obeyed； and disappeared heavily into the shadows； staring about them
anxiously at the feathery palms that clustered in this new and dark
country； and at the shrouded figures of Arabs who met them on the way。
The red brick floor was heaving gently； Domini thought。 She found
herself wondering how the cane chair by the small wardrobe kept its
footing； and why the cracked china basin in the iron washstand；
painted bright yellow； did not stir and rattle。 Her dressing…bag was
open。 She could see the silver backs and tops of the brushes and
bottles in it gleaming。 They made her think suddenly of England。 She
had no idea why。 But it was too warm for England。 There； in the autumn
time； an open window would let in a cold air； probably a biting blast。
The wooden shutter would be shaking。 There would be； perhaps； a sound
of rain。 And Domini found herself vaguely pitying England and the
people mewed up in it for the winter。 Yet how many winters she had
spent there； dreaming of liberty and doing dreary thingsthings
without savour； without meaning； without salvation for brain or soul。
Her mind was still dulled to a certain extent by the narcotic she had
taken。 She was a strong and active woman； with long limbs and well…
knit muscles； a clever fencer； a tireless swimmer； a fine horsewoman。
But to…night she felt almost neurotic； like one of the weak or
dissipated sisterhood for whom 〃rest cures〃 are invented； and by whom
bland doctors live。 That heaving red floor continually emphasised for
her her present feebleness。 She hated feebleness。 So she blew out the
candle and； with misplaced energy； strove resolutely to sleep。
Possibly her resolution defeated its object。 She continued in a
condition of dull and heavy wakefulness till the darkness became
intolerable to her。 In it she saw perpetually the long procession of
the pale recruits winding up the hill of Addouna with their bags and
bundles； like spectres on a way of dreams。 Finally she resolved to
accept a sleepless night。 She lit her candle again and saw that the
brick floor was no longer heaving。 Two of the books that she called
her 〃bed…books〃 lay within easy reach of her hand。 One was Newman's
/Dream of Gerontius/； the other a volume of the Badminton Library。 She
chose the former and began to read。
Towards two o'clock she heard a long…continued rustling。 At first she
supposed that her tired brain was still playing her tricks。 But the
rustling continued and grew louder。 It sounded like a noise coming
from something very wide； and spread out as a veil over an immense
surface。 She got up； walked across the floor to the open window and
unfastened the /persiennes/。 Heavy rain was falling。 The night was
very black； and smelt rich and damp； as if it held in its arms strange
offeringsa merchandise altogether foreign； tropical and alluring。 As
she stood there； face to face with a wonder that she could not see；
Domini forgot Newman。 She felt the brave companionship of mystery。 In
it she divined the beating pulses； the hot； surging blood of freedom。
She wanted freedom； a wide horizon； the great winds； the great sun；
the terrible spaces； the glowing； shimmering radiance； the hot；
entrancing moons and bloomy； purple nights of Africa。 She wanted the
nomad's fires and the acid voices of the Kabyle dogs。 She wanted the
roar of the tom…toms； the dash of the cymbals； the rattle of the
negroes' castanets； the fluttering； painted figures of the dancers。
She wantedmore than she could express； more than she knew。 It was
there； want； aching in her heart； as she drew into her nostrils this
strange and wealthy atmosphere。
When Domini returned to her bed she found it impossible to read any
more Newman。 The rain and the scents coming up out of the hidden earth
of Africa had carried her mind away； as if on a magic carpet。 She was
content now to lie awake in the dark。
Domini was thirty…two； unmarried； and in a singularly independent
some might have thought a singularly lonelysituation。 Her father；
Lord Rens； had recently died； leaving Domini； who was his only child；
a large fortune。 His life had been a curious and a tragic one。 Lady
Rens； Domini's mother； had been a great beauty of the gipsy type； the
daughter of a Hungarian mother and of Sir Henry Arlworth； one of the
most prominent and ardent English Catholics of his day。 A son of his
became a priest； and a famous preacher and writer on religious
subjects。 Another child； a daughter； took the veil。 Lady Rens； who was
not clever； although she was at one time almost universally considered
to have the face of a muse； shared in the family ardour for the
