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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； almost white；
hands glittered a diamond ring。 A boy with a long； hooked nose
strolled gravely near him； wearing brown kid gloves and a turban
spangled with gold。
〃That is the Kaid of Tonga； Madame；〃 whispered Batouch； looking at the
pale man reverently。 〃He is here /en permission/。〃
〃How white he is。〃
〃They tried to poison him。 Ever since he is ill inside。 That is his
brother。 The brown gloves are very chic。〃
A light carriage rolled rapidly by them in a white mist of dust。 It
was drawn by a pair of white mules； who whisked their long tails as
they trotted briskly； urged on by a cracking whip。 A big boy with
heavy brown eyes was the coachman。 By his side sat a very tall young
negro with a humorous pointed nose； dressed in primrose yellow。 He
grinned at Batouch out of the mist； which accentuated the coal…black
hue of his whimsical； happy face。
〃That is the Agha's son with Mabrouk。〃
They turned aside from the road and came into a long tunnel formed by
mimosa trees that met above a broad path。 To right and left were other
little paths branching among the trunks of fruit trees and the narrow
twigs of many bushes that grew luxuriantly。 Between sandy brown banks；
carefully flattened and beaten hard by the spades of Arab gardeners；
glided streams of opaque water that were guided from the desert by a
system of dams。 The Kaid's mill watched over them and the great wall
of the fort。 In the tunnel the light was very delicate and tinged with
green。 The noise of the water flowing was just audible。 A few Arabs
were sitting on benches in dreamy attitudes； with their heelless
slippers hanging from the toes of their bare feet。 Beyond the entrance
of the tunnel Domini could see two horsemen galloping at a tremendous
pace into the desert。 Their red cloaks streamed out over the sloping
quarters of their horses； which devoured the earth as if in a frenzy
of emulation。 They disappeared into the last glories of the sun； which
still lingered on the plain and blazed among the summits of the red
mountains。
All the contrasts of this land were exquisite to Domini and； in some
mysterious way； suggested eternal things； whispering through colour；
gleam； and shadow； through the pattern of leaf and rock； through the
air； now fresh； now tenderly warm and perfumed； through the silence
that hung like a filmy cloud in the golden heaven。
She and Batouch entered the tunnel； passing at once into definite
evening。 The quiet of these gardens was delicious； and was only
interrupted now and then by the sound of wheels upon the road as a
carriage rolled by to some house which was hidden in the distance of
the oasis。 The seated Arabs scarcely disturbed it by their murmured
talk。 Many of them indeed said nothing； but rested like lotus…eaters
in graceful attitudes； with hanging hands； and eyes； soft as the eyes
of gazelles； that regarded the shadowy paths and creeping waters with
a grave serenity born of the inmost spirit of idleness。
But Batouch loved to talk； and soon began a languid monologue。
He told Domini that he had been in Paris； where he had been the guest
of a French poet who adored the East； that he himself was
〃instructed；〃 and not like other Arabs； that he smoked the hashish and
could sing the love songs of the Sahara； that he had travelled far in
the desert； to Souf and to Ouargla beyond the ramparts of the Dunes；
that he composed verses in the night when the uninstructed； the
brawlers； the drinkers of absinthe and the domino players were
sleeping or wasting their time in the darkness over the pastimes of
the lewd； when the sybarites were sweating under the smoky arches of
the Moorish baths； and the /marechale/ of the dancing…girls sat in her
flat…roofed house guarding the jewels and the amulets of her gay
confederation。 These verses were written both in Arabic and in French；
and the poet of Paris and his friends had found them beautiful as the
dawn； and as the palm trees of Ourlana by the Artesian wells。 All the
girls of the Ouled Nails were celebrated in these poemsAishoush and
Irena； Fatma and Baali。 In them also were enshrined legends of the
venerable marabouts who slept in the Paradise of Allah； and tales of
the great warriors who had fought above the rocky precipices of
Constantine and far off among the sands of the South。 They told the
stories of the Koulouglis； whose mothers were Moorish slaves； and
romances in which figured the dark…skinned Beni M'Zab and the freed
negroes who had fled away from the lands in the very heart of the sun。
All this information； not wholly devoid of a naive egoism； Batouch
poured forth gently and melodiously as they walked through the
twilight in the tunnel。 And Domini was quite content to listen。 The
strange names the poet mentioned； his liquid pronunciation of them；
his allusions to wild events that had happened long ago in desert
places； and to the lives of priests of his old religion； of fanatics；
and girls who rode on camels caparisoned in red to the dancing…houses
of Sahara cit