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to the other。 A grey mule； tethered to a palm…wood door and loaded
with brushwood； lashed out with its hoofs at a negro； who at once
began to batter it passionately with a pole； and a long line of
sneering camels confronted them； treading stealthily； and turning
their serpentine necks from side to side as they came onwards with a
soft and weary inflexibility。 In the distance there was a vision of a
glaring market…place crowded with moving forms and humming with
noises。
The change from mysterious peace to this vivid and concentrated life
was startling。
With difficulty they avoided the onset of the camels by pulling their
horses into the midst of the dreamers against the walls； who rolled
and scrambled into places of safety； then stood up and surrounded
them； staring with an almost terrible interest upon them； and
surveying their horses with the eyes of connoisseurs。 The children
danced up and began to ask for alms； and an immense man； with a broken
nose and brown teeth like tusks； laid a gigantic hand on Domini's
bridle and said； in atrocious French：
〃I am the guide； I am the guide。 Look at my certificates。 Take no one
else。 The people here are robbers。 I am the only honest man。 I will
show Madame everything。 I will take Madame to the inn。 Lookmy
certificates！ Read them！ Read what the English lord says of me。 I
alone am honest here。 I am honest Mustapha！ I am honest Mustapha！〃
He thrust a packet of discoloured papers and dirty visiting…cards into
her hands。 She dropped them； laughing； and they floated down over the
horse's neck。 The man leaped frantically to pick them up； assisted by
the robbers round about。 A second caravan of camels appeared； preceded
by some filthy men in rags； who cried； 〃Oosh！ oosh！〃 to clear the way。
The immense man； brandishing his recovered certificates； plunged
forward to encounter them； shouting in Arabic； hustled them back；
kicked them； struck at the camels with a stick till those in front
receded upon those behind and the street was blocked by struggling
beasts and resounded with roaring snarls； the thud of wooden bales
clashing together； and the desperate protests of the camel…drivers；
one of whom was sent rolling into a noisome dust heap with his turban
torn from his head。
〃The inn！ This is the inn！ Madame will descend here。 Madame will eat
in the garden。 Monsieur Alphonse！ Monsieur Alphonse！ Here are clients
for /dejeuner/。 I have brought them。 Do not believe Mohammed。 It is I
thatI will assist Madame to descend。 I will〃
Domini was standing in a tiny cabaret before a row of absinthe
bottles； laughing； almost breathless。 She scarcely knew how she had
come there。 Looking back she saw Androvsky still sitting on his horse
in the midst of the clamouring mob。 She went to the low doorway； but
Mustapha barred her exit。
〃This is Sidi…Zerzour。 Madame will eat in the garden。 She is tired；
fainting。 She will eat and then she will see the great Mosque of
Zerzour。〃
〃Sidi…Zerzour！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Monsieur Androvsky； do you know where
we are？ This is the famous Sidi…Zerzour； where the great warrior is
buried； and where the Arabs make pilgrimages to worship at his tomb。〃
〃Yes； Madame。〃
He answered in a low voice。
〃As we are here we ought to see。 Do you know； I think we must yield to
honest Mustapha and have /dejeuner/ in the garden。 It is twelve
o'clock and I am hungry。 We might visit the mosque afterwards and ride
home in the afternoon。〃
He sat there hunched up on the horse and looked at her in silent
hesitation； while the Arabs stood round staring。
〃You'd rather not？〃
She spoke quietly。 He shook his feet out of the stirrups。 A number of
brown hands and arms shot forth to help him。 Domini turned back into
the cabaret。 She heard a tornado of voices outside； a horse neighing
and trampling； a scuffling of feet； but she did not glance round。 In
about three minutes Androvsky joined her。 He was limping slightly and
bending forward more than ever。 Behind the counter on which stood the
absinthe bottle was a tarnished mirror； and she saw him glance
quickly； almost guiltily into it； put up his hands and try to brush
the dust from his hair； his shoulders。
〃Let me do it；〃 she said abruptly。 〃Turn round。〃
He obeyed without a word； turning his back to her。 With her two hands；
which were covered with soft； loose suede gloves； she beat and brushed
the dust from his coat。 He stood quite still while she did it。 When
she had finished she said：
〃There； that's better。〃
Her voice was practical。 He did not move； but stood there。
