the garden of allah-第71章

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her　arms。

〃It　was　that　night　in　the　dancing…house。　I　seemed　to　see　a　crowd　of
people　to　whom　the　desert　had　given　gifts；　and　to　you　it　had　given　the
gift　of　prayer。　I　saw　you　far　out　in　the　desert　praying。〃

She　heard　his　hard　breathing；　felt　it　against　her　cheek。

〃Ifif　it　is　that；　Boris；　don't　despair。　It　may　come。　Keep　the
crucifix。　I　am　sure　you　have　it。　And　I　always　pray　for　you。〃

They　sat　for　a　long　while　in　the　dark；　but　they　did　not　speak　again
that　night。

Domini　did　not　sleep；　and　very　early　in　the　morning；　just　as　dawn　was
beginning；　she　stole　out　of　the　tent；　shutting　down　the　canvas　flap
behind　her。

It　was　cold　outsidecold　almost　as　in　a　northern　winter。　The　wind　of
the　morning；　that　blew　to　her　across　the　wavelike　dunes　and　the　white
plains；　seemed　impregnated　with　ice。　The　sky　was　a　pallid　grey。　The
camp　was　sleeping。　What　had　been　a　fire；　all　red　and　gold　and　leaping
beauty；　was　now　a　circle　of　ashes；　grey　as　the　sky。　She　stood　on　the
edge　of　the　hill　and　looked　towards　the　tower。

As　she　did　so；　from　the　house　behind　it　came　a　string　of　mules；
picking　their　way　among　the　stones　over　the　hard　earth。　De　Trevignac
and　his　men　were　already　departing　from　Mogar。

They　came　towards　her　slowly。　They　had　to　pass　her　to　reach　the　track
by　which　they　were　going　on　to　the　north　and　civilisation。　She　stood
to　see　them　pass。

When　they　were　quite　near　De　Trevignac；　who　was　riding；　with　his　head
bent　down　on　his　chest；　muffled　in　a　heavy　cloak；　looked　up　and　saw
her。　She　nodded　to　him。　He　sat　up　and　saluted。　For　a　moment　she
thought　that　he　was　going　on　without　stopping　to　speak　to　her。　She　saw
that　he　hesitated　what　to　do。　Then　he　pulled　up　his　mule　and　prepared
to　get　off。

〃No；　don't；　Monsieur；〃　she　said。

She　held　out　her　hand。

〃Good…bye；〃　she　added。

He　took　her　hand；　then　signed　to　his　men　to　ride　on。　When　they　had
passed；　saluting　her；　he　let　her　hand　go。　He　had　not　spoken　a　word。
His　face；　burned　scarlet　by　the　sun；　had　a　look　of　exhaustion　on　it；
but　also　another　lookof　horror；　she　thought；　as　if　in　his　soul　he
was　recoiling　from　her。　His　inflamed　blue　eyes　watched　her；　as　if　in　a
search　that　was　intense。　She　stood　beside　the　mule　in　amazement。　She
could　hardly　believe　that　this　was　the　man　who　had　thanked　her；　with
tears　in　his　eyes；　for　her　hospitality　the　night　before。　〃Good…bye；〃
he　said；　speaking　at　last；　coldly。　She　saw　him　glance　at　the　tent　from
which　she　had　come。　The　horror　in　his　face　surely　deepened。　〃Goodbye；
Madame；〃　he　repeated。　〃Thank　you　for　your　hospitality。〃　He　pulled　up
the　rein　to　ride　on。　The　mule　moved　a　step　or　two。　Then　suddenly　he
checked　it　and　turned　in　the　saddle。　〃Madame！〃　he　said。　〃Madame！〃

She　came　up　to　him。　It　seemed　to　her　that　he　was　going　to　say
something　of　tremendous　importance　to　her。　His　lips；　blistered　by　the
sun；　opened　to　speak。　But　he　only　looked　again　towards　the　tent　in
which　Androvsky　was　still　sleeping；　then　at　her。

A　long　moment　passed。

Then　De　Trevignac；　as　if　moved　by　an　irresistable　impulse；　leaned　from
the　saddle　and　made　over　Domini　the　sign　of　the　cross。　His　hand
dropped　down　against　the　mule's　side；　and　without　another　word；　or
look；　he　rode　away　to　the　north；　following　his　men。



CHAPTER　XXI

That　same　day；　to　the　surprise　of　Batouch；　they　left　Mogar。　To　both
Domini　and　Androvsky　it　seemed　a　tragic　place；　a　place　where　the
desert　showed　them　a　countenance　that　was　menacing。

They　moved　on　towards　the　south；　wandering　aimlessly　through　the　warm
regions　of　the　sun。　Then；　as　the　spring　drew　into　summer；　and　the　heat
became　daily　more　intense；　they　turned　again　northwards；　and　on　an
evening　in　May　pitched　their　camp　on　the　outskirts　of　the　Sahara　city
of　Amara。

