Burning Sands Read online

  CHAPTER III--THE WORLD AND THE FLESH

  When a man, in the heyday of his manhood, voluntarily lives the life ofa monk or hermit, his friends suppose him to be either religious,defective, or possessed of a secret mistress. Now, nobody supposedDaniel Lane to be religious, for he seldom put his foot inside a church:and people seem to be agreed that religion is, as it were, black kidgloves, handed out with the hymnbooks and, like them, "not to be takenaway." Nor did anybody think him abnormal, for a figure more sane, morehealthy, or more robust in its unqualified manhood, could not easily beconjured before the imagination.

  Hence the rumour had arisen in Cairo that the daughters of the Bedouinwere not strangers to him; but actually, like most rumours, this wasentirely incorrect. He did, in very truth, live the life of a celibatein his desert home; and if this manner of existence chanced to be inaccord with his ideas of bachelorhood, it was certainly in conformitywith the nature of his surroundings. Some men are not attracted by adiet of onions, or by a skin-polish of castor oil.

  When he had been commissioned by a well-known scientific institute tomake a thorough study of the manners, customs, and folk-lore of theBedouin tribes of the Egyptian desert, he had entered upon his task inthe manner of one dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge; and he found inthe life he was called upon to lead the opportunity for the practice ofthose precepts of the philosophers which, in spite of his impulsivenature, had ever appealed to him in principle during the course of hiswide reading.

  Almost unwittingly he had cultivated the infinite joys of a mind freefrom care, free from the desires of the flesh; and, with no apparent,or, at any rate, no great effort, he had established in himself acondition of undisturbed equanimity, by virtue of which he could smilebenevolently at the frantic efforts of his fellow men and women to makelife amusing. To him his existence in the desert was a continuouspleasure, for the great secret of human life had been revealed tohim--that a mind at peace in itself is happiness.

  But here in Cairo circumstances were different; and as he walked fromthe Residency through the moonlit streets to the Orient Hotel histhoughts were by no means tranquil. He did not feel any very noticeablefatigue after his long ride; for a series of recent expeditions throughthe desert had hardened him to such a point that the hundred and fiftymiles which he had covered in the last three days had in no way strainedhis always astonishing physical resources. His senses were alert andactive, and, indeed, were near to a riotous invasion of the placidpalace of his mind, where his soul was wont to sit enthroned above theclamour of his mighty body.

  He took the road which led him past the Semiramis Hotel, and through itsbrilliantly illuminated windows he could see the richly dressed throngof visitors, and could hear the strains of the orchestra which wasplaying selections from a popular musical comedy. He turned his headaway, and gazed across the Nile which lay on his other hand; but heretoo the lights of the gay city glittered and were reflected in thewater, while from a dahabiyah moored against the opposite bank therecame the sound of tambourines and the rhythmic beating of the feet ofnative dancers.

  In the main streets of the city the light of the lamps seemed strangelybright to his unaccustomed eyes; and the great square in front of theOrient Hotel presented an animated scene. Crowds of people were herestreaming out of the Opera House, and carriages and automobiles weremoving in all directions. The trees of the Esbekieh gardens wereilluminated by the neighbouring arc lamps, and rich clusters of exoticflowers hung down towards the dazzling globes. The cafes on the otherside of the square were crowded, and hundreds of small tables, standingin the open, were occupied by the native and continental inhabitants ofthe city. The murmur of many voices and the continuous rattle of diceupon the marble table-tops could be heard above the many sounds of thetraffic; and somewhere a Neapolitan orchestra was playing a liltingtune.

  The terrace and facade of the hotel were illuminated by numerous rows ofsmall electric globes, and as Daniel ascended the steps to thebrilliantly lighted main entrance he was met by a throng of men andwomen in evening dress pouring out on to the terrace. Evidently theweekly ball was in progress, and the couples were emerging into the coolnight air to rest for a few brief moments from their exertions.

  For some time he wandered about the hotel, furtively watching thedancers; but in his rough clothes he did not feel quite at his ease, andhe was conscious that many pairs of eyes looked at him from time to timewith wonder, while those of the hall-porter and the waiters, so hethought, expressed frank disapproval, if not disgust. He had no wish,however, to retire to his room; for the music of the orchestra wouldundoubtedly prevent sleep for yet some time to come. Moreover, he feltexcited and disturbed by the brilliant scenes around him; and theseclusion of his desert home seemed very far away.