〃I've done what I can； Monsieur Androvsky。〃
Then he turned slowly； and she saw； with amazement； that there were
tears in his eyes。 He did not thank her or say a word。
A small and scrubby…looking Frenchman； with red eyelids and moustaches
that drooped over a pendulous underlip； now begged Madame to follow
him through a small doorway beyond which could be seen three just shot
gazelles lying in a patch of sunlight by a wired…in fowl…run。 Domini
went after him； and Androvsky and honest Mustaphastill vigorously
proclaiming his own virtuesbrought up the rear。 They came into the
most curious garden she had ever seen。
It was long and narrow and dishevelled； without grass or flowers。 The
uneven ground of it was bare； sun…baked earth； hard as parquet； rising
here into a hump； falling there into a depression。 Immediately behind
the cabaret； where the dead gazelles with their large glazed eyes lay
by the fowl…run； was a rough wooden trellis with vines trained over
it； making an arbour。 Beyond was a rummage of orange trees； palms；
gums and fig trees growing at their own sweet will； and casting
patterns of deep shade upon the earth in sharp contrast with the
intense yellow sunlight which fringed them where the leafage ceased。
An attempt had been made to create formal garden paths and garden beds
by sticking rushes into little holes drilled in the ground； but the
paths were zig…zag as a drunkard's walk； and the round and oblong beds
contained no trace of plants。 On either hand rose steep walls of
earth； higher than a man； and crowned with prickly thorn bushes。 Over
them looked palm trees。 At the end of the garden ran a slow stream of
muddy water in a channel with crumbling banks trodden by many naked
feet。 Beyond it was yet another lower wall of earth； yet another maze
of palms。 Heat and silence brooded here like reptiles on the warm mud
of a tropic river in a jungle。 Lizards ran in and out of the
innumerable holes in the walls； and flies buzzed beneath the ragged
leaves of the fig trees and crawled in the hot cracks of the earth。
The landlord wished to put a table under the vine close to the cabaret
wall； but Domini begged him to bring it to the end of the garden near
the stream。 With the furious assistance of honest Mustapha he carried
it there and quickly laid it in the shadow of a fig tree； while Domini
and Androvsky waited in silence on two straw…bottomed chairs。
The atmosphere of the garden was hostile to conversation。 The sluggish
muddy stream； the almost motionless trees； the imprisoned heat between
the surrounding walls； the faint buzz of the flies caused drowsiness
to creep upon the spirit。 The long ride； too； and the ardent desert
air； made this repose a luxury。 Androvsky's face lost its emotional
expression as he gazed almost vacantly at the brown water shifting
slowly by between the brown banks and the brown walls above which the
palm trees peered。 His aching limbs relaxed。 His hands hung loose
between his knees。 And Domini half closed her eyes。 A curious peace
descended upon her。 Lapped in the heat and silence for the moment she
wanted nothing。 The faint buzz of the flies sounded in her ears and
seemed more silent than even the silence to which it drew attention。
Never before； not in Count Anteoni's garden； had she felt more utterly
withdrawn from the world。 The feathery tops of the palms were like the
heads of sentinels guarding her from contact with all that she had
known。 And beyond them lay the desert； the empty； sunlit waste。 She
shut her eyes； and murmured to herself； 〃I am in far away。 I am in far
away。〃 And the flies said it in her ears monotonously。 And the lizards
whispered it as they slipped in and out of the little dark holes in
the walls。 She heard Androvsky stir； and she moved her lips slowly。
And the flies and the lizards continued the refrain。 But she said now；
〃We are in far away。〃
Honest Mustapha strode forward。 He had a Bashi…Bazouk tread to wake up
a world。 /Dejeuner/ was ready。 Domini sighed。 They took their places
under the fig tree on either side of the deal table covered with a
rough white cloth； and Mustapha； with tremendous gestures； and
gigantic postures suggesting the untamed descendant of legions of
freeborn； sun…suckled men； served them with red fish； omelette；
gazelle steaks； cheese； oranges and dates； with white wine and Vals
water。
Androvsky scarcely spoke。 Now that he was sitting at a meal with
Domini he was obviously embarrassed。 All his movements were self…
conscious。 He seemed afraid to eat and refused the gazelle。 Mustapha
broke out into turbulent surprise and prolonged explanations of the