noon
Even that light mask , which I had worn so long and with such good effect , incommoded me now : I would cast it aside and be myself -- silent and sullen as my barbarous host . If any malignant purpose was taking form in his mind , let it , and let him do his worst ; for when failure first stares a man in the face , it has so dark and repellent a look that not anything that can be added can make him more miserable ; nor has he any apprehension . For weeks I had been searching with eager , feverish eyes in every village , in every rocky crevice , in every noisy mountain streamlet , for the glittering yellow dust I had travelled so far to find . And now all my beautiful dreams -- all the pleasure and power to be -- had vanished like a mere mirage on the savannah at noon . It was a day of despair which I spent in this place , sitting all day indoors , for it was raining hard , immersed in my own gloomy thoughts , pretending to doze in my seat , and out of the narrow slits of my half-closed eyes seeing the others , also sitting or moving about , like shadows or people in a dream ; and I cared nothing about them , and wished not to seem friendly , even for the sake of the food they might offer me by and by . Towards evening the rain ceased ; and rising up I went out a short distance to the neighbouring stream , where I sat on a stone and , casting off my sandals , laved my bruised feet in the cool running water . The western half of the sky was blue again with that tender lucid blue seen after rain , but the leaves still glittered with water , and the wet trunks looked almost black under the green foliage .