feel that I don't know。 He was quite unlike any ordinary man。〃
〃Would you care to see if you can recognise him？ These are really
marvellous glasses。〃
Domini took them from him with some eagerness。
〃Twist them about till they suit your eyes。〃
At first she could see nothing but a fierce yellow glare。 She turned
the screw and gradually the desert came to her； startlingly distinct。
The boulders of the river bed were enormous。 She could see the veins
of colour in them； a lizard running over one of them and disappearing
into a dark crevice； then the white tower and the Arabs beneath it。
One was an old man yawning； the other a boy。 He rubbed the tip of his
brown nose； and she saw the henna stains upon his nails。 She lifted
the glasses slowly and with precaution。 The tower ran away。 She came
to the low cliff； to the brown huts and the palms； passed them one by
one； and reached the last； which was separated from its companions。
Under it stood a tall Arab in a garment like a white night…shirt。
〃He looks as if he had only one eye！〃 she exclaimed。
〃The palm…tree manyes。〃
She travelled cautiously away from him； keeping the glasses level。
〃Ah！〃 she said on an indrawn breath。
As she spoke the thin； nasal cry of a distant voice broke upon her
ears； prolonging a strange call。
〃The Mueddin；〃 said Count Anteoni。
And he repeated in a low tone the words of the angel to the prophet：
〃Oh thou that art covered arise 。 。 。 and magnify thy Lord； and purify
thy clothes； and depart from uncleanness。〃
The call died away and was renewed three times。 The old man and the
boy beneath the tower turned their faces towards Mecca； fell upon
their knees and bowed their heads to the hot stones。 The tall Arab
under the palm sank down swiftly。 Domini kept the glasses at her eyes。
Through them； as in a sort of exaggerated vision； very far off； yet
intensely distinct； she saw the man with whom she had travelled in the
train。 He went to and fro； to and fro on the burning ground till the
fourth call of the Mueddin died away。 Then； as he approached the
isolated palm tree and saw the Arab beneath it fall to the earth and
bow his long body in prayer； he paused and stood still as if in
contemplation。 The glasses were so powerful that it was possible to
see the expressions on faces even at that distance。 The expression on
the traveller's face was； or seemed to be； at first one of profound
attention。 But this changed swiftly as he watched the bowing figure；
and was succeeded by a look of uneasiness； then of fierce disgust；
thensurelyof fear or horror。 He turned sharply away like a driven
man； and hurried off along the cliff edge in a striding walk；
quickening his steps each moment till his departure became a flight。
He disappeared behind a projection of earth where the path sank to the
river bed。
Domini laid the glasses down on the wall and looked at Count Anteoni。
〃You say an atheist in the desert is unimaginable？
〃Isn't it true？〃
〃Has an atheist a hatred； a horror of prayer？〃
〃Chi lo sa？ The devil shrank away from the lifted Cross。〃
〃Because he knew how much that was true it symbolised。〃
〃No doubt had it been otherwise he would have jeered； not cowered。 But
why do you ask me this question； Madame？〃
〃I have just seen a man flee from the sight of prayer。〃
〃Your fellow…traveller？〃
〃Yes。 It was horrible。〃
She gave him back the glasses。
〃They reveal that which should be hidden；〃 she said。
Count Anteoni took the glasses slowly from her hands。 As he bent to do
it he looked steadily at her； and she could not read the expression in
his eyes。
〃The desert is full of truth。 Is that what you mean？〃 he asked。
She made no reply。 Count Anteoni stretched out his hand to the shining
expanse before them。
〃The man who is afraid of prayer is unwise to set foot beyond the palm
trees；〃 he said。
〃Why unwise？〃
He answered her very gravely。
〃The Arabs have a saying： 'The desert is the garden of Allah。'〃
* * * * * *
Domini did not ascend the tower of the hotel that morning。 She had
seen enough for the moment； and did not wish to disturb her
impressions by adding to them。 So she walked back to the Hotel du
Desert with Batouch。
Count Anteoni had said good…bye to her at the door of the garden； and
had begged her to come again whenever she liked； and to spend as many
hours there as she pleased。
〃I shall take you at your word；〃 she said frankly。 〃I feel that I
may。〃
As they shook hands she gave him her card。 He took out his。 〃By the
way；〃 he said； 〃the big hotel you passed in coming here is mine。 I
