the garden of allah-第61章

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desert。　Now　he　was　hers　into　the　desert；　and　the　desert　was　hers　with
him。　But　was　it　possible？　Could　such　a　fate　have　been　held　in　reserve
for　her？　She　scarcely　dared　even　to　try　to　realise　the　meaning　of　her
situation；　lest　at　a　breath　it　should　be　changed。　Just　then　she　felt
that　if　she　ventured　to　weigh　and　measure　her　wonderful　gift　Androvsky
would　fall　dead　at　her　feet　and　the　desert　be　folded　together　like　a
scroll。

〃There　is　Beni…Mora；　Madame；〃　said　Batouch。

She　was　glad　he　spoke　to　her；　turned　and　followed　with　her　eyes　his
pointing　hand。　Far　off　she　saw　a　green　darkness　of　palms；　and　above　it
a　white　tower；　small；　from　here；　as　the　tower　of　a　castle　of　dolls。

〃The　tower！〃　she　said　to　Androvsky。　〃We　first　spoke　in　it。　We　must　bid
it　good…bye。〃

She　made　a　gesture　of　farewell　towards　it。　Androvsky　watched　the
movement　of　her　hand。　She　noticed　now　that　she　made　no　movement　that
he　did　not　observe　with　a　sort　of　passionate　attention。　The　desert　did
not　exist　for　him。　She　saw　that　in　his　eyes。　He　did　not　look　towards
the　tower　even　when　she　repeated：

〃We　mustwe　owe　it　that。〃

Batouch　and　Ali　were　busy　spreading　a　cloth　upon　the　sand；　making　it
firm　with　little　stones；　taking　out　food；　plates；　knives；　glasses；
bottles　from　a　great　basket　slung　on　one　of　the　camels。　They　moved
deftly；　seriously　intent　upon　their　task。　The　camel…drivers　were
loosening　the　cords　that　bound　the　loads　upon　their　beasts；　who　roared
venomously；　opening　their　mouths；　showing　long　decayed　teeth；　and
turning　their　heads　from　side　to　side　with　a　serpentine　movement。
Domini　and　Androvsky　were　not　watched　for　a　moment。

〃Why　won't　you　look？　Why　won't　you　say　good…bye？〃　she　asked；　coming
nearer　to　him　on　the　sand　softly；　with　a　woman's　longing　to　hear　him
explain　what　she　understood。

〃What　do　I　care　for　it；　or　the　palms；　or　the　sky；　or　the　desert？〃　he
answered　almost　savagely。　〃What　can　I　care？　If　you　were　mine　behind
iron　bars　in　that　prison　you　spoke　ofdon't　you　think　it's　enough　for
metoo　mucha　cup　running　over？〃

And　he　added　some　words　under　his　breath；　words　she　could　not　hear。

〃Not　even　the　desert！〃　she　said　with　a　catch　in　her　voice。

〃It's　all　in　you。　Everything's　in　youeverything　that　brought　us
together；　that　we've　watched　and　wanted　together。〃

〃But　then；〃　she　said；　and　now　her　voice　was　very　quiet；　〃am　I　peace
for　you？〃

〃Peace！〃　said　Androvsky。

〃Yes。　Don't　you　remember　once　I　said　that　there　must　be　peace　in　the
desert。　Then　is　it　in　mefor　you？〃

〃Peace！〃　he　repeated。　〃To…day　I　can't　think　of　peace；　or　want　it。
Don't　you　ask　too　much　of　me！　Let　me　live　to…day；　live　as　only　a　man
can　wholet　me　live　with　all　that　is　in　me　to…dayDomini。　Men　ask　to
die　in　peace。　Oh；　DominiDomini！〃

His　expression　was　like　arms　that　crushed　her；　lips　that　pressed　her
mouth；　a　heart　that　beat　on　hers。

〃Madame　est　servie！〃　cried　Batouch　in　a　merry　voice。

His　mistress　did　not　seem　to　hear　him。　He　cried　again：

〃Madame　est　servie！〃

Then　Domini　turned　round　and　came　to　the　first　meal　in　the　sand。　Two
cushions　lay　beside　the　cloth　upon　an　Arab　quilt　of　white；　red；　and
orange　colour。　Upon　the　cloth；　in　vases　of　rough　pottery；　stained　with
designs　in　purple；　were　arranged　the　roses　brought　by　Smain　from　Count
Anteoni's　garden。

