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something like that。 But I know that it made my heart beat； and that
I felt as if I had wings and were spreading them to fly away to the
most remote places of the earth。 And now I have spread my wings； and
it's glorious。 Come； Boris！〃
They put their horses to a canter； and soon drew near to the caravans。
They had sent Batouch and Ali； who generally accompanied them； on with
the rest of the camp。 Both had many friends in Amara； and were eager
to be there。 It was obvious that they and all the attendants； servants
and camel…men； thought of it as the provincial Frenchman thinks of
Paris； as a place of all worldly wonders and delights。 Batouch was to
meet them at the entrance to the city； and when they had seen the
marvels of its market…place was to conduct them to the tents which
would be pitched on the sand…hills outside。
Their horses pulled as if they； too； longed for a spell of city life
after the life of the wastes； and Domini's excitement grew。 She felt
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 re