y perfume. Behind the mist Victoria saw a divan,
spread with trailing folds of purple velvet, stamped with gold; and
something lay curled up on a huge tiger-skin, flung over pillows.

As the blue incense wreaths floated aside the curled thing on the tiger
skin moved, and the light from a copper lamp like Saidee's, streamed
through huge coloured lumps of glass, into a pair of brilliant eyes. A
delicate brown hand, ringed on each finger, waved away the smoke of a
cigarette it held, and Victoria saw a small face, which was like the
face of a perfectly beautiful doll. Never had she imagined anything so
utterly pagan; yet the creature was childlike, even innocent in its
expression, as a baby tigress might be innocent.

Having sat up, the little heathen goddess squatted in her shrine, only
bestirring herself to show the Roumia how beautiful she was, and what
wonderful jewellery she had. She thought, that without doubt, the girl
would run back jealously to the sister (whom Miluda despised) to pour
out floods of description. She herself had heard much of Lella Saida,
and supposed that unfortunate woman had as eagerly collected information
about her; but it was especially piquant that further details of
enviable magnificence should be carried back by the forlorn wife's
sister.

The Ouled Nail tinkled at the slightest movement, even with the heaving
of her bosom, as she breathed, making music with many necklaces, and
long earrings that clinked against them. Dozens of old silver cases,
tubes, and little jewelled boxes containing holy relics; hairs of
Mohammed's beard; a bit of web spun by the sacred spider which saved his
life; moles' feet blessed by marabouts, and texts from the Koran; all
these hung over Miluda's breast, on chains of turquoise and amber beads.
They rattled metallically, and her bracelets and anklets tinkled. Some
luscious perfume hung about her, intoxicatingly sweet. A thick, braided
clump of hair was looped on each side of the small face painted white as
ivory, and her eyes, under lashes half an inch long, were bright and
unhuman as those of an untamed gazelle.

"Wilt thou sit down?" she asked, waving the hand with the cigarette
towards a French chair, upholstered in red brocade. "The Sidi gave me
that seat because I asked for it. He gives me all I ask for."

"I will stand," answered Victoria.

"Oh, it is true, then, thou speakest Arab! I had heard so. I have heard
much of thee and of thy youth and beauty