the garden of allah-第4章

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with　mud。　Their　sombre　eyes　stared　out　from　circles　of　Kohl；　and；　with
stained；　claret…coloured　hands；　whose　nails　were　bright　red；　they
clasped　their　light　and　bridal　raiment　to　their　prominent　breasts。
They　were　escorted　by　a　gigantic　man；　almost　black；　with　a　zigzag　scar
across　the　left　side　of　his　face；　who　wore　a　shining　brown　burnous
over　a　grey　woollen　jacket。　He　pushed　the　two　women　into　the　train　as
if　he　were　pushing　bales；　and　got　in　after　them；　showing　enormous　bare
legs；　with　calves　that　stuck　out　like　lumps　of　iron。

The　darkness　began　to　fade；　and　presently；　as　the　grey　light　grew
slowly　stronger；　the　rain　ceased；　and　it　was　possible　to　see　through
the　glass　of　the　carriage　window。

The　country　began　to　discover　itself；　as　if　timidly；　to　Domini's　eyes。
She　had　recently　noticed　that　the　train　was　going　very　slowly；　and　she
could　now　see　why。　They　were　mounting　a　steep　incline。　The　rich；　damp
earth　of　the　plains　beyond　Robertville；　with　its　rank　grass；　its　moist
ploughland　and　groves　of　eucalyptus；　was　already　left　behind。　The
train　was　crawling　in　a　cup　of　the　hills；　grey；　sterile　and　abandoned；
without　roads　or　houses；　without　a　single　tree。　Small；　grey…green
bushes　flourished　here　and　there　on　tiny　humps　of　earth；　but　they
seemed　rather　to　emphasise　than　to　diminish　the　aspect　of　poverty
presented　by　the　soil；　over　which　the　dawn；　rising　from　the　wet　arms
of　night；　shed　a　cold　and　reticent　illumination。　By　a　gash　in　the
rounded　hills；　where　the　earth　was　brownish　yellow；　a　flock　of　goats
with　flapping　ears　tripped　slowly；　followed　by　two　Arab　boys　in　rags。
One　of　the　boys　was　playing　upon　a　pipe　coverd　with　red　arabesques。
Domini　heard　two　or　three　bars　of　the　melody。　They　were　ineffably　wild
and　bird…like；　very　clear　and　sweet。　They　seemed　to　her　to　match
exactly　the　pure　and　ascetic　light　cast　by　the　dawn　over　these　bare；
grey　hills；　and　they　stirred　her　abruptly　from　the　depressed　lassitude
in　which　the　dreary　chances　of　recent　travel　had　drowned　her。　She
began；　with　a　certain　faint　excitement；　to　realise　that　these　low；
round…backed　hills　were　Africa；　that　she　was　leaving　behind　the　sea；
so　many　of　whose　waves　swept　along　European　shores；　that　somewhere；
beyond　the　broken　and　near　horizon　line　toward　which　the　train　was
creeping；　lay　the　great　desert；　her　destination；　with　its　pale　sands
and　desolate　cities；　its　sunburnt　tribes　of　workers；　its　robbers；
warriors　and　priests；　its　ethereal　mysteries　of　mirage；　its　tragic
splendours　of　colour；　of　tempest　and　of　heat。　A　sense　of　a　wider　world
than　the　compressed　world　into　which　physical　fatigue　had　decoyed　her
woke　in　her　brain　and　heart。　The　little　Arab；　playing　carelessly　upon
his　pipe　with　the　red　arabesques；　was　soon　invisible　among　his　goats
beside　the　dry　water…course　that　was　probably　the　limit　of　his
journeying；　but　Domini　felt　that　like　a　musician　at　the　head　of　a
procession　he　had　played　her　bravely　forward　into　the　dawn　and　Africa。

At　Ah…Souf　Domini　changed　into　another　train　and　had　the　carriage　to
herself。　The　recruits　had　reached　their　destination。　Hers　was　a　longer
pilgramage　and　still　towards　the　sun。　She　could　not　afterwards
remember　what　she　thought　about　during　this　part　of　her　journey。
Subsequent　events　so　coloured　all　her　memories　of　Africa　that　every
fold　of　its　sun…dried　soil　was　endowed　in　her　mind　with　the
significance　of　a　living　thing。　Every　palm　beside　a　well；　every
stunted　vine　and　clambering　flower　upon　an　/auberge/　wall；　every　form
of　hill　and　silhouette　of　shadow；　became　in　her　heart　intense　with　the
beauty　and　the　pathos　she　used；　as　a　child；　to　think　must　lie　beyond
the　sunset。

