Sarah went down to the big marquee.She found her three fellow-travellers
there.They were sitting at table eating.The guide was explaining that there was
another party here .
"They came two days ago.Go day after tomorrow.Americans.The mother,very
fat,very difficult get here!Carried in chair by bearers -they -say very hard
work -they get very hot -yes.".
Sarah gave a sudden spurt of laughter.Of course,take it properly,the whole
thing was funny!
The fat dragoman looked ai her gratefully.He was not finding his task too
easy.Lady Westholme had contradicted him out of Baedeker three times that day
and had now found fault with the type of bed provided.He was grateful to the one
member of his party who seemed to be unaccountably in a good temper.
"Ha!"said Lady Westholme."I think these people were at the Solomon.I
recognized the old mother as we arrived here.I think I saw you talking to her at
the hotel,Miss King ."
Sarah blushed guiltily,hoping Lady Westholme had not overheard much of that
conversation.
"really,what possessed me!"she thought to herself in an agony .
In the meantime Lady Westholme had made a pronouncement."Not interesting
people at all.Very provincial,"she said.
Miss Pierce made eager sycophantish noises and Lady Wesiholme embarked on a
history of various interesting and prominent Americans whom she had met recently.
The weather being so unusually bot for the time of year,an early start was
arranged for the morrow.
The four assembled for breakfast at six o"clock.There were no signs of any
of the Boynton family.After Lady Westholme had commented unfavourably on the
absence of fruit,they consumed tea,tinned milk,and fried eggs in a generous
allowance of fat flanked by extremely salt bacon.
Then they started forth,Lady Westholme and Dr Gerard discussing with
animation on the part of the former the exact value of vitamins in diet and the
proper nutrition of the working classes.
Then there was a sudden hail from the camp and they halted to allow another
person to join the party.Ii was Mr Jefferson Cope who hurried after them,his
pleasant face flushed with the exertion of running..
"Why,if you don't mind,I'd like to join your party this morning.Good
morning,Miss King.Quite a surprise meeting you and Dr Gerard here.What do you
think of it?"
He made a gesture indicating the fantastic red rocks that stretched in every
direction.
"I think it's rather wonderful and just a little horrible,"said Sarah."I
always thought of ii as romantic and dream-like -the ""rose-red city"".But it's
much more real than that -it's as real as -as raw beef."
"And very much the colour of it,"agreed Mr Cope.
"But it's marvellous,too,"admitted Sarah.
The party began to climb.Two Bedouin guides accompanied them.Tall men,with
an easy carriage,they swung upward unconcernedly in their hobnailed boots
completely footsure on the slippery slope.Difficulties soon began.Sarah had a
good head for heights and so had Dr Gerard.But both Mr Cope and Lady Westholme
were far from happy,and the unfortunate Miss Pierce had to be almost carried
over the precipitous places,her eyes shut,her face green,while her voice rose
ceaselessly in a perpetual wail.
"I never could look down places.Never -from a Child!"
Once she declared her intention of going back,but on turning to face the
descent,her skin assumed an even greener tinge,and she reluctantly decided that
to go on was the only thing to be done.
Dr Gerard was kind and reassuring.He went up behind her,holding a stick
between her and the sheer drop like a balustrade and she confessed that the
illusion of a rail did much to conquer the feeling of vertigo.
Sarah,panting a little,asked the dragoman,Mahmoud,who,in spite of his ample
proportions,showed no signs of distress:
"don't you ever have trouble getting people up here?Elderly ones,I mean."
"Always -always we have trouble,"agreed Mahmoud serenely .
"do you always try and take them?"
Mahmoud shrugged his thick shoulders.
"They like to come.They have paid money to see these things.They wish to see
them.The Bedouin guides are very clever -very sure-footed -always they manage.,.
They arrived at last at the summit.Sarah drew a deep breath.
All around and below stretched the blood-red rocks -a strange and
unbelievable country unparalleled an
ere.Here in the exquisite pure morning air they stood like gods,surveying a
baser world -a world of flaring violence.
Here was,as the guide told them,the "Place of Sacrifice"-the "High Place".He
showed them the trough cut in the flat rock at their feet.
Sarah strayed away from the rest,from the glib phrases that flowed so
readily from the dragoman's tongue.She sat on a rock,pushed her hands through
her thick black hair,and gazed down on the world at her feet.Presently she was
aware of someone standing by her side.Dr Gerard's voice said :
"You appreciate the appositeness of the devil's temptation in the New
Testament.Satan took Our Lord up to the summit of a mountain and showed Him the
world.""All these things will I give thee,if thou will fall down and worship
me.""How much greater the temptation up on high to be a God of Material Power."