Church； but was far too fond of the world to leave it。 While she was
very young she met Lord Rens； a Lifeguardsman of twenty…six； who
called himself a Protestant； but who was really quite happy without
any faith。 He fell madly in love with her and； in order to marry her；
became a Catholic； and even a very devout one； aiding his wife's
Church by every means in his power； giving large sums to Catholic
charities； and working； with almost fiery zeal； for the spread of
Catholicism in England。
Unfortunately； his new faith was founded only on love for a human
being； and when Lady Rens； who was intensely passionate and impulsive；
suddenly threw all her principles to the winds； and ran away with a
Hungarian musician； who had made a furor one season in London by his
magnificent violin…playing； her husband； stricken in his soul； and
also wounded almost to the death in his pride； abandoned abruptly the
religion of the woman who had converted and betrayed him。
Domini was nineteen； and had recently been presented at Court when the
scandal of her mother's escapade shook the town； and changed her
father in a day from one of the happiest to one of the most cynical；
embittered and despairing of men。 She； who had been brought up by both
her parents as a Catholic； who had from her earliest years been
earnestly educated in the beauties of religion； was now exposed to the
almost frantic persuasions of a father who； hating all that he had
formerly loved； abandoning all that； influenced by his faithless wife；
he had formerly clung to； wished to carry his daughter with him into
his new and most miserable way of life。 But Domini； who； with much of
her mother's dark beauty； had inherited much of her quick vehemence
and passion； was also gifted with brains； and with a certain largeness
of temperament and clearness of insight which Lady Rens lacked。 Even
when she was still quivering under the shock and shame of her mother's
guilt and her own solitude； Domini was unable to share her father's
intensely egoistic view of the religion of the culprit。 She could not
be persuaded that the faith in which she had been brought up was
proved to be a sham because one of its professors； whom she had above
all others loved and trusted； had broken away from its teachings and
defied her own belief。 She would not secede with her father； but
remained in the Church of the mother she was never to see again； and
this in spite of extraordinary and dogged efforts on the part of Lord
Rens to pervert her to his own Atheism。 His mind had been so warped by
the agony of his heart that he had come to feel as if by tearing his
only child from the religion he had been led to by the greatest sinner
he had known； he would be； in some degree at least； purifying his life
tarnished by his wife's conduct； raising again a little way the pride
she had trampled in the dust。
Her uncle； Father Arlworth； helped Domini by his support and counsel
in this critical period of her life； and Lord Rens in time ceased from
the endeavour to carry his child with him as companion in his tragic
journey from love and belief to hatred and denial。 He turned to the
violent occupations of despair； and the last years of his life were
hideous enough； as the world knew and Domini sometimes suspected。 But
though Domini had resisted him she was not unmoved or wholly
uninfluenced by her mother's desertion and its effect upon her father。
She remained a Catholic； but she gradually ceased from being a devout
one。 Although she had seemed to stand firm she had in truth been
shaken； if not in her belief； in a more precious thingher love。 She
complied with the ordinances； but felt little of the inner beauty of
her faith。 The effort she had made in withstanding her father's
assault upon it had exhausted her。 Though she had had the strength to
triumph； at the moment； a partial and secret collapse was the price
she had afterwards to pay。 Father Arlworth； who had a subtle
understanding of human nature； noticed that Domini was changed and
slightly hardened by the tragedy she had known； and was not surprised
or shocked。 Nor did he attempt to force her character back into its
former way of beauty。 He knew that to do so would be dangerous； that
Domini's nature required peace in which to become absolutely normal
once again after the shock it had sustained。
When Domini was twenty…one he died； and her safest guide； the one who
understood her best； went from her。 The years passed。 She lived with
her embittered father； and drifted into the unthinking worldliness of
the life of her order。 Her home