Count Anteoni took the glasses slowly from her hands. As he bent to do
it he looked steadily at her, and she could not read the expression in
his eyes.
"The desert is full of truth. Is that what you mean?" he asked.
She made no reply. Count Anteoni stretched out his hand to the shining
expanse before them.
"The man who is afraid of prayer is unwise to set foot beyond the palm
trees," he said.
"Why unwise?"
He answered her very gravely.
"The Arabs have a saying: 'The desert is the garden of Allah.'"
* * * * *
Domini did not ascend the tower of the hotel that morning. She had seen
enough for the moment, and did not wish to disturb her impressions by
adding to them. So she walked back to the Hotel du Desert with Batouch.
Count Anteoni had said good-bye to her at the door of the garden, and
had begged her to come again whenever she liked, and to spend as many
hours there as she pleased.
"I shall take you at your word," she said frankly. "I feel that I may."
As they shook hands she gave him her card. He took out his. "By the
way," he said, "the big hotel you passed in coming here is mine.
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