friend of mine。〃
He stretched out his legs as if he wished to elongate his
satisfaction； and stared Domini full in the face with eyes that
confidently； naively； asked for her approval of his doctrine of the
sun。 She could not help liking him； though she felt more as if she
were sitting with a jolly； big； and rather rowdy boy than with a
priest。
〃You are fond of the Arabs then？〃 she said。
〃Of course I am； Madame。 I can speak their language； and I'm as much
at home in their tents； and more； than I should ever be at the Vatican
with all respect to the Holy Father。〃
He got up； went out into the sand； expectorated noisily； then returned
to the tent； wiping his bearded mouth with a large red cotton pocket…
handkerchief。
〃Are you staying here long； Madame？〃
He sat down again in his chair； making it creak with his substantial
weight。
〃I don't know。 If my husband is happy here。 But he prefers the
solitudes； I think。〃
〃Does he？ And yet he's gone into the city。 Plenty of bustle there at
night； I can tell you。 Well； now； I don't agree with your husband。 I
know it's been said that solitude is good for the sad； but I think
just the contrary。 Ah！〃
The last sonorously joyous exclamation jumped out of Father Beret at
the sight of Ouardi； who at this moment entered with a large tray；
covered with a coffee…pot； cups； biscuits； bon…bons； cigars； and a
bulging flask of some liqueur flanked by little glasses。
〃You fare generously in the desert I see； Madame；〃 he exclaimed。 〃And
so much the better。 What's your servant's name？〃
Domini told him。
〃Ouardi！ that means born in the time of the roses。〃 He addressed
Ouardi in Arabic and sent him off into the darkness chuckling gaily。
〃These Arab names all have their meaningsOnlagareb； mother of
scorpions； Omteoni； mother of eagles； and so on。 So much the better！
Comforts are rare here； but you carry them with you。 Sugar； if you
please。〃
Domini put two lumps into his cup。
〃If you allow me！〃
He added two more。
〃I never refuse a good cigar。 These harmless joys are excellent for
man。 They help his Christianity。 They keep him from bitterness； harsh
judgments。 But harshness is for northern climesrainy England； eh？
Forgive me； Madame。 I speak in joke。 You come from England perhaps。 It
didn't occur to me that〃
They both laughed。 His garrulity was irresistible and made Domini feel
as if she were sitting with a child。 Perhaps he caught her feeling；
for he added：
〃The desert has made me an /enfant terrible/； I fear。 What have you
there？〃
His eyes had been attracted by the flask of liqueur； to which Domini
was stretching out her hand with the intention of giving him some。
〃I don't know。〃
She leaned forward to read the name on the flask。
〃L o u a r i n e；〃 she said。
〃Pst！〃 exclaimed the priest； with a start。
〃Will you have some？ I don't know whether it's good。 I've never tasted
it； or seen it before。 Will you have some？〃
She felt so absolutely certain that he would say 〃Yes〃 that she lifted
the flask to pour the liqueur into one of the little glasses； but；
looking at him； she saw that he hesitated。
〃After allwhy not？〃 he ejaculated。 〃Why not？〃
She was holding the flask over the glass。 He saw that his remark
surprised her。
〃Yes； Madame； thanks。〃
She poured out the liqueur and handed it to him。 He set it down by his
coffee…cup。
〃The fact is； Madamebut you know nothing about this liqueur？〃
〃No； nothing。 What is it？〃
Her curiosity was roused by his hesitation； his words； but still more
by a certain gravity which had come into his face。
〃Well； this liqueur comes from the Trappist monastery of El…Largani。〃
〃The monks' liqueur！〃 she exclaimed。
And instantly she thought of Mogar。
〃You do know then？〃
〃Ouardi told me we had with us a liqueur made by some monks。〃
〃This is it； and very excellent it is。 I have tasted it in Tunis。〃
〃But then why did you hesitate to take it here？〃
He lifted his glass up to the lamp。 The light shone on its contents；
showing that the liquid was pale green。
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃the Trappists of El…Largani have a fine property。
They grow every sort of things； but their vineyards are specially
famous； and their wines bring in a splendid revenue。 This is their
only liqueur； this Louarine。 It； too； has brought in a lot of money to
the community； but when what they have in stock at the monastery now
is exhausted they will never make another franc by Louarine。〃
〃But why not？〃
〃The secret of its manufacture belonged to one monk only。 At his death
he was to confide it to another whom he had chosen。〃
