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decisively and mounted the dark； winding stair till she reached a
door。 She pushed it open with some difficulty； and came out into the
air at a dizzy height； shutting the door forcibly behind her with an
energetic movement of her strong arms。
The top of the tower was small and square； and guarded by a white
parapet breast high。 In the centre of it rose the outer walls and the
ceiling of the top of the staircase； which prevented a person standing
on one side of the tower from seeing anybody who was standing at the
opposite side。 There was just sufficient space between parapet and
staircase wall for two people to pass with difficulty and manoeuvring。
But Domini was not concerned with such trivial details； as she would
have thought them had she thought of them。 Directly she had shut the
little door and felt herself alonealone as an eagle in the skyshe
took the step forward that brought her to the parapet； leaned her arms
on it； looked out and was lost in a passion of contemplation。
At first she did not discern any of the multitudinous minutiae in the
great evening vision beneath and around her。 She only felt conscious
of depth； height； space； colour； mystery； calm。 She did not measure。
She did not differentiate。 She simply stood there； leaning lightly on
the snowy plaster work； and experienced something that she had never
experienced before； that she had never imagined。 It was scarcely
vivid； for in everything that is vivid there seems to be something
small； the point to which wonders converge； the intense spark to which
many fires have given themselves as food； the drop which contains the
murmuring force of innumerable rivers。 It was more than vivid。 It was
reliantly dim； as is that pulse of life which is heard through and
above the crash of generations and centuries falling downwards into
the abyss； that persistent； enduring heart…beat； indifferent in its
mystical regularity； that ignores and triumphs； and never grows louder
nor diminishes； inexorably calm； inexorably steady； undefeatedmore
utterly unaffected by unnumbered millions of tragedies and deaths。
Many sounds rose from far down beneath the tower； but at first Domini
did not hear them。 She was only aware of an immense； living silence； a
silence flowing beneath； around and above her in dumb； invisible
waves。 Circles of rest and peace； cool and serene； widened as circles
in a pool towards the unseen limits of the satisfied world； limits
lost in the hidden regions beyond the misty； purple magic where sky
and desert met。 And she felt as if her brain； ceaselessly at work from
its birth； her heart； unresting hitherto in a commotion of desires；
her soul； an eternal flutter of anxious； passionate wings； folded
themselves together gently like the petals of roses when a summer
night comes into a garden。
She was not conscious that she breathed while she stood there。 She
thought her bosom ceased to rise and fall。 The very blood dreamed in
her veins as the light of evening dreamed in the blue。
She knew the Great Pause that seems to divide some human lives in two；
as the Great Gulf divided him who lay in Abraham's bosom from him who
was shrouded in the veil of fire。
BOOK II。 THE VOICE OF PRAYER
CHAPTER VII
The music of things from below stole up through the ethereal spaces to
Domini without piercing her dream。 But suddenly she started with a
sense of pain so acute that it shook her body and set the pulses in
her temples beating。 She lifted her arms swiftly from the parapet and
turned her head。 She had heard a little grating noise which seemed to
be near to her； enclosed with her on this height in the narrow space
of the tower。 Slight as it was； and shortalready she no longer heard
itit had in an instant driven her out of Heaven； as if it had been
an angel with a flaming sword。 She felt sure that there must be
something alive with her at the tower summit； something which by a
sudden movement had caused the little noise she had heard。 What was
it？ When she turned her head she could only see the outer wall of the
staircase； a section of the narrow white space which surrounded it； an
angle of the parapet and blue air。
She listened； holding her breath and closing her two hands on the
parapet； which was warm from the sun。 Now； caught back to reality； she
could hear faintly the sounds from below in Beni…Mora。 But they did
not concern her； and she wished to shut them out from her ears。 What
did concern her was to know what was with her up in the sky。 Had a
bird alighted on the parapet and startled her by scratching at the
