ing the evening, he waited
on me just as usual, and hovered round me with his impassive face, and
several times I was very nearly asking him whether he intended to keep
that girl from the South, who was very pretty, in his camel skin tent for
a long time.

"Towards nine o'clock, still troubled with that longing for female
society which is as tenacious as the hunting instinct in dogs, I went out
to get some fresh air, and to stroll about a little round that cone of
brown skin through which I could see a brilliant speck of light. I did
not remain long, however, for fear of being surprised by Mohammed in the
neighborhood of his dwelling. When I went in an hour later, I clearly saw
his outline in the tent, and then, taking the key out of my pocket, I
went into the _bordj_, where besides myself, there slept my steward, two
French laborers, and an old cook whom I had picked up in the Algiers. As
I went up stairs, I was surprised to see a streak of light under my door,
and when I opened it, I saw a girl with the face of a statue sitting on a
straw chair by the side of the table, on which a wax candle was burning;
she was bedizened with all those silver gew-gaws which women in the South
wear on their legs, arms, breast, and even on their stomach. Her eyes,
which were tinged with kohl, to make them look larger, regarded me
earnestly, and four little blue spots, finely tatooed on her skin, marked
her forehead, her cheeks, and her chin. Her arms, which were loaded with
bracelets, were resting on her thighs, which were covered by the long,
red silk skirt that she wore.

"When she saw me come in, she got up and remained standing in front of
me, covered with her barbaric jewels, in an attitude of proud submission.

"'What are you doing here?' I said to her in Arabic.

"'I am here because Mohammed told me to come.'

"'Very well, sit down.'

"So she sat down and lowered her eyes, while I examined her attentively.

"She had a strange, regular, delicate, and rather bestial face, but
mysterious as that of a Buddha. Her lips, which were rather thick and
covered with a reddish efflorescence, which I discovered on the rest of
her body as well, indicated a slight admixture of negro blood, although
her hands and arms were of an irreproachable whiteness.

"I hesitated what to do with her, and felt excited, tempted and rather
confused, so in order to gain time and to give myself an opportunity for
reflection, I put other questions to her