dancing…girls。 Smain！〃
He blew his silver whistle。 Instantly Smain came out of the villa
carrying a money…bag。 The Count took it and weighed it in his hand；
looking at Domini with the joyous expression still upon his face。
〃Have you ever made a thank…offering？〃 he said。
〃No。〃
〃That tells me something。 Well； to…day I wish to make a thank…offering
to the desert。〃
〃What has it done for you？〃
〃Who knows？ Who knows？〃
He laughed aloud； almost like a boy。 Androvsky glanced at him with a
sort of wondering envy。
〃And I want you to share in my little distribution；〃 he added。 〃And
you； Monsieur； if you don't mind。 There are moments when Open the
gate； Smain！〃
His ardour was infectious and Domini felt stirred by it to a sudden
sense of the joy of life。 She looked at Androvsky； to include him in
the rigour of gaiety which swept from the Count to her； and found him
staring apprehensively at the Count； who was now loosening the string
of the bag。 Smain had reached the gate。 He lifted the bar of wood and
opened it。 Instantly a crowd of dark faces and turbaned heads were
thrust through the tall aperture； a multitude of dusky hands fluttered
frantically； and the cry of eager voices； saluting； begging； calling
down blessings； relating troubles； shrieking wants； proclaiming
virtues and necessities； rose into an almost deafening uproar。 But not
a foot was lifted over the lintel to press the sunlit sand。 The
Count's pensioners might be clamorous； but they knew what they might
not do。 As he saw them the wrinkles in his face deepened and his
fingers quickened to achieve their purpose。
〃My pensioners are very hungry to…day； and； as you see； they don't
mind saying so。 Hark at Bel Cassem！〃
The tomtom and the shriek that went with it made it a fierce
crescendo。
〃That means he is starvingthe old hypocrite！ Aren't they like the
wolves in your Russia； Monsieur？ But we must feed them。 We mustn't let
them devour our Beni…Mora。 That's it！〃
He threw the string on to the sand； plunged his hand into the bag and
brought it out full of copper coins。 The mouths opened wider； the
hands waved more frantically； and all the dark eyes gleamed with the
light of greed。
〃Will you help me？〃 he said to Domini。
〃Of course。 What fun！〃
Her eyes were gleaming too； but with the dancing fires of a gay
impulse of generosity which made her wish that the bag contained her
money。 He filled her hands with coins。
〃Choose whom you will。 And now； Monsieur！〃
For the moment he was so boyishly concentrated on the immediate
present that he had ceased to observe whether the whim of others
jumped with his own。 Otherwise he must have been struck by Androvsky's
marked discomfort； which indeed almost amounted to agitation。 The
sight of the throng of Arabs at the gateway； the clamour of their
voices； evidently roused within him something akin to fear。 He looked
at them with distaste； and had drawn back several steps upon the sand；
and now； as the Count held out to him a hand filled with money； he
made no motion to take it； and half turned as if he thought of
retreating into the recesses of the garden。
〃Here； Monsieur！ here！〃 exclaimed the Count； with his eyes on the
crowd； towards which Domini was walking with a sort of mischievous
slowness； to whet those appetites already so voracious。
Androvsky set his teeth and took the money； dropping one or two pieces
on the ground。 For a moment the Count seemed doubtful of his guest's
participation in his own lively mood。
〃Is this boring you？〃 he asked。 〃Because if so〃
〃No； no； Monsieur； not at all！ What am I to do？〃
〃Those hands will tell you。〃
The clamour grew more exigent。
〃And when you want more come to me！〃
Then he called out in Arabic； 〃Gently！ Gently！〃 as the vehement
scuffling seemed about to degenerate into actual fighting at Domini's
approach； and hurried forward； followed more slowly by Androvsky。
Smain； from whose velvety eyes the dreams were not banished by the
uproar； stood languidly by the porter's tent； gazing at Androvsky。
Something in the demeanour of the new visitor seemed to attract him。
Domini； meanwhile； had reached the gateway。 Gently； with a capricious
deftness and all a woman's passion for personal choice； she dropped
the bits of money into the hands belonging to the faces that attracted
her； disregarding the bellowings of those passed over。 The light from
all these gleaming eyes made her feel warm； the clamour that poured
from these brown throats excited her。 When her fingers were empty she
touched the Count's arm eagerly。
〃More； more； please！〃
〃Ecco； Signora。〃
