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the South； with all the enigma of the distant desert in her kohl…
tinted eyes； dances it with the sultry gloom of a half…awakened
sphinx； and makes of it a barbarous manifestation of the nature that
lies hidden in the heart of the sun； a silent cry uttered by a savage
body born in a savage land。
In the cafe of Tahar； the Kabyle； there was at present no such woman。
His beauties； huddled together on their narrow bench before a table
decorated with glasses of water and sprigs of orange blossom in
earthen vases； looked dull and cheerless in their gaudy clothes。 Their
bodies were well formed； but somnolent。 Their painted hands hung down
like the hands of marionettes。 The one who was dancing suggested Duty
clad in Eastern garb and laying herself out carefully to be wicked。
Her jerks and wrigglings； though violent； were inhuman； like those of
a complicated piece of mechanism devised by a morbid engineer。 After a
glance or two at her Domini felt that she was bored by her own
agilities。 Domini's wonder increased when she looked again at the
traveller。
For it was this dance of the /ennui/ of the East which raised up in
him this obvious battle； which drove his secret into the illumination
of the hanging lamps and gave it to a woman； who felt half confused；
half ashamed at possessing it； and yet could not cast it away。
If they both lived on； without speaking or meeting； for another half
century； Domini could never know the shape of the devil in this man；
the light of the smile upon its face。
The dancing woman had observed him； and presently she began slowly to
wriggle towards him between the rows of Arabs； fixing her eyes upon
him and parting her scarlet lips in a greedy smile。 As she came on the
stranger evidently began to realise that he was her bourne。 He had
been leaning forward； but when she approached； waving her red hands；
shaking her prominent breasts； and violently jerking her stomach； he
sat straight up； and then； as if instinctively trying to get away from
her； pressed back against the wall； hiding the painting of the Ouled
Nail and the French soldier。 A dark flush rose on his face and even
flooded his forehead to his low…growing hair。 His eyes were full of a
piteous anxiety and discomfort； and he glanced almost guiltily to
right and left of him as if he expected the hooded Arab spectators to
condemn his presence there now that the dancer drew their attention to
it。 The dancer noticed his confusion and seemed pleased by it； and
moved to more energetic demonstrations of her art。 She lifted her arms
above her head； half closed her eyes； assumed an expression of languid
ecstasy and slowly shuddered。 Then； bending backward； she nearly
touched the floor； swung round； still bending； and showed the long
curve of her bare throat to the stranger； while the girls； huddled on
the bench by the musicians； suddenly roused themselves and joined
their voices in a shrill and prolonged twitter。 The Arabs did not
smile； but the deepness of their attention seemed to increase like a
cloud growing darker。 All the luminous eyes in the room were steadily
fixed upon the man leaning back against the hideous picture on the
wall and the gaudy siren curved almost into an arch before him。 The
musicians blew their hautboys and beat their tomtoms more violently；
and all things； Domini thought； were filled with a sense of climax。
She felt as if the room； all the inanimate objects； and all the
animate figures in it； were instruments of an orchestra； and as if
each individual instrument was contributing to a slow and great； and
irresistible crescendo。 The stranger took his part with the rest； but
against his will； and as if under some terrible compulsion。
His face was scarlet now； and his shining eyes looked down on the
dancer's throat and breast with a mingling of eagerness and horror。
Slowly she raised herself； turned； bent forwards quivering； and
presented her face to him； while the women twittered once more in
chorus。 He still stared at her without moving。 The hautboy players
prolonged a wailing note； and the tomtoms gave forth a fierce and dull
murmur almost like a death； roll。
〃She wants him to give her money；〃 Batouch whispered to Domini。 〃Why
does not he give her money？〃
Evidently the stranger did not understand what was expected of him。
The music changed again to a shrieking tune； the dancer drew back； did
a few more steps； jerked her stomach with fury； stamped her feet on
the floor。 Then once more she shuddered slowly； half closed her eyes；
glided close to the stranger； and falling down deliberately laid her
