vivid animal spirits boiling up within her； the sane and healthy sense
that welcomes a big manifestation of the ceaseless enterprise and keen
activity of a brotherhood of men。 The loaded camels； the half…naked
running drivers； the dogs sensitively sniffing； as if enticing smells
from the city already reached their nostrils； the chattering desert
merchants discussing coming gains； the wealthy and richly…dressed
Arabs； mounted on fine horses； and staring with eyes that glittered up
the broad track in search of welcoming friends； were sympathetic to
her mood。 Amara was sucking them all in together from the solitary
places as quiet waters are sucked into the turmoils of a mill…race。
Although still out in the sands they were already in the midst of a
noise of life flowing to meet the roar of life that rose up at the
feet of the minarets； which now looked tall and majestic in the
growing beauty of the sunset。
They passed the caravans one by one； and came on to the crest of the
long sand slope just as the sky above the city was flushing with a
bright geranium red。 The track from here was level to the city wall；
and was no longer soft with sand。 A broad； hard road rang beneath
their horses' hoofs； startling them with a music that was like a voice
of civilised life。 Before them； under the red sky； they saw a dark
blue of distant houses； towers； and great round cupolas glittering
like gold。 Forests of palm trees lay behind； the giant date palms for
which Amara was famous。 To the left stretched the sands dotted with
gleaming Arab villages； to the right again the sands covered with
hundreds of tents among which quantities of figures moved lively like
ants； black on the yellow； arched by the sky that was alive with lurid
colour； red fading into gold； gold into primrose； primrose into green；
green into the blue that still told of the fading day。 And to this
multi…coloured sky； from the barbaric city and the immense sands in
which it was set； rose a great chorus of life； voices of men and
beasts； cries of naked children playing Cora on the sand…hills； of
mothers to straying infants； shrill laughter of unveiled girls
wantonly gay； the calls of men； the barking of multitudes of dogs；
the guard dogs of the nomads that are never silent night or day；the
roaring of hundreds of camels now being unloaded for the night； the
gibbering of the mad beggars who roam perpetually on the outskirts of
the encampments like wolves seeking what they may devour； the braying
of donkeys； the whinnying of horses。 And beneath these voices of
living things； foundation of their uprising vitality； pulsed barbarous
music； the throbbing tomtoms that are for ever heard in the lands of
the sun； fetish music that suggests fatalism； and the grand monotony
of the enormous spaces； and the crude passion that repeats itself； and
the untiring； sultry loves and the untired； sultry languors of the
children of the sun。
The silence of the sands； which Domini and Androvsky had known and
loved； was merged in the tumult of the sands。 The one had been
mystical； laying the soul to rest。 The other was provocative； calling
the soul to wake。 At this moment the sands themselves seemed to stir
with life and to cry aloud with voices。
〃The very sky is barbarous to…night！〃 Domini exclaimed。 〃Did you ever
see such colour； Boris？〃
〃Over the minarets it is like a great wound；〃 he answered。
〃No wonder men are careless of human life in such a land as this。 All
the wildness of the world seems to be concentrated here。 Amara is like
the desert city of some tremendous dream。 It looks wicked and
unearthly； but how superb！〃
〃Look at those cupolas！〃 he said。 〃Are there really Oriental palaces
here？ Has Batouch told us the truth for once？〃
〃Or less than the truth？ I could believe anything of Amara at this
moment。 What hundreds of camels！ They remind me of Arba； our first
halting…place。〃 She looked at him and he at her。
〃How long ago that seems！〃 she said。
〃A thousand years ago。〃
They both had a memory of a great silence； in the midst of this
growing tumult in which the sky seemed now to take its part； calling
with the voices of its fierce colours； with the voices of the fires
that burdened it in the west。
〃Silence joined us； Domini；〃 Androvsky said。
〃Yes。 Perhaps silence is the most beautiful voice in the world。〃
Far off； along the great white road； they saw two horsemen galloping
to meet them from the city； one dressed in brilliant saffron yellow；
the other in the palest blue； both crowned with large and snowy
turbans。
