the garden of allah-第55章

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and　anger　faded　from　his　eyes；　which　were　filled　with　an　expression　of
profound　wonder；　then　of　flickering　uncertainty；　then　of　hard；　manly
resolutiona　fighting　expression　that　was　full　of　sex　and　passion。
The　guilty；　furtive　look　which　had　been　stamped　upon　all　his　features；
specially　upon　his　lips；　vanished。　Suddenly　he　became　younger　in
appearance。　His　figure　straightened　itself。　His　hands　ceased　from
trembling。　He　moved　away　from　the　trees；　and　went　to　the　doorway　of
the　/fumoir/。

Domini　looked　up；　saw　him；　and　got　up　quietly；　clasping　her　fingers
round　the　little　book。

Androvsky　stood　just　beyond　the　doorway；　took　off　his　hat；　kept　it　in
his　hand；　and　said：

〃I　came　here　to　say　good…bye。〃

He　made　a　movement　as　if　to　come　into　the　/fumoir/；　but　she　stopped　it
by　coming　at　once　to　the　opening。　She　felt　that　she　could　not　speak　to
him　enclosed　within　walls；　under　a　roof。　He　drew　back；　and　she　came
out　and　stood　beside　him　on　the　sand。

〃Did　you　know　I　should　come？〃　he　said。

She　noticed　that　he　had　ceased　to　call　her　〃Madame；〃　and　also　that
there　was　in　his　voice　a　sound　she　had　not　heard　in　it　before；　a　note
of　new　self…possession　that　suggested　a　spirit　concentrating　itself
and　aware　of　its　own　strength　to　act。

〃No；〃　she　answered。

〃Were　you　coming　back　to　the　hotel　this　morning？〃　he　asked。

〃No。〃

He　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said　slowly：

〃Thenthen　you　did　not　wishyou　did　not　mean　to　see　me　again　before
I　went？〃

〃It　was　not　that。　I　came　to　the　gardenI　had　to　comeI　had　to　be
alone。〃

〃You　want　to　be　alone？〃　he　said。　〃You　want　to　be　alone？〃

Already　the　strength　was　dying　out　of　his　voice　and　face；　and　the　old
uneasiness　was　waking　up　in　him。　A　dreadful　expression　of　pain　came
into　his　eyes。

〃Was　that　why　youyou　looked　so　happy？〃　he　said　in　a　harsh；　trembling
voice。

〃When？〃

〃I　stood　for　a　long　while　looking　at　you　when　you　were　in　there〃he
pointed　to　the　/fumoir/〃and　your　face　was　happyyour　face　was
happy。〃

〃Yes；　I　know。〃

〃You　will　be　happy　alone？alone　in　the　desert？〃

When　he　said　that　she　felt　suddenly　the　agony　of　the　waterless　spaces；
the　agony　of　the　unpeopled　wastes。　Her　whole　spirit　shrank　and
quivered；　all　the　great　joy　of　her　love　died　within　her。　A　moment
before　she　had　stood　upon　the　heights　of　her　heart。　Now　she　shrank
into　its　deepest；　blackest　abysses。　She　looked　at　him　and　said
nothing。

〃You　will　not　be　happy　alone。〃

His　voice　no　longer　trembled。　He　caught　hold　of　her　left　hand；
awkwardly；　nervously；　but　held　it　strongly　with　his　close　to　his　side；
and　went　on　speaking。

〃Nobody　is　happy　alone。　Nothing　ismen　and　womenchildrenanimals。〃
A　bird　flew　across　the　shadowy　space　under　the　trees；　followed　by
another　bird；　he　pointed　to　them；　they　disappeared。　〃The　birds；　too；
they　must　have　companionship。　Everything　wants　a　companion。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃But　thenyou　will　stay　here　alone　in　the　desert？〃

〃What　else　can　I　do？〃　she　said。

〃And　that　journey；〃　he　went　on；　still　holding　her　hand　fast　against
his　side；　〃Your　journey　into　the　desertyou　will　take　it　alone？〃

〃What　else　can　I　do？〃　she　repeated　in　a　lower　voice。

It　seemed　to　her　that　he　was　deliberately　pressing　her　down　into　the
uttermost　darkness。

〃You　will　not　go。〃

〃Yes；　I　shall　go。〃

She　spoke　with　conviction。　Even　in　that　momentmost　of　all　in　that
momentshe　knew　that　she　would　obey　the　summons　of　the　desert。

〃II　shall　never　know　the　desert；〃　he　said。　〃I　thoughtit　seemed　to
me　that　I；　too；　should　go　out　into　it。　I　have　wanted　to　go。　You　have
made　me　want　to　go。〃

