well…knit firmness。 To…day she looked not unlike a splendid Amazon who
could have been a splendid nun had she entered into religion。 As she
stood there by Androvsky； simply dressed for the wild journey that was
before her； the slight hint in her personality of a Spartan youth；
that stamped her with a very definite originality； was blended with；
even transfigured by； a womanliness so intense as to be almost fierce；
a womanliness that had the fervour； the glowing vigour of a glory that
had suddenly become fully aware of itself； and of all the deeds that
it could not only conceive； but do。 She was triumph embodied in the
flesh； not the triumph that is a school…bully； but that spreads wings；
conscious at last that the human being has kinship with the angels；
and need not； should not； wait for death to seek bravely their
comradeship。 She was love triumphant； woman utterly fearless because
instinctively aware that she was fulflling her divine mission。
As he gazed at her the priest had a strange thoughtof how Christ's
face must have looked when he said； 〃Lazarus； come forth！〃
Androvsky stood by her； but the priest did not look at him。
The wind roared round the church； the narrow windows rattled； and the
clouds of sand driven against them made a pattering as of fingers
tapping frantically upon the glass。 The buff…coloured curtains
trembled； and the dusty pink ribands tied round the ropes of the
chandeliers shook incessantly to and fro； as if striving to escape and
to join the multitudes of torn and disfigured things that were swept
through space by the breath of the storm。 Beyond the windows； vaguely
seen at moments through the clouds of sand； the outlines of the palm
leaves wavered； descended； rose； darted from side to side； like hands
of the demented。
Suzanne； who was one of the witnesses； trembled； and moved her full
lips nervously。 She disapproved utterly of her mistress' wedding； and
still more of a honeymoon in the desert。 For herself she did not care；
very shortly she was going to marry Monsieur Helmuth； the important
person in livery who accompanied the hotel omnibus to the station； and
meanwhile she was to remain at Beni…Mora under the chaperonage of
Madame Armande； the proprietor of the hotel。 But it shocked her that a
mistress of hers； and a member of the English aristocracy； should be
married in a costume suitable for a camel ride； and should start off
to go to /le Bon Dieu/ alone knew where； shut up in a palanquin like
any black woman covered with lumps of coral and bracelets like
handcuffs。
The other witnesses were the mayor of Beni…Mora； a middle…aged doctor；
who wore the conventional evening…dress of French ceremony； and looked
as if the wind had made him as sleepy as a bear on the point of
hibernating； and the son of Madame Armande； a lively young man； with a
bullet head and eager； black eyes。 The latter took a keen interest in
the ceremony； but the mayor blinked pathetically； and occasionally
rubbed his large hooked nose as if imploring it to keep his whole
person from drooping down into a heavy doze。
The priest； speaking in a conventional voice that was strangely
inexpressive of his inward emotion； asked Androvsky and Domini whether
they would take each other for wife and husband； and listened to their
replies。 Androvsky's voice sounded to him hard and cold as ice when it
replied； and suddenly he thought of the storm as raging in some
northern land over snowbound wastes whose scanty trees were leafless。
But Domini's voice was clear； and warm as the sun that would shine
again over the desert when the storm was past。 The mayor； constraining
himself to keep awake a little longer； gave Domini away； while Suzanne
dropped tears into a pocket…handkerchief edged with rose…coloured
frilling； the gift of Monsieur Helmuth。 Then； when the troth had been
plighted in the midst of a more passionate roaring of the wind； the
priest； conquering a terrible inward reluctance that beset him despite
his endeavour to feel detached and formal； merely a priest engaged in
a ceremony that it was his office to carry out； but in which he had no
personal interest； spoke the fateful words：
〃/Ego conjungo vos in matrimonium in nomine Patris et Filii et
Spiritus Sancti。 Amen/。〃
He said this without looking at the man and woman who stood before
him； the man on the right hand and the woman on the left； but when he
lifted his hand to sprinkle them with holy water he could not forbear
glancing at them； and he saw Domini as a shining radiance； but
Androvsky as a thing of stone。 With a movement that seemed to the
