and limpidity of light falling at evening from a declining sun in a
hot country； came full upon him； and brightened his hair。 Domini saw
that it was brown with some chestnut in it； thick； and cut extremely
short； as if his head had recently been shaved。 She felt convinced
that he was not French。 He might be an Austrian； perhaps； or a Russian
from the south of Russia。 He remained motionless in that attitude of
profound observation。 It suggested great force not merely of body； but
also of mind； an almost abnormal concentration upon the thing
observed。 This was a man who could surely shut out the whole world to
look at a grain of sand； if he thought it beautiful or interesting。
They were near Beni…Mora now。 Its palms appeared far off； and in the
midst of them a snow…white tower。 The Sahara lay beyond and around it；
rolling away from the foot of low； brown hills； that looked as if they
had been covered with a soft powder of bronze。 A long spur of rose…
coloured mountains stretched away towards the south。 The sun was very
near his setting。 Small； red clouds floated in the western quarter of
the sky； and the far desert was becoming mysteriously dim and blue；
like a remote sea。 Here and there thin wreaths of smoke ascended from
it； and lights glittered in it； like earth…bound stars。
Domini had never before understood how strangely； how strenuously；
colour can at moments appeal to the imagination。 In this pageant of
the East she saw arise the naked soul of Africa； no faded； gentle
thing； fearful of being seen； fearful of being known and understood；
but a phenomenon vital； bold and gorgeous； like the sound of a trumpet
pealing a great /reveille/。 As she looked on this flaming land laid
fearlessly bare before her； disdaining the clothing of grass； plant
and flower； of stream and tree； displaying itself with an almost
brazen /insouciance/； confident in its spacious power； and in its
golden pride； her heart leaped up as if in answer to a deliberate
appeal。 The fatigue in her died。 She responded to this /reveille/ like
a young warrior who； so soon as he is wakened； stretches out his hand
for his sword。 The sunset flamed on her clear； white cheeks； giving
them its hue of life。 And her nature flamed to meet it。 In the huge
spaces of the Sahara her soul seemed to hear the footsteps of Freedom
treading towards the south。 And all her dull perplexities； all her
bitterness of /ennui/； all her questionings and doubts； were swept
away on the keen desert wind into the endless plains。 She had come
from her last confession asking herself； 〃What am I？〃 She had felt
infinitely small confronted with the pettiness of modern； civilised
life in a narrow； crowded world。 Now she did not torture herself with
any questions； for she knew that something large； something capable；
something perhaps even noble； rose up within her to greet all this
nobility； all this mighty frankness and fierce； undressed sincerity of
nature。 This desert and this sun would be her comrades； and she was
not afraid of them。
Without being aware of it she breathed out a great sigh； feeling the
necessity of liberating her joy of spirit； of letting the body；
however inadequately and absurdly； make some demonstration in response
to the secret stirring of the soul。 The man in the far corner of the
carriage turned and looked at her。 When she heard this movement Domini
remembered her irritation against him at El…Akbara。 In this splendid
moment the feeling seemed to her so paltry and contemptible that she
had a lively impulse to make amends for the angry look she had cast at
him。 Possibly； had she been quite normal； she would have checked such
an impulse。 The voice of conventionality would have made itself heard。
But Domini could act vigorously； and quite carelessly； when she was
moved。 And she was deeply moved now； and longed to lavish the
humanity； the sympathy and ardour that were quick in her。 In answer to
the stranger's movement she turned towards him； opening her lips to
speak to him。 Afterwards she never knew what she meant to say；
whether； if she had spoken； the words would have been French or
English。 For she did not speak。
The man's face was illuminated by the setting sun as he sat half round
on his seat； leaning with his right hand palm downwards on the
cushions。 The light glittered on his short hair。 He had pushed back
his soft hat； and exposed his high； rugged forehead to the air； and
his brown left hand gripped the top of the carriage door。 The large；
knotted veins on it； the stretched sinews； were very perceptible。 The