〃I？〃

〃Yes。　Once　you　said　to　me　that　peace　must　dwell　out　there。　It　was　on
the　tower　thethe　first　time　you　ever　spoke　to　me。〃

〃I　remember。〃

〃I　wonderedI　often　wonder　why　you　spoke　to　me。〃

She　knew　he　was　looking　at　her　with　intensity；　but　she　kept　her　eyes
on　the　sand。　There　was　something　in　them　that　she　felt　he　must　not
see；　a　light　that　had　just　come　into　them　as　she　realised　that
already；　on　the　tower　before　she　even　knew　him；　she　had　loved　him。　It
was　that　love；　already　born　in　her　heart　but　as　yet　unconscious　of　its
own　existence；　which　had　so　strangely　increased　for　her　the　magic　of
the　African　evening　when　she　watched　it　with　him。　But　beforesuddenly
she　knew　that　she　had　loved　Androvsky　from　the　beginning；　from　the
moment　when　his　face　looked　at　her　as　if　out　of　the　heart　of　the　sun。
That　was　why　her　entry　into　the　desert　had　been　full　of　such
extraordinary　significance。　This　man　and　the　desert　were；　had　always
been；　as　one　in　her　mind。　Never　had　she　thought　of　the　one　without　the
other。　Never　had　she　been　mysteriously　called　by　the　desert　without
hearing　as　a　far…off　echo　the　voice　of　Androvsky；　or　been　drawn　onward
by　the　mystical　summons　of　the　blue　distances　without　being　drawn
onward；　too；　by　the　mystical　summons　of　the　heart　to　which　her　own
responded。　The　link　between　the　man　and　the　desert　was　indissoluble。
She　could　not　conceive　of　its　being　severed；　and　as　she　realised　this；
she　realised　also　something　that　turned　her　whole　nature　into　flame。

She　could　not　conceive　of　Androvsky's　not　loving　her；　of　his　not
having　loved　her　from　the　moment　when　he　saw　her　in　the　sun。　To　him；
too；　the　desert　had　made　a　revelationthe　revelation　of　her　face；　and
of　the　soul　behind　it　looking　through　it。　In　the　flames　of　the　sun；　as
they　went　into　the　desert；　the　flames　of　their　two　spirits　had　been
blended。　She　knew　that　certainly　and　for　ever。　Then　how　could　it　be
possible　that　Androvsky　should　not　go　out　with　her　into　the　desert？

〃Why　did　you　speak　to　me？〃　he　said。

〃We　came　into　the　desert　together；〃　she　answered　simply。　〃We　had　to
know　each　other。〃

〃And　nownowwe　have　to　say〃

His　voice　ceased。　Far　away　there　was　the　thin　sound　of　a　chime。　Domini
had　never　before　heard　the　church　bell　in　the　garden；　and　now　she　felt
as　if　she　heard　it；　not　with　her　ears；　but　with　her　spirit。　As　she
heard　she　felt　Androvsky's　hand；　which　had　been　hot　upon　hers；　turn
cold。　He　let　her　hand　go；　and　again　she　was　stricken　by　the　horrible
sound　she　had　heard　the　previous　night　in　the　desert；　when　he　turned
his　horse　and　rode　away　with　her。　And　now；　as　then；　he　turned　away
from　her　in　silence；　but　she　knew　that　this　time　he　was　leaving　her；
that　this　movement　was　his　final　good…bye。　With　his　head　bowed　down　he
took　a　few　steps。　He　was　near　to　a　turning　of　the　path。　She　watched
him；　knowing　that　within　less　than　a　moment　she　would　be　watching　only
the　trees　and　the　sand。　She　gazed　at　the　bent　figure；　calling　up　all
her　faculties；　crying　out　to　herself　passionately；　desperately；
〃Remember　itremember　it　as　it　istherebefore　youjust　as　it　is
for　ever。〃　As　it　reached　the　turning；　in　the　distance　of　the　garden
rose　the　twitter　of　the　flute　of　Larbi。　Androvsky　stopped；　stood　still
with　his　back　turned　towards　her。　And　Larbi；　hidden　and　far　off；
showered　out　his　little　notes　of　African　love；　of　love　in　the　desert
where　the　sun　is　everlasting；　and　the　passion　of　man　is　hot　as　the
sun；　where　Liberty　reigns；　lifting　her　cymbals　that　are　as　spheres　of
fire；　and　the　footsteps　of　Freedom　are　heard　upon　the　sand；　treading
towards　the　south。

Larbi　playedplayed　on　and　on；　untiring　as　the　love　that　blossomed
with　the　world；　but　that　will　not　die　when　the　world　dies。

Then　Androvsky　came　back　quickly　till　he　reached　the　place　where
Domini　was　standing。　He　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders。　Then　he　sank
down　on　the　sand；　letting　his　hands　slip　down　over　her　breast　and
along　her　whole　body　till　they　clasped　themselves　round　her　knees。　He
pressed　his　face　into　her　dress　against　her　knees。

