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〃And as to London； Paris〃
Suddenly she burst into a little laugh and her gravity vanished。
〃I think you would hate them；〃 she said。 〃And theythey wouldn't like
you because they wouldn't understand you。〃
〃Let us buy our oasis；〃 he said abruptly。 〃Build our African house；
sell our dates and remain in the desert。 I hear Batouch。 It must be
time to ride on to Mogar。 Batouch！ Batouch！〃
Batouch came from the courtyard of the house wiping the remains of a
cous…cous from his languid lips。
〃Untie the horses；〃 said Androvsky。
〃But； Monsieur； it is still too hot to travel。 Look！ No one is
stirring。 All the village is asleep。〃
He waved his enormous hand； with henna…tinted nails； towards the
distant town； carved surely out of one huge piece of bronze。
〃Untie the horses。 There are gazelle in the plain near Mogar。 Didn't
you tell me？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； but〃
〃We'll get there early and go out after them at sunset。 Now； Domini。〃
They rode away in the burning heat of the noon towards the southwest
across the vast plains of grey sand； followed at a short distance by
Batouch and Ali。
〃Monsieur is mad to start in the noon；〃 grumbled Batouch。 〃But
Monsieur is not like Madame。 He may live in the desert till he is old
and his hair is grey as the sand； but he will never be an Arab in his
heart。〃
〃Why； Batouch…ben…Brahim？〃
〃He cannot rest。 To Madame the desert gives its calm； but to
Monsieur〃 He did not finish his sentence。 In front Domini and
Androvsky had put their horses to a gallop。 The sand flew up in a thin
cloud around them。
〃Nom d'un chien！〃 said Batouch； who； in unpoetical moments；
occasionally indulged in the expletives of the French infidels who
were his country's rulers。 〃What is there in the mind of Monsieur
which makes him ride as if he fled from an enemy？〃
〃I know not； but he goes like a hare before the sloughi； Batouch…ben
Brahim；〃 answered Ali； gravely。
Then they sent their horses on in chase of the cloud of sand towards
the southwest。
About four in the afternoon they reached the camp at Mogar。
As they rode in slowly； for their horses were tired and streaming with
heat after their long canter across the sands； both Domini and
Androvsky were struck by the novelty of this halting…place； which was
quite unlike anything they had yet seen。 The ground rose gently but
continuously for a considerable time before they saw in the distance
the pitched tents with the dark forms of the camels and mules。 Here
they were out of the sands； and upon hard； sterile soil covered with
small stones embedded in the earth。 Beyond the tents they could see
nothing but the sky； which was now covered with small； ribbed grey
clouds； sad…coloured and autumnal； and a lonely tower built of stone；
which rose from the waste at about two hundred yards from the tents to
the east。 Although they could see so little； however； they were
impressed with a sensation that they were on the edge of some vast
vision； of some grandiose effect of Nature； that would bring to them a
new and astonishing knowledge of the desert。 Perhaps it was the sight
of the distant tower pointing to the grey clouds that stirred in them
this almost excited feeling of expectation。
〃It is like a watch…tower；〃 Domini said； pointing with her whip。 〃But
who could live in such a place； far from any oasis？〃
〃And what can it overlook？〃 said Androvsky。 〃This is the nearest
horizon line we have seen since we came into the desert。〃
〃Yes； but〃
She glanced at him as they put their horses into a gentle canter。 Then
she added：
〃You； too； feel that we are coming to something tremendous； don't you？
Her horse whinnied shrilly。 Domini stroked his foam…flecked neck with
her hand。
〃Abou is as full of anticipation as we are；〃 she said。 Androvsky was
looking towards the tower。
〃That was built for French soldiers；〃 he said。 A moment afterwards he
added：
〃I wonder why Batouch chose this place for us to camp in？〃
There was a faint sound as of irritation in his voice。
〃Perhaps we shall know in a minute；〃 Domini answered。 They cantered
on。 Their horses' hoofs rang with a hard sound on the stony ground。
〃It's inhospitable here；〃 Androvsky said。 She looked at him in
surprise。
〃I never knew you to take a dislike to any halting…place before；〃 she
said。 〃What's the matter； Boris？〃
He smiled at her； but almost immediately his face was clouded by the
shadow of a gloom that seemed to respond to the gloom of the sky。 And
he fixed his eyes again upon the tower。
〃I like a far horizon；〃 he answered。 〃And there's no sun to…day。〃
〃I suppose even in the desert we cannot have it always；〃 she said。 And
in her voice； too； there was a touch of melancholy； as if she had
caught his mood。 A minute later she added：
〃I feel exactly as if I were on a hill top and were coming to a view
of the sea。〃
Almost as she spoke they cantered in among the tents of the
attendants； and reined in their horses at the edge of a slope that was
almost a precipice。 Then they sat still in their saddles； gazing。
They had been living for weeks in the midst of vastness； and had
become accustomed to see stretched out around them immense tracts of
land melting away into far blue distances； but this view from Mogar
made them catch their breath and stiffed their pulses。
It was gigantic。 There was even something unnatural in its appearance
of immensity； as if it were； perhaps； deceptive； and existed in their
vision of it only。 So； surely； might look a plain to one who had taken
haschish； which enlarges； makes monstrous and threateningly terrific。
Domini had a feeling that no human eyes could really see such infinite
tracts of land and water as those she seemed to be seeing at this
moment。 For there was water here； in the midst of the desert。 Infinite
expanses of sea met infinite plains of snow。 Or so it seemed to both
of them。 And the sea was grey and calm as a winter sea； breathing its
plaint along a winter land。 From it； here and there； rose islets whose
low cliffs were a deep red like the red of sandstone； a sad colour
that suggests tragedy； islets that looked desolate； and as if no life
had ever been upon them； or could be。 Back from the snowy plains
stretched sand dunes of the palest primrose colour； sand dunes
innumerable； myriads and myriads of them； rising and falling； rising
and falling； till they were lost in the grey distance of this silent
world。 In the foreground； at their horses' feet； wound from the hill
summit a broad track faintly marked in the deep sand； and flanked by
huge dunes shaped； by the action of the winds； into grotesque
semblances of monsters； leviathans； beasts with prodigious humps；
sphinxes； whales。 This track was presently lost in the blanched
plains。 Far away； immeasurably far； sea and snow blended and faded
into the cloudy grey。 Above the near dunes two desert eagles were
slowly wheeling in a weary flight； occasionally sinking towards the
sand； then rising again towards the clouds。 And the track was strewn
with the bleached bones of camels that had perished； or that had been
slaughtered； on some long desert march。
To the left of them the solitary tower command