her； yet he did not just then try to pour balm upon the wound。
〃You came to me to…day as to a spiritual director； did you not？〃 he
asked。
〃Yes； Father。〃
〃Yet you do not wish to be frank with me。 Isn't that true？〃
There was a piercing look in the eyes he fixed upon her。
〃Yes；〃 she answered bravely。
〃Why？ Cannot youat least will not you tell me？〃
A similar reason to that which had caused her to refuse to hear what
the Diviner had seen in the sand caused her now to answer：
〃There is something I cannot say。 I am sure I am right not to say it。〃
〃Do you wish me to speak frankly to you； my child？〃
〃Yes； you may。〃
〃You have told me enough of your past life to make me feel sure that
for some time to come you ought to be very careful in regard to your
faith。 By the mercy of God you have been preserved from the greatest
of all dangersthe danger of losing your belief in the teachings of
the only true Church。 You have come here to renew your faith which；
not killed； has been stricken； reduced； may I not say？ to a sort of
invalidism。 Are you sure you are in a condition yet to help〃he
hesitated obviously； then slowly〃others？ There are periods in which
one cannot do what one may be able to do in the far future。 The
convalescent who is just tottering in the new attempt to walk is not
wise enough to lend an arm to another。 To do so may seem nobly
unselfish； but is it not folly？ And then； my child； we ought to be
scrupulously aware what is our real motive for wishing to assist
another。 Is it of God； or is it of ourselves？ Is it a personal desire
to increase a perhaps unworthy； a worldly happiness？ Egoism is a
parent of many children； and often they do not recognise their
father。〃
Just for a moment Domini felt a heat of anger rise within her。 She did
not express it； and did not know that she had shown a sign of it till
she heard Father Roubier say：
〃If you knew how often I have found that what for a moment I believed
to be my noblest aspirations had sprung from a tiny； hidden seed of
egoism！〃
At once her anger died away。
〃That is terribly true；〃 she said。 〃Of us all； I mean。〃
She got up。
〃You are going？〃
〃Yes。 I want to think something out。 You have made me want to。 I must
do it。 Perhaps I'll come again。〃
〃Do。 I want to help you if I can。〃
There was such a heartfelt sound in his voice that impulsively she
held out her hand。
〃I know you do。 Perhaps you will be able to。〃
But even as she said the last words doubt crept into her mind； even
into her voice。
The priest came to his gate to see Domini off； and directly she had
left him she noticed that Androvsky was under the arcade and had been
a witness of their parting。 As she went past him and into the hotel
she saw that he looked greatly disturbed and excited。 His face was lit
up by the now fiery glare of the sun； and when； in passing； she nodded
to him； and he took off his hat； he cast at her a glance that was like
an accusation。 As soon as she gained the verandah she heard his heavy
step upon the stair。 For a moment she hesitated。 Should she go into
her room and so avoid him； or remain and let him speak to her？ She
knew that he was following her with that purpose。 Her mind was almost
instantly made up。 She crossed the verandah and sat down in the low
chair that was always placed outside her French window。 Androvsky
followed her and stood beside her。 He did not say anything for a
moment； nor did she。 Then he spoke with a sort of passionate attempt
to sound careless and indifferent。
〃Monsieur Anteoni has gone； I suppose； Madame？〃
〃Yes； he has gone。 I reached the garden safely； you see。〃
〃Batouch came later。 He was much ashamed when he found you had gone。 I
believe he is afraid； and is hiding himself till your anger shall have
passed away。〃
She laughed。
〃Batouch could not easily make me angry。 I am not like you； Monsieur
Androvsky。〃
Her sudden challenge startled him； as she had meant it should。 He
moved quickly； as at an unexpected touch。
〃I； Madame？〃
〃Yes； I think you are very often angry。 I think you are angry now。〃
His face was flooded with red。
〃Why should I be angry？〃 he stammered； like a man completely taken
aback。
〃How can I tell？ But； as I came in just now； you looked at me as if
you wanted to punish me。〃
〃II am afraidit seems that my face says a great deal thatthat〃
〃Your lips would not choose to say。 Well； it does。 Why are you angry
with me？〃 She gazed at him mercilessly； studying the trouble of his
face。 The combative part of her nature had been roused by the glance
