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feet。 He bowed again as if saluting a fetish； and again and again。
Ceaselessly he bowed to the tomtoms； always jumping softly from the
pavement。 His long hair fell over his face and back upon his shoulders
with a monotonous regularity that imitated the tomtoms； as if he
strove to mould his life in accord with the fetish to which he offered
adoration。 Flecks of foam appeared upon his lips； and the asceticism
in his eyes changed to a bestial glare。 His whole body was involved in
a long and snake…like undulation； above which his hair flew to and
fro。 Presently the second youth； moving reverently like a priest about
the altar； stole to a corner and returned with a large and curved
sheet of glass。 Without looking at Domini he came to her and placed it
in her hands。 When the dancer saw the glass he stood still； growled
again long and furiously； threw himself on his knees before Domini；
licked his lips； then； abruptly thrusting forward his face； set his
teeth in the sheet of glass； bit a large piece off； crunched it up
with a loud noise； swallowed it with a gulp； and growled for more。 She
fed him again； while the tomtoms went on roaring； and the child in its
red pillow watched with its weary eyes。 And when he was full fed； only
a fragment of glass remained between her fingers； he fell upon the
ground and lay like one in a trance。
Then the second youth bowed to the tomtoms； leaping gently on the
pavement； foamed at the mouth； growled； snuffed up the incense fumes；
shook his long mane； and placed his naked feet in the red…hot coals of
the brazier。 He plucked out a coal and rolled his tongue round it。 He
placed red coals under his bare armpits and kept them there； pressing
his arms against his sides。 He held a coal； like a monocle； in his eye
socket against his eye。 And all the time he leaped and bowed and
foamed； undulating his body like a snake。 The child looked on with a
still gravity； and the tomtoms never ceased。 From the gallery above
painted faces peered down； but Domini did not see them。 Her attention
was taken captive by the young priests of the Sahara。 For so she
called them in her mind； realising that there were religious fanatics
whose half…crazy devotion seemed to lift them above the ordinary
dangers to the body。 One of the musicians now took his turn； throwing
his tomtom to the eater of glass； who had wakened from his trance。 He
bowed and leaped； thrust spikes behind his eyes； through his cheeks；
his lips； his arms； drove a long nail into his head with a wooden
hammer； stood upon the sharp edge of an upturned sword blade。 With the
spikes protruding from his face in all directions； and his eyes
bulging out from them like balls； he spun in a maze of hair； barking
like a dog。 The child regarded him with a still attention； and the
incense fumes were cloudy in the court。 Then the last of the four men
sprang up in the midst of a more passionate uproar from the tomtoms。
He wore a filthy burnous； and； with a shriek； he plunged his hand into
its hood and threw some squirming things upon the floor。 They began to
run； rearing stiff tails into the air。 He sank down； blew upon them；
caught them； letting them set their tail weapons in his fingers； and
lifting them thus； imbedded； high above the floor。 Then again he put
them down； breathed upon each one； drew a circle round each with his
forefinger。 His face had suddenly become intense； hypnotic。 The
scorpions； as if mesmerised； remained utterly still； each in its place
within its imaginary circle； that had become a cage； and their master
bowed to the fetish of the tomtoms； leaped； grinned； and bowed again；
undulating his body in a maze of hair。
Domini felt as if she； like the scorpions； had been mesmerised。 She；
too； was surely bound in a circle； breathed upon by some arrogant
breath of fanaticism； commanded by some horrid power。 She looked at
the scorpions and felt a sort of pity for them。 From time to time the
bowing fanatic glanced at them through his hair out of the corners of
his eyes； licked his lips； shook his shoulders； and uttered a long
howl； thrilling with the note of greed。 The tomtoms pulsed faster and
faster； louder and louder； and all the men began to sing a fierce
chant； the song surely of desert souls driven crazy by religion。 One
of the scorpions moved slightly； reared its tail； began to run。
Instantly； as if at a signal； the dancer fell upon his knees； bent
down his head； seized it in his teeth； munched it and swallowed it。 At
the same moment with the uproar of the tomtoms there mingled a loud