〃Our　wedding　breakfast！〃　Domini　said　under　her　breath。

She　felt　just　then　as　if　she　were　living　in　a　wonderful　romance。

They　sat　down　side　by　side　and　ate　with　a　good　appetite；　served　by
Batouch　and　Ali。　Now　and　then　a　pale　yellow　butterfly；　yellow　as　the
sand；　flitted　by　them。　Small　yellow　birds　with　crested　heads　ran
swiftly　among　the　scrub；　or　flew　low　over　the　flats。　In　the　sky　the
vapours　gathered　themselves　together　and　moved　slowly　away　towards　the
east；　leaving　the　blue　above　their　heads　unflecked　with　white。　With
each　moment　the　heat　of　the　sun　grew　more　intense。　The　wind　had　gone。
It　was　difficult　to　believe　that　it　had　ever　roared　over　the　desert。　A
little　way　from　them　the　camel…drivers　squatted　beside　the　beasts；
eating　flat　loaves　of　yellow　bread；　and　talking　together　in　low；
guttural　voices。　The　guard　dogs　roamed　round　them；　uneasily　hungry。　In
the　distance；　before　a　tent　of　patched　rags；　a　woman；　scantily　clad　in
bright　red　cotton；　was　suckling　a　child　and　staring　at　the　caravan。

Domini　and　Androvsky　scarcely　spoke　as　they　ate。　Once　she　said：

〃Do　you　realise　that　this　is　a　wedding　breakfast？〃

She　was　thinking　of　the　many　wedding　receptions　she　had　attended　in
London；　of　crowds　of　smartly…dressed　women　staring　enviously　at
tiaras；　and　sets　of　jewels　arranged　in　cases　upon　tables；　of　brides
and　bridegrooms；　looking　flushed　and　anxious；　standing　under　canopies
of　flowers　and　forcing　their　tired　lips　into　smiles　as　they　replied　to
stereotyped　congratulations；　while　detectivespoorly　disguised　as
gentlemenhovered　in　the　back…ground　to　see　that　none　of　the　presents
mysteriously　disappeared。　Her　presents　were　the　velvety　roses　in　the
earthen　vases；　the　breezes　of　the　desert；　the　sand　humps；　the　yellow
butterflies；　the　silence　that　lay　around　like　a　blessing　pronounced　by
the　God　who　made　the　still　places　where　souls　can　learn　to　know
themselves　and　their　great　destiny。

〃A　wedding　breakfast；〃　Androvsky　said。

〃Yes。　But　perhaps　you　have　never　been　to　one。〃

〃Never。〃

〃Then　you　can't　love　this　one　as　much　as　I　do。〃

〃Much　more；〃　he　answered。

She　looked　at　him；　remembering　how　often　in　the　past；　when　she　had
been　feeling　intensely；　she　had　it　borne　in　upon　her　that　he　was
feeling　even　more　intensely　than　herself。　But　could　that　be　possible
now？

〃Do　you　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　it　is　possible　for　you；　who　have　never
lived　in　cities；　to　love　this　land　as　I　love　it？〃

Androvsky　moved　on　his　cushion　and　leaned　down　till　his　elbow　touched
the　sand。　Lying　thus；　with　his　chin　in　his　hand；　and　his　eyes　fixed
upon　her；　he　answered：

〃But　it　is　not　the　land　I　am　loving。〃

His　absolute　concentration　upon　her　made　her　think　that；　perhaps；　he
misunderstood　her　meaning　in　speaking　of　the　desert；　her　joy　in　it。
She　longed　to　explain　how　he　and　the　desert　were　linked　together　in
her　heart；　and　she　dropped　her　hand　upon　his　left　hand；　which　lay　palm
downwards　in　the　warm　sand。

〃I　love　this　land；〃　she　began；　〃because　I　found　you　in　it；　because　I
feel〃

She　stopped。

〃Yes；　Domini？〃　he　said。

〃No；　not　now。　I　can't　tell　you。　There's　too　much　light。〃

〃Domini；〃　he　repeated。

Then　they　were　silent　once　more；　thinking　of　how　the　darkness　would
come　to　them　at　Arba。