built it to prevent a more hideous one being built； and let it to the
proprietor。 You might like to ascend the tower。 The view at sundown is
incomparable。 At present the hotel is shut； but the guardian will show
you everything if you give him my card。〃
He pencilled some words in Arabic on the back from right to left。
〃You write Arabic； too？〃 Domini said； watching the forming of the
pretty curves with interest。
〃Oh； yes； I am more than half African； though my father was a Sicilian
and my mother a Roman。〃
He gave her the card； took off his hat and bowed。 When the tall white
door was softly shut by Smain； Domini felt rather like a new Eve
expelled from Paradise； without an Adam as a companion in exile。
〃Well； Madame？〃 said Batouch。 〃Have I spoken the truth？〃
〃Yes。 No European garden can be so beautiful as that。 Now I am going
straight home。〃
She smiled to herself as she said the last word。
Outside the hotel they found Hadj looking ferocious。 He exchanged some
words with Batouch； accompanying them with violent gestures。 When he
had finished speaking he spat upon the ground。
〃What is the matter with him？〃 Domini asked。
〃The Monsieur who is staying here would not take him to…day； but went
into the desert alone。 Hadj wishes that the nomads may cut his throat；
and that his flesh may be eaten by jackals。 Hadj is sure that he is a
bad man and will come to a bad end。〃
〃Because he does not want a guide every day！ But neither shall I。〃
〃Madame is quite different。 I would give my life for Madame。〃
〃Don't do that； but go this afternoon and find me a horse。 I don't
want a quiet one； but something with devil； something that a Spahi
would like to ride。〃
The desert spirits were speaking to her body as well as to her mind。 A
physical audacity was stirring in her； and she longed to give it vent。
〃Madame is like the lion。 She is afraid of nothing。〃
〃You speak without knowing； Batouch。 Don't come for me this afternoon；
but bring round a horse； if you can find one； to…morrow morning。〃
〃This very evening I will〃
〃No； Batouch。 I said to…morrow morning。〃
She spoke with a quiet but inflexible decision which silenced him。
Then she gave him ten francs and went into the dark house； from which
the burning noonday sun was carefully excluded。 She intended to rest
after /dejeuner/； and towards sunset to go to the big hotel and mount
alone to the summit of the tower。
It was half…past twelve； and a faint rattle of knives and forks from
the /salle…a…manger/ told her that /dejeuner/ was ready。 She went
upstairs； washed her face and hands in cold water； stood still while
Suzanne shook the dust from her gown； and then descended to the public
room。 The keen air had given her an appetite。
The /salle…a…manger/ was large and shady； and was filled with small
tables； at only three of which were people sitting。 Four French
officers sat together at one。 A small； fat； perspiring man of middle
age； probably a commercial traveller； who had eyes like a melancholy
toad； was at another； eating olives with anxious rapidity； and wiping
his forehead perpetually with a dirty white handkerchief。 At the third
was the priest with whom Domini had spoken in the church。 His napkin
was tucked under his beard； and he was drinking soup as he bent well
over his plate。
A young Arab waiter； with a thin； dissipated face； stood near the door
in bright yellow slippers。 When Domini came in he stole forward to
show her to her table； making a soft； shuffling sound on the polished
wooden floor。 The priest glanced up over his napkin； rose and bowed。
The French officers stared with an interest they were too chivalrous
to attempt to conceal。 Only the fat little man was entirely
unconcerned。 He wiped his forehead； stuck his fork deftly into an
olive； and continued to look like a melancholy toad entangled by fate
in commercial pursuits。
Domini's table was by a window； across which green Venetian shutters
were drawn。 It was at a considerable distance from the other guests；
who did not live in the house； but came there each day for their
meals。 Near it she noticed a table laid for one person； and so
arranged that if he came to /dejeuner/ he would sit exactly opposite
to her。 She wondered if it was for the man at whom she had just been
looking through Count Anteoni's field…glasses； the man who had fled
from prayer in the 〃Garden of Allah。〃 As she glanced at the empty
chair standing before the knives and forks； and the white cloth； she
was uncertain whether she wished it to be filled by the traveller or
not。 She felt his presence