Thehorsessweatedevenatwalking-pace，butanythingwasbetterthansittingstillinourowndarkhouses。Whenwemovedoffunderthefullmoonwewerefourcouples，onetriplet，andMr。SaumarezrodewiththeCopleighgirls，andIloiteredatthetailoftheprocession，wonderingwithwhomSaumarezwouldridehome。Everyonewashappyandcontented；butweallfeltthatthingsweregoingtohappen。Werodeslowly:anditwasnearlymidnightbeforewereachedtheoldtomb，facingtheruinedtank，inthedecayedgardenswhereweweregoingtoeatanddrink。Iwaslateincomingup；andbeforeIwentintothegarden，Isawthatthehorizontothenorthcarriedafaint，dun-coloredfeather。Butnoonewouldhavethankedmeforspoilingsowell-managedanentertainmentasthispicnic——andadust-storm，moreorless，doesnogreatharm。
Wegatheredbythetank。Someonehadbroughtoutabanjo——whichisamostsentimentalinstrument——andthreeorfourofussang。
Youmustnotlaughatthis。Ouramusementsinout-of-the-wayStationsareveryfewindeed。Thenwetalkedingroupsortogether，lyingunderthetrees，withthesun-bakedrosesdroppingtheirpetalsonourfeet，untilsupperwasready。Itwasabeautifulsupper，ascoldandasicedasyoucouldwish；andwestayedlongoverit。
Ihadfeltthattheairwasgrowinghotterandhotter；butnobodyseemedtonoticeituntilthemoonwentoutandaburninghotwindbeganlashingtheorange-treeswithasoundlikethenoiseofthesea。Beforeweknewwherewewere，thedust-stormwasonus，andeverythingwasroaring，whirlingdarkness。Thesupper-tablewasblownbodilyintothetank。Wewereafraidofstayinganywhereneartheoldtombforfearitmightbeblowndown。Sowefeltourwaytotheorange-treeswherethehorseswerepicketedandwaitedforthestormtoblowover。Thenthelittlelightthatwasleftvanished，andyoucouldnotseeyourhandbeforeyourface。Theairwasheavywithdustandsandfromthebedoftheriver，thatfilledbootsandpocketsanddrifteddownnecksandcoatedeyebrowsandmoustaches。Itwasoneoftheworstdust-stormsoftheyear。
Wewereallhuddledtogetherclosetothetremblinghorses，withthethunderclatteringoverhead，andthelightningspurtinglikewaterfromasluice，allwaysatonce。Therewasnodanger，ofcourse，unlessthehorsesbrokeloose。Iwasstandingwithmyheaddownwardandmyhandsovermymouth，hearingthetreesthrashingeachother。Icouldnotseewhowasnextmetilltheflashescame。