aloud。
It was late in the night。 Midnight had sounded yet she did not go to
bed。 She feared to sleep； to lose the consciousness of her joy of the
glory which had come into her life。 She was a miser of the golden
hours of this black and howling night。 To sleep would be to be robbed。
A splendid avarice in her rebelled against the thought of sleep。
Was Androvsky sleeping？ She wondered and longed to know。
To…night she was fully aware for the first time of the inherent
fearlessness of her character； which was made perfect at last by her
perfect love。 Alone； she had always had courage。 Even in her most
listless hours she had never been a craven。 But now she felt the
completeness of a nature clothed in armour that rendered it
impregnable。 It was a strange thing that man should have the power to
put the finishing touch to God's work； that religion should stoop to
be a handmaid to faith in a human being； but she did not think it
strange。 Everything in life seemed to her to be in perfect accord
because her heart was in perfect accord with another heart。
And she welcomed the storm。 She even welcomed something else that came
to her now in the storm： the memory of the sand…diviner's tortured
face as he gazed down； reading her fate in the sand。 For what was an
untroubled fate？ Surely a life that crept along the hollows and had no
impulse to call it to the heights。 Knowing the flawless perfection of
her armour she had a wild longing to prove it。 She wished that there
should be assaults upon her love； because she knew she could resist
them one and all； and she wished to have the keen joy of resisting
them。 There is a health of body so keen and vital that it desires
combat。 The soul sometimes knows a precisely similar health and is
filled with a similar desire。
〃Put my love to the proof； O God！〃 was Domini's last prayer that night
when the storm was at its wildest。 〃Put my love to the uttermost proof
that he may know it； as he can never know it otherwise。〃
And she fell asleep at length； peacefully； in the tumult of the night；
feeling that God had heard her prayer。
The dawn came struggling like an exhausted pilgrim through the windy
dark； pale and faint； with no courage； it seemed； to grow bravely into
day。 As if with the sedulous effort of something weary but of
unconquered will； it slowly lit up Beni…Mora with a feeble light that
flickered in a cloud of whirling sand； revealing the desolation of an
almost featureless void。 The village； the whole oasis； was penetrated
by a passionate fog that instead of brooding heavily； phlegmatically；
over the face of life and nature travelled like a demented thing bent
upon instant destruction； and coming thus cloudily to be more free for
crime。 It was an emissary of the desert； propelled with irresistible
force from the farthest recess of the dunes； and the desert itself
seemed to be hurrying behind it as if to spy upon the doing of its
deeds。
As the sea in a great storm rages against the land； ferocious that
land should be； so the desert now raged against the oasis that
ventured to exist in its bosom。 Every palm tree was the victim of its
wrath； every running rill； every habitation of man。 Along the tunnels
of mimosa it went like a foaming tide through a cavern； roaring
towards the mountains。 It returned and swept about the narrow streets；
eddying at the corners； beating upon the palmwood doors； behind which
the painted dancing…girls were cowering； cold under their pigments and
their heavy jewels； their red hands trembling and clasping one
another； clamouring about the minarets of the mosques on which the
frightened doves were sheltering； shaking the fences that shut in the
gazelles in their pleasaunce； tearing at the great statue of the
Cardinal that faced it resolutely； holding up the double cross as if
to exorcise it； battering upon the tall； white tower on whose summit
Domini had first spoken with Androvsky； raging through the alleys of
Count Anteoni's garden； the arcades of his villa； the window…spaces of
the /fumoir/； from whose walls it tore down frantically the purple
petals of the bougainvillea and dashed them； like enemies defeated；
upon the quivering paths which were made of its own body。
Everywhere in the oasis it came with a lust to kill； but surely its
deepest enmity was concentrated upon the Catholic Church。
There； despite the tempest； people were huddled； drawn together not so
much by the ceremony that was to take place within as by the desire to
see the departure of an unusual caravan。 In every desert centre news
is propagated with a rapidity seldom equalled in the home of