he had cast at her。 What right had he； had any man； to look at her
like that？
Her blunt directness lashed him back into the firmness he had lost。
She felt in a moment that there was a fighting capacity in him equal；
perhaps superior； to her own。
〃When I saw you come from the priest's house； Madame； I felt as if you
had been there speaking about meabout my conduct of yesterday。〃
〃Indeed！ Why should I do that？〃
〃I thought as you had kindly wished me to come〃
He stopped。
〃Well？〃 she said； in rather a hard voice。
〃Madame； I don't know what I thought； what I thinkonly I cannot bear
that you should apologise for any conduct of mine。 Indeed； I cannot
bear it。〃
He looked fearfully excited and moved two or three steps away； then
returned。
〃Were you doing that？〃 he asked。 〃Were you； Madame？〃
〃I never mentioned your name to Father Roubier； nor did he to me；〃 she
answered。
For a moment he looked relieved； then a sudden suspicion seemed to
strike him。
〃But without mentioning my name？〃 he said。
〃You wish to accuse me of quibbling； of insincerity； then！〃 she
exclaimed with a heat almost equal to his own。
〃No； Madame； no！ Madame； II have suffered much。 I am suspicious of
everybody。 Forgive me； forgive me！〃
He spoke almost with distraction。 In his manner there was something
desperate。
〃I am sure you have suffered；〃 she said more gently； yet with a
certain inflexibility at which she herself wondered； yet which she
could not control。 〃You will always suffer if you cannot govern
yourself。 You will make people dislike you； be suspicious of you。〃
〃Suspicious！ Who is suspicious of me？〃 he asked sharply。 〃Who has any
right to be suspicious of me？〃
She looked up and fancied that； for an instant； she saw something as
ugly as terror in his eyes。
〃Surely you know that people don't ask permission to be suspicious of
their fellow…men？〃 she said。
〃No one here has any right to consider me or my actions；〃 he said；
fierceness blazing out of him。 〃I am a free man； and can do as I will。
No one has any rightno one！〃
Domini felt as if the words were meant for her； as if he had struck
her。 She was so angry that she did not trust herself to speak； and
instinctively she put her hand up to her breast； as a woman might who
had received a blow。 She touched something small and hard that was
hidden beneath her gown。 It was the little wooden crucifix Androvsky
had thrown into the stream at Sidi…Zerzour。 As she realised that her
anger died。 She was humbled and ashamed。 What was her religion if； at
a word； she could be stirred to such a feeling of passion？
〃I； at least； am not suspicious of you；〃 she said； choosing the very
words that were most difficult for her to say just then。 〃And Father
Roubierif you included himis too fine…hearted to cherish unworthy
suspicions of anyone。〃
She got up。 Her voice was full of a subdued； but strong； emotion。
〃Oh； Monsieur Androvsky！〃 she said。 〃Do go over and see him。 Make
friends with him。 Never mind yesterday。 I want you to be friends with
him； with everyone here。 Let us make Beni…Mora a place of peace and
good will。〃
Then she went across the verandah quickly to her room； and passed in；
closing the window behind her。
/Dejeuner/ was brought into her sitting…room。 She ate it in solitude；
and late in the afternoon she went out on the verandah。 She had made
up her mind to spend an hour in the church。 She had told Father
Roubier that she wanted to think something out。 Since she had left him
the burden upon her mind had become heavier； and she longed to be
alone in the twilight near the altar。 Perhaps she might be able to
cast down the burden there。 In the verandah she stood for a moment and
thought how wonderful was the difference between dawn and sunset in
this land。 The gardens； that had looked like a place of departed and
unhappy spirits when she rose that day； were now bathed in the
luminous rays of the declining sun； were alive with the softly…calling
voices of children； quivered with romance； with a dreamlike； golden
charm。 The stillness of the evening was intense； enclosing the
children's voices； which presently died away； but while she was
marvelling at it she was disturbed by a sharp noise of knocking。 She
looked in the direction from which it came and saw Androvsky standing
before the priest's door。 As she looked； the door was opened by the
Arab boy and Androvsky went in。
Then she did not think of the gardens any more。 With a radiant
expression in her eyes she went down and crossed over to the church。
It was empty。 She went softly to a /prie…dieu/ near the altar