  At length he found a seat upon a sofa at the end of a passage near theAmerican Bar, where, except during the intervals between the dances, hewas more or less alone; and here he settled himself down to enjoy thecigar which he had pocketed at the Residency. He wanted to be quiet; hismind was disturbed by his sudden incursion into the world, and he wasaware of a number of emotions which he had not experienced for manymonths.

  Suddenly the swinging doors of the Bar were burst open and a red-headedyoung man, muffled in an overcoat, sprang through and darted down thepassage. He was clutching at a lady's gold bag; and for a moment Danielsupposed him to be a thief. An instant later, however, he was followedby a girl, wearing an evening cloak and a large black hat, who calledafter him in broken English, telling him to behave himself. At this theman paused, tossed the bag to her, and, with a wave of his hand,disappeared round the corner.

  The bag fell at Daniel's feet. He therefore stooped down, and, pickingit up, returned it to her.

  "A silly boy--that one," she smiled. "He like always the rag."

  "I nearly shot him for a thief," said Daniel, placing his handsignificantly upon his hip-pocket, where he still carried the revolverwhich had accompanied him on his journey.

  The girl fixed her large dark eyes upon him in amazement. "Mais non!"she exclaimed. "He has the red hair: he like joking and running about."

  She sat herself down beside him, and made a pretence to touch hiship-pocket.

  "Why you carry a pistol?" she asked.

  Daniel looked at her with mild amusement. Her profession was evident,but it did not shock him.

  "Because I'm a wild man," he answered, with a smile.

  "You not live in Cairo?" she queried.

  "No fear!" he replied.

  There was silence for some moments, while Daniel, smoking his cigar,endeavoured to ignore her existence. Once or twice she lookedexpectantly at him: it was evident that she could not quite classifyhim. Then she rose to her feet, and, with a little friendly nod to him,walked towards the swinging doors.

  Daniel suddenly felt lonely, felt that he would like to have somebody totalk to, felt that he could keep any situation within bounds, felt thathe did not much mind whether he could do so or not. He took the cigarout of his mouth, forming an instant resolution: "Hi!" he called out.

  She turned round. "Why you call me 'Hi'?" she asked. "I'm Lizette."

  "I beg your pardon," he answered, gravely. "Will you have supper withme, Lizette?"

  "Have you got enough money?" she asked.

  "Plenty," he laughed. "Shall we have supper here?"

  She shook her head, "Oh, no," she replied frankly. "The Manager not likeme, because I'm not good girl. Everybody know Lizette--very bad, verywicked girl. Everybody are shocked for Lizette."

  "I'm not shocked," said Daniel. "I like your face. You look truthful."

  He got up, and followed her into the bar, and, crossing it, made for thestreet-entrance.

  "You give me supper at Berto's?" she said, putting her hand lightly uponhis arm, and looking up at him, as they stood upon the pavement outside.

  "Anywhere you like," he answered; and thus it came about that a fewminutes later he found himself seated before her at a small table in aquiet restaur
ant. She was decidedly attractive. Her grey eyes weretender and sympathetic; the expression of her mouth was kindly; and herdark hair, which was drawn down over her ears, was soft and alluring.She was wearing a low-necked black-velvet dress, and her slender throatand shoulders by contrast seemed to be very white.

  Her broken English, however, was her chiefest charm; and Daniel listenedwith pleasure as she talked away, candidly answering his somewhat directquestions in regard to her early life and adventures. She hailedoriginally, she told him, from Marseilles; but when her widowed motherhad died she had found herself at the age of seventeen, alone andpenniless. She had got into bad company, and at length had been advisedby a well-meaning young British guardsman, on his way to Egypt, to plyher trade in Cairo. Here she had become a great favourite with hisparticular battalion, and in fact, was so monopolized by them that whenshe was seen in the company of a civilian her action was said to be "bykind permission of the Colonel and officers" of the regiment inquestion.

  "Good Lord, what a life!" said Daniel.

  "But what else can a girl do," she asked, "after the little firstmistake, eh? I get plenty good food; I not work eight hours, ten hours,every day to get thirty francs the week; I not live in the little topone room and cry: no, I have the beautiful _appartements au premieretage_, and I laugh always--plenty friends, plenty dresses, plenty sun."

  At a table at the other side of the room, Daniel had noticed, while shewas talking, a heavy-jowled, red-faced young officer who was seatedalone, and whose sullen eyes appeared to be fixed upon him. The girl'sback was turned to this man; but presently she observed that hercompanion was not paying attention to her remarks, and, wondering whathad attracted his attention, she looked behind her. Immediately sheuttered a little angry exclamation, and made an impatient shrug with hershoulders.

