"

Meg blushed to the roots of her hair. Her brother's words recalled the
ball at Assuan. She knew that Michael knew what it was like.

Freddy saw Meg's blush and wondered what it meant. He turned and left
the lovers to enjoy a few moments' uninterrupted bliss and to discuss
the day's events.

Their bliss consisted in standing together, silently watching the two
figures on the white donkeys disappear into the valley below. When the
last trace of them had vanished and the desert and the sky composed
their world, Meg gave a sigh of relief. Perfect content was expressed
in her attitude and silence, a long silence, too sacred to be broken
rashly. The sun was brilliant, the distance before them immense,
compelling.

As Meg gazed and gazed, her heart became more and more full of
happiness. The world was a wonderful mother; she had only to trust, to
believe, to love, to have happiness showered upon her.

"In a book I was reading the other day, Mike," she said, "the heroine
remarked that looking into a great distance always made her long to be
better than she was. How true it is--at least, with me. I knew what
she meant, instantly. I feel it now, don't you?"

"That's why town-life is so bad for us," he said. "Our vision never
gets beyond the traffic, beyond the progress of commerce. I've often
thought the same thing. Distances are sublime."

"The distances in the desert make me feel far more like that than any
other distances. The desert has taught me so much--it is a wonderful
mother."

Michael's eyes answered her.

"Looking at that distance makes me wish I hadn't been so wicked in my
heart about Mrs. Mervill. I was bursting with hate of her, Mike--I
longed to hurt her as she always hurts me!"

"You behaved splendidly! I knew it was an awful trial to you. You
knew I understood, Meg?"

"It was a trial," Meg said, "but why am I so little when I am put to
the test, and why do I feel so big, so far above such contemptible
things, when I look at a distance like that?"

"Because you're a darling, human woman, Meg." Michael's arms went
round her. "Because there would be no merit in our victories if the
battles were quite easy."

"I suppose not, but for your belief in me, Mike, I want to be as big as
the biggest thoughts I've got, and I'm only as small as my meanest."

"You are the mistress of my happiness, Meg."

Meg's eyes shone with understanding, while his words called up the
figure and the b