the garden of allah-第7章

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not　afraid　of　them。

Without　being　aware　of　it　she　breathed　out　a　great　sigh；　feeling　the
necessity　of　liberating　her　joy　of　spirit；　of　letting　the　body；
however　inadequately　and　absurdly；　make　some　demonstration　in　response
to　the　secret　stirring　of　the　soul。　The　man　in　the　far　corner　of　the
carriage　turned　and　looked　at　her。　When　she　heard　this　movement　Domini
remembered　her　irritation　against　him　at　El…Akbara。　In　this　splendid
moment　the　feeling　seemed　to　her　so　paltry　and　contemptible　that　she
had　a　lively　impulse　to　make　amends　for　the　angry　look　she　had　cast　at
him。　Possibly；　had　she　been　quite　normal；　she　would　have　checked　such
an　impulse。　The　voice　of　conventionality　would　have　made　itself　heard。
But　Domini　could　act　vigorously；　and　quite　carelessly；　when　she　was
moved。　And　she　was　deeply　moved　now；　and　longed　to　lavish　the
humanity；　the　sympathy　and　ardour　that　were　quick　in　her。　In　answer　to
the　stranger's　movement　she　turned　towards　him；　opening　her　lips　to
speak　to　him。　Afterwards　she　never　knew　what　she　meant　to　say；
whether；　if　she　had　spoken；　the　words　would　have　been　French　or
English。　For　she　did　not　speak。

The　man's　face　was　illuminated　by　the　setting　sun　as　he　sat　half　round
on　his　seat；　leaning　with　his　right　hand　palm　downwards　on　the
cushions。　The　light　glittered　on　his　short　hair。　He　had　pushed　back
his　soft　hat；　and　exposed　his　high；　rugged　forehead　to　the　air；　and
his　brown　left　hand　gripped　the　top　of　the　carriage　door。　The　large；
knotted　veins　on　it；　the　stretched　sinews；　were　very　perceptible。　The
hand　looked　violent。　Domini's　eyes　fell　on　it　as　she　turned。　The
impulse　to　speak　began　to　fail；　and　when　she　glanced　up　at　the　man's
face　she　no　longer　felt　it　at　all。　For；　despite　the　glory　of　the
sunset　on　him；　there　seemed　to　be　a　cold　shadow　in　his　eyes。　The　faint
lines　near　his　mouth　looked　deeper　than　before；　and　now　suggested　most
powerfully　the　dreariness；　the　harshness　of　long…continued　suffering。
The　mouth　itself　was　compressed　and　grim；　and　the　man's　whole
expression　was　fierce　and　startling　as　the　expression　of　a　criminal
bracing　himself　to　endure　inevitable　detection。　So　crude　and　piercing
indeed　was　this　mask　confronting　her　that　Domini　started　and　was
inclined　to　shudder。　For　a　minute　the　man's　eyes　held　hers；　and　she
thought　she　saw　in　them　unfathomable　depths　of　misery　or　of
wickedness。　She　hardly　knew　which。　Sorrow　was　like　crime；　and　crime
like　the　sheer　desolation　of　grief　to　her　just　then。　And　she　thought
of　the　outer　darkness　spoken　of　in　the　Bible。　It　came　before　her　in
the　sunset。　Her　father　was　in　it；　and　this　stranger　stood　by　him。　The
thing　was　as　vital；　and　fled　as　swiftly　as　a　hallucination　in　a
madman's　brain。

Domini　looked　down。　All　the　triumph　died　out　in　her；　all　the　exquisite
consciousness　of　the　freedom；　the　colour；　the　bigness　of　life。　For
there　was　a　black　spot　on　the　sunhumanity；　God's　mistake　in　the
great　plan　of　Creation。　And　the　shadow　cast　by　humanity　tempered；　even
surely　conquered；　the　light。　She　wondered　whether　she　would　always
feel　the　cold　of　the　sunless　places　in　the　golden　dominion　of　the　sun。

The　man　had　dropped　his　eyes　too。　His　hand　fell　from　the　door　to　his
knee。　He　did　not　move　till　the　train　ran　into　Beni…Mora；　and　the　eager
faces　of　countless　Arabs　stared　in　upon　them　from　the　scorched　field
of　manoeuvres　where　Spahis　were　exercising　in　the　gathering　twilight。



CHAPTER　IV

Having　given　her　luggage　ticket　to　a　porter；　Domini　passed　out　of　the
station　followed　by　Suzanne；　who　looked　and　walked　like　an　exhausted
marionette。　Batouch；　who　had　emerged　from　a　third…class　compartment
before　the　train　stopped；　followed　them　closely；　and　as　they　reached
the　jostling　crowd　of　Arabs　which　swarmed　on　the　roadway　he　joined
them　with　the　air　of　a　proprietor。