plaster with its beak？ Could a mouse have shuffled in the wall？ Or was
there a human being up there hidden from her by the masonry？
This last supposition disturbed her almost absurdly for a moment。 She
was inclined to walk quickly round to the opposite side of the tower；
but something stronger than her inclination； an imperious shyness；
held her motionless。 She had been carried so far away from the world
that she felt unable to face the scrutiny of any world…bound creature。
Having been in the transparent region of magic it seemed to her as if
her secret； the great secret of the absolutely true； the naked
personality hidden in every human being； were set blazing in her eyes
like some torch borne in a procession； just for that moment。 The
moment past； she could look anyone fearlessly in the face； but not
now； not yet。
While she stood there； half turning round； she heard the sound again
and knew what caused it。 A foot had shifted on the plaster floor。
There was someone else then looking out over the desert。 A sudden idea
struck her。 Probably it was Count Anteoni。 He knew she was coming and
might have decided to act once more as her cicerone。 He had not heard
her climbing the stairs； and； having gone to the far side of the
tower； was no doubt watching the sunset； lost in a dream as she had
been。
She resolved not to disturb himif it was he。 When he had dreamed
enough he must inevitably come round to where she was standing in
order to gain the staircase。 She would let him find her there。 Less
troubled now； but in an utterly changed mood； she turned； leaned once
more on the parapet and looked over； this time observantly； prepared
to note the details that； combined and veiled in the evening light of
Africa； made the magic which had so instantly entranced her。
She looked down into the village and could see its extent； precisely
how it was placed in the Sahara； in what relation exactly it stood to
the mountain ranges； to the palm groves and the arid； sunburnt tracts；
where its life centred and where it tailed away into suburban edges
not unlike the ragged edges of worn garments； where it was idle and
frivolous； where busy and sedulous。 She realised for the first time
that there were two distinct layers of life in Beni…Morathe life of
the streets； courts； gardens and market…place； and above it the life
of the roofs。 Both were now spread out before her； and the latter； in
its domestic intimacy； interested and charmed her。 She saw upon the
roofs the children playing with little dogs； goats； fowls； mothers in
rags of gaudy colours stirring the barley for cous…cous； shredding
vegetables； pounding coffee； stewing meat； plucking chickens； bending
over bowls from which rose the steam of soup； small girls； seated in
dusty corners； solemnly winding wool on sticks； and pausing； now and
then； to squeak to distant members of the home circle； or to smell at
flowers laid beside them as solace to their industry。 An old
grandmother rocked and kissed a naked baby with a pot belly。 A big
grey rat stole from a rubbish heap close by her； flitted across the
sunlit space； and disappeared into a cranny。 Pigeons circled above the
home activities； delicate lovers of the air； wandered among the palm
tops； returned and fearlessly alighted on the brown earth parapets；
strutting hither and thither and making their perpetual；
characteristic motion of the head； half nod； half genuflection。 Veiled
girls promenaded to take the evening cool； folding their arms beneath
their flowing draperies； and chattering to one another in voices that
Domini could not hear。 More close at hand certain roofs in the
dancers' street revealed luxurious sofas on which painted houris were
lolling in sinuous attitudes； or were posed with a stiffness of idols；
little tables set with coffee cups； others round which were gathered
Zouaves intent on card games； but ever ready to pause for a caress or
for some jesting absurdity with the women who squatted beside them。
Some men； dressed like girls； went to and fro； serving the dancers
with sweetmeats and with cigarettes； their beards flowing down with a
grotesque effect over their dresses of embroidered muslin； their hairy
arms emerging from hanging sleeves of silk。 A negro boy sat holding a
tomtom between his bare knees and beating it with supple hands； and a
Jewess performed the stomach dance； waving two handkerchiefs stained
red and purple； and singing in a loud and barbarous contralto voice
which Domini could hear but very faintly。 The card…players stopped
their game and watched her； and Domini watched too。 For the first
time； and