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Father Roubier took a seat by the little table in front of her. But Androvsky went over to the door she had just left, and stood, as she had, looking out into the sunshine. Bous-Bous followed him, and snuffed affectionately round his feet, trying to gain his attention. "My little dog seems very fond of your friend," the priest said to Domini. "My friend!" "Monsieur Androvsky."
Androvsky looked down, bent quickly and patted him, as only a man really fond of animals and accustomed to them knows how to pat. Bous-Bous was openly gratified. He began to wriggle affectionately. The priest in his garden smiled.
Bous-Bous ran forward barking, and Domini was conscious that Androvsky braced himself up, like a fighter stepping into the arena. Her keen sensitiveness of mind and body was so infected by his secret impetuosity of feeling that it seemed to her as if his encounter with the two men framed in the sunlight were a great event which might be fraught with strange consequences.
"Bous-Bous wants me," he said, and he opened the door for Domini to pass out. A small white and yellow dog, very clean and well brushed, was sitting on the step in an attentive attitude. Directly the priest appeared it began to wag its short tail violently and to run round his feet, curving its body into semi-circles. He bent down and patted it. "My little companion, Madame," he said.
His mouth is perfect, but he's nervous and wants handling. I'll just take him up the gardens and back." She had been reining him in. Now she let him go, and galloped up the straight track between the palms towards the station. The priest had come out into his little garden with Bous-Bous, and leaned over his brushwood fence to look after her. Bous-Bous barked in a light soprano.
"He was not with me yesterday, as he was being washed." Then he took off his hat and walked towards his house, accompanied by Bous-Bous, who had suddenly assumed an air of conscious majesty, as of one born to preside over the fate of an important personage. Domini stood for a moment under the palm trees looking after them. There was a steady shining in her eyes.
Androvsky lifted himself up, leaving Bous-Bous in a prayerful attitude, his paws raised devoutly towards the heavens. When he saw that it was the priest who had addressed him his face changed, hardened to grimness, and his lips trembled slightly. "That's my little dog," the priest continued in a gentle voice. "He has evidently taken a great fancy to you."
Directly he was quiet Bous-Bous sprang upon his knee and lay down hastily, blinking his eyes, which were almost concealed by hair, and heaving a sigh which made the priest look kindly at him, even while he said deprecatingly: "Bous-Bous! Bous-Bous! Little rascal, little pig down, down!" "Oh, leave him, Monsieur!" muttered Androvsky. "It's all the same to me."
"Ah, Father," said Count Anteoni, going to meet him, while Domini got up from her chair, "it is good of you to come out in the sun to eat fish with such a bad parishioner as I am. Your little companion is welcome." He patted Bous-Bous, who took little notice of him. "You know Miss Enfilden, I think?" continued the Count. "Father Roubier and I meet every day," said Domini, smiling.
He bowed to him in the coffee-room of the hotel, but never spoke to him. Batouch had told her about the episode with Bous-Bous. And she had seen Bous-Bous endeavour to renew the intimacy and repulsed with determination. Androvsky must dislike the priesthood. He might fancy that she, a believing Catholic, had a number of disagreeable suppositions ran through her mind.
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