head on his knees； while again the women twittered； and the long note
of the hautboys went through the room like a scream of interrogation。
Domini grew hot as she saw the look that came into the stranger's face
when the woman touched his knees。
〃Go and tell him it's money she wants！〃 she whispered to Batouch。 〃Go
and tell him！〃
Batouch got up； but at this moment a roguish Arab boy； who sat by the
stranger； laughingly spoke to him； pointing to the woman。 The stranger
thrust his hand into his pocket； found a coin and； directed by the
roguish youth； stuck it upon the dancer's greasy forehead。 At once she
sprang to her feet。 The women twittered。 The music burst into a
triumphant melody； and through the room there went a stir。 Almost
everyone in it moved simultaneously。 One man raised his hand to his
hood and settled it over his forehead。 Another put his cigarette to
his lips。 Another picked up his coffeecup。 A fourth； who was holding a
flower； lifted it to his nose and smelt it。 No one remained quite
still。 With the stranger's action a strain had been removed； a mental
tension abruptly loosened； a sense of care let free in the room。
Domini felt it acutely。 The last few minutes had been painful to her。
She sighed with relief at the cessation of another's agony。 For the
stranger had certainlyfrom shyness or whatever causebeen in agony
while the dancer kept her head upon his knees。
His angel had been in fear； perhaps； while his devil
But Domini tried resolutely to turn her thoughts from the smiling
face。
After pressing the money on the girl's forehead the man made a
movement as if he meant to leave the room； but once again the curious
indecision which Domini had observed in him before cut his action； as
it were； in two； leaving it half finished。 As the dancer； turning；
wriggled slowly to the platform； he buttoned up his jacket with a sort
of hasty resolution； pulled it down with a jerk； glanced swiftly
round； and rose to his feet。 Domini kept her eyes on him； and perhaps
they drew his； for； just as he was about to step into the narrow aisle
that led to the door he saw her。 Instantly he sat down again； turned
so that she could only see part of his face； unbuttoned his jacket；
took out some matches and busied himself in lighting a cigarette。 She
knew he had felt her concentration on him； and was angry with herself。
Had she really a spy in her？ Was she capable of being vulgarly curious
about a man？ A sudden movement of Hadj drew her attention。 His face
was distorted by an expression that seemed half angry； half fearful。
Batouch was smiling seraphically as he gazed towards the platform。
Suzanne； with a pinched…up mouth； was looking virginally at her lap。
Her whole attitude showed her consciousness of the many blazing eyes
that were intently staring at her。 The stomach dance which she had
just been watching had amazed her so much that she felt as if she were
the only respectable woman in the world； and as if no one would
suppose it unless she hung out banners white as the walls of Beni…
Mora's houses。 She strove to do so； and； meanwhile； from time to time；
cast sideway glances towards the platform to see whether another
stomach dance was preparing。 She did not see Hadj's excitement or the
poet's malignant satisfaction； but she； with Domini； saw a small door
behind the platform open； and the stout Kabyle appear followed by a
girl who was robed in gold tissue； and decorated with cascades of
golden coins。
Domini guessed at once that this was Irena； the returned exile； who
wished to kill Hadj； and she was glad that a new incident had occurred
to switch off the general attention from the stranger。
Irena was evidently a favourite。 There was a grave movement as she
came in； a white undulation as all the shrouded forms bent slightly
forward in her direction。 Only Hadj caught his burnous round him with
his thin fingers； dropped his chin； shook his hood down upon his
forehead； leaned back against the wall； and； curling his legs under
him； seemed to fall asleep。 But beneath his brown lids and long black
lashes his furtive eyes followed every movement of the girl in the
sparkling robe。
She came in slowly and languidly； with a heavy and cross expression
upon her face； which was thin to emaciation and painted white； with
scarlet lips and darkened eyes and eyebrows。 Her features were narrow
and pointed。 Her bones were tiny； and her body was so slender； her
waist so small； that； with her flat breast and meagre shoulders； she
looked almost like a stick crowned with a human face and hung with
brilliant draperies。 Her ha