〃And he died suddenly without〃
〃Madame； he didn't die。〃
The gravity had returned to the priest's face and deepened there；
transforming it。 He put the glass down without touching it with his
lips。
〃ThenI don't understand。〃
〃He disappeared from the monastery。〃
〃Do you mean he left ita Trappist？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃After taking the final vows？〃
〃Oh； he had been a monk at El…Largani for over twenty years。〃
〃How horrible！〃 Domini said。 She looked at the pale…green liquid。 〃How
horrible！〃 she repeated。
〃Yes。 The monks would have kept the matter a secret； but a servant of
the /hotellerie/who had taken no vow of eternal silencespoke； and
well； I know it here in the 'belly of the desert。'〃
〃Horrible！〃
She said the word again； and as if she felt its meaning more acutely
each time she spoke it。
〃After twenty years to go！〃 she added after a moment。 〃And was there
no reason； nono excuseno； I don't mean excuse！ But had nothing
exceptional happened？〃
〃What exceptional thing can happen in a Trappist monastery？〃 said the
priest。 〃One day is exactly like another there； and one year exactly
like another。〃
〃Was it long ago？〃
〃No； not very long。 Only some months。 Oh； perhaps it may be a year by
now； but not more。 Poor fellow！ I suppose he was a man who didn't know
himself； Madame； and the devil tempted him。〃
〃But after twenty years！〃 said Domini。
The thing seemed to her almost incredible。
〃That man must be in hell now；〃 she added。 〃In the hell a man can make
for himself by his own act。 Oh； here is my husband。〃
Androvsky stood in the tent door； looking in upon them with startled；
scrutinising eyes。 He had come over the deep sand without noise。
Neither Domini nor the priest had heard a footstep。 The priest got up
from his chair and bowed genially。
〃Good…evening； Monsieur；〃 he said； not waiting for any introduction。
〃I am the Aumonier of Amara； and〃
He paused in the full flow of his talk。 Androvsky's eyes had wandered
from his face to the table； upon which stood the coffee； the liqueur；
and the other things brought by Ouardi。 It was evident even to the
self…centred priest that his host was not listening to him。 There was
a moment's awkward pause。 Then Domini said：
〃Boris； Monsieur l'Aumonier！〃
She did not speak loudly； but with an intention that recalled the mind
of her husband。 He stepped slowly into the tent and held out his hand
in silence to the priest。 As he did so the lamplight fell full upon
him。
〃Boris； are you ill？〃 Domini exclaimed。
The priest had taken Androvsky's hand； but with a doubtful air。 His
cheerful and confident manner had died away； and his eyes； fixed upon
his host； shone with an astonishment which was mingled with a sort of
boyish glumness。 It was evident that he felt that his presence was
unwelcome。
〃I have a headache；〃 Androvsky said。 〃Ithat is why I returned。〃
He dropped the priest's hand。 He was again looking towards the table。
〃The sun was unusually fierce to…day；〃 Domini said。 〃Do you think〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 he interrupted。 〃That's it。 I must have had a touch of the
sun。〃
He put his hand to his head。
〃Excuse me； Monsieur；〃 he said； speaking to the priest but not looking
at him。 〃I am really feeling unwell。 Another day〃
He went out of the tent and disappeared silently into the darkness。
Domini and the priest looked after him。 Then the priest； with an air
of embarrassment； took up his hat from the table。 His cigar had gone
out； but he pulled at it as if he thought it was still alight； then
took it out of his mouth and； glancing with a naive regret at the good
things upon the table； his half…finished coffee； the biscuits； the
white box of bon…bonssaid：
〃Madame； I must be off。 I've a good way to go； and it's getting late。
If you will allow me〃
He went to the tent door and called； in a powerful voice：
〃Belgassem！ Belgassem！〃
He paused； then called again：
〃Belgassem！〃
A light travelled over the sand from the farther tents of the
servants。 Then the priest turned round to Domini and shook her by the
hand。
〃Good…night； Madame。〃
〃I'm very sorry；〃 she said； not trying to detain him。 〃You must come
again。 My husband is evidently ill； and〃
〃You must go to him。 Of course。 Of course。 This sun is a blessing。
Still； it brings fever sometimes； especially to strangers。 We sand…
rascalseh； Madame！〃 he laughed； but the laugh had lost its sonorous
ring〃we can stand it。 It's our friend。 But for travellers sometimes
it's a little bit too much。 But now； mind； I'm a bit of a doctor； and
if to…morrow your husband is no better I