〃Which　is　Madame's　hotel？〃

Domini　looked　round。

〃Ah；　Batouch！〃

Suzanne　jumped　as　if　her　string　had　been　sharply　pulled；　and　cast　a
glance　of　dreary　suspicion　upon　the　poet。　She　looked　at　his　legs；　then
upwards。

He　wore　white　socks　which　almost　met　his　pantaloons。　Scarcely　more
than　an　inch　of　pale　brown　skin　was　visible。　The　gold　buttons　of　his
jacket　glittered　brightly。　His　blue　robe　floated　majestically　from　his
broad　shoulders；　and　the　large　tassel　of　his　fez　fell　coquettishly
towards　his　left　ear；　above　which　was　set　a　pale　blue　flower　with　a
woolly　green　leaf。

Suzanne　was　slightly　reassured　by　the　flower　and　the　bright　buttons。
She　felt　that　they　needed　a　protector　in　this　mob　of　shouting　brown
and　black　men；　who　clamoured　about　them　like　savages；　exposing　bare
legs　and　arms；　even　bare　chests；　in　a　most　barbarous　manner。

〃We　are　going　to　the　Hotel　du　Desert；〃　Domini　continued。　〃Is　it　far？〃

〃Only　a　few　minutes；　Madame。〃

〃I　shall　like　to　walk　there。〃

Suzanne　collapsed。　Her　bones　became　as　wax　with　apprehension。　She　saw
herself　toiling　over　leagues　of　sand　towards　some　nameless　hovel。

〃Suzanne；　you　can　get　into　the　omnibus　and　take　the　handbags。〃

At　the　sweet　word　omnibus　a　ray　of　hope　stole　into　the　maid's　heart；
and　when　a　nicely…dressed　man；　in　a　long　blue　coat　and　indubitable
trousers；　assisted　her　politely　into　a　vehicle　which　was　unmistakable
she　almost　wept　for　joy。

Meanwhile　Domini；　escorted　serenely　by　the　poet；　walked　towards　the
long　gardens　of　Beni…Mora。　She　passed　over　a　wooden　bridge。　White　dust
was　flying　from　the　road；　along　which　many　of　the　Arab　aristocracy
were　indolently　strolling；　carrying　lightly　in　their　hands　small　red
roses　or　sprigs　of　pink　geranium。　In　their　white　robes　they　looked；
she　thought；　like　monks；　though　the　cigarettes　many　of　them　were
smoking　fought　against　the　illusion。　Some　of　them　were　dressed　like
Batouch　in　pale…coloured　cloth。　They　held　each　other's　hands　loosely
as　they　sauntered　along；　chattering　in　soft　contralto　voices。　Two　or
three　were　attended　by　servants；　who　walked　a　pace　or　two　behind　them
on　the　left。　These　were　members　of　great　families；　rulers　of　tribes；
men　who　had　influence　over　the　Sahara　people。　One；　a　shortish　man　with
a　coal…black　beard；　moved　so　majestically　that　he　seemed　almost　a
giant。　His　face　was　very　pale。　On　one　of　his　small；　almost　white；
hands　glittered　a　diamond　ring。　A　boy　with　a　long；　hooked　nose
strolled　gravely　near　him；　wearing　brown　kid　gloves　and　a　turban
spangled　with　gold。

〃That　is　the　Kaid　of　Tonga；　Madame；〃　whispered　Batouch；　looking　at　the
pale　man　reverently。　〃He　is　here　/en　permission/。〃

〃How　white　he　is。〃

〃They　tried　to　poison　him。　Ever　since　he　is　ill　inside。　That　is　his
brother。　The　brown　gloves　are　very　chic。〃

A　light　carriage　rolled　rapidly　by　them　in　a　white　mist　of　dust。　It
was　drawn　by　a　pair　of　white　mules；　who　whisked　their　long　tails　as
they　trotted　briskly；　urged　on　by　a　cracking　whip。　A　big　boy　with
heavy　brown　eyes　was　the　coachman。　By　his　side　sat　a　very　tall　young
negro　with　a　humorous　pointed　nose；　dressed　in　primrose　yellow。　He
grinned　at　Batouch　out　of　the　mist；　which　accentuated　the　coal…black
hue　of　his　whimsical；　happy　face。