〃I　love　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　love　you　but　don't　listen　to　meyou　mustn't
hear　ityou　mustn't。　But　I　must　say　it。　I　can'tI　can't　go　till　I
say　it。　I　love　youI　love　you。〃

She　heard　him　sobbing　against　her　knees；　and　the　sound　was　as　the
sound　of　strength　made　audible。　She　put　her　hands　against　his　temples。

〃I　am　listening；〃　she　said。　〃I　must　hear　it。〃

He　looked　up；　rose　to　his　feet；　put　his　hands　behind　her　shoulders；
held　her；　and　set　his　lips　on　hers；　pressing　his　whole　body　against
hers。

〃Hear　it！〃　he　said；　muttering　against　her　lips。　〃Hear　it。　I　love　you
I　love　you。〃

The　two　birds　they　had　seen　flew　back　beneath　the　trees；　turned　in　an
airy　circle；　rose　above　the　trees　into　the　blue　sky；　and；　side　by
side；　winged　their　way　out　of　the　garden　to　the　desert。




BOOK　IV。　THE　JOURNEY



CHAPTER　XVI

In　the　evening　before　the　day　of　Domini's　marriage　with　Androvsky
there　was　a　strange　sunset；　which　attracted　even　the　attention　and
roused　the　comment　of　the　Arabs。　The　day　had　been　calm　and　beautiful；
one　of　the　most　lovely　days　of　the　North　African　spring；　and　Batouch；
resting　from　the　triumphant　labour　of　superintending　the　final
preparations　for　a　long　desert　journey；　augured　a　morning　of　Paradise
for　the　departure　along　the　straight　road　that　led　at　last　to
Tombouctou。　But　as　the　radiant　afternoon　drew　to　its　end　there　came
into　the　blue　sky　a　whiteness　that　suggested　a　heaven　turning　pale　in
the　contemplation　of　some　act　that　was　piteous　and　terrible。　And　under
this　blanching　heaven　the　desert；　and　all　things　and　people　of　the
oasis　of　Beni…Mora；　assumed　an　aspect　of　apprehension；　as　if　they　felt
themselves　to　be　in　the　thrall　of　some　power　whose　omnipotence　they
could　not　question　and　whose　purpose　they　feared。　This　whiteness　was
shot；　at　the　hour　of　sunset；　with　streaks　of　sulphur　yellow　and
dappled　with　small；　ribbed　clouds　tinged　with　yellow…green；　a　bitter
and　cruel　shade　of　green　that　distressed　the　eyes　as　a　merciless　light
distresses　them；　but　these　colours　quickly　faded；　and　again　the
whiteness　prevailed　for　a　brief　space　of　time　before　the　heavy　falling
of　a　darkness　unpierced　by　stars。　With　this　darkness　came　a　faint
moaning　of　hollow　wind　from　the　desert；　a　lamentable　murmur　that
shuddered　over　the　great　spaces；　crept　among　the　palms　and　the　flat…
roofed　houses；　and　died　away　at　the　foot　of　the　brown　mountains　beyond
the　Hammam　Salahine。　The　succeeding　silence；　short　and　intense；　was
like　a　sound　of　fear；　like　the　cry　of　a　voice　lifted　up　in　protest
against　the　approach　of　an　unknown；　but　dreaded；　fate。　Then　the　wind
came　again　with　a　stronger　moaning　and　a　lengthened　life；　not　yet
forceful；　not　yet　with　all　its　powers；　but　more　tenacious；　more
acquainted　with　itself　and　the　deeds　that　it　might　do　when　the　night
was　black　among　the　vast　sands　which　were　its　birth…place；　among　the
crouching　plains　and　the　trembling　palm　groves　that　would　be　its
battle…ground。

Batouch　looked　grave　as　he　listened　to　the　wind　and　the　creaking　of
the　palm　stems　one　against　another。　Sand　came　upon　his　face。　He　pulled
the　hood　of　his　burnous　over　his　turban　and　across　his　cheeks；　covered
his　mouth　with　a　fold　of　his　haik　and　stared　into　the　blackness；　like
an　animal　in　search　of　something　his　instinct　has　detected　approaching
from　a　distance。

Ali　was　beside　him　in　the　doorway　of　the　Cafe　Maure；　a　slim　Arab　boy；
bronze…coloured　and　serious　as　an　idol；　who　was　a　troubadour　of　the
Sahara；　singer　of　〃Janat〃　and　many　lovesongs；　player　of　the　guitar
backed　with　sand　tortoise　and　faced　with　stretched　goatskin。　Behind
them　swung