civilisation。 It runs from mouth to mouth like fire along straw。 And
Batouch； in his glory； had not been slow to speak of the wonders
prepared under his superintendence to make complete the desert journey
of his mistress and Androvsky。 The main part of the camp had already
gone forward； and must have reached Arba； the first halting stage
outside Beni…Mora； tents； the horses for the Roumis； the mules to
carry necessary baggage； the cooking utensils and the guard dogs。 But
the Roumis themselves were to depart from the church on camel…back
directly the marriage was accomplished。 Domini； who had a native
hatred of everything that savoured of ostentation； had wished for a
tiny expedition； and would gladly have gone out into the desert with
but one tent； Batouch and a servant to do the cooking。 But the journey
was to be long and indefinite； an aimless wandering through the land
of liberty towards the south； without fixed purpose or time of
returning。 She knew nothing of what was necessary for such a journey；
and tired of ceaseless argument； and too much occupied with joy to
burden herself with detail； at last let Batouch have his way。
〃I leave it to you； Batouch；〃 she said。 〃But； remember； as few people
and beasts as possible。 And as you say we must have camels for certain
parts of the journey； we will travel the first stage on camel…back。〃
Consciously she helped to fulfil the prediction of the Diviner； and
then she left Batouch free。
Now outside the church； shrouded closely in hoods and haiks； grey and
brown bundles with staring eyes； the desert men were huddled against
the church wall in the wind。 Hadj was there； and Smain； sheltering in
his burnous roses from Count Anteoni's garden。 Larbi had come with his
flute and the perfume…seller from his black bazaar。 For Domini had
bought perfumes from him on her last day in Beni…Mora。 Most of Count
Anteoni's gardeners had assembled。 They looked upon the Roumi lady；
who rode magnificently； but who could dream as they dreamed； too； as a
friend。 Had she not haunted the alleys where they worked and idled
till they had learned to expect her； and to miss her when she did not
come？ And with those whom Domini knew were assembled their friends；
and their friends' friends； men of Beni…Mora； men from the near oasis；
and also many of those desert wanderers who drift in daily out of the
sands to the centres of buying and selling； barter their goods for the
goods of the South； or sell their loads of dates for money； and；
having enjoyed the dissipation of the cafes and of the dancing…houses；
drift away again into the pathless wastes which are their home。
Few of the French population had ventured out； and the church itself
was almost deserted when the hour for the wedding drew nigh。
The priest came from his little house； bending forward against the
wind； his eyes partially protected from the driving sand by blue
spectacles。 His face； which was habitually grave； to…day looked sad
and stern； like the face of a man about to perform a task that was
against his inclination； even perhaps against his conscience。 He
glanced at the waiting Arabs and hastened into the church； taking off
his spectacles as he did so； and wiping his eyes； which were red from
the action of the sand…grains； with a silk pocket…handkerchief。 When
he reached the sacristy he shut himself into it alone for a moment。 He
sat down on a chair and； leaning his arms upon the wooden table that
stood in the centre of the room； bent forward and stared before him at
the wall opposite； listening to the howling of the wind。
Father Roubier had an almost passionate affection for his little
church of Beni…Mora。 So long and ardently had he prayed and taught in
it； so often had he passed the twilight hours in it alone wrapped in
religious reveries； or searching his conscience for the shadows of
sinful thoughts； that it had become to him as a friend； and more than
a friend。 He thought of it sometimes as his confessor and sometimes as
his child。 Its stones were to him as flesh and blood； its altars as
lips that whispered consolation in answer to his prayers。 The figures
of its saints were heavenly companions。 In its ugliness he perceived
only beauty； in its tawdriness only the graces that are sweet
offerings to God。 The love that； had he not been a priest； he might
have given to a woman he poured forth upon his church； and with it
that other love which； had it been the design of his Heavenly Father；
would have fitted him for the ascetic； yet impassioned； life of an
ardent and devoted monk。 To defe