And　so　she　forgot。

A　strange　sense　of　leaving　all　things　behind　had　stolen　over　her。　She
was　really　fatigued　by　travel　and　by　want　of　sleep；　but　she　did　not
know　it。　Lying　back　in　her　seat；　with　her　head　against　the　dirty　white
covering　of　the　shaking　carriage；　she　watched　the　great　change　that
was　coming　over　the　land。

It　seemed　as　if　God　were　putting　forth　His　hand　to　withdraw　gradually
all　things　of　His　creation；　all　the　furniture　He　had　put　into　the
great　Palace　of　the　world；　as　if　He　meant　to　leave　it　empty　and
utterly　naked。

So　Domini　thought。

First　He　took　the　rich　and　shaggy　grass；　and　all　the　little　flowers
that　bloomed　modestly　in　it。　Then　He　drew　away　the　orange　groves；　the
oleander　and　the　apricot　trees；　the　faithful　eucalyptus　with　its　pale
stems　and　tressy　foliage；　the　sweet　waters　that　fertilised　the　soil；
making　it　soft　and　brown　where　the　plough　seamed　it　into　furrows；　the
tufted　plants　and　giant　reeds　that　crowd　where　water　is。　And　still；　as
the　train　ran　on；　His　gifts　were　fewer。　At　last　even　the　palms　were
gone；　and　the　Barbary　fig　displayed　no　longer　among　the　crumbling
boulders　its　tortured　strength；　and　the　pale　and　fantastic　evolutions
of　its　unnatural　foliage。　Stones　lay　everywhere　upon　the　pale　yellow
or　grey…brown　earth。　Crystals　glittered　in　the　sun　like　shallow
jewels；　and　far　away；　under　clouds　that　were　dark　and　feathery；
appeared　hard　and　relentless　mountains；　which　looked　as　if　they　were
made　of　iron　carved　into　horrible　and　jagged　shapes。　Where　they　fell
into　ravines　they　became　black。　Their　swelling　bosses　and　flanks；
sharp　sometimes　as　the　spines　of　animals；　were　steel　coloured。　Their
summits　were　purple；　deepening　where　the　clouds　came　down　to　ebony。

Journeying　towards　these　terrible　fastnesses　were　caravans　on　which
Domini　looked　with　a　heavy　and　lethargic　interest。　Many　Kabyles；
fairer　than　she　was；　moved　slowly　on　foot　towards　their　rock　villages。

Over　the　withered　earth　they　went　towards　the　distant　mountains　and
the　clouds。　The　sun　was　hidden。　The　wind　continued　to　rise。　Sand　found
its　way　in　through　the　carriage　windows。　The　mountains；　as　Domini　saw
them　more　clearly；　looked　more　gloomy；　more　unearthly。　There　was
something　unnatural　in　their　hard　outlines；　in　the　rigid　mystery　of
their　innumerable　clefts。　That　all　these　people　should　be　journeying
towards　them　was　pathetic；　and　grieved　the　imagination。

The　wind　seemed　so　cold；　now　the　sun　was　hidden；　that　she　had　drawn
both　the　windows　up　and　thrown　a　rug　over　her。　She　put　her　feet　up　on
the　opposite　seat；　and　half　closed　her　eyes。　But　she　still　turned　them
towards　the　glass　on　her　left；　and　watched。　It　seemed　to　her　quite
impossible　that　this　shaking　and　slowly　moving　train　had　any
destination。　The　desolation　of　the　country　had　become　so　absolute　that
she　could　not　conceive　of　anything　but　still　greater　desolation　lying
beyond。　She　had　no　feeling　that　she　was　merely　traversing　a　tract　of
sterility。　Her　sensation　was　that　she　had　passed　the　boundary　of　the
world　God　had　created；　and　come　into　some　other　place；　upon　which　He
had　never　looked　and　of　which　He　had　no　knowledge。

Abruptly　she　felt　as　if　her　father　had　entered　into　some　such　region
when　he　forced　his　way　out　of　his　religion。　And　in　this　region　he　had
died。　She　had　stood　on　the　verge　of　it　by　his　deathbed。　Now　she　was　in
it。

There　were　no　Arabs　journeying　now。　No　tents　huddled　among　the　low
bushes。　The　last　sign　of　vegetation　was　obliterated。　The　earth　rose
and　fell　in　a　series　of　humps　and　depressions；　interspersed　with　piles
of　rock。　Every　shade　of　yellow　and　of　brown　mingled　and　flowed　away
towards　the　foot　of　the　mountains。　Here　and　there　dry　water…courses
showed　their　teeth。　Their　crumbling　banks　were　like　the　rind　of　an
orange。　Little　birds；　the　hue　of　the　earth；　with　tufted　crests；
tripped　jauntily　among　the　stones；　fluttered　for　a　few　yards　and
alighted；　with　an　air　of　strained　alertness；　as　if　their　minute　bodies
were　full　of　trembling　wires。　They　were　the　only　living　things　Domini
could　see。