〃That　is　the　Agha's　son　with　Mabrouk。〃

They　turned　aside　from　the　road　and　came　into　a　long　tunnel　formed　by
mimosa　trees　that　met　above　a　broad　path。　To　right　and　left　were　other
little　paths　branching　among　the　trunks　of　fruit　trees　and　the　narrow
twigs　of　many　bushes　that　grew　luxuriantly。　Between　sandy　brown　banks；
carefully　flattened　and　beaten　hard　by　the　spades　of　Arab　gardeners；
glided　streams　of　opaque　water　that　were　guided　from　the　desert　by　a
system　of　dams。　The　Kaid's　mill　watched　over　them　and　the　great　wall
of　the　fort。　In　the　tunnel　the　light　was　very　delicate　and　tinged　with
green。　The　noise　of　the　water　flowing　was　just　audible。　A　few　Arabs
were　sitting　on　benches　in　dreamy　attitudes；　with　their　heelless
slippers　hanging　from　the　toes　of　their　bare　feet。　Beyond　the　entrance
of　the　tunnel　Domini　could　see　two　horsemen　galloping　at　a　tremendous
pace　into　the　desert。　Their　red　cloaks　streamed　out　over　the　sloping
quarters　of　their　horses；　which　devoured　the　earth　as　if　in　a　frenzy
of　emulation。　They　disappeared　into　the　last　glories　of　the　sun；　which
still　lingered　on　the　plain　and　blazed　among　the　summits　of　the　red
mountains。

All　the　contrasts　of　this　land　were　exquisite　to　Domini　and；　in　some
mysterious　way；　suggested　eternal　things；　whispering　through　colour；
gleam；　and　shadow；　through　the　pattern　of　leaf　and　rock；　through　the
air；　now　fresh；　now　tenderly　warm　and　perfumed；　through　the　silence
that　hung　like　a　filmy　cloud　in　the　golden　heaven。

She　and　Batouch　entered　the　tunnel；　passing　at　once　into　definite
evening。　The　quiet　of　these　gardens　was　delicious；　and　was　only
interrupted　now　and　then　by　the　sound　of　wheels　upon　the　road　as　a
carriage　rolled　by　to　some　house　which　was　hidden　in　the　distance　of
the　oasis。　The　seated　Arabs　scarcely　disturbed　it　by　their　murmured
talk。　Many　of　them　indeed　said　nothing；　but　rested　like　lotus…eaters
in　graceful　attitudes；　with　hanging　hands；　and　eyes；　soft　as　the　eyes
of　gazelles；　that　regarded　the　shadowy　paths　and　creeping　waters　with
a　grave　serenity　born　of　the　inmost　spirit　of　idleness。

But　Batouch　loved　to　talk；　and　soon　began　a　languid　monologue。

He　told　Domini　that　he　had　been　in　Paris；　where　he　had　been　the　guest
of　a　French　poet　who　adored　the　East；　that　he　himself　was
〃instructed；〃　and　not　like　other　Arabs；　that　he　smoked　the　hashish　and
could　sing　the　love　songs　of　the　Sahara；　that　he　had　travelled　far　in
the　desert；　to　Souf　and　to　Ouargla　beyond　the　ramparts　of　the　Dunes；
that　he　composed　verses　in　the　night　when　the　uninstructed；　the
brawlers；　the　drinkers　of　absinthe　and　the　domino　players　were
sleeping　or　wasting　their　time　in　the　darkness　over　the　pastimes　of
the　lewd；　when　the　sybarites　were　sweating　under　the　smoky　arches　of
the　Moorish　baths；　and　the　/marechale/　of　the　dancing…girls　sat　in　her
flat…roofed　house　guarding　the　jewels　and　the　amulets　of　her　gay
confederation。　These　verses　were　written　both　in　Arabic　and　in　French；
and　the　poet　of　Paris　and　his　friends　had　found　them　beautiful　as　the
dawn；　and　as　the　palm　trees　of　Ourlana　by　the　Artesian　wells。　All　the
girls　of　the　Ouled　Nails　were　celebrated　in　these　poemsAishoush　and
Irena；　Fatma　and　Baali。　In　them　also　were　enshrined　legends　of　the
venerable　marabouts　who　slept　in　the　Paradise　of　Allah；　and　tales　of
the　great　warriors　who　had　fought　above　the　rocky　precipices　of
Constantine　and　far　off　among　the　sands　of　the　South。　They　told　the
stories　of　the　Koulouglis；　whose　mothers　were　Moorish　slaves；　and
romances　in　which　figured　the　dark…skinned　Beni　M'Zab　and　the　freed
negroes　who　had　fled　away　from　the　lands　in　the　very　heart　of　the　sun。

All　this　information；　not　wholly　devoid　of　a　naive　egoism；　Batouch
poured　forth　gently　and　melodiously　as　they　walked　through　the
twilight　in　the　tunnel。　And　Domini　was　quite　content　to　listen。　The
strange　names　the　poet　mentioned；　his　liquid　pronunciation　of　them；
his　allusions　to　wild　events　that　had　happened　long　ago　in　desert
places；　and　to　the　lives　of　priests　of　his　old　religion；　of　fanatics；
and　girls　who　rode　on　camels　caparisoned　in　red　to　the　dancing…houses
of　Sahara　citiesall　these　thin