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172 BY DESERT WAYS TO BAGHDAD
We each seized a Zaptieh by the hand and were
included in the circle. We sprang and kicked and
stamped ; we turned and hopped and stamped. One
man stood in the middle clapping the time with his
hands as he led the song. It was a war-dance; the
circle broke into two lines and we dashed against one
another. Then the lines receded and the song became
a low murmur as of gathering hordes, whilst our feet
beat slow time. The murmur swelled and our feet
quickened; louder and louder we shouted, quicker
and quicker we moved, and finally with a great roar
the two lines dashed against one another. We gave
one great stamp altogether and stopped dead ; another
great stamp and a roar, then a hush, and the lines
receded. Thoroughly exhausted, I fell out of the line
while this proceeding was repeated. By this time the
moon shone out bright and strong. On one side a
great desert stretched away into the starry night; on
the other the waters of the Tigris swept darkly past
us. The wild shrieks flew up into the clear, silent air.
X danced furiously on between Hassan and Ali. Her
face was strangely white lit up by the moon, amongst
the dark complexions of her companions. They
sprang and hopped and stamped, they turned and
hopped and stamped; a white robe here, a red cloak
there, a naked foot and a soldier's boot, hopping and
turning and stamping.
"X," I said to myself, "you are mad, and I, poor
sane fool, can only remember that I once did crotchet
work in drawing-rooms."
A feeling of wild rebellion took hold of me; I
sprang into the circle.
A RECEPTION AND A DANCE 173
" Make me mad!" I cried out, " I want to be
mad too!"
The men seized me and on we went, on and on
with the hopping and turning and stamping. And
soon I too was a savage, a glorious, free savage under
the white moon.
- T«V
Ill