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thought； something almost terrible。 The wonder that is alive in the
tiny things of love； and that makes tremendously important their
presence in； or absence from； a woman's life； took hold on her
completely for the first time； and set her forever in a changed world；
a world in which a great knowledge ruled instead of a great ignorance。
With the consciousness of exactly what Androvsky's touch meant to her
came a multiple consciousness of a thousand other things； all
connected with him and her consecrated relation to him。 She quivered
with understanding。 All the gates of her soul were being opened； and
the white light of comprehension of those things which make life
splendid and fruitful was pouring in upon her。 Within the dim；
contained space of the palanquin； that was slowly carried onward
through the passion of the storm； there was an effulgence of unseen
glory that grew in splendour moment by moment。 A woman was being born
of a woman； woman who knew herself of woman who did not know herself；
woman who henceforth would divinely love her womanhood of woman who
had often wondered why she had been created woman。
The words muttered by the man of the sand in Count Anteoni's garden
were coming true。 In the church of Beni…Mora the life of Domini had
begun more really than when her mother strove in the pains of
childbirth and her first faint cry answered the voice of the world's
light when it spoke to her。
Slowly the caravan moved on。 The camel…drivers sang low under the
folds of their haiks those mysterious songs of the East that seem the
songs of heat and solitude。 Batouch； smothered in his burnous； his
large head sunk upon his chest； slumbered like a potentate relieved
from cares of State。 Till Arba was reached his duty was accomplished。
Ali； perched behind him on the camel； stared into the dimness with
eyes steady and remote as those of a vulture of the desert。 The houses
of Beni…Mora faded in the mist of the sand； the statue of the Cardinal
holding the double cross； the tower of the hotel； the shuddering trees
of Count Anteoni's garden。 Along the white blue which was the road the
camels painfully advanced； urged by the cries and the sticks of the
running drivers。 Presently the brown buildings of old Beni…Mora came
partially into sight； peeping here and there through the flying sands
and the frantic palm leaves。 The desert was at hand。
Ali began to sing； breathing his song into the back of Batouch's hood。
〃The love of women is like the holiday song that the boy sings gaily
In the sunny garden
The love of women is like the little moon； the little happy moon
In the last night of Ramadan。
The love of women is like the great silence that steals at dusk
To kiss the scented blossoms of the orange tree。
Sit thee down beneath the orange tree； O loving man！
That thou mayst know the kiss that tells the love of women。
Janat！ Janat！ Janat！〃
Batouch stirred uneasily； pulled his hood from his eyes and looked
into the storm gravely。 Then he shifted on the camel's hump and said
to Ali：
〃How shall we get to Arba？ The wind is like all the Touaregs going to
battle。 And when we leave the oasis〃
〃The wind is going down； Batouch…ben…Brahim；〃 responded Ali； calmly。
〃This evening the Roumis can lie in the tents。〃
Batouch's thick lips curled with sarcasm。 He spat into the wind； blew
his nose in his burnous； and answered：
〃You are a child； and can sing a pretty song； but〃
Ali pointed with his delicate hand towards the south。
〃Do you not see the light in the sky？〃
Batouch stared before him； and perceived that there was in truth a
lifting of the darkness beyond； a whiteness growing where the desert
lay。
〃As we come into the desert the wind will fall；〃 said Ali； and again
he began to sing to himself：
〃Janat！ Janat！ Janat！〃
Domini could not see the light in the south； and no premonition warned
her of any coming abatement of the storm。 Once more she had begun to
listen to the roaring of the wind and to wait for the larger voice of
the desert； for the triumphant clarion of the sands that would
announce to her her entry with Androvsky into the life of the wastes。
Again she personified the Sahara； but now more vividly than ever
before。 In the obscurity she seemed to see it far away； like a great
heroic figure； waiting for her and her passion； waiting in a region of
gold and silken airs at the back of the tempest to crown her life with
a joy wide as its dreamlike spaces； to teach her mind the inner truths
that lie beyond the crowded ways of men and to open her heart to the