He held out to her the bag。 She plunged her hands into it and came
nearer to the gate； both hands full of money and held high above her
head。 The Arabs leapt up at her like dogs at a bone； and for a moment
she waited； laughing with all her heart。 Then she made a movement to
throw the money over the heads of the near ones to the unfortunates
who were dancing and shrieking on the outskirts of the mob。 But
suddenly her hands dropped and she uttered a startled exclamation。
The sand…diviner of the red bazaar； slipping like a reptile under the
waving arms and between the furious bodies of the beggars； stood up
before her with a smile on his wounded face； stretched out to her his
emaciated hands with a fawning； yet half satirical； gesture of desire。
CHAPTER XII
The money dropped from Domini's fingers and rolled upon the sand at
the Diviner's feet。 But though he had surely come to ask for alms； he
took no heed of it。 While the Arabs round him fell upon their knees
and fought like animals for the plunder； he stood gaping at Domini。
The smile still flickered about his lips。 His hand was still stretched
out。
Instinctively she had moved backwards。 Something that was like a
thrill of fear； mental； not physical； went through her； but she kept
her eyes steadily on his； as if； despite the fear； she fought against
him。
The contest of the beggars had become so passionate that Count
Anteoni's commands were forgotten。 Urged by the pressure from behind
those in the front scrambled or fell over the sacred threshold。 The
garden was invaded by a shrieking mob。 Smain ran forward； and the
autocrat that dwelt in the Count side by side with the benefactor
suddenly emerged。 He blew his whistle four times。 At each call a
stalwart Arab appeared。
〃Shut the gate！〃 he commanded sternly。
The attendants furiously repulsed the mob； using their fists and feet
without mercy。 In the twinkling of an eye the sand was cleared and
Smain had his hand upon the door to shut it。 But the Diviner stopped
him with a gesture； and in a fawning yet imperious voice called out
something to the Count。
The Count turned to Domini。
〃This is an interesting fellow。 Would you like to know him？〃
Her mind said no； yet her body assented。 For she bowed her head。 The
Count beckoned。 The Diviner stepped stealthily on to the sand with an
air of subtle triumph； and Smain swung forward the great leaf of palm
wood。
〃Wait！〃 the Count cried； as if suddenly recollecting something。 〃Where
is Monsieur Androvsky？〃
〃Isn't he？〃 Domini glanced round。 〃I don't know。〃
He went quickly to the door and looked out。 The Arabs； silent now and
respectful； crowded about him； salaaming。 He smiled at them kindly；
and spoke to one or two。 They answered gravely。 An old man with one
eye lifted his hand； in which was a tomtom of stretched goatskin； and
pointed towards the oasis； rapidly moving his toothless jaws。 The
Count stepped back into the garden； dismissed his pensioners with a
masterful wave of the hand； and himself shut the door。
〃Monsieur Androvsky has gonewithout saying good…bye；〃 he said。
Again Domini felt ashamed for Androvsky。
〃I don't think he likes my pensioners；〃 the Count added； in amused
voice； 〃or me。〃
〃I am sure〃 Domini began。
But he stopped her。
〃Miss Enfilden； in a world of lies I look to you for truth。〃
His manner chafed her； but his voice had a ring of earnestness。 She
said nothing。 All this time the Diviner was standing on the sand；
still smiling； but with downcast eyes。 His thin body looked satirical
and Domini felt a strong aversion from him； yet a strong interest in
him too。 Something in his appearance and manner suggested power and
mystery as well as cunning。 The Count said some words to him in
Arabic； and at once he walked forward and disappeared among the trees；
going so silently and smoothly that she seemed to watch a panther
gliding into the depths of a jungle where its prey lay hid。 She looked
at the Count interrogatively。
〃He will wait in the /fumoir/。〃
〃Where we first met？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What for？〃
〃For us； if you choose。〃
〃Tell me about him。 I have seen him twice。 He followed me with a bag
of sand。〃
〃He is a desert man。 I don't know his tribe； but before he settled
here he was a nomad； one of the wanderers who dwell in tents； a man of
the sand； as much of the sand as a viper or a scorpion。 One would
suppose such beings were bred by the marriage of the sand…grains。 The
sand tells him secrets。〃
〃He says。 Do you believe it？〃
〃Would you like to test it？〃
〃How？〃
〃By coming w