voice：
〃I keep no fast days。〃
The words sounded like a defiance flung at the two Catholics； and for
a moment Domini thought that Father Roubier was going to treat them as
a challenge； for he lifted his head and there was a flash of sudden
fire in his eyes。 But he only said； turning to the Count：
〃I think Mademoiselle and I shall find our little Ramadan a very easy
business。 I once breakfasted with you on a Fridaytwo years ago it
was； I thinkand I have not forgotten the banquet you gave me。〃
Domini felt as if the priest had snubbed Androvsky； as a saint might
snub； without knowing that he did so。 She was angry with Androvsky；
and yet she was full of pity for him。 Why could he not meet courtesy
with graciousness？ There was something almost inhuman in his
demeanour。 To…day he had returned to his worst self； to the man who
had twice treated her with brutal rudeness。
〃Do the Arabs really keep Ramadan strictly？〃 she asked； looking away
from Androvsky。
〃Very；〃 said Father Roubier。 〃Although； of course； I am not in
sympathy with their religion； I have often been moved by their
adherence to its rules。 There is something very grand in the human
heart deliberately taking upon itself the yoke of discipline。〃
〃Islamthe very word means the surrender of the human will to the
will of God；〃 said Count Anteoni。 〃That word and its meaning lie like
the shadow of a commanding hand on the soul of every Arab； even of the
absinthe…drinking renegades one sees here and there who have caught
the vices of their conquerors。 In the greatest scoundrel that the
Prophet's robe covers there is an abiding and acute sense of necessary
surrender。 The Arabs； at any rate； do not buzz against their Creator；
like midges raging at the sun in whose beams they are dancing。〃
〃No；〃 assented the priest。 〃At least in that respect they are superior
to many who call themselves Christians。 Their pride is immense； but it
never makes itself ridiculous。〃
〃You mean by trying to defy the Divine Will？〃 said Domini。
〃Exactly； Mademoiselle。〃
She thought of her dead father。
The servants stole round the table； handing various dishes
noiselessly。 One of them； at this moment； poured red wine into
Androvsky's glass。 He uttered a low exclamation that sounded like the
beginning of a protest hastily checked。
〃You prefer white wine？〃 said Count Anteoni。
〃No； thank you； Monsieur。〃
He lifted the glass to his lips and drained it。
〃Are you a judge of wine？〃 added the Count。 〃That is made from my own
grapes。 I have vineyards near Tunis。〃
〃It is excellent；〃 said Androvsky。
Domini noticed that he spoke in a louder voice than usual； as if he
were making a determined effort to throw off the uneasiness that
evidently oppressed him。 He ate heartily； choosing almost
ostentatiously dishes in which there was meat。 But everything that he
did； even this eating of meat； gave her the impression that he was
subtly； how she did not knowdefying not only the priest； but
himself。 Now and then she glanced across at him； and when she did so
he was always looking away from her。 After praising the wine he had
relapsed into silence； and Count Anteonishe thought moved by a very
delicate sense of tactdid not directly address him again just then；
but resumed the interrupted conversation about the Arabs； first
explaining that the servants understood no French。 He discussed them
with a minute knowledge that evidently sprang from a very real
affection； and presently she could not help alluding to this。
〃I think you love the Arabs far more than any Europeans；〃 she said。
He fixed his bright eyes upon her； and she thought that just then they
looked brighter than ever before。
〃Why？〃 he asked quietly。
〃Do you know the sound that comes into the voice of a lover of
children when it speaks of a child？〃
〃Ah！the note of a deep indulgence？〃
〃I hear it in yours whenever you speak of the Arabs。〃
She spoke half jestingly。 For a moment he did not reply。 Then he said
to the priest：
〃You have lived long in Africa； Father。 Have not you something of the
same feeling towards these children of the sun？〃
〃Yes； and I have noticed it in our dead Cardinal。〃
〃Cardinal Lavigerie。〃
Androvsky bent over his plate。 He seemed suddenly to withdraw his mind
forcibly from this conversation in which he was taking no active part；
as if he refused even to listen to it。
〃He is your hero； I know；〃 the Count said sympathetically。
〃He did a great deal for me。〃
〃And for Africa。 And he was wise。〃
〃You mean in some special way？〃 Domini said。
〃Yes。 He looked deep enough into the dark souls of the desert men to