Sarah assented,but her thoughts were so clearly elsewhere that Gerard
observed her in some surprise.
"You are pondering something very deeply,"he said.
"Yes,I am."She turned a perplexed face to him."It's a wonderful idea --to
have a place of sacrifice up here.I think sometimes,don't you,that a sacrifice
is necessary ...I mean,one can have too much regard for life.Death isn't really
so important as we make out."
"If you feel that Miss King,you should not have adopted our profession.To
us,Death is and must always be -the Enemy."
Sarah shivered.
"Yes,I suppose you're right.And yet,so often death might solve a problem.It
might mean,even,fuller life ...,
"It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people!"quoted
Gerard gravely.
Sarah turned a startled face on him.
"I didn't mean -"She broke off.Jefferson Cope was approaching them.
"Now this is really a most remarkable spot,"he declared."Most remarkable,and
I'm only too pleased not to have missed it.I don't mind confessing that though
Mrs Boynton is certainly a most remarkable woman -I greatly admire her pluck in
being determined to come here -it does certainly complicate matters travelling
with her.Her health is poor,and I suppose it naturally makes her a little
inconsiderate of other people's feelings,but it does not seem to occur to her
that her family might like occasionally to go on excursions without her.She's
just so used to them clustering round her that I suppose she doesn't think -,
Mr Cope broke off.His nice kindly face looked a little disturbed and
uncomfortable.
"You know."he said,"I heard a piece of information about Mrs Boynton that
disturbed me greatly."
Sarah was lost in her own thoughts again -Mr Copc's voice just flowed
pleasantly in her ears like the agreeable murmur of a remote stream,but Dr
Gerard said:
"Indeed?What was it?"
"My informant was a lady I came across in the hotel at Tiberias.It concerned
a servant girl who had been in Mrs Boynton's employ.The girl,I gather,was -had -
"
Mr Cope paused,glanced delicately at Sarah and lowered his voice."She was
going to have a child.The old lady,it seemed,discovered this,but was apparently
quite kind to the girl.Then a few weeks before the child was born she turned her
out of the house."
Dr Gerard's eyebrows went up.
"Ah,"he said reflectively.
"My informant seemed very positive of her facts.I don't know whether you
agree with me,but that seems to me a very cruel and heartless thing to do.I
cannot understand -"
Dr Gerard interrupted him.
"You should try to.That incident,I have no doubt,gave Mrs Boynton a good
deal of quiet enjoyment."
Mr Cope turned a shocked face on him.
"No,sir,"he said with emphasis."That.I cannot believe.Such an idea is quite
inconceivable.".
Softly Dr Gerard quoted:
"So I returned and did consider all the oppressions done beneath the sun.And
there was weeping and wailing from those that were oppressed and had no
comfort,for with their oppressors there was power,so that no one came to comfort
them.Then I did praise the dead which are already dead,yea,more than the living
which linger still in life,yea,he that is not is better than dead or living,for
he doth not know of the evil that is wrought for ever on earth ..."
He broke off and said:
"My dear sir,I have made a life's study of the strange things that go on in
the human mind.Ii is no good turning one's face only to the fairer side of
life.Below the decencies and conventions of everyday life,there lies a vast
reservoir of strange things.There is such a thing,for instance,as delight in
cruelty for its own sake.Bui when you have found that,there is something deeper
still.The desire,profound and pitiful,to be appreciated.If that is thwarted,if
through an unpleasing personality a human being is unable to get the response it
needs,it turns to other methods -it must be felt -it must count -and so to
innumerable strange perversions.The habit of cruelty,like any other habit,can be
cultivated,can take hold of one -,
Mr Cope coughed."I think,Dr Gerard,that you are slightly
exaggerating.Really,the air up here is too wonderful ..."
He edged away.Gerard smiled a little.He looked again at Sarah.She was
frowning -her face was set in a youthful sternness.She looked,he thought,like a
young judge delivering sentence ...
He turned as Miss Pierce tripped unsteadily towards him.
"We are going down now,"she fluttered."Oh dear!I am sure I shall never
manage ii,but the guide says the way down is quite a different route and much
easier.I do hope so,because from a child I never have been able to look down
from heights ..."
The descent was down the course of a waterfall.Although there were loose
stones which were a possible source of danger to ankles,it presented no dizzy
vistas.
The party arrived back at the camp weary but in good spirits and with an
excellent appetite for a late lunch.It was past two o"clock.
The Boynton family was sitting round the big table in the marquee.They were
just finishing their meal.