most profound messages of Nature。
She listened； holding Androvsky's hand； and she felt that he was
listening too； with an intensity strong as her own； or stronger。
Presently his hand closed upon hers more tightly； almost hurting her
physically。 As it did so she glanced up； but not at him； and noticed
that the curtains of the palanquin were fluttering less fiercely。
Once； for an instant； they were almost still。 Then again they moved as
if tugged by invisible hands； then were almost still once more。 At the
same time the wind's voice sank in her ears like a music dropping
downward in a hollow place。 It rose； but swiftly sank a second time to
a softer hush； and she perceived in the curtained enclosure a faintly
growing light which enabled her to see； for the first time since she
had left the church； her husband's features。 He was looking at her
with an expression of anticipation in which there was awe； and she
realised that in her expectation of the welcome of the desert she had
been mistaken。 She had listened for the sounding of a clarion； but she
was to be greeted by a still； small voice。 She understood the awe in
her husband's eyes and shared it。 And she knew at once； with a sudden
thrill of rapture； that in the scheme of things there are blessings
and nobilities undreamed of by man and that must always come upon him
with a glorious shock of surprise； showing him the poor faultiness of
what he had thought perhaps his most magnificent imaginings。 Elisha
sought for the Lord in the fire and in the whirlwind； but in the
still； small voice onward came the Lord。
Incomparably more wonderful than what she had waited for seemed to her
now this sudden falling of the storm； this mystical voice that came to
them out of the heart of the sands telling them that they were passing
at last into the arms of the Sahara。 The wind sank rapidly。 The light
grew in the palanquin。 From without the voices of the camel…drivers
and of Batouch and Ali talking together reached their ears distinctly。
Yet they remained silent。 It seemed as if they feared by speech to
break the spell of the calm that was flowing around them； as if they
feared to interrupt the murmur of the desert。 Domini now returned the
gaze of her husband。 She could not take her eyes from his； for she
wished him to read all the joy that was in her heart； she wished him
to penetrate her thoughts； to understand her desires； to be at one
with the woman who had been born on the eve of the passing of the
wind。 With the coming of this mystic calm was coming surely something
else。 The silence was bringing with it the fusing of two natures。 The
desert in this moment was drawing together two souls into a union
which Time and Death would have no power to destroy。 Presently the
wind completely died away； only a faint breeze fluttered the curtains
of the palanquin； and the light that penetrated between them here and
there was no longer white； but sparkled with a tiny dust of gold。 Then
Androvsky moved to open the curtains； and Domini spoke for the first
time since their marriage。
〃Wait；〃 she said in a low voice。
He dropped his hand obediently； and looked at her with inquiry in his
eyes。
〃Don't let us look till we are far out；〃 she said； 〃far away from
Beni…Mora。〃
He made no answer； but she saw that he understood all that was in her
heart。 He leaned a little nearer to her and stretched out his arm as
if to put it round her。 But he did not put it round her； and she knew
why。 He was husbanding his great joy as she had husbanded the dark
hours of the previous night that to her were golden。 And that
unfinished action； that impulse unfulfilled； showed her more clearly
the depths of his passion for her even than had the desperate clasp of
his hands about her knees in the garden。 That which he did not do now
was the greatest assertion possible of all that he would do in the
life that was before them； and made her feel how entirely she belonged
to him。 Something within her trembled like a poor child before whom is
suddenly set the prospect of a day of perfect happiness。 She thought
of the ending of this day； of the coming of the evening。 Always the
darkness had parted them； at the ending of this day it would unite
them。 In Androvsky's eyes she read her thought of the darkness
reflected； reflected and yet changed； transmuted by sex。 It was as if
at that moment she read the same story written in two waysby a woman
and by a man； as if she saw Eden； not only as Eve saw it； but as Adam。
A long time passed； but they did not feel it to be long。 When their
camel halted they unc