It was the morning of the start to Petra.
Sarah came down to find a big masterful woman with a rocking-horse nose,whom
she had already noticed in the hotel,outside the main entrance,objecting
fiercely to the size of the car.
"A great deal too small!Four passengers?And a dragoman?Then,of course,we
must have a much larger saloon.Plcase take that car away and return with one of
an adequate size."
In vain did the representative of Messrs Castle's raise his voice in
explanation.That was the size of car always provided.It was really a most
comfortable car.A larger car was not suitable for desert travel.The large
woman,metaphorically speaking,rolled over him like a large steam-roller.
Then she turned her attention to Sarah.
"Miss King?I am Lady Westholme.I am sure you agree with me that that car was
grossly inadequate as to size?"
"Well,"said Sarah cautiously,"I agree that a larger one would be more
comfortable!"
The young man from Castle's murmured that a larger car would add to the
price.
"The price,"said Lady Westholme firmly,"is inclusive,and I shall certainly
refuse to sanction any addition to it.Your prospectus distinctly states "in
comfortable saloon car"".You will keep to the terms of your agreement."
Recognizing defeat,the young man from Castle's murmured something about
seeing what he could do and wilted away from the spot.
Lady Westholme turned to Sarah,a smile of triumph on her weather-
beaten,countenance,her large red rocking-horse nostrils dilated exultantly.
Lady Westholme was a very well-known figure in the English political
world.When Lord Westholme,a middle-aged,simple-minded peer whose only interests
in life were hunting,shooting and fishing,was returning from a trip to the
United States,one of his fellow passengers was a Mrs Vansittart.Shortly
afterwards Mrs Vansittart became Lady Westholme.The match was often cited as one
of the examples of the danger of ocean voyages.The new Lady Westholme lived
entirely in tweeds and stout brogues,bred dogs,bullied the villagers and forced
her husband pitilessly into public life.lt being borne in upon her,however,that
politics were not Lord Westholme's metier in life and never would be,she
graciously allowed him to resume his sporting activities and herself stood for
Parliament.Being elected with a substantial majority,Lady Westholme threw
herself with vigour into political life,being especially active at Question-
time.Cartoons of her soon began to appear (always a sure sign of success).As a
public figure she stood for the old-fashioned values of family life,welfare work
amongst women,and was an ardent supporter of the League of Nations.She had
decided views on questions of Agriculture,Housing and Slum Clearance.She was
much respected and almost universally disliked!It was highly possible that she
would be given an under-secretaryship when her party returned to power.At the
moment a Liberal Government (owing to a split in the National Government between
Labour and Conservatives)was somewhat unexpectedly in power.
Lady Westholme looked with grim satisfaction after the departing car."Men
always think they can impose upon women,"she said.
Sarah thought that It would be a brave man who thought he could impose upon
Lady Westholme!She introduced Dr Gerard,who had just come out of the hotel.
"Your name is,of course,familiar to me,"said Lady Westholme,shaking hands."I
was talking to Professor Chantereau the other day in Paris.I have been taking up
the question of the treatment of pauper lunatics very strongly lately.Very
strongly indeed.Shall we come inside while we wait for a better car to be
obtained?"
A vague little middle-aged lady with wisps of grey hair who was hovering
nearby turned out to be Miss Amabel Pierce,the fourth member of the
party.She,too,was swept into the lounge under Lady Westholme's protecting wing.
"You are a professional woman,Miss King?"
"I've just taken my M.B."
"Good,"said Lady Westholme with condescending approval."If anything is to be
accomplished,mark my words,it is women who will do it."
Uneasily conscious for the first time of her sex,Sarah followed Lady
Westholme meekly to a seat.
There,as they sat waiting,Lady Westholme informed them that she had refused
an invitation to stay with the High Commissioner during her stay in Jerusalem."I
did not want to be hampered by officialdom.I wished to look into things by
myself."
"What things?"Sarah wondered.
Lady Westholme went on to explain that she was staying at the Solomon Hotel
so as to remain unhampered.She added that she had made several suggestions to
the man-age for the more competent running of his hotel.
"Efficiency,"said Lady Westholme,"is my watchword."
It certainly seemed to be!In a quarter of an hour a large and extremely
comfortable car arrived and in due course -after advice from Lady Westholme as
to how the luggage should be bestowed -thc party set off..
Their first halt was the Dead Sea.They had lunch at Jericho.Afterwards when
Lady Westholme,armed with a Baedeker,had gone off with Miss Pierce,the doctor
and the fat dragoman,to do a tour of old Jericho,Sarah remained in the garden of
the hotel.