Lady Westholme addressed a gracious sentence to them in her most
condescending manner.
"really a most interesting morning,"she said."Petra is a wonderful spot.,
Carol,to whom the words seemed addressed,shot a quick look at her mother and
murmured:
"Oh,yes -yes,it is,"and relapsed into silence.
Lady Westholme,feeling she had done her duty,addressed herself to her food.
As they ate,the four discussed plans for the afternoon.
"I think I shall rest most of the afternoon,"said Miss Pierce."It is
important,I think,not to do too much."
"I shall go for a walk and explore,"said Sarah."What about you,Dr Gerard?"
"I will go with you."
Mrs Boynton dropped a spoon with a ringing clatter and everyone jumped.
"I think,"said Lady Westholme,"that I shall follow your example,Miss
Pierce.Perhaps half an hour with a book,then I shall lie down and take an hour's
rest at least.After that,perhaps,a short stroll.".
Slowly,with the help of Lennox,old Mrs Boynton struggled to her feet.She
stood for a moment and then spoke.
"You'd better all go for a walk this afternoon,"she said with unexpected
amiability.
It was,perhaps,slightly ludicrous to see the startled faces of her family.
"But,Mother,what about you?"
"I don't need any of you.I like sitting alone with my book.Jinny had better
not go.She"ll lie down and have a sleep."
"Mother,I'm not tired.I want to go with the others."
"You are tired.You've got a headache!You must be careful of yourself.Go and
lie down and sleep.I know what's best for you."
"I -I "
Her head thrown back,the girl stared rebelliously.Then her eyes dropped -
faltered ...
"Silly child,"said Mis Boynton."Go to your tent."
She stumped out of the marquee -the others followed.
"dear me,"said Miss Pierce."What very peculiar people.Such a very odd colour
-the mother.Quite purple.Heart,I should imagine.The heat must be very trying to
her."
Sarah thought: "She's letting them go free this afternoon.She knows Raymond
wants to be with me.Why?Is it a trap?"
After lunch,when she had gone to her tent and had changed into a fresh linen
dress,the thought still worried her.Since last night her feeling towards Raymond
had swelled into a passion of protective tenderness.This,then,was love -this
agony on another's behalf -this desire to avert,at all costs,pain from the
beloved...Yes,she loved Raymond Boynton.It was St George and the Dragon
reversed.It was shc who was the rescuer and Raymond who was the chained victim.
And Mrs Boynton was the Dragon.A dragon whose sudden amiability was,to
Sarah's suspicious mind,definitely sinister.
It was about a quarter-past three when Sarah strolled down to the marquee.
Lady Westholme was sitting on a chair.Despite the heat of the day she was
still wearing her serviceable Harris tweed skirt.On her lap was the report of a
Royal Commission.Dr Gerard was talking to Miss Pierce,who was standing by her
tent holding a book entitled The Love Quest and described on its wrapper as a
thrilling tale of passion and misunderstanding.
"I don't think it's wise to lie down too soon after lunch,"explained Miss
Pierce."One's digestion,you know.Quite cool and pleasant in the shadow of the
marquee.Oh dear,do you think that old lady is wise to sit in the sun up there?"
They all looked at the ridge in front of them.Mrs Boynton was sitting as she
had sat last night,a motionless Buddha in the door of her cave.There was no
other human creature in sight.All the camp personnel were asleep.A short
distance away,following the line of the valley,a little group of people walked
together.
"For once,"said Dr Gerard,"the good Mamma permits them to enjoy themselves
without her.A new devilment on her part,perhaps?"
"do you know,"said Sarah,"that's just what I thought."
"What suspicious minds we have.Come,let us join the truants."
Leaving Miss Pierce to her exciting reading,they set off.Once round the bend
of the valley,they caught up the other party who were walking slowly.For
once,the Boyntons looked happy and carefree.
Lennox and Nadine,Carol and Raymond,Mr Cope with a broad smile on his face
and the last arrivals,Gerard and Sarah,were soon all laughing and talking
together.
A sudden wild hilarity was born.In everyone's mind was the feeling that this
was a snatched pleasure -a stolen joy to enjoy to the full.Sarah and Raymond did
not draw apart.Instead,Sarah walked with Carol and Lennox.Dr Gerard chatted to
Raymond close behind them.Nadine and Jefferson Cope walked a little apart.
It was the Frenchmen who broke up the party.His words had been coming
spasmodically for some time.Suddenly he stopped.
"A thousand excuses.I fear 1must go back."
Sarah looked at him."Anything the matter?"
He nodded."Yes,fever.It's been coming on ever since linch."