knocking on the door。
Hadj's lips curled back from his pointed teeth and he looked
dangerous。
〃It is Batouch！〃 he snarled。
Domini got up。 Without a word； turning her back upon the court； she
made her way out； still hearing the howl of the scorpion…eater； the
roar of the tomtoms； and the knocking on the door。 Hadj followed her
quickly； protesting。 At the door was the man with the pitted white
face and the thick lips。 When he saw her he held out his hand。 She
gave him some money； he opened the door； and she came out into the
night by the triple palm tree。 Batouch stood there looking furious；
with the bridles of two horses across his arm。 He began to speak in
Arabic to Hadj； but she stopped him with an imperious gesture； gave
Hadj his fee； and in a moment was in the saddle and cantering away
into the dark。 She heard the gallop of Batouch's horse coming up
behind her and turned her head。
〃Batouch；〃 she said； 〃you are the smartest〃she used the word /chic/
〃Arab here。 Do you know what is the fashion in London when a lady
rides out with the attendant who guards herthe really smart thing to
do？〃
She was playing on his vanity。 He responded with a ready smile。
〃No； Madame。〃
〃The attendant rides at a short distance behind her； so that no one
can come up near her without his knowledge。〃
Batouch fell back； and Domini cantered on； congratulating herself on
the success of her expedient。
She passed through the village； full of strolling white figures；
lights and the sound of music； and was soon at the end of the long；
straight road that was significant to her as no other road had ever
been。 Each time she saw it； stretching on till it was lost in the
serried masses of the palms； her imagination was stirred by a longing
to wander through barbaric lands； by a nomad feeling that was almost
irresistible。 This road was a track of fate to her。 When she was on it
she had a strange sensation as if she changed； developed； drew near to
some ideal。 It influenced her as one person may influence another。 Now
for the first time she was on it in the night； riding on the crowded
shadows of its palms。 She drew rein and went more slowly。 She had a
desire to be noiseless。
In the obscurity the thickets of the palms looked more exotic than in
the light of day。 There was no motion in them。 Each tree stood like a
delicately carven thing； silhouetted against the remote purple of the
void。 In the profound firmament the stars burned with a tremulous
ardour they never show in northern skies。 The mystery of this African
night rose not from vaporous veils and the long movement of winds； but
was breathed out by clearness； brightness； stillness。 It was the
deepest of all mysterythe mystery of vastness and of peace。
No one was on the road。 The sound of the horse's feet were sharply
distinct in the night。 On all sides； but far off； the guard dogs were
barking by the hidden homes of men。 The air was warm as in a hothouse；
but light and faintly impregnated with perfume shed surely by the
mystical garments of night as she glided on with Domini towards the
desert。 From the blackness of the palms there came sometimes thin
notes of the birds of night； the whizzing noise of insects； the glassy
pipe of a frog in the reeds by a pool behind a hot brown wall。
She rode through one of the villages of old Beni…Mora； silent；
unlighted； with empty streets and closed cafes maures； touched her
horse with the whip； and cantered on at a quicker pace。 As she drew
near to the desert her desire to be in it increased。 There was some
coarse grass here。 The palm trees grew less thickly。 She heard more
clearly the barking of the Kabyle dogs； and knew that tents were not
far off。 Now； between the trunks of the trees； she saw the twinkling
of distant fires； and the sound of running water fell on her ears；
mingling with the persistent noise of the insects； and the faint cries
of the birds and frogs。 In front； where the road came out from the
shadows of the last trees； lay a vast dimness； not wholly unlike
another starless sky； stretched beneath the starry sky in which the
moon had not yet risen。 She set her horse at a gallop and came into
the desert； rushing through the dark。
〃Madame！ Madame！〃
Batouch's voice was calling her。 She galloped faster； like one in
flight。 Her horse's feet padded over sand almost as softly as a
camel's。 The vast dimness was surely coming to meet her； to take her
to itself in the night。 But suddenly Batouch rode furiously up beside
her； his burnous flying out behind him over his red saddle。
〃Madame； we must not go further； we must keep near the oasis。〃
〃Why？〃
〃It is