Her head ached slightly and she wanted to be alone.A deep depression weighed
her down -a depression for which she found it hard to account.She felt suddenly
listless and uninterested,disinclined for sightseeing,bored by her
companions.She wished at this moment that she had never committed herself to
this Petra tour.It was going to be very expensive and she felt quite sure she
wasn't going to enjoy it!Lady Westholme's booming voice,Miss Pierce's endless
twitterings,and the anti-Zionist lamentation of the dragoman,were already
fraying her nerves to a frazzle.She disliked almost as much Dr Gerard's amused
air of knowing exactly how she was feeling.
She wondered where the Boyntons were now -perhaps they had gone on to Syria
-they might be at Baalbek or Damascus.Raymond -she wondered what Raymond was
doing.Strange how clearly she could see his face -its eagerness -its diffidence
-its nervous tension ...
Oh,hell!Why go on thinking of people she would probably never see again?That
scene the other day with the old woman -what could have possessed her to march
up to the old lady and spurt out a loi of nonsense.Other people must have heard
some of it.She fancied that Lady Westholme had been quite close by.Sarah tried
to re-member exactly what ii was she had said.Something that probably sounded
quite absurdly hysterical.Goodness,what a fool she had made of herself!But ii
wasn't her fault really;it was old Mrs Boynton's.There was something about her
that made you lose your sense of proportion.
Dr Gerard entered and plumped down in a chair,wiping his hot forehead.
"Phew!That woman should be poisoned!"he declared.
Sarah started."Mrs Boynton?"
"Mrs Boynton!No,I meant that Lady Westholme!It is incredible to me that she
has had a husband for many years and that he has not already done so.What can he
be made of,that husband?,
Sarah laughed.
"Oh,he's the ""huntin",fishin",shootin""kind,"she explained.
"Psychologically that is very sound!He appeases his lust to kill on the (so-
called)lower creations.",
"I believe he is very proud of his wife's activities."
The Frenchman suggested:
"Because they take her a good deal away from home?That is
understandable."Then he went on,"What did you say just now?Mrs
Boynton?Undoubtedly it would be a very good idea to poison her,too.Undeniably
the simplest solution of that family problem!In fact a great many women would be
better poisoned.All women who have grown old and ugly."
He made an expressive face
Sarah cried out,laughing:
"Oh,you Frenchmen!You've got no use for any woman who isn't young and
attractive."
Gerard shrugged his shoulders.
"We are more honest about it,that is all.Englishmen.they do not get up in
tubes and trains for ugly women -no,no."
"How depressing life is,"said Sarah with a sigh.
"There is no need for you to sigh,mademoiselle."
"Well,I feel thoroughly disgruntled today."
"Naturally."
"What do you mean -naturally?"snapped Sarah.
"You could find the reason very easily if you examine your state of mind
honestly.,
"I think it's our fellow-travellers who depress me,"said Sarah."It's
awful,isn't it,but I do hate women!When they're inefficient and idiotic Like
Miss Pierce,they infuriate me -and,when they're efficient like Lady
Westholme,they annoy me more still."
"It is,I should say,unavoidable that these two people should annoy you.Lady
Westholme is exactly fitted to the life she leads and is completely happy and
successful.Miss Pierce has worked for years as a nursery governess and has
suddenly come into a small legacy which has enabled her to fulfil her life-long
wish and travel.So far,travel has lived up to her expectations.Consequently
you,who have just been thwarted in obtaining what you want,naturally resent the
existence of people who have been more successful in life than you are."
"I suppose you're right,"said Sarah gloomily."What a horribly accurate mind-
reader you are.I keep trying to humbug myself and you won't let me."
At this moment the others returned.The guide seemed the most exhausted of
the three.He was quite subdued and hardly exuded any information on the way to
Amman.He did not even mention the Jews.For which everyone was profoundly
grateful.His voluble and frenzied account of their iniquities had done much to
try everyone's temper on the journey from Jerusalem.
Now the road wound upward from the Jordan,twisting and turning,with clumps
of oleanders showing rose-coloured flowers.
They reached Amman late in the afternoon and after a short visit to the
Graeco-Roman thertre went to bed early.They were to make an early start the next
morning as it was a full day's motor run across the desert to Ma"an.
They left soon after eight o"clock.The party was inclined to be silent.It
was a hot airless day and by noon when a halt was made for a picnic lunch to be
eaten,it was really stiflingly hot.The irritation of a hot day of being boxed up
closely with three other human beings had got a little on everyone's nerves.
Lady Westholme and Dr Gerard had a somewhat irritable argument over the
League of Nations.Lady Westholme was a fervent supporter of the League.The
Frenchman,on the other hand,chose to be witty at the League's expense.From the
attitude of the League concerning Abyssinia and Spain they passed to the
litvania boundary dispute of which Sarah had never heard and from there to the
activities of the League in suppressing dope gangs.
"You must admit they have done wonderful work.Wonderful!"snapped Lady
Westholme.
Dr Gerard shrugged his shoulders.
"Perhaps.And at wonderful expense too!"
"The matter is a very serious one.Under the Dangerous Drugs Act -,"The
argument waged on.