Sarah scrutinized him."Malaria?"
"Yes.I"ll go back and take quinine.Hope this won't be a bad attack.It is a
legacy from a visit to the Congo."
"Shall I come with you?"asked Sarah.
"No,no.I have my case of drugs with me.A confounded nuisance.Go on,all of
you."
He walked quickly back in the direction of the camp.
Sarah looked undecidedly after him for a minute,then she met Raymond's
eyes,smiled at him,and the Frenchman was forgotten.
For a time the six of them,Carol,herself,Lennox,Mr Cope,Nadine and
Raymond,kept together.
Then,somehow or other,she and Raymond had drifted apart.They walked
on,climbing up rocks,turning ledges,and rested at last in a shady spot.
There was a silence -then Raymond said:
"What's your name?It's King,I know.But your other name."
"Sarah."
"Sarah.May I call you that?"
"Of course."
"Sarah,will you tell me something about yourself?"
Leaning back against the rocks,she talked,telling him of her life at home in
Yorkshire,of her dogs and the aunt who had brought her up.
Then,in his turn,Raymond told her a little,disjointedly,of his own life.
After that there was a long silence.Their hands strayed together.They
sat,like children,hand in hand,strangely content.
Then,as the sun grew lower,Raymond stirred.
"I'm going back now,"he said."No,not with you.I want to go back by
myself.There's something I have to say and do.Once that's done,once I've proved
to myself that I'm not a coward -then -then -I shan't be ashamed to come to you
and ask you to help me.I shall need help,you know,I shall probably have to
borrow money from you."
Sarah smiled.
"I'm glad you're a realist.You can count on me."
"But first I've got to do this alone."
"do what?"
The young boyish face grew suddenly stern.Raymond Boynton said: "I've got to
prove my courage.It's now or never."
Then,abruptly,he turned and strode away.
Sarah leant back against the rock and watched his receding figure.Something
in his words had vaguely alarmed her.He had seemed so intense -so terribly in
earnest and strung up.For a moment she wished she had gone with him ...
But she rebuked herself sternly for that wish.Raymond had desired to stand
alone,to test his new-found courage.That was his right.
But she prayed with all her heart that that courage would not fail ...
The sun was setting when Sarah came once more in sight of the camp.As she
came nearer in the dim light she could make out the grim figure of Mrs Boynton
still sitting in the out of the cave.Sarah shivered a little at the sight of
that grim,motionless figure......
She hurried past on the path below and came into the lighted marquee.
Lady Westholme was sitting knitting a navy-blue jumper,a skein of wool hung
round her neck.Miss Pierce was embroidering a table-mat with anaemic blue
forget-me-nots,and being instructed on the proper reform of the Divorce Laws.
The servants came in and out preparing for the evening meal.The Boyntons
were at the far end of the marquee in deck-chairs reading.Mahmoud appeared,fat
and dignified,and was plaintively reproachful.Very nice after-tea ramble had
been arranged to take place,but everyone absent from camp......The programme was
now entirely thrown out...Very instructive visit to Nabataen architecture.
Sarah said hastily that they had all enjoyed themselves very much.
She went off to her tent to wash for supper.On the way back she paused by Dr
Gerard's tent,calling in a low voice: "dr Gerard."
There was no answer.She lifted the flap and looked in.The doctor was lying
motionless on his bed.Sarah withdrew noiselessly,hoping he was asleep..
A servant came to her and pointed to the marquee.Evidently supper was
ready.She strolled down again.Everyone else was assembled there round the table
with the exception of Dr Gerard and Mrs Boynton.A servant was despatched to tell
the old lady dinner was ready.Then there was a sudden commotion outside.Two
frightened servants rushed in and spoke excitedly to the dragoman in Arabic.
Mahmoud looked round him in a flustered manner and went outside.On an
impulse Sarah joined him.
"What's the matter?"she asked.
Mahmoud replied: "The old lady.Abdul says she is ill -cannot move."
"I"ll come and see."
Sarah quickened her step.Following Mahmoud,she climbed the rock and walked
along until she came to the squat figure in the chair,touched the puffy
hand,felt for the pulse,bent over her ...
When she straightened herself she was paler.
She retraced her steps back to the marquee.In the doorway she paused a
minute looking at the group at the far end of the table.Her voice when she spoke
sounded to herself brusque and unnatural.
"I'm so sorry,"she said.She forced herself to address the head of the
family,Lennox."Your mother is dead,Mr Boynton."
And curiously,as though from a great distance,she watched the faces of five
people to whom that announcement meant freedom ...
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