  "That is a beast," she said.

  "He's drunk, I think," Daniel remarked. "Is he a friend of yours?"

  She made a gesture of denial. "He hate me because I not let him comehome with me ever."

  "Why not?" he asked.

  "Because he very cruel pig-man. He beat his dog. I see him beat hisdog."

  They rose presently to leave the restaurant, and as they did so theobjectionable officer floundered unsteadily to his feet, and placedhimself across the doorway. As in the case of most men of giganticphysical strength, Daniel's nature was gentle, and wanting in allbellicose tendencies; and, moreover, he had already once that eveningused his muscles in a manner which did not conform to his principles. Hetherefore made an attempt to take no notice of the obstruction; butfinding the way entirely barred, he was obliged to request the man tostand aside. The officer, however, stood his ground stolidly.

  Daniel raised his voice very slightly. "Will you kindly get out of theway," he said.

  For answer the man shot out his hand, and made an ineffectual grab atthe girl's arm. She darted aside, and by a quick manoeuvre slipped outthrough the glass doorway, standing thereafter in the entrance passage,watching the two men with an expression of anger in her alert eyes.

  It was now Daniel's turn to bar the way, whereat his opponent thrust hisred face forward and uttered a string of oaths, his fists clenched.

  "I don't stand any nonsense from a damned civilian," he roared. "Let mepass, or I'll put my fist through your face."

  Suddenly Daniel's self-control for the second time deserted him. Heblushed with shame for his countryman; he burnt with indignation at thearrogance of this product of a militaristic age; he felt like anexasperated schoolmaster dealing with a bully. With a quick movement hegripped the man's raised arm, and seizing with his other hand the collarof his tunic, shook him so that his head was bumped violently againstthe wall behind him.

  "I don't believe in violence," he said, shaking him till the teethrattled in his head, "or I'd really hurt you. I don't believe in it."

  In his tremendous grip the wretched man was, in spite of his bulk, asentirely powerless as the sentry at the Residency had been. His eyesgrew round and frightened: he had never before come up against strengthsuch as Daniel possessed.

  "Let me go," he gasped.

  "Shut your mouth, or you'll bite your tongue," said Daniel, a grim smileupon his face, as he administered another shattering shake. Then with acontemptuous movement he flung him backwards, so that he fell to thefloor at the feet of an amazed waiter who had hurried across the room.

  Daniel turned upon his heel, and, taking the girl's arm, conducted herout of the building. She appeared to be too enthralled by thediscomfiture of her enemy to utter a word.

  An empty taxi-cab was passing, and this he hailed.

  "Where d'you want to go to?" he asked.

  She gave him her address. "You are coming home with me?" she asked."Please do." Her expression was eloquent.

  "I'll drive you as far as your door," he replied.

  "But...?" There was a question in her eyes.

  He sat himself down beside her, and she put her arm in his, looking upinto his face with admiration.

  "I never see a one so strong," she whispered, with a kind of awe. "Ithink you very great man, very to be loved."

  Daniel laughed ironically, "Oh, yes, of course you're filled withadmiration because you've seen me handle a poor drunken fellow-creatureroughly. My girl, that is not the thing for which you should admire aman. I'm ashamed of myself."

  "Ashamed?" she exclaimed, incredulously.

  "Yes," he answered, shortly. "D'you think I'm proud that I can masterany man in a fair fight? What I want to be able to do is to master_myself_!"

  There was silence between them, but he was aware that she did not takeher eyes from him. At length he turned and looked at her and, seeing theadmiration in her face, laughed aloud.

  "Why you laugh?" she asked.

  "I'm laughing at you women," he answered. "How you love a little show ofmuscle! Good God, we might be living in the year one!"

  "I not understand," she said.

  "No, I don't suppose you do," he answered. "But here we are: is thiswhere you live?"

  They had stopped before some large buildings in the vicinity of the mainstation. She nodded her head.

  "Please don't go away," she said.

  "No," he answered. "I've had enough of the world, the flesh, and thedevil for one day. I guess we'll meet again some time or other. Goodnight, my girl; and thank you for your company."

  She held her hand in his. "Thank you," she said, "for fighting thatpig-man, Barthampton."

  "Barthampton? Lord Barthampton?" he repeated. "Was that the man?"

  She nodded. "Why?" she asked, as he uttered a low whistle.

  "Gee!" he laughed. "He's my own cousin."