In　the　late　afternoon　they　drew　near　to　the　Bordj；　moving　along　a
difficult　route　full　of　deep　ruts　and　holes；　and　bordered　on　either
side　by　bushes　so　tall　that　they　looked　almost　like　trees。　Here；
tended　by　Arabs　who　stared　gravely　at　the　strangers　in　the　palanquin；
were　grazing　immense　herds　of　camels。　Above　the　bushes　to　the　horizon
on　either　side　of　the　way　appeared　the　serpentine　necks　flexibly
moving　to　and　fro；　now　bending　deliberately　towards　the　dusty　twigs；
now　stretched　straight　forward　as　if　in　patient　search　for　some　solace
of　the　camel's　fate　that　lay　in　the　remoteness　of　the　desert。　Baby
camels；　many　of　them　only　a　few　days　old；　yet　already　vowed　to　the
eternal　pilgrimages　of　the　wastes；　with　mild　faces　and　long；
disobedient…looking　legs；　ran　from　the　caravan；　nervously　seeking
their　morose　mothers；　who　cast　upon　them　glances　that　seemed
expressive　of　a　disdainful　pity。　In　front；　beyond　a　watercourse；　now
dried　up；　rose　the　low　hill　on　which　stood　the　Bordj；　a　huge；　square
building；　with　two　square　towers　pierced　with　loopholes。　From　a
distance　it　resembled　a　fort　threatening　the　desert　in　magnificent
isolation。　Its　towers　were　black　against　the　clear　lemon　of　the
failing　sunlight。　Pigeons；　that　looked　also　black；　flew　perpetually
about　them；　and　the　telegraph　posts；　that　bordered　the　way　at　regular
intervals　on　the　left；　made　a　diminishing　series　of　black　vertical
lines　sharply　cutting　the　yellow　till　they　were　lost　to　sight　in　the
south。　To　Domini　these　posts　were　like　pointing　fingers　beckoning　her
onward　to　the　farthest　distances　of　the　sun。　Drugged　by　the　long
journey　over　the　flats；　and　the　unceasing　caress　of　the　air；　that　was
like　an　importunate　lover　ever　unsatisfied；　she　watched　from　the
height　on　which　she　was　perched　this　evening　scene　of　roaming；　feeding
animals；　staring　nomads；　monotonous　herbage　and　vague；　surely…
retreating　mountains；　with　quiet；　dreamy　eyes。　Everything　which　she
saw　seemed　to　her　beautiful；　a　little　remote　and　a　little　fantastic。
The　slow　movement　of　the　camels；　the　swifter　movements　of　the　circling
pigeons　about　the　square　towers　on　the　hill；　the　motionless；　or
gently…gliding；　Arabs　with　their　clubs　held　slantwise；　the　telegraph
poles；　one　smaller　than　the　other；　diminishing　tillas　if　magically
they　disappeared　in　the　lemon　that　was　growing　into　gold；　were　woven
together　for　her　by　the　shuttle　of　the　desert　into　a　softly　brilliant
tapestryone　of　those　tapestries　that　is　like　a　legend　struck　to
sleep　as　the　Beauty　in　her　palace。　As　they　began　to　mount　the　hill；
and　the　radiance　of　the　sky　increased；　this　impression　faded；　for　the
life　that　centred　round　the　Bordj　was　vivid；　though　sparse　in
comparison　with　the　eddying　life　of　towns；　and　had　that　air　of
peculiar　concentration　which　may　be　noted　in　pictures　representing　a
halt　in　the　desert。

No　longer　did　the　strongly…built　Bordj　seem　to　Domini　like　a　fort
threatening　the　oncomer；　but　like　a　stalwart　host　welcoming　him；　a
host　who　kept　open　house　in　this　treeless　desolation　that　yet　had；　for
her；　no　feature　that　was　desolate。　It　was　earth…coloured；　built　of
stone；　and　had　in　the　middle　of　the　facade　that　faced　them　an　immense
hospitable　doorway　with　a　white　arch　above　it。　This　doorway　gave　a
partial　view　of　a　vast　courtyard；　in　which　animals　and　people　were
moving　to　and　fro。　Round　about；　under　the　sheltering　shadow　of　the
windowless　wall；　were　many　Arabs；　some　squatting　on　their　haunches；
some　standing　upright　with　their　backs　against　the　stone；　some　moving
from　one　group　to　another；　gesticulating　and　talking　vivaciously。　Boys
were　playing　a　game　with　stones　set　in　an　ordered　series　of　small
holes　scooped　by　their　fingers　in　the　dust。　A　negro　crossed　the　flat
space　before　the　Bordj　carrying　on　his　head　a　huge　earthen　vase　to　the
well　near　by；　where　a　crowd　of　black　donkeys；　just　relieved　of　their
loads　of　brushwood；　was　being　watered。　From　the　south　two　Spahis　were
riding　in　on　white　horses；　their　scarlet　cloaks　floating　out　over
their　saddles；　and　from　the　west；　moving　slowly　to　a　wailing　sound　of
indistinct　music；　a　faint　beating　of　tomtoms；　was　approaching　a　large
caravan　in　a　cloud　of　dust　which　floated　back　from　it　and　melted　away
into　the　radiance　of　the　sunset。

When　they　gained　the　great　open　space　before　the　building　they　were
bathed　in　the　soft　golden　light；　in　which　all　these　figures　of
Africans；　and　all　these　animals；　looked　mysterious　and　beautiful；　and
full　of　that　immeasurable　significance　which　the　desert　sheds　upon
those　who　move　in　it；　specially　at　dawn　or　at　sundown。　From　the
plateau　they　dominated　the　whole　of　the　plain　they　had　traversed　as
far　as　Beni…Mora；　wh