find out that his success with them must come chiefly through his
goodness to their dark bodies。 You aren't shocked； Father？〃
〃No； no。 There is truth in that。〃
But the priest assented rather sadly。
〃Mahomet thought too much of the body；〃 he added。
Domini saw the Count compress his lips。 Then he turned to Androvsky
and said：
〃Do you think so； Monsieur？〃
It was a definite； a resolute attempt to draw his guest into the
conversation。 Androvsky could not ignore it。 He looked up reluctantly
from his plate。 His eyes met Domini's； but immediately travelled away
from them。
〃I doubt〃 he said。
He paused； laid his hands on the table； clasping its edge； and
continued firmly； even with a sort of hard violence：
〃I doubt if most good men； or men who want to be good； think enough
about the body； consider it enough。 I have thought that。 I think it
still。〃
As he finished he stared at the priest； almost menacingly。 Then； as if
moved by an after…thought； he added：
〃As to Mahomet； I know very little about him。 But perhaps he obtained
his great influence by recognising that the bodies of men are of great
importance； of tremendoustremendous importance。〃
Domini saw that the interest of Count Anteoni in his guest was
suddenly and vitally aroused by what he had just said； perhaps even
more by his peculiar way of saying it； as if it were forced from him
by some secret； irresistible compulsion。 And the Count's interest
seemed to take hands with her interest； which had had a much longer
existence。 Father Roubier； however； broke in with a slightly cold：
〃It is a very dangerous thing； I think； to dwell upon the importance
of the perishable。 One runs the risk of detracting from the much
greater importance of the imperishable。〃
〃Yet it's the starved wolves that devour the villages；〃 said
Androvsky。
For the first time Domini felt his Russian origin。 There was a
silence。 Father Roubier looked straight before him； but Count
Anteoni's eyes were fixed piercingly upon Androvsky。 At last he said：
〃May I ask； Monsieur； if you are a Russian？〃
〃My father was。 But I have never set foot in Russia。〃
〃The soul that I find in the art； music； literature of your country
is； to me； the most interesting soul in Europe；〃 the Count said with a
ring of deep earnestness in his grating voice。
Spoken as he spoke it； no compliment could have been more gracious；
even moving。 But Androvsky only replied abruptly：
〃I'm afraid I know nothing of all that。〃
Domini felt hot with a sort of shame； as at a close friend's public
display of ignorance。 She began to speak to the Count of Russian
music； books； with an enthusiasm that was sincere。 For she； too； had
found in the soul from the Steppes a meaning and a magic that had
taken her soul prisoner。 And suddenly； while she talked； she thought
of the Desert as the burning brother of the frigid Steppes。 Was it the
wonder of the eternal flats that had spoken to her inmost heart
sometimes in London concert…rooms； in her room at night when she read；
forgetting time； which spoke to her now more fiercely under the palms
of Africa？ At the thought something mystic seemed to stand in her
enthusiasm。 The mystery of space floated about her。 But she did not
express her thought。 Count Anteoni expressed it for her。
〃The Steppes and the Desert are akin； you know；〃 he said。 〃Despite the
opposition of frost and fire。〃
〃Just what I was thinking！〃 she exclaimed。 〃That must be why〃
She stopped short。
〃Yes？〃 said the Count。
Both Father Roubier and Androvsky looked at her with expectancy。 But
she did not continue her sentence； and her failure to do so was
covered； or at the least excused； by a diversion that secretly she
blessed。 At this moment； from the ante…room； there came a sound of
African music； both soft and barbarous。 First there was only one
reiterated liquid note； clear and glassy； a note that suggested night
in a remote place。 Then； beneath it； as foundation to it； rose a
rustling sound as of a forest of reeds through which a breeze went
rhythmically。 Into this stole the broken song of a thin instrument
with a timbre rustic and antique as the timbre of the oboe； but
fainter； frailer。 A twang of softly…plucked strings supported its wild
and pathetic utterance； and presently the almost stifled throb of a
little tomtom that must have been placed at a distance。 It was like a
beating heart。
The Count and his guests sat listening in silence。 Domini began to
feel curiously expectant； yet she did not recognise the odd melody。
Her sensation wa