"When I emerged from my meditation, I found myself back in the library, where the falling night obscured the shadows of the people who were assembled there.
"I recognized M. Le Mesge, the Pastor, the Hetman, Aguida, two Tuareg slaves, still more, all joining in the most animated conference.
"I drew nearer, astonished, even alarmed to see together so many people who ordinarily felt no kind of sympathy for each other.
"An unheard of occurrence had thrown all the people of the mountain into uproar.
"Two Spanish explorers, come from Rio de Oro, had been seen to the West, in Adhar Ahnet.
"As soon as Ceghéir-ben-Cheikh was informed, he had prepared to go to meet them.
"At that instant he had received the order to do nothing.
"Henceforth it was impossible to doubt.
"For the first time, Antinea was in love."