his eyes while he was speaking； made her hear those rushing waters as
if she were being swept away by them。
〃And you？〃 he said。 〃You？〃
〃I？〃
〃This afternoon in the desert； when we were in the sand looking at
Beni…Mora； you began to tell me something and then you stopped。 And
you said； 'I can't tell you。 There's too much light。' Now the sun has
gone。〃
〃Yes。 Butbut I want to listen to you。 I want〃
She stopped。 In the distance； by the great fire where the Arabs were
assembled； there rose a sound of music which arrested her attention。
Ali was singing； holding in his hand a brand from the fire like a
torch。 She had heard him sing before； and had loved the timbre of his
voice； but only now did she realise when she had first heard him and
who he was。 It was he who； hidden from her； had sung the song of the
freed negroes of Touggourt in the gardens of Count Anteoni that day
when she had been angry with Androvsky and had afterwards been
reconciled with him。 And she knew now it was he； because； once more
hidden from herfor against the curtain of darkness she only saw the
flame from the torch he held and moved rhythmically to the burden of
his songhe was singing it again。 Androvsky； when she ceased to
speak； suddenly put his arms round her； as if he were afraid of her
escaping from him in her silence； and they stood thus at the tent door
listening：
〃The gazelle dies in the water；
The fish dies in the air；
And I die in the dunes of the desert sand
For my love that is deep and sad。〃
The chorus of hidden men by the fire rose in a low murmur that was
like the whisper of the desert in the night。 Then the contralto voice
of Ali came to Domini and Androvsky again； but very faintly； from the
distance where the flaming torch was moving：
〃No one but God and I
Knows what is in my heart。〃
When the voice died away for a moment Domini whispered the refrain。
Then she said：
〃But is it true？ Can it be true for us to…night？〃
Androvsky did not reply。
〃I don't think it is true；〃 she added。 〃You knowdon't you？〃
The voice of Ali rose again； and his torch flickered on the soft wind
of the night。 Its movement was slow and eerie。 It seemed like his
voice made visible； a voice of flame in the blackness of the world。
They watched it。 Presently she said once more：
〃You know what is in my heartdon't you？〃
〃Do I？〃 he said。 〃All？〃
〃All。 My heart is full of one thingquite full。〃
〃Then I know。〃
〃And；〃 she hesitated； then added； 〃and yours？〃
〃Mine too。〃
〃I know all that is in it then？〃
She still spoke questioningly。 He did not reply； but held her more
closely； with a grasp that was feverish in its intensity。
〃Do you remember；〃 she went on； 〃in the garden what you said about
that song？〃
〃No。〃
〃You have forgotten？〃
〃I told you；〃 he said； 〃I mean to forget everything。〃
〃Everything before we came to Beni…Mora？〃
〃And more。 Everything before you put your hands against my forehead；
Domini。 Your touch blotted out the past。〃
〃Even the past at Beni…Mora？〃
〃Yes； even that。 There are many things I did and left undone； many
things I said and never said thatI have forgottenI have forgotten
for ever。〃
There was a sternness in his voice now； a fiery intention。
〃I understand；〃 she said。 〃I have forgotten them too； but not some
things。〃
〃Which？〃
〃Not that night when you took me out of the dancing…house； not our
ride to Sidi…Zerzour； notthere are things I shall remember。 When I
am dying； after I am dead； I shall remember them。〃
The song faded away。 The torch was still； then fell downwards and
became one with the fire。 Then Androvsky drew Domini down beside him
on to the warm earth before the tent door； and held her hand in his
against the earth。
〃Feel it；〃 he said。 〃It's our home； it's our liberty。 Does it feel
alive to you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃As if it had pulses； like the pulses in our hearts； and knew what we
know？〃
〃Yes。 Mother EarthI never understood what that meant till to…night。〃
〃We are beginning to understand together。 Who can understand anything
alone？〃
He kept her hand always in his pressed against the desert as against a
heart。 They both thought of it as a heart that was full of love and
protection for them； of understanding of them。 Going back to their
words before the song of Ali； he said：
〃Love burns up evil； then love can never be evil。〃
〃Not the act of loving。〃
〃Or what it leads to；〃 he said。
And again there was a sort of sternness in his voice； as if he were
insisting on something； were bent on conquering some reluctance； or
some voice contradicting。
