe more here than I believe anywhere else。 That is
partly why I come here。〃
〃I can understand thatI mean believing much here。〃
〃What！ Already you feel the spell of Beni…Mora； the desert spell！ Yes；
there is enchantment hereand so I never stay too long。〃
〃For fear of what？〃
Count Anteoni was walking easily beside her。 He walked from the hips；
like many Sicilians； swaying very slightly； as if he liked to be aware
how supple his body still was。 As Domini spoke he stopped。 They were
now at a place where four paths joined； and could see four vistas of
green and gold； of magical sunlight and shadow。
〃I scarcely know； of being carried who knows wherein mind or heart。
Oh； there is danger in Beni…Mora； Madame； there is danger。 This
startling air is full of influences； of desert spirits。〃
He looked at her in a way she could not understandbut it made her
think of the perfume…seller in his little dark room； and of the sudden
sensation she had had that mystery coils； like a black serpent； in the
shining heart of the East。
〃And now； Madame； which path shall we take？ This one leads to my
drawing…room； that on the right to the Moorish bath。〃
〃And that？〃
〃That one goes straight down to the wall that overlooks the Sahara。〃
〃Please let us take it。〃
〃The desert spirits are calling to you？ But you are wise。 What makes
this garden remarkable is not its arrangement； the number and variety
of its trees； but the fact that it lies flush with the Saharalike a
man's thoughts of truth with Truth； perhaps。〃
He turned up the tail of the sentence and his harsh voice gave a
little grating crack。
〃I don't believe they are so different from one another as the garden
and the desert。〃
She looked at him directly。
〃It would be too ironical。〃
〃But nothing is；〃 the Count said。
〃You have discovered that in this garden？〃
〃Ah； it is new to you； Madame！〃
For the first time there was a sound of faint bitterness in his voice。
〃One often discovers the saddest thing in the loveliest place；〃 he
added。 〃There you begin to see the desert。〃
Far away； at the small orifice of the tunnel of trees down which they
were walking； appeared a glaring patch of fierce and quivering
sunlight。
〃I can only see the sun；〃 Domini said。
〃I know so well what it hides that I imagine I actually see the
desert。 One loves one's kind； assiduous liar。 Isn't it so？〃
〃The imagination？ But perhaps I am not disposed to allow that it is a
liar。〃
〃Who knows？ You may be right。〃
He looked at her kindly with his bright eyes。 It had not seem to
strike him that their conversation was curiously intimate； considering
that they were strangers to one another； that he did not even know her
name。 Domini wondered suddenly how old he was。 That look made him seem
much older than he had seemed before。 There was such an expression in
his eyes as may sometimes be seen in eyes that look at a child who is
kissing a rag doll with deep and determined affection。 〃Kiss your
doll！〃 they seemed to say。 〃Put off the years when you must know that
dolls can never return a kiss。〃
〃I begin to see the desert now；〃 Domini said after a moment of
silent walking。 〃How wonderful it is！〃
〃Yes； it is。 The most wonderful thing in Nature。 You will think it
much more wonderful when you fancy you know it well。〃
〃Fancy！〃
〃I don't think anyone can ever really know the desert。 It is the thing
that keeps calling； and does not permit one to draw near。〃
〃But then； one might learn to hate it。〃
〃I don't think so。 Truth does just the same； you know。 And yet men
keep on trying to draw near。〃
〃But sometimes they succeed。〃
〃Do they？ Not when they live in gardens。〃
He laughed for the first time since they had been together； and all
his face was covered with a network of little moving lines。
〃One should never live in a garden； Madame。〃
〃I will try to take your word for it； but the task will be difficult。〃
〃Yes？ More difficult； perhaps； when you see what lies beside my
thoughts of truth。〃
As he spoke they came out from the tunnel and were seized by the
fierce hands of the sun。 It was within half an hour of noon； and the
radiance was blinding。 Domini put up her parasol sharply； like one
startled。 She stopped。
〃But how tremendous！〃 she exclaimed。
Count Anteoni laughed again； and drew down the brim of his grey hat
over his eyes。 The hand with which he did it was almost as burnt as an
Arab's。
〃You are afraid of it？〃
〃No； no。 But it startled me。 We don't know the sun really in Europe。〃
〃No。 Not even in Southern Italy； not even in Sicily。 It is fierce
there in summer； but it seems further away。 Here it insists on the
most intense intimacy。 If you can bear it we might sit down for a
moment？〃
〃Please。〃
All along the edge of the garden； from the villa to the boundary of
Count Anteoni's domain； ran a straight high wall made of earth bricks
hardened by the sun and topped by a coping of palm wood painted white。
This wall was some eight feet high on the side next to the desert； but
the garden was raised in such a way that the inner side was merely a
low parapet running along the sand path。 In this parapet were cut
small seats； like window…seats； in which one could rest and look full
upon the desert as from a little cliff。 Domini sat down on one of
them； and the Count stood by her； resting one foot on the top of the
wall and leaning his right arm on his knee。
〃There is the world on which I look for my hiding…place；〃 he said。 〃A
vast world； isn't it？〃
Domini nodded without speaking。
Immediately beneath them； in the narrow shadow of the wall； was a path
of earth and stones which turned off at the right at the end of the
garden into the oasis。 Beyond lay the vast river bed； a chaos of hot
boulders bounded by ragged low earth cliffs； interspersed here and
there with small pools of gleaming water。 These cliffs were yellow。
From their edge stretched the desert； as Eternity stretches from the
edge of Time。 Only to the left was the immeasurable expanse intruded
upon by a long spur