Sealed Lips — page 175: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SKALED LIPS. 167 mystery, no singing of birds, not one of those pro- longed, dreamy echoes whose wail resounds under the humid vaults of our woods. For two hours Patrice continued on his way, in- terrupted only by meeting a few Arabs hunting hares, partridges, or grouse, or by the passing of a line of camels with their grimacing, unhappy faces, going toward the sea laden with produce from the interior. Already the approach of regular cultiva- tion could be seen. Roads were marked out. This unfinished way was used as a footpath; the foot- paths became hollowed outruts. They met carts loaded with wood symmetrically arranged going to Bel-Abbes. Tents of camel’s hair striped with bands of black and red were to be seen here and there. Chickens were pecking at the dusty ground, where naked children were rolling about under the care of dogs, who barked at the approach of the riders, At last,in a completely cleared space a bordj appeared. It was Telagh. Patrice restrained the stallion from Tiaret, who was anxious to reach the stables, and gazed at his future residence. Before him was an oblong square of yellow walls pierced by loop-holes confining in its inclosure the buildings of the old Algerian troops, granted by government to be used as the center for forest improvements. Soon satisfied with his examination, he passed through the large door, painted green, which stood wide open, The interior court was one hundred EGomicbooks (E(0)