〃Who can they be？〃 said Domini； as they drew near。 〃They look like two
princes of the Sahara。〃
Then she broke into a merry laugh。
〃Batouch！ and Ali！〃 she exclaimed。
The servants galloped up then； without slackening speed deftly wheeled
their horses in a narrow circle； and were beside them； going with
them； one on the right hand； the other on the left。
〃Bravo！〃 Domini cried； delighted at this feat of horsemanship。 〃But
what have you been doing？ You are transformed！〃
〃Madame； we have been to the Bain Maure；〃 replied Batouch； calmly；
swelling out his broad chest under his yellow jacket laced with gold。
〃We have had our heads shaved till they are smooth and beautiful as
polished ivory。 We have been to the perfumer〃he leaned
confidentially towards her； exhaling a pungent odour of amber〃to the
tailor； to the baboosh bazaar！〃he kicked out a foot cased in a
slipper that was bright almost as a gold piece〃to him who sells the
cherchia。〃 He shook his head till the spangled muslin that flowed
about it trembled。 〃Is it not right that your servants should do you
honour in the city？〃
〃Perfectly right；〃 she answered with a careful seriousness。 〃I am
proud of you both。〃
〃And Monsieur？〃 asked Ali； speaking in his turn。
Androvsky withdrew his eyes from the city； which was now near at hand。
〃Splendid！〃 he said； but as if attending to the Arabs with difficulty。
〃You are splendid。〃
As they came towards the old wall which partially surrounds Amara； and
which rises from a deep natural moat of sand； they saw that the ground
immediately before the city which； from a distance； had looked almost
fiat； was in reality broken up into a series of wavelike dunes； some
small with depressions like deep crevices between them； others large
with summits like plateaux。 These dunes were of a sharp lemon yellow
in the evening light； a yellow that was cold in its clearness； almost
setting the teeth on edge。 They went away into great rolling slopes of
sand on which the camps of the nomads and the Ouled Nails were
pitched； some near to； some distant from； the city； but they
themselves were solitary。 No tents were pitched close to the city；
under the shadow of its wall。 As Androvsky spoke； Domini exclaimed：
〃Boris…look！ That is the most extraordinary thing I have ever seen！〃
She put her hand on his arm。 He obeyed her eyes and looked to his
right； to the small lemon…yellow dunes that were close to them。 At
perhaps a hundred yards from the road was a dune that ran parallel
with it。 The fire of the sinking sun caught its smooth crest； and
above this crest； moving languidly towards the city； were visible the
heads and busts of three women； the lower halves of whose bodies were
concealed by the sand of the farther side of the dune。 They were
dancing…girls。 On their heads； piled high with gorgeous handkerchiefs；
were golden crowns which glittered in the sun…rays； and tufts of
scarlet feathers。 Their oval faces； covered with paint； were partially
concealed by long strings of gold coins； which flowed from their
crowns down over their large breasts and disappeared towards their
waists； which were hidden by the sand。 Their dresses were of scarlet；
apple…green and purple silks； partially covered by floating shawls of
spangled muslin。 Beneath their crowns and handkerchiefs burgeoned
forth plaits of false hair decorated with coral and silver ornaments。
Their hands； which they held high； gesticulating above the crest of
the dune； were painted blood red。
These busts and heads glided slowly along in the setting sun； and
presently sank down and vanished into some depression of the dunes。
For an instant one blood…red hand was visible alone； waving a signal
above the sand to someone unseen。 Its fingers fluttered like the wings
of a startled bird。 Then it； too； vanished； and the sharply…cold lemon
yellow of the dunes stretched in vivid loneliness beneath the evening
sky。
To both of them this brief vision of women in the sand brought home
the solitude of the desert and the barbarity of the life it held； the
ascetism of this supreme manifestation of Nature and the animal
passion which fructifies in its heart。
〃Do you know what that made me think of； Boris？〃 Domini said； as the
red hand with its swiftly…moving fingers disappeared。 〃You'll smile；
perhaps； and I scarcely know why。 It made me think of the Devil in a
monastery。〃
Androvsky did not smile。 Nor did he answer。 She felt sure that he；
too； had been strongly affected by that glimpse of Sahara life。 His
silence gave Batouch an opportunity of pouring forth upon them a flood
of poetical description of the dancing…girl