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their eyes。 For Androvsky had turned his chair sideways； as if
involuntarily。
〃I shall learn to love Father Roubier；〃 Domini said。
Androvsky moved his seat round again till his back was to the garden；
and placed his broad hands palm downward on his knees。
〃Yes？〃 said the Count。
〃He is so transparently good； and he bears his great disappointment so
beautifully。〃
〃What great disappointment？〃
〃He longed to become a monk。〃
Androvsky got up from his seat and walked back to the garden doorway。
His restless demeanour and lowering expression destroyed all sense of
calm and leisure。 Count Anteoni looked after him； and then at Domini；
with a sort of playful surprise。 He was going to speak； but before the
words came Smain appeared； carrying reverently a large envelope
covered with Arab writing。
〃Will you excuse me for a moment？〃 the Count said。
〃Of course。〃
He took the letter； and at once a vivid expression of excitement shone
in his eyes。 When he had read it there was a glow upon his face as if
the flames of a fire played over it。
〃Miss Enfilden；〃 he said； 〃will you think me very discourteous if I
leave you for a moment？ The messenger who brought this has come from
far and starts to…day on his return journey。 He has come out of the
south； three hundred kilometres away； from Beni…Hassan； a sacred
villagea sacred village。〃
He repeated the last words； lowering his voice。
〃Of course go and see him。〃
〃And you？〃
He glanced towards Androvsky； who was standing with his back to them。
〃Won't you show Monsieur Androvsky the garden？〃
Hearing his name Androvsky turned； and the Count at once made his
excuses to him and followed Smain towards the garden gate； carrying
the letter that had come from Beni…Hassan in his hand。
When he had gone Domini remained on the divan； and Androvsky by the
door； with his eyes on the ground。 She took another cigarette from the
box on the table beside her； struck a match and lit it carefully。 Then
she said：
〃Do you care to see the garden？〃
She spoke indifferently； coldly。 The desire to show her Paradise to
him had died away； but the parting words of the Count prompted the
question； and so she put it as to a stranger。
〃Thank you； Madameyes；〃 he replied； as if with an effort。
She got up； and they went out together on to the broad walk。
〃Which way do you want to go？〃 she asked。
She saw him glance at her quickly； with anxiety in his eyes。
〃You know best where we should go； Madame。〃
〃I daresay you won't care about it。 Probably you are not interested in
gardens。 It does not matter really which path we take。 They are all
very much alike。〃
〃I am sure they are all very beautiful。〃
Suddenly he had become humble； anxious to please her。 But now the
violent contrasts in him； unlike the violent contrasts of nature in
this land； exasperated her。 She longed to be left alone。 She felt
ashamed of Androvsky； and also of herself； she condemned herself
bitterly for the interest she had taken in him； for her desire to put
some pleasure into a life she had deemed sad； for her curiosity about
him； for her wish to share joy with him。 She laughed at herself
secretly for what she now called her folly in having connected him
imaginatively with the desert； whereas in reality he made the desert；
as everything he approached； lose in beauty and wonder。 His was a
destructive personality。 She knew it now。 Why had she not realised it
before？ He was a man to put gall in the cup of pleasure； to create
uneasiness； self…consciousness； constraint round about him； to call up
spectres at the banquet of life。 Well； in the future she could avoid
him。 After to…day she need never have any more intercourse with him。
With that thought； that interior sense of her perfect freedom in
regard to this man； an abrupt； but always cold； content came to her；
putting him a long way off where surely all that he thought and did
was entirely indifferent to her。
〃Come along then；〃 she said。 〃We'll go this way。〃
And she turned down an alley which led towards the home of the purple
dog。 She did not know at the moment that anything had influenced her
to choose that particular path； but very soon the sound of Larbi's
flute grew louder； and she guessed that in reality the music had
attracted her。 Androvsky walked beside her without a word。 She felt
that he was not looking about him； not noticing anything； and all at
once she stopped decisively。
〃Why should we take all this trouble？〃 she said bluntly。 〃I hate
pretence and I thought I had travelled far away from it。 But we are
both pretending。〃
〃Pretending； Madame？〃 he said in a startled voice。
〃Yes。 I that I want to show you this garden； you that you want to see
it。 I no longer wish to show it to you； and you have never wished to
see it。 Let us cease to pretend。 It is all my fault。 I bothered you to
come here when you didn't want to come。 You have taught me a lesson。 I
was inclined to condemn you for it； to be angry with you。 But why
should I be？ You were quite right。 Freedom is my fetish。 I set you
free； Monsieur Androvsky。 Good…bye。〃
As she spoke she felt that the air was clearing； the clouds were
flying。 Constraint at least was at an end。 And she had really the
sensation of setting a captive at liberty。 She turned to leave him；
but he said：
〃Please； stop； Madame。〃
〃Why？〃
〃You have made a mistake。〃
〃In what？〃
〃I do want to see this garden。〃
〃Really？ Well； then； you can wander through it。〃
〃I do not wish to see it alone。〃
〃Larbi shall guide you。 For half a franc he will gladly give up his
serenading。〃
〃Madame； if you will not show me the garden I will not see it at all。
I will go now and will never come into it again。 I do not pretend。〃
〃Ah！〃 she said； and her voice was quite changed。 〃But you do worse。〃
〃Worse！〃
〃Yes。 You lie in the face of Africa。〃
She did not wish or mean to say it； and yet she had to say it。 She
knew it was monstrous that she should speak thus to him。 What had his
lies to do with her？ She had been told a thousand； had heard a
thousand told to others。 Her life had been passed in a world of which
the words of the Psalmist； though uttered in haste； are a clear…cut
description。 And she had not thought she cared。 Yet really she must
have cared。 For； in leaving this world； her soul had； as it were；
fetched a long breath。 And now； at the hint of a lie； it instinctively
recoiled as from a gust of air laden with some poisonous and
suffocating vapour。
〃Forgive me；〃 she added。 〃I am a fool。 Out here I do love truth。〃
Androvsky dropped his eyes。 His whole body expressed humiliation； and
something that suggested to her despair。
〃Oh； you must think me mad to speak like this！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Of
course people must be allowed to arm themselves against the curiosity
of others。 I know that。 The fact is I am under a spell here。 I have
been living for many； many years in the cold。 I have been like a woman
in a prison without any light； and〃
〃You have been in a prison！〃 he said； lifting his head and looking at
her eagerly。
〃I have been living in what is called the great world。〃
〃And you call that a prison？〃
〃