d
to be palpable heat.

I went down to the sea, and going round the port, I went along the shore
of the pretty bay where the baths are. There was nobody about, and
nothing was stirring; not a sound of bird or of beast was to be heard,
the very waves did not lap, and the sea appeared to be asleep in the
sun.

Suddenly, behind one of the rocks, which were half covered by the silent
water, I heard a slight movement, and on turning round, I saw a tall,
naked girl, sitting up to her breasts in the water, taking a bath; no
doubt she reckoned on being alone, at that hot period of the day. Her
head was turned towards the sea, and she was moving gently up and down,
without seeing me.

Nothing could be more surprising than that picture of the beautiful
woman in the water, which was as clear as crystal, under a blaze of
light. For she was a marvelously beautiful woman, tall, and modeled like
a statue. She turned round, uttered a cry, and half swimming, half
walking, she went and hid altogether behind her rock; but as she must
necessarily come out, I sat down on the beach and waited. Presently, she
just showed her head, which was covered with thick black plaits. She had
a rather large mouth, with full lips, large, bold eyes, and her skin,
which was rather tanned by the climate, looked like a piece of old,
hard, polished ivory.

She called out to me: "Go away!" and her full voice, which corresponded
to her strong build, had a guttural accent, and as I did not move, she
added: "It is not right of you to stop there, monsieur." I did not move,
however, and her head disappeared. Ten minutes passed, and then her
hair, then her forehead, and then her eyes reappeared, but slowly and
prudently, as if she were playing at hide-and-seek, and were looking to
see who was near. This time she was furious, and called out: "You will
make me get some illness, and I shall not come out as long as you are
there." Thereupon, I got up and went away, but not without looking round
several times. When she thought I was far enough off, she came out of
the water; bending down and turning her back to me, she disappeared in a
cavity in the rock, behind a petticoat that was hanging up in front of
it.

I went back the next day. She was bathing again, but she had a bathing
costume, and she began to laugh, and showed her white teeth. A week
later we were friends, and in another week we were eager lovers. Her
name was Marroca, and she pronounced it as if there