She　thought　again　of　her　father。　In　some　such　region　as　this　his　soul
must　surely　be　wandering；　far　away　from　God。

She　let　down　the　glass。

The　wind　was　really　cold　and　blowing　gustily。　She　drank　it　in　as　if
she　were　tasting　a　new　wine；　and　she　was　conscious　at　once　that　she
had　never　before　breathed　such　air。　There　was　a　wonderful；　a　startling
flavour　in　it；　the　flavour　of　gigantic　spaces　and　of　rolling　leagues
of　emptiness。　Neither　among　mountains　nor　upon　the　sea　had　she　ever
found　an　atmosphere　so　fiercely　pure；　clean　and　lively　with
unutterable　freedom。　She　leaned　out　to　it；　shutting　her　eyes。　And　now
that　she　saw　nothing　her　palate　savoured　it　more　intensely。　The
thought　of　her　father　fled　from　her。　All　detailed　thoughts；　all　the
minutia　of　the　mind　were　swept　away。　She　was　bracing　herself　to　an
encounter　with　something　gigantic；　something　unshackled；　the　being
from　whose　lips　this　wonderful　breath　flowed。

When　two　lovers　kiss　their　breath　mingles；　and；　if　they　really　love；
each　is　conscious　that　in　the　breath　of　the　loved　one　is　the　loved
one's　soul；　coming　forth　from　the　temple　of　the　body　through　the
temple　door。　As　Domini　leaned　out；　seeing　nothing；　she　was　conscious
that　in　this　breath　she　drank　there　was　a　soul；　and　it　seemed　to　her
that　it　was　the　soul　which　flames　in　the　centre　of　things；　and　beyond。
She　could　not　think　any　longer　of　her　father　as　an　outcast　because　he
had　abandoned　a　religion。　For　all　religions　were　surely　here；　marching
side　by　side；　and　behind　them；　background　to　them；　there　was　something
far　greater　than　any　religion。　Was　it　snow　or　fire？　Was　it　the
lawlessness　of　that　which　has　made　laws；　or　the　calm　of　that　which　has
brought　passion　into　being？　Greater　love　than　is　in　any　creed；　or
greater　freedom　than　is　in　any　human　liberty？　Domini　only　felt　that　if
she　had　ever　been　a　slave　at　this　moment　she　would　have　died　of　joy；
realising　the　boundless　freedom　that　circles　this　little　earth。

〃Thank　God　for　it！〃　she　murmured　aloud。

Her　own　words　woke　her　to　a　consciousness　of　ordinary　thingsor　made
her　sleep　to　the　eternal。

She　closed　the　window　and　sat　down。

A　little　later　the　sun　came　out　again；　and　the　various　shades　of
yellow　and　of　orange　that　played　over　the　wrinkled　earth　deepened　and
glowed。　Domini　had　sunk　into　a　lethargy　so　complete　that；　though　not
asleep；　she　was　scarcely　aware　of　the　sun。　She　was　dreaming　of
liberty。

Presently　the　train　slackened　and　stopped。　She　heard　a　loud　chattering
of　many　voices　and　looked　out。　The　sun　was　now　shining　brilliantly；
and　she　saw　a　station　crowded　with　Arabs　in　white　burnouses；　who　were
vociferously　greeting　friends　in　the　train；　were　offering　enormous
oranges　for　sale　to　the　passengers；　or　were　walking　up　and　down　gazing
curiously　into　the　carriages；　with　the　unblinking　determination　and
indifference　to　a　return　of　scrutiny　which　she　had　already　noticed　and
thought　animal。　A　guard　came　up；　told　her　the　place　was　El…Akbara；　and
that　the　train　would　stay　there　ten　minutes　to　wait　for　the　train　from
Beni…Mora。　She　decided　to　get　out　and　stretch　her　cramped　limbs。　On
the　platform　she　found　Suzanne；　looking　like　a　person　who　had　just
been　slapped。　One　side　of　the　maid's　face　was　flushed　and　covered　with
a　faint　tracery　of　tiny　lines。　The　other　was　greyish　white。　Sleep　hung
in　her　eyes；　over　which　the　lids　drooped　as　if　they　were　partially
paralysed。　Her　fingers　were　yellow　from　peeling　an　orange；　and　her
smart　little　hat　was　cocked　on　one　side。　T