hand looked violent。 Domini's eyes fell on it as she turned。 The
impulse to speak began to fail； and when she glanced up at the man's
face she no longer felt it at all。 For； despite the glory of the
sunset on him； there seemed to be a cold shadow in his eyes。 The faint
lines near his mouth looked deeper than before； and now suggested most
powerfully the dreariness； the harshness of long…continued suffering。
The mouth itself was compressed and grim； and the man's whole
expression was fierce and startling as the expression of a criminal
bracing himself to endure inevitable detection。 So crude and piercing
indeed was this mask confronting her that Domini started and was
inclined to shudder。 For a minute the man's eyes held hers； and she
thought she saw in them unfathomable depths of misery or of
wickedness。 She hardly knew which。 Sorrow was like crime； and crime
like the sheer desolation of grief to her just then。 And she thought
of the outer darkness spoken of in the Bible。 It came before her in
the sunset。 Her father was in it； and this stranger stood by him。 The
thing was as vital； and fled as swiftly as a hallucination in a
madman's brain。
Domini looked down。 All the triumph died out in her； all the exquisite
consciousness of the freedom； the colour； the bigness of life。 For
there was a black spot on the sunhumanity； God's mistake in the
great plan of Creation。 And the shadow cast by humanity tempered； even
surely conquered； the light。 She wondered whether she would always
feel the cold of the sunless places in the golden dominion of the sun。
The man had dropped his eyes too。 His hand fell from the door to his
knee。 He did not move till the train ran into Beni…Mora； and the eager
faces of countless Arabs stared in upon them from the scorched field
of manoeuvres where Spahis were exercising in the gathering twilight。
CHAPTER IV
Having given her luggage ticket to a porter； Domini passed out of the
station followed by Suzanne； who looked and walked like an exhausted
marionette。 Batouch； who had emerged from a third…class compartment
before the train stopped； followed them closely； and as they reached
the jostling crowd of Arabs which swarmed on the roadway he joined
them with the air of a proprietor。
〃Which is Madame's hotel？〃
Domini looked round。
〃Ah； Batouch！〃
Suzanne jumped as if her string had been sharply pulled； and cast a
glance of dreary suspicion upon the poet。 She looked at his legs； then
upwards。
He wore white socks which almost met his pantaloons。 Scarcely more
than an inch of pale brown skin was visible。 The gold buttons of his
jacket glittered brightly。 His blue robe floated majestically from his
broad shoulders； and the large tassel of his fez fell coquettishly
towards his left ear； above which was set a pale blue flower with a
woolly green leaf。
Suzanne was slightly reassured by the flower and the bright buttons。
She felt that they needed a protector in this mob of shouting brown
and black men； who clamoured about them like savages； exposing bare
legs and arms； even bare chests； in a most barbarous manner。
〃We are going to the Hotel du Desert；〃 Domini continued。 〃Is it far？〃
〃Only a few minutes； Madame。〃
〃I shall like to walk there。〃
Suzanne collapsed。 Her bones became as wax with apprehension。 She saw
herself toiling over leagues of sand towards some nameless hovel。
〃Suzanne； you can get into the omnibus and take the handbags。〃
At the sweet word omnibus a ray of hope stole into the maid's heart；
and when a nicely…dressed man； in a long blue coat and indubitable
trousers； assisted her politely into a vehicle which was unmistakable
she almost wept for joy。
Meanwhile Domini； escorted serenely by the poet； walked towards the
long gardens of Beni…Mora。 She passed over a wooden bridge。 White dust
was flying from the road； along which many of the Arab aristocracy
were indolently strolling； carrying lightly in their hands small red
roses or sprigs of pink geranium。 In their white robes they looked；
she thought； like monks； though the cigarettes many of them were
smoking fought against the illusion。 Some of them were dressed like
Batouch in pale…coloured cloth。 They held each other's hands loosely
as they sauntered along； chattering in soft contralto voices。 Two or
three were attended by servants； who walked a pace or two behind them
on the left。 These were members of great families； rulers of tribes；
men who had influence over the Sahara people。 One； a shortish man with
a coal…black beard； moved so majestically that he seemed almost a
giant。 His face was very pale。 On one of his small；