relied on you； you see！〃
Breakfast for two was scattered upon the little smoking…tables；
coffee； eggs； rolls； fruit； sweetmeats。 And everywhere sprigs of
orange blossom filled the cool air with delicate sweetness。
〃How delicious！〃 she exclaimed。 〃A breakfast here！ Butno； not
there！〃
〃Why not？〃
〃That is exactly where he was。〃
〃Aloui！ How superstitious you are！〃
He moved her table。 She sat down near the doorway and poured out
coffee for them both。
〃You look workmanlike。〃
She glanced at his riding…dress and long whip。 Smoked glasses hung
across his chest by a thin cord。
〃I shall have some hard riding； but I'm tough； though you may not
think it。 I've covered many a league of my friend in bygone years。〃
He tapped an eggshell smartly； and began to eat with appetite。
〃How gravely gay you are！〃 she said； lifting the steaming coffee to
her lips。 He smiled。
〃Yes。 To…day I am happy； as a pious man is happy when after a long
illness； he goes once more to church。〃
〃The desert seems to be everything to you。〃
〃I feel that I am going out to freedom； to more than freedom。〃 He
stretched out his arms above his head。
〃Yet you have stayed always in this garden all these days。〃
〃I was waiting for my summons； as you will wait for yours。〃
〃What summons could I have？〃
〃It will come！〃 he said with conviction。 〃It will come！〃 She was
silent； thinking of the diviner's vision in the sand； of the caravan
of camels disappearing in the storm towards the south。 Presently she
asked him：
〃Are you ever coming back？〃
He looked at her in surprise； then laughed。
〃Of course。 What are you thinking？〃
〃That perhaps you will not come back； that perhaps the desert will
keep you。〃
〃And my garden？〃
She looked out across the tiny sand…path and the running rill of water
to the great trees stirred by the cool breeze of dawn。
〃It would miss you。〃
After a moment； during which his bright eyes followed hers； he said：
〃Do you know； I have a great belief in the intuitions of good women？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃An almost fanatical belief。 Will you answer me a question at once；
without consideration； without any time for thought？〃
〃If you ask me to。〃
〃I do ask you。〃
〃Then？〃
〃Do you see me in this garden any more？〃
A voice answered：
〃No。〃
It was her own； yet it seemed another's voice； with which she had
nothing to do。
A great feeling of sorrow swept over her as she heard it。
〃Do come back！〃 she said。
The Count had got up。 The brightness of his eyes was obscured。
〃If not here； we shall meet again；〃 he said slowly。
〃Where？〃
〃In the desert。〃
〃Did the Diviner？ No； don't tell me。〃
She got up too。
〃It is time for you to start？〃
〃Nearly。〃
A sort of constraint had settled over them。 She felt it painfully for
a moment。 Did it proceed from something in his mind or in hers？ She
could not tell。 They walked slowly down one of the little paths and
presently found themselves before the room in which sat the purple
dog。
〃If I am never to come back I must say good…bye to him；〃 the Count
said。
〃But you will come back。〃
〃That voice said 'No。'〃
〃It was a lying voice。〃
〃Perhaps。〃
They looked in at the window and met the ferocious eyes of the dog。
〃And if I never come back will he bay the moon for his old master？〃
said the Count with a whimsical； yet sad； smile。 〃I put him here。 And
will these trees； many of which I planted； whisper a regret？ Absurd；
isn't it； Miss Enfilden？ I never can feel that the growing things in
my garden do not know me as I know them。〃
〃Someone will regret you if〃
〃Will you？ Will you really？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I believe it。〃
He looked at her。 She could see； by the expression of his eyes； that
he was on the point of saying something； but was held back by some
fighting sensation； perhaps by some reserve。
〃What is it？〃
〃May I speak frankly to you without offence？〃 he asked。 〃I am really
rather old； you know。〃
〃Do speak。〃
〃That guest of mine yesterday〃
〃Monsieur Androvsky？〃
〃Yes。 He interested me enormously； profoundly。〃
〃Really！ Yet he was at his worst yesterday。〃
〃Perhaps that was why。 At any rate； he interested me more than any man
I have seen for years。 But〃 He paused； looking in at the little
chamber where the dog kept guard。
〃But my interest was complicated by a feeling that I was face to face
with a human being who was at odds with life； with himself； even with
his Creatora man who had done what the Arabs never dodefied Allah
in Allah's garden。〃
〃Oh！〃
She uttered a little exclamation of pain。 It seemed to her that he was
