“Did you ever see anything more beautiful and more characteristic of Africa?” she asked.
“Madame,” he said in a slow, stern voice, “I did not look at her.”
Domini felt piqued.
“Why not?” she retorted.
Androvsky’s face was cloudy and almost cruel.
“These native women do not interest me,” he said. “I see nothing attractive in them.”
Domini knew that he was telling her a lie. Had she not seen him watching the dancing girls in Tahar’s café? Anger rose in her. She said to herself then that it was anger at man’s hypocrisy. Afterwards she knew that it was anger at Androvsky’s telling a lie to her.
“I can scarcely believe that,” she answered bluntly.
They looked at each other.
“Why not, Madame?” he said. “If I say it is so?”