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bless it now。 II love your safety。 Youat least you are safe。〃
〃You must share it。 I will make you share it。〃
〃You cannot。〃
〃I can。 I shall。 I feel that we shall be together in soul； and perhaps
to…night； perhaps even to…night。〃
Androvsky looked profoundly agitated。 His hands dropped down。
〃I must go；〃 he said。 〃I must go to the priest。〃
He got up from the sand。
〃Come to the tent； Domini。〃
She rose to her feet。
〃When you come back；〃 she said； 〃I shall be waiting for you； Boris。〃
He looked at her。 There was in his eyes a piercing wistfulness。 He
opened his lips。 At that moment Domini felt that he was on the point
of telling her all that she longed to know。 But the look faded。 The
lips closed。 He took her in his arms and kissed her almost
desperately。
〃No； no；〃 he said。 〃I'll keep your loveI'll keep it。〃
〃You could never lose it。〃
〃I might。〃
〃Never。〃
〃If I believed that。〃
〃Boris！〃
Suddenly burning tears rushed from her eyes。
〃Don't ever say a thing like that to me again！〃 she said with passion。
She pointed to the grave close to them。
〃If you were there；〃 she said； 〃and I was living； and you had died
beforebefore you had told meI believeGod forgive me； but I do
believe that if； when you died； I were taken to heaven I should find
my hell there。〃
She looked through her tears at the words： 〃Priez pour lui。〃
〃To pray for the dead；〃 she whispered； as if to herself。 〃To pray for
my deadI could not do itI could not。 Boris； if you love me you
must trust me； you must give me your sorrow。〃
The night drew on。 Androvsky had gone to the priest。 Domini was alone；
sitting before the tent waiting for his return。 She had told Batouch
and Ouardi that she wanted nothing more； that no one was to come to
the tent again that night。 The young moon was rising over the city；
but its light as yet was faint。 It fell upon the cupolas of the Bureau
Arabe； the towers of the mosque and the white sands； whose whiteness
it seemed to emphasise； making them pale as the face of one terror…
stricken。 The city wall cast a deep shadow over the moat of sand in
which； wrapped in filthy rags； lay nomads sleeping。 Upon the sand…
hills the camps were alive with movement。 Fires blazed and smoke
ascended before the tents that made patches of blackness upon the
waste。 Round the fires were seated groups of men devouring cous…cous
and the red soup beloved of the nomad。 Behind them circled the dogs
with quivering nostrils。 Squadrons of camels lay crouched in the sand；
resting after their journeys。 And everywhere； from the city and from
the waste； rose distant sounds of music； thin； aerial flutings like
voices of the night winds； acrid cries from the pipes； and the far…off
rolling of the African drums that are the foundation of every desert
symphony。
Although she was now accustomed to the music of Africa； Domini could
never hear it without feeling the barbarity of the land from which it
rose； the wildness of the people who made and who loved it。 Always it
suggested to her an infinite remoteness； as if it were music sounding
at the end of the world； full of half…defined meanings； melancholy yet
fierce passion； longings that； momentarily satisfied； continually
renewed themselves； griefs that were hidden behind thin veils like the
women of the East； but that peered out with expressive eyes； hinting
their story and desiring assuagement。 And tonight the meaning of the
music seemed deeper than it had been before。 She thought of it as an
outside echo of the voices murmuring in her mind and heart； and the
voices murmuring in the mind and heart of Androvsky； broken voices
some of them； but some strong； fierce； tense and alive with meaning。
And as she sat there alone she thought this unity of music drew her
closer to the desert than she had ever been before； and drew Androvsky
with her； despite his great reserve。 In the heart of the desert he
would surely let her see at last fully into his heart。 When he came
back in the night from the priest he would speak。 She was waiting for
that。
The moon was mounting。 Its light grew stronger。 She looked across the
sands and saw fires in the city； and suddenly she said to herself；
〃This is the vision of the sand…diviner realised in my life。 He saw me
as I am now； in this place。〃 And she remembered the scene in the
garden； the crouching figure； the extended arms； the thin fingers
tracing swift patterns in the sand； the murmuring voice。
To…night she felt deeply expectant； but almost sad； encompassed by the
mystery that hangs in clouds about human life and human relations。
What could be that great joy of which the Diviner had spoken？ A
woman's great joy that starred the desert with flowers and made the
dry places run with sweet waters。 What could it be？
Suddenly she felt again the oppression of spirit she had been
momentarily conscious of in the afternoon。 It was like a load
descending upon her； and； almost instantly； communicated itself to her
body。 She was conscious of a sensation of unusual weariness；
uneasiness； even dread； then again of an intensity of life that
startled her。 This intensity remained； grew in her。 It was as if the
principle of life； like a fluid； were being poured into her out of the
vials of God； as if the little cup that was all she had were too small
to contain the precious liquid。 That seemed to her to be the cause of
the pain of which she was conscious。 She was being given more than she
felt herself capable of possessing。 She got up from her chair； unable
to remain still。 The movement； slight though it was； seemed to remove
a veil of darkness that had hung over her and to let in upon her a
flood of light。 She caught hold of the canvas of the tent。 For a
moment she felt weak as a child； then strong as an Amazon。 And the
sense of strength remained； grew。 She walked out upon the sand in the
direction by which Androvsky would return。 The fires in the city and
the camps were to her as illuminations for a festival。 The music was
the music of a great rejoicing。 The vast expanse of the desert； wintry
white under the moon； dotted with the fires of the nomads； blossomed
as the rose。 After a few moments she stopped。 She was on the crest of
a sand…bank； and could see below her the faint track in the sand which
wound to the city gate。 By this track Androvsky would surely return。
From a long distance she would be able to see him； a moving darkness
upon the white。 She was near to the city now； and could hear voices
coming to her from behind its rugged walls； voices of men singing； and
calling one to another； the twang of plucked instruments； the click of
negroes' castanets。 The city was full of joy as the desert was full of
joy。 The glory of life rushed upon her like a flood of gold； that gold
of the sun in which thousands of tiny things are dancing。 And she was
given the power of giving life； of adding to the sum of glory。 She
looked out over the sands and saw a moving blot upon them coming
slowly towards her； very slowly。 It was impossible at this distance to
see who it was； but she felt that it was her husband。 For a moment she
thought of going down to meet him； but she did not m