gathering up and was expressing scattered； half formless thoughts of
hers。
〃You know；〃 he continued； looking more steadily into the room of the
dog； 〃that in Algeria there is a floating population composed of many
mixed elements。 I could tell you strange stories of tragedies that
have occurred in this land； even here in Beni…Mora； tragedies of
violence； of greed； oftragedies that were not brought about by
Arabs。〃
He turned suddenly and looked right into her eyes。
〃But why am I saying all this？〃 he suddenly exclaimed。 〃What is
written is written； and such women as you are guarded。〃
〃Guarded？ By whom？〃
〃By their own souls。〃
〃I am not afraid；〃 she said quietly。
〃Need you tell me that？ Miss Enfilden； I scarcely know why I have said
even as little as I have said。 For I am； as you know； a fatalist。 But
certain people； very few； so awaken our regard that they make us
forget our own convictions； and might even lead us to try to tamper
with the designs of the Almighty。 Whatever is to be for you； you will
be able to endure。 That I know。 Why should I； or anyone； seek to know
more for you？ But still there are moments in which the bravest want a
human hand to help them； a human voice to comfort them。 In the desert；
wherever I may beand I shall tell youI am at your service。〃
〃Thank you；〃 she said simply。
She gave him her hand。 He held it almost as a father or a guardian
might have held it。
〃And this garden is yours day and nightSmain knows。〃
〃Thank you；〃 she said again。
The shrill whinnying of a horse came to them from a distance。 Their
hands fell apart。 Count Anteoni looked round him slowly at the great
cocoanut tree； at the shaggy grass of the lawn； at the tall bamboos
and the drooping mulberry trees。 She saw that he was taking a silent
farewell of them。
〃This was a waste；〃 he said at last with a half…stifled sigh。 〃I
turned it into a little Eden and now I am leaving it。〃
〃For a time。〃
〃And if it were for ever？ Well； the great thing is to let the waste
within one be turned into an Eden； if that is possible。 And yet how
many human beings strive against the great Gardener。 At any rate I
will not be one of them。〃
〃And I will not be one。〃
〃Shall we say good…bye here？〃
〃No。 Let us say it from the wall； and let me see you ride away into
the desert。〃
She had forgotten for the moment that his route was the road through
the oasis。 He did not remind her of it。 It was easy to ride across the
desert and join the route where it came out from the last palms。
〃So be it。 Will you go to the wall then？〃
He touched her hand again and walked away towards the villa； slowly on
the pale silver of the sand。 When his figure was hidden by the trunks
of the trees Domini made her way to the wide parapet。 She sat down on
one of the tiny seats cut in it； leaned her cheek in her hand and
waited。 The sun was gathering strength； but the air was still
deliciously cool； almost cold； and the desert had not yet put on its
aspect of fiery desolation。 It looked dreamlike and romantic； not only
in its distances； but near at hand。 There must surely be dew； she
fancied； in the Garden of Allah。 She could see no one travelling in
it； only some far away camels grazing。 In the dawn the desert was the
home of the breeze； of gentle sunbeams and of liberty。 Presently she
heard the noise of horses cantering near at hand； and Count Anteoni；
followed by two Arab attendants； came round the bend of the wall and
drew up beneath her。 He rode on a high red Arab saddle； and a richly…
ornamented gun was slung in an embroidered case behind him on the
right…hand side。 A broad and soft brown hat kept the sun from his
forehead。 The two attendants rode on a few paces and waited in the
shadow of the wall。
〃Don't you wish you were going out？〃 he said。 〃Out into that？〃 And he
pointed with his whip towards the dreamlike blue of the far horizon。
She leaned over； looking down at him and at his horse； which fidgeted
and arched his white neck and dropped foam from his black flexible
lips。
〃No；〃 she answered after a moment of thought。 〃I must speak the truth；
you know。〃
〃To me； always。〃
〃I feel that you were right； that my summons has not yet come to me。〃
〃And when it comes？〃
〃I shall obey it without fear； even if I go in the storm and the
darkness。〃
He glanced at the radiant sky； at the golden beams slanting down upon
the palms。
〃The Coran says： 'The fate of every man have We bound about his neck。'
May yours be as serene； as beautiful； as a string of pearls。〃
〃But I have never cared to wear pearls；〃 she