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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…girls of Amara； all of whom he
seemed to know as intimate friends。 Before he ceased they came into
the city。
The road was still majestically broad。 They looked with interest at
the first houses； one on each side of the way。 And here again they
were met by the sharp contrast which was evidently to be the keynote
of Amara。 The house on the left was European； built of white stone；
clean； attractive； but uninteresting； with stout white pillars of
plaster supporting an arcade that afforded shade from the sun； windows
with green blinds； and an open doorway showing a little hall； on the
floor of which lay a smart rug glowing with gay colours； that on the
right； before which the sand lay deep as if drifted there by some
recent wind of the waste； was African and barbarous； an immense and
rambling building of brown earth； brushwood and palm； windowless； with
a flat…terraced roof； upon which were piled many strange…looking
objects like things collapsed； red and dark green； with fringes and
rosettes； and tall sticks of palm pointing vaguely to the sky。
〃Why； these are like our palanquin！〃 Domini said。
〃They are the palanquins of the dancing…girls； Madame；〃 said Batouch。
〃That is the cafe of the dancers； and that〃he pointed to the neat
house opposite〃is the house of Monsieur the Aumonier of Amara。〃
〃Aumonier；〃 said Androvsky； sharply。 〃Here！〃
He paused； then added more quietly：
〃What should he do here？〃
〃But； Monsieur； he is for the French officers。〃
〃There are French officers？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； four or five； and the commandant。 They live in the
palace with the cupolas。〃
〃I forgot；〃 Androvsky said to Domini。 〃We are not out of the sphere of
French influence。 This place looks so remote and so barbarous that I
imagined it given over entirely to the desert men。〃
〃We need not see the French；〃 she said。 〃We shall be encamped outside
in the sand。〃
〃And we need not stay here long；〃 he said quickly。
〃Boris；〃 she asked him； half in jest； half in earnest； 〃shall we buy a
desert island to live in？〃
〃Let us buy an oasis；〃 he said。 〃That would be the perfthe safest
life for us。〃
〃The safest？〃
〃The safest for our happiness。 Domini； I have a horror of the world！〃
He said the last words with a strong； almost fierce； emphasis。
〃Had you it always； or only since we have been married？〃
〃Iperhaps it was born in me； perhaps it is part of me。 Who knows？〃
He had relapsed into a gravity that was heavy with gloom； and looked
about him with eyes that seemed to wish to reject all that offered
itself to their sight。
〃I want the desert and you in it；〃 he said。 〃The lonely desert； with
you。〃
〃And nothing else？〃
〃I want that。 I cannot have that taken from me。〃
He looked about him quickly from side to side as they rode up the
street； as if he were a scout sent in advance of an army and suspected
ambushes。 His manner reminded her of the way he had looked towards the
tower as they rode into Mogar。 And he had connected that tower with
the French。 She remembered his saying to her that it must have been
built for French soldiers。 As they rode into Mogar he had dreaded
something in Mogar。 The strange incident with De Trevignac had
followed。 She had put it from her mind as a matter of small； or no；
importance； had resolutely forgotten it； had been able to forget it in
their dream of desert life and desert passion。 But the entry into a
city for the moment destroyed the dreamlike atmosphere woven by the
desert； recalled her town sense； that quick…wittedness； that sharpness
of apprehension and swiftness of observation which are bred in those
who have long been accustomed to a life in the midst of crowds and
movement； and changing scenes and passing fashions。 Suddenly she
seemed to herself to be reading Androvsky with an almost merciless
penetration； which yet she could not check。 He had dreaded something
in Mogar。 He dreaded something here in Amara。 An unusual incidentfor
the coming of a stranger into their lives out of their desolation of
the sa