Miss Pierce twittered to Sarah: "It is really most interesting travelling
with Lady Westholme."
Sarah said acidly: "Is it?"but Miss Pierce did not notice the acerbity and
twittered happily on.
"I've so often seen her name in the papers.So clever of women to go into
public life and hold their own.I'm always so glad when a woman accomplishes
something!"
"Why?"demanded Sarah ferociously.
Miss Pierce's mouth fell open and she stammered a little.
"Oh,because -I mean -just because -well -it's so nice that women are able to
do things!"
"I don't agree,"said Sarah."It's nice when any human being is able to
accomplish something worth while!It doesn't matter a bit whether it's a man or u
woman.Why should it?"
"Well,of course -"said Miss Pierce."Yes,I confess -of course,looking at it
in that light -,
But she looked slightly wistful.Sarah said more gently:
"I'm sorry,but I do hate this differentiation between the sexes.""The modern
girl has a thoroughly business-Like attitude towards life.""That sort of
thing.It's not a bit true!Some girls are business-Like and some aren't.Some men
are sentimental and muddle-headed,others are clear-headed and logical.There are
just different types of brains.Sex only matters where sex is directly
concerned."
Miss Pierce flushed a little at thc word sex and adroitly changed the
subject.
"One can't help wishing that there were a little shade,"she murmured."Bui I
do think all this emptiness is so wonderful,don't you?"
Sarah nodded.
Yes,she thought,the emptiness was marvellous ...
Healing ...Peaceful ...No human being to agitate one with their tiresome
inter-relationships ...No burning personal problems!Now,at last,she felt,she was
free of the Boyntons.Free of that strange compelling wish io interfere in the
lives of people whose orbit did not remotely touch her own.She felt soothed and
at peace.Here was loneliness,emptiness,spaciousness ...In fact,peace ...
Only,of course,one wasn't alone to enjoy it.Lady Westholme and Dr Gerard had
finished with drugs and were now arguing about guileless young women who were
exported in a sinister manner to Argentinian cabarets.Dr Gerad had displayed
throughout the conversation a levity which Lady Westholme,who,being a true
politician,had no sense of humour,found definitely deplorable.
"We go on now,yes?"announced the tarbushed dragoman,and began to talk about
the iniquities of Jews again .
It was about an hour off sunset when they reached Ma"an at last.Strange
wild-faced men crowded round the car.After a short halt they went on.
Looking over the flat desert country,Sarah was at a loss as to where the
rocky stronghold of Petra could be.Surely they coulcd see for miles and miles
all round them?There were no mountains,no hills an
ere.Were they,then,still many miles from their journey's end?
They reached the village of Ain Musa where the cars were to be left.Here
horses were waiting for them -sorry-looking thin beasts.The inadequacy of her
striped washing-frock disturbed Miss Pierce greatly.Lady Westholme was sensibly
attired in riding breeches,not perhaps a particularly becoming style to her type
of figure,but certainly practical.
"the horses were led out of the village along a slippery path with loose
stones.The ground fell away and the horses zig-zagged down.The sun was close on
setting.
Sarah was very tired with the long,hot journey in the car.Her senses felt
dazed.The ride was like a dream.It seemed to her afterwards that it was like the
pit of Hcll opening at one's feet.The way wound down -down into the ground.The
shapes of rock rose up round them -down,down into the bowels of the
earth,through a labyrinth of red cliffs.They towered now on either side.Sarah
felt stifled -menaced by the ever-narrowing gorge.
She thought confusedly to herself."Down into the valley of death -down into
the valley of death ...".
On and on.It grew dark -the vivid red of the walls faded -and still
on,winding in and out,imprisoned,lost in the bowels of the earth.
She thought: "It's fantastic and unbelievable ...a dead city."
And again like a refrain came the words: "The valley of death ..."-
Lanterns were lit now.The horses wound along through the narrow
ways.Suddenly they came out into a wide space-the cliffs receded.Far ahead of
them were a cluster of lights .
"That is camp!"said the guide.
The horses quickened their pace a little -not very much -they were too
starved and dispirited for that,but they showed just a shade of enthusiasm.Now
the way ran along a gravelly water-bed.The lights grew nearer.
They could see a cluster of tents,a higher row up against the face of a
cliff Caves,too,hollowed out in the rock.
They were arriving.Bedouin servants came running out.
Sarah stared up at one of the caves.It held a sitting figure.What was it?An
idol?A gigantic squatting image?
No,that was the flickering lights that made it loom so large.But it must be
an idol of some kind,sitting there immovable,brooding over the place -...
And then,suddenly her heart gave a leap of recognition.
Gone was the feeling of peace -of escape -that the desert had given her.She
had been led from freedom back into captivity.She had ridden down into this dark
winding valley and here,like an arch priestess of some forgotten cult,like a
monstrous swollen female Buddha,sat Mrs Boynton ...
|
|
