pright, and would have looked exactly like an idol set
up for savage worship had not her long eyes gleamed and moved as she
solemnly returned the gaze of Domini and of the man who stood a little
behind looking over her shoulder.

When Domini stopped and exclaimed she did not realise to what this
street was dedicated, why these women sat in watchful silence, each one
alone on her stair waiting in the night. But as she looked and saw the
gaudy finery she began to understand. And had she remained in doubt an
incident now occurred which must have enlightened her.

A great gaunt Arab, one of the true desert men, almost black, with high
cheek bones, hollow cheeks, fierce falcon's eyes shining as if with
fever, long and lean limbs hard as iron, dressed in a rough, sacklike
brown garment, and wearing a turban bound with cords of camel's hair,
strode softly down the alley, slipped in front of Domini, and went up
to the woman, holding out something in his scaly hand. There was a brief
colloquy. The woman stretched her arm up the staircase, took the candle,
held it to the man's open hand, and bent over counting the money that
lay in the palm. She counted it twice deliberately. Then she nodded. She
got up, turned, holding the candle above her square headdress, and went
slowly up the staircase followed by the Arab, who grasped his coarse
draperies and lifted them, showing his bare legs. The two disappeared
without noise into the darkness, leaving the stairway deserted, its
white steps, its white walls faintly lit by the moon.

The woman had not once looked at the man, but only at the money in his
scaly hand.

Domini felt hot and rather sick. She wondered why she had stood there
watching. Yet she had not been able to turn away. Now, as she stepped
back into the middle of the alley and walked on with the man beside her
she wondered what he was thinking of her. She could not talk to him any
more. She was too conscious of the lighted stairways, one after one,
succeeding each other to right and left of them, of the still figures,
of the watching eyes in which the yellow rays of the candles gleamed.
Her companion did not speak; but as they walked he glanced furtively
from one side to the other, then stared down steadily on the white road.
When they turned to the right and came out by the gardens, and Domini
saw the great tufted heads of the palms black against the moon, she felt
relieved and was able to speak again.

"I should like y