priest sinister in its oppressed deliberation； Androvsky placed gold
and silver upon the book and the marriage ring。
The priest spoke again； slowly； in the uproar of the wind； after
blessing the ring：
〃/Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini/。〃
After the reply the 〃/Domine； exaudi orationem meam/；〃 the 〃/Et
clamor/；〃 the 〃/Dominus vobiscum/；〃 and the 〃/Et cum spiritu tuo/；〃
the 〃/Oremus/；〃 and the prayer following； he sprinkled the ring with
holy water in the form of a cross and gave it to Androvsky to give
with gold and silver to Domini。 Androvsky took the ring； repeated the
formula； 〃With this ring；〃 etc。； then still； as it seemed to the
priest； with the same sinister deliberation； placed it on the thumb of
the bride's uncovered hand； saying； 〃/In the name of the Father/；〃
then on her second finger； saying； 〃/Of the Son/；〃 then on her third
finger； saying； 〃/Of the Holy Ghost/；〃 then on her fourth finger。 But
at this moment； when he should have said 〃/Amen/；〃 there was a long
pause of silence。 During itwhy he did not knowthe priest found
himself thinking of the saying of St。 Isidore of Seville that the ring
of marriage is left on the fourth finger of the bride's hand because
that finger contains a vein directly connected with the heart。
〃/Amen/。〃
Androvsky had spoken。 The priest started； and went on with the
〃/Confirma； hoc； Deus/。〃 And from this point until the 〃/Per Christum
Dominum nostrum； Amen/；〃 which； since there was no Mass； closed the
ceremony； he felt more master of himself and his emotions than at any
time previously during this day。 A sensation of finality； of the
irrevocable； came to him。 He said within himself； 〃This matter has
passed out of my hands into the hands of God。〃 And in the midst of the
violence of the storm a calm stole upon his spirit。 〃God knows best！〃
he said within himself。 〃God knows best！〃
Those words and the state of feeling that was linked with them were
and had always been to him as mighty protecting arms that uplifted him
above the beating waves of the sea of life。 The Wedding March sounded
when the priest bade good…bye to the husband and wife whom he had made
one。 He was able to do it tranquilly。 He even pressed Androvsky's
hand。
〃Be good to her；〃 he said。 〃She isshe is a good woman。〃
To his surprise Androvsky suddenly wrung his hand almost passionately；
and the priest saw that there were tears in his eyes。
That night the priest prayed long and earnestly for all wanderers in
the desert。
When Domini and Androvsky came out from the church they saw vaguely a
camel lying down before the door； bending its head and snarling
fiercely。 Upon its back was a palanquin of dark…red stuff； with a roof
of stuff stretched upon strong； curved sticks； and curtains which
could be drawn or undrawn at pleasure。 The desert men crowded about it
like eager phantoms in the wind； half seen in the driving mist of
sand。 Clinging to Androvsky's arm； Domini struggled forward to the
camel。 As she did so； Smain； unfolding for an instant his burnous；
pressed into her hands his mass of roses。 She thanked him with a smile
he scarcely saw and a word that was borne away upon the wind。 At
Larbi's lips she saw the little flute and his thick fingers fluttering
upon the holes。 She knew that he was playing his love…song for her；
but she could not hear it except in her heart。 The perfume…seller
sprinkled her gravely with essence； and for a moment she felt as if
she were again in his dark bazaar； and seemed to catch among the
voices of the storm the sound of men muttering prayers to Allah as in
the mosque of Sidi…Zazan。
Then she was in the palanquin with Androvsky close beside her。
At this moment Batouch took hold of the curtains of the palanquin to
draw them close； but she put out her hand and stopped him。 She wanted
to see the last of the church； of the tormented gardens she had learnt
to love。
He looked astonished； but yielded to her gesture； and told the camel…
driver to make the animal rise to its feet。 The driver took his stick
and plied it； crying out； 〃A…ah！ A…ah！〃 The camel turned its head
towards him； showing its teeth； and snarling with a sort of dreary
passion。
〃A…ah！〃 shouted the driver。 〃A…ah！ A…ah！〃
The camel began to get up。
As it did so； from the shrouded group of desert men one started
forward to the palanquin； throwing off his burnous and gesticulating
with thin naked arms； as if about to commit some violent act。 It was
the sand…diviner。 Made fantastic and unreal by the whirling sand
grains； Domini saw his lean face pitted with small…pox； his eyes；
blazing