He got up violently from his chair with the cross hanging loose on his breast.  Then he seized hold of it, snapped the chain in two, threw the cross passionately into the stream and walked away down the garden.  The four girls, with a twittering cry of excitement, rushed into the water, heedless of draperies, bent down, knelt down, and began to feel frantically in the mud for the vanished ornament.  Domini stood up and watched them.  Androvsky did not come back.  Some minutes passed.  Then there was an exclamation of triumph from the stream.  The girl in magenta held up the dripping cross with the bit of silver chain in her dripping fingers.  Domini cast a swift glance behind her.  Androvsky had disappeared.  Quickly she went to the edge of the water.  As she was in riding-dress she wore no ornaments except two earrings made of large and beautiful turquoises.  She took them hastily out of her ears and held them out to the girl, signifying by gestures that she bartered them for the little cross and chain.  The girl hesitated, but the clear blue tint of the turquoise pleased her eyes.  She yielded, snatched the earrings with an eager, gave up the cross and chain with a reluctant, hand.  Domini’s fingers closed round the wet gold.  She threw some coins across the stream on to the bank, and turned away, thrusting the cross into her bosom.

And she felt at that moment as if she had saved a sacred thing from outrage.

At the cabaret door she found Androvsky, once more surrounded by Arabs, whom honest Mustapha was trying to beat off.  He turned when he heard her.  His eyes were still full of a light that revealed an intensity of mental agitation, and she saw his left hand, which hung down, quivering against his side.  But he succeeded in schooling his voice as he asked: 

“Do you wish to visit the village, Madame?”

“Yes.  But don’t let me bother you if you would rather—­”

“I will come.  I wish to come.”

She did not believe it.  She felt that he was in great pain, both of body and mind.  His fall had hurt him.  She knew that by the way he moved his right arm.  The unaccustomed exercise had made him stiff.  Probably the physical discomfort he was silently enduring had acted as an irritant to the mind.  She remembered that it was caused by his determination to be her companion, and the ice in her melted away.  She longed to make him calmer, happier.  Secretly she touched the little cross that lay under her habit.  He had thrown it away in a passion.  Well, some day perhaps she would have the pleasure of giving it back to him.  Since he had worn it he must surely care for it, and even perhaps for that which it recalled.

“We ought to visit the mosque, I think,” she said.

“Yes, Madame.”