"Tanit-Zerga, give Monsieur de Saint-Avit a rose sherbet." The dark girl in red silk obeyed. "My private secretary," said Antinea, introducing her. "Mademoiselle Tanit-Zerga, of Gâo, on the Niger. Her family is almost as ancient as mine." As she spoke, she looked at me. Her green eyes seemed to be appraising me. "And your comrade, the Captain?" she asked in a dreamy tone. "I have not yet seen him. What is he like? Does he resemble you?" For the first time since I had entered, I thought of Morhange. I did not answer. Antinea smiled. She stretched herself out full length on the lion skin. Her bare right knee slipped out from under her tunic. "It is time to go find him," she said languidly. "You will soon receive my orders. Tanit-Zerga, show him the way. First take him to his room. He cannot have seen it." I rose and lifted her hand to my lips. She struck me with it so sharply as to make my lips bleed, as if to brand me as her possession. * * * * * I was in the dark corridor again. The young girl in the red silk tunic walked ahead of me. "Here is your room," she said. "If you wish, I will take you to the dining-room. The others are about to meet there for dinner." She spoke an adorable lisping French. "No, Tanit-Zerga, I would rather stay here this evening. I am not hungry. I am tired." "You remember my name?" she said. She seemed proud of it. I felt that in her I had an ally in case of need. "I remember your name, Tanit-Zerga, because it is beautiful."[12] [Footnote 12: In Berber, Tanit means a spring; zerga is the feminine of the adjective azreg, blue. (Note by M. Leroux.)] Then I added: "Now, leave me, little one. I want to be alone." It seemed as if she would never go. I was touched, but at the same time vexed. I felt a great need of withdrawing into myself. "My room is above yours," she said. "There is a copper gong on the table here. You have only to strike if you want anything. A white Targa will answer." For a second, these instructions amused me. I was in a hotel in the midst of the Sahara. I had only to ring for service. I looked about my room. My room! For how long? It was fairly large. Cushions, a couch, an alcove cut into the rock, all lighted by a great window covered by a matting shade. I went to the window and raised the shade. The light of the setting sun entered. I leaned my elbows on the rocky sill. Inexpressible emotion filled my heart. The window faced south. It was about two hundred feet above the ground. The black, polished volcanic wall yawned dizzily below me. In front of me, perhaps a mile and a half away, was another wall, the first enclosure mentioned in the Critias. And beyond it in the distance, I saw the limitless red desert. XII MORHANGE DISAPPEARS My fatigue was so great that I lay as if unconscious until the next day. I awoke about three o'clock in the afternoon. I thought at once of the events of the previous day; they seemed amazing.