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could not see； the wooden crucifix Androvsky had once worn in his
breast。
〃Shall we stay here a little？〃 Domini said in a low voice。 〃Out here？〃
There was a long pause。 Then Androvsky answered：
〃Yes。 Let us feel it allall。 Let us feel it to the full。〃
He caught hold of her hand with a sort of tender roughness and twined
his fingers between hers； pressing his palm against hers。
〃Don't let us miss anything to…night；〃 he said。 〃All my life is
to…night。 I've had no life yet。 To…morrowwho knows whether we shall
be dead to…morrow？ Who knows？ But we're alive to…night； flesh and
blood； heart and soul。 And there's nothing here； there can be nothing
here to take our life from us； the life of our love to…night。 For
we're out in the desert； we're right away from anyone； everything。
We're in the great freedom。 Aren't we； Domini？ Aren't we？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃Yes。〃
He took her other hand in the same way。 He was facing her； and he held
his hands against his heart with hers in them； then pressed her hands
against her heart； then drew them back again to his。
〃Then let us realise it。 Let us forget our prison。 Let us forget
everything； everything that we ever knew before Beni…Mora； Domini。
It's dead； absolutely dead； unless we make it live by thinking。 And
that's mad； crazy。 Thought's the great madness。 Domini； have you
forgotten everything before we knew each other？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃Nowbut only now。 You've made me forget it all。〃
There was a deep breathing under her voice。 He held up her hands to
his shoulders and looked closely into her eyes； as if he were trying
to send all himself into her through those doors of the soul opened to
seeing him。 And now； in this moment； she felt that her fierce desire
was realised； that he was rising above her on eagle's wings。 And as on
the night before the wedding she had blessed all the sorrows of her
life； now she blessed silently all the long silence of Androvsky； all
his strange reticence； his uncouthness； his avoidance of her in the
beginning of their acquaintance。 That which had made her pain by
being； now made her joy by having been and being no more。 The hidden
man was rushing forth to her at last in his love。 She seemed to hear
in the night the crash of a great obstacle； and the voice of the flood
of waters that had broken it down at length and were escaping into
liberty。 His silence of the past now made his speech intensely
beautiful and wonderful to her。 She wanted to hear the waters more
intensely； more intensely。
〃Speak to me；〃 she said。 〃You've spoken so little。 Do you know how
little？ Tell me all you are。 Till now I've only felt all you are。 And
that's so much； but not enough for a womannot enough。 I've taken
you； but nowgive me all I've taken。 Givekeep on giving and giving。
From to…night to receive will be my life。 Long ago I've given all I
had to you。 Give to me； give me everything。 You know I've given all。〃
〃All？〃 he said； and there was a throb in his deep voice； as if some
intense feeling rose from the depths of him and shook it。
〃Yes； all；〃 she whispered。 〃Alreadyand long agothat day in the
garden。 When Iwhen I put my hands against your foreheaddo you
remember？ I gave you all； for ever。〃
And as she spoke she bent down her face with a sort of proud
submission and put her forehead against his heart。
The purity in her voice and in her quiet； simple action dazzled him
like a flame shining suddenly in his eyes out of blackness。 And he；
too； in that moment saw far up above him the beating of an eagle's
wings。 To each one the other seemed to be on high； and as both looked
up that was their true marriage。
〃I felt it；〃 he said； touching her hair with his lips。 〃I felt it in
your hands。 When you touched me that day it was as if you were giving
me the world and the stars。 It frightened me to receive so much。 I
felt as if I had no place to put my gift in。〃
〃Did your heart seem so small？〃 she said。
〃You make everything I have and am seem smalland yet great。 What
does it mean？〃
〃That you are great； as I am； because we love。 No one is small who
loves。 No one is poor； no one is bad； who loves。 Love burns up evil。
It's the angel that destroys。〃
Her words seemed to send through his whole body a quivering joy。 He
took her face between his hands and lifted it from his heart。
〃Is that true？ Is that true？〃 he said。 〃I'veI've tried to think
that。 If you know how I've tried。〃
〃And don't you know it is true？〃
〃I don't feel as if I knew anything that you do not tell me to…night。
I don't feel as if I have； or am； anything but what you give me； make
me to…night。 Can you understand that？ Can you understand what you are
to me？ That you are everything； that I have nothing else； that I have
never had anything else in all these years that I have lived and that
I have forgotten？ Can you understand it？ You said just now 'Speak to
me； tell me all you are。' That's what I am； all I am； a man you have
made a man。 You； Dominiyou have made me a man； you have created me。〃
She was silent。 The intensity with which he spoke； the intensity of
his eyes while he was speaking； made her hear those rushing waters as
if she were being swept away by them。
〃And you？〃 he said。 〃You？〃
〃I？〃
〃This afternoon in the desert； when we were in the sand looking at
Beni…Mora； you began to tell me something and then you stopped。 And
you said； 'I can't tell you。 There's too much light。' Now the sun has
gone。〃
〃Yes。 Butbut I want to listen to you。 I want〃
She stopped。 In the distance； by the great fire where the Arabs were
assembled； there rose a sound of music which arrested her attention。
Ali was singing； holding in his hand a brand from the fire like a
torch。 She had heard him sing before； and had loved the timbre of his
voice； but only now did she realise when she had first heard him and
who he was。 It was he who； hidden from her； had sung the song of the
freed negroes of Touggourt in the gardens of Count Anteoni that day
when she had been angry with Androvsky and had afterwards been
reconciled with him。 And she knew now it was he； because； once more
hidden from herfor against the curtain of darkness she only saw the
flame from the torch he held and moved rhythmically to the burden of
his songhe was singing it again。 Androvsky； when she ceased to
speak； suddenly put his arms round her； as if he were afraid of her
escaping from him in her silence； and they stood thus at the tent door
listening：
〃The gazelle dies in the water；
The fish dies in the air；
And I die in the dunes of the desert sand
For my love that is deep and sad。〃
The chorus of hidden men by the fire rose in a low murmur that was
like the whisper of the desert in the night。 Then the contralto voice
of Ali came to Domini and Androvsky again； but very faintly； from the
distance where the flaming torch was moving：
〃No one but God and I
Knows what is in my heart。〃
When the voice died away for a moment Domini whispered the refrain。
Then she said：
〃But is it true？ Can it be true for us to…night？〃
Androvsky did not reply。
〃I don't think it is true；〃 she added。 〃You knowdon't you？〃
The voice of Ali ros