〃I know that you are right；〃 he added。
She did not speak； butwhy she did not knowher thought went to the
wooden crucifix fastened in the canvas of the tent close by； and for a
moment she felt a faint creeping sadness in her。 But he pressed her
hand more closely； and she was conscious only of these two warmths…
of his hand above her hand and of the desert beneath it。 Her whole
life seemed set in a glory of fire； in a heat that was life…giving；
that dominated her and evoked at the same time all of power that was
in her； causing her dormant fires； physical and spiritual； to blaze up
as if they were sheltered and fanned。 The thought of the crucifix
faded。 It was as if the fire destroyed it and it became ashesthen
nothing。 She fixed her eyes on the distant fire of the Arabs； which
was beginning to die down slowly as the night grew deeper。
〃I have doubted many things；〃 he said。 〃I've been afraid。〃
〃You！〃 she said。
〃Yes。 You know it。〃
〃How can I？ Haven't I forgotten everythingsince that day in the
garden？〃
He drew up her hand and put it against his heart。
〃I'm jealous of the desert even；〃 he whispered。 〃I won't let you touch
it any more tonight。〃
He looked into her eyes and saw that she was looking at the distant
fire； steadily； with an intense eagerness。
〃Why do you do that？〃 he said。
〃To…night I like to look at fire；〃 she answered。
〃Tell me why。〃
〃It is as if I looked at you； at all that there is in you that you
have never said； never been able to say to me； all that you never can
say to me but that I know all the same。〃
〃But；〃 he said； 〃that fire is〃
He did not finish the sentence； but put up his hand and turned her
face till she was looking； not at the fire； but at him。
〃It is not like me；〃 he said。 〃Men made it； andit's a fire that can
sink into ashes。〃
An expression of sudden exaltation shone in her eyes。
〃And God made you；〃 she said。 〃And put into you the spark that is
eternal。〃
And now again she thought； she dared； she loved to think of the
crucifix and of the moment when he would see it in the tent。
〃And God made you love me；〃 she said。 〃What is it？〃
Androvsky had moved suddenly； as if he were going to get up from the
warm ground。
〃Did you？〃
〃No；〃 he said in a low voice。 〃Go on； Domini。 Speak to me。〃
He sat still。
A sudden longing came to her to know if to…night he were feeling as
she was the sacredness of their relation to each other。 Never had they
spoken intimately of religion or of the mysteries that lie beyond and
around human life。 Once or twice； when she had been about to open her
heart to him； to let him understand her deep sense of the things
unseen； something had checked her； something in him。 It was as if he
had divined her intention and had subtly turned her from it； without
speech； merely by the force of his inward determination that she
should not break through his reserve。 But to…night； with his hand on
hers and the starry darkness above them； with the waste stretching
around them； and the cool air that was like the breath of liberty upon
their faces； she was unconscious of any secret； combative force in
him。 It was impossible to her to think there could have been any
combat； however inward； however subtle； between them。 Surely if it
were ever permitted to two natures to be in perfect accord theirs were
in perfect accord to…night。
〃I never felt the presence of God in His world so keenly as I feel it
to…night；〃 she went on； drawing a little closer to him。 〃Even in the
church to…day He seemed farther away than tonight。 But somehowone
has these thoughts without knowing whyI have always believed that
the farther I went into the desert the nearer I should come to God。〃
Androvsky moved again。 The clasp of his hand on hers loosened； but he
did not take his hand away。
〃Why shouldwhat should make you think that？〃 he asked slowly。
〃Don't you know what the Arabs call the desert？〃
〃No。 What do they call it？〃
〃The Garden of Allah。〃
〃The Garden of Allah！〃 he repeated。
There was a sound like fear in his voice。 Even her great joy did not
prevent her from noticing it； and she remembered； with a thrill of
pain； where and under what circumstances she had first heard the
Arab's name for the desert。
Could it be that this man she loved was secretly afraid of something
in the desert； some influence； some？ Her thought stopped short； like
a thing confused。
〃Don't you think it a very beautiful name？〃 she asked； with an almost
fierce longing to be reassured； to be made to know that he； like her；
loved the thought that God