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turning； pointed towards Domini。 The Arab spoke a word to the
marabout； then left him； and came rapidly forward to the fountain。 As
he drew close to her she saw a face browned by the sun； a very small；
pointed beard； a pair of intensely bright eyes surrounded by wrinkles。
These eyes held her。 It seemed to her that she knew them； that she had
often looked into them and seen their changing expressions。 Suddenly
she exclaimed：
〃Count Anteoni！〃
〃Yes； it is I！〃
He held out his hand and clasped hers。
〃So you have started upon your desert journey；〃 he added； looking
closely at her； as he had often looked in the garden。
〃Yes。〃
〃And as I ventured to advisethat last time； do you remember？〃
She recollected his words。
〃No；〃 she replied； and there was a warmth of joy； almost of pride； in
her voice。 〃I am not alone。〃
Count Anteoni was standing with one hand on her horse's neck。 As she
spoke； his hand dropped down。
〃I have been away from Beni…Hassan；〃 he said slowly。 〃The marabout and
I have been travelling in the south and only returned yesterday。 I
have heard no news for a long time from Beni…Mora； but I know。 You are
Madame Androvsky。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered； 〃I am Madame Androvsky。〃
There was a silence between them。 In it she heard the dripping water
in the fountain。 At last Count Anteoni spoke again。
〃It was written；〃 he said quietly。 〃It was written in the sand。〃
She thought of the sand…diviner and was silent。 An oppression of
spirit had suddenly come upon her。 It seemed to her connected with
something physical； something obscure； unusual； such as she had never
felt before。 It was； she thought； as if her body at that moment became
more alive than it had ever been； and as if that increase of life
within her gave to her a peculiar uneasiness。 She was startled。 She
even felt alarmed； as at the faint approach of something strange； of
something that was going to alter her life。 She did not know at all
what it was。 For the moment a sense of confusion and of pain beset
her； and she was scarcely aware with whom she was； or where。 The
sensation passed and she recovered herself and met Count Anteoni's
eyes quietly。
〃Yes；〃 she answered； 〃all that has happened to me here in Africa was
written in the sand and in fire。〃
〃You are thinking of the sun。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Iwhere are you living？〃
〃Close by on the sand…hill beyond the city wall。〃
〃Where you can see the fires lit at night and hear the sound of the
music of Africa？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃As he said。〃
〃Yes； as he said。〃
Again the overwhelming sense of some strange and formidable approach
came over her； but this time she fought it resolutely。
〃Will you come and see me？〃 she said。
She had meant to say 〃us；〃 but did not say it。
〃If you will allow me。〃
〃When？〃
〃I〃 she heard the odd； upward grating in his voice which she
remembered so well。 〃May I come now if you are riding to the tents？〃
〃Please do。〃
〃I will explain to the marabout and follow you。〃
〃But the way？ Shall Batouch？〃
〃No； it is not necessary。〃
She rode away。 When she reached the camp she found that Androvsky had
not yet returned； and she was glad。 She wanted to talk to Count
Anteoni alone。 Within a few minutes she saw him coming towards the
tent。 His beard and his Arab dress so altered him that at a short
distance she could not recognise him； could only guess that it was he。
But directly he was near； and she saw his eyes； she forgot that he was
altered； and felt that she was with her kind and whimsical host of the
garden。
〃My husband is in the city；〃 she said。
〃Yes。〃
〃With the priest。〃
She saw an expression of surprise flit over Count Anteoni's face。 It
went away instantly。
〃Pere Beret；〃 he said。 〃He is a cheerful creature and very good to the
Arabs。〃
They sat down just inside the shadow of the tent before the door； and
he looked out quietly towards the city。
〃Yes； this is the place；〃 he said。
She knew that he was alluding to the vision of the sand…diviner； and
said so。
〃Did you believe at the time that what he said would come true？〃 she
asked。
〃How could I？ Am I a child？〃
He spoke with gentle irony； but she felt he was playing with her。
〃Cannot a man believe such things？〃
He did not answer her； but said：
〃My fate has come to pass。 Do you not care to know what it is？〃
〃Yes； do tell me。〃
She spoke earnestly。 She felt a change in him； a great change which as
yet she did not understand fully。 It was as if he had been a man in
doubt and was now a man no longer in doubt； as if he had arrived at
some goal and was more at peace with himself than he had been。
〃I have become a Mohammedan；〃 he said simply。
〃A Mohammedan！〃
She repeated the words as a person repeats words in surprise； but her
voice did not sound surprised。
〃You wonder？〃 he asked。
After a moment she answered：
〃No。 I never thought of such a thing； but I am not surprised。 Now you
have told me it seems to explain you； much that I noticed in you；
wondered about in you。〃
She looked at him steadily； but without curiosity。
〃I feel that you are happy now。〃
〃Yes； I am happy。 The world I used to know； my world and yours； would
laugh at me； would say that I was crazy； that it was a whim； that I
wished for a new sensation。 Simply it had to be。 For years I have been
tending towards itwho knows why？ Who knows what obscure influences
have been at work in me； whether there is not perhaps far back； some
faint strain of Arab blood mingled with the Sicilian blood in my
veins？ I cannot understand why。 What I can understand is that at last
I have fulfilled my destiny！ After years of unrest I am suddenly and
completely at peace。 It is a magical sensation。 I have been wandering
all my life and have come upon the open door of my home。〃
He spoke very quietly； but she heard the joy in his voice。
〃I remember you saying； 'I like to see men praying in the desert。'〃
〃Yes。 When I looked at them I was longing to be one of them。 For years
from my garden wall I watched them with a passion of envy； with
bitterness； almost with hatred sometimes。 They had something I had
not； something that set them above me； something that made their lives
plain through any complication； and that gave to death a meaning like
the meaning at the close of a great story that is going to have a
sequel。 They had faith。 And it was difficult not to hate them。 But now
I am one of them。 I can pray in the desert。〃
〃That was why you left Beni…Mora。〃
〃Yes。 I had long been wishing to become a Mohammedan。 I came here to
be with the marabout； to enter more fully into certain questions； to
see if I had any lingering doubts。〃
〃And you have none？〃
〃None。〃
She looked at his bright eyes and sighed； thinking of her husband。
〃You will go back to Beni…Mora？〃 she asked。
〃I don't think so。 I am inclined to go farther into the desert；
farther among the people of my own faith。 I don't want to be
surrounded by French。 Some day perhaps I may return。 But at present
everything draws me onward。 Tell me〃he dropped the earnest tone in
which he had been speaking； and she heard once more the easy； half…
ironical man of the world