This　city；　although　situated　in　the　northern　part　of　the　desert；　was
called　by　the　Arabs　〃The　belly　of　the　Sahara；〃　and　also　〃The　City　of
Scorpions。〃　It　lay　in　the　midst　of　a　vast　region　of　soft　and　shifting
sand　that　suggested　a　white　sea；　in　which　the　oasis　of　date　palms；　at
the　edge　of　which　the　city　stood；　was　a　green　island。　From　the　south；
whence　the　wanderers　came；　the　desert　sloped　gently　upwards　for　a　long
distance；　perhaps　half　a　day's　march；　and　many　kilometres　before　the
city　was　reached；　the　minarets　of　its　mosques　were　visible；　pointing
to　the　brilliant　blue　sky　that　arched　the　whiteness　of　the　sands。
Round　about　the　city；　on　every　side；　great　sand…hills　rose　like
ramparts　erected　by　Nature　to　guard　it　from　the　assaults　of　enemies。
These　hills　were　black　with　the　tents　of　desert　tribes；　which；　from
far　off；　looked　like　multitudes　of　flies　that　had　settled　on　the
sands。　The　palms　of　the　oasis；　which　stretched　northwards　from　the
city；　could　not　be　seen　from　the　south　till　the　city　was　reached；　and
in　late　spring　this　region　was　a　strange　and　barbarous　pageant　of　blue
and　white　and　gold；　crude　in　its　intensity；　fierce　in　its　crudity；
almost　terrible　in　its　blazing　splendour　that　was　like　the　Splendour
about　the　portals　of　the　sun。

Domini　and　Androvsky　rode　towards　Amara　at　a　foot's　pace；　looking
towards　its　distant　towers。　A　quivering　silence　lay　around　them；　yet
already　they　seemed　to　hear　the　cries　of　the　voices　of　a　great
multitude；　to　be　aware　of　the　movement　of　thronging　crowds　of　men。
This　was　the　first　Sahara　city　they　had　drawn　near　to；　and　their　minds
were　full　of　memories　of　the　stories　of　Batouch；　told　to　them　by　the
camp　fire　at　night　in　the　uninhabited　places　which；　till　now；　had　been
their　home：　stories　of　the　wealthy　date　merchants　who　trafficked　here
and　dwelt　in　Oriental　palaces；　poor　in　aspect　as　seen　from　the　dark
and　narrow　streets；　or　zgags；　in　which　they　were　situated；　but　within
full　of　the　splendours　of　Eastern　luxury；　of　the　Jew　moneylenders　who
lived　apart　in　their　own　quarter；　rapacious　as　wolves；　hoarding　their
gains；　and　practising　the　rites　of　their　ancient　andaccording　to　the
Arabsdetestable　religion；　of　the　marabouts；　or　sacred　men；　revered
by　the　Mohammedans；　who　rode　on　white　horses　through　the　public　ways；
followed　by　adoring　fanatics　who　sought　to　touch　their　garments　and
amulets；　and　demanded　importunately　miraculous　blessings　at　their
handsthe　hedgehog's　foot　to　protect　their　women　in　the　peril　of
childbirth；　the　scroll；　covered　with　verses　of　the　Koran　and　enclosed
in　a　sheaf　of　leather；　that　banishes　ill　dreams　at　night　and　stays　the
uncertain　feet　of　the　sleep…walker；　the　camel's　skull　that　brings
fruit　to　the　palm　trees；　the　red　coral　that　stops　the　flow　of　blood
from　a　knife…woundof　the　dancing…girls　glittering　in　an　armour　of
golden　pieces；　their　heads　tied　with　purple　and　red　and　yellow
handkerchiefs　of　silk；　crowned　with　great　bars　of　solid　gold　and
tufted　with　ostrich　feathers；　of　the　dwarfs　and　jugglers　who　by　night
perform　in　the　marketplace；　contending　for　custom　with　the　sorceresses
who　tell　the　fates　from　shells　gathered　by　mirage　seas；　with　the
snake…charmerswho　are　immune　from　the　poison　of　serpents　and　the
acrobats　who　come　from　far…off　Persia　and　Arabia　to　spread　their
carpets　in　the　shadow　of　the　Agha's　dwelling　and　delight　the　eyes　of
negro　and　Kabyle；　of　Soudanese　and　Touareg　with　their　feats　of
strength；　of　the　haschish　smokers　who；　assembled　by　night　in　an
underground　house　whose　ceiling　and　walls　were　black　as　ebony；　gave
themselves　up　to　day…dreams　of　shifting　glory；　in　which　the　things　of
earth　and　the　joys　and　passions　of　men　reappeared；　but　transformed　by
the　magic　influence　of　the　drug；　made　monstrous　or　fairylike；
intensified　or　turned　to　voluptuous　languors；　through　which　the　Ouled
Nail　floated　like　a　syren；　promising　ecstasies　unknown　even　in
Baghdad；　where　the　pale　Circassian　lifts　her　lustrous　eyes；　in　which
the　palms　were　heavy　with　dates　of　solid　gold；　and　the　streams　were
gliding　silver。

Often　they　had　smiled　over　Batouch's　opulent　descriptions　of　the
marvels　of　Ain…Amara；　which　they　suspected　to　be　very　far　away　from
the　reality；　and　yet；　nevertheless；　when　they　saw　the　minarets　soaring
above　the　sands　to　the　brassy　heaven；　it　seemed　to　them　both　as　if；
perhaps；　they　might　be　true。　The　place　looked　intensely　barbaric。　The
approach　to　it　was　grandiose。

Wide　as　the　sands　had　been；　they　seemed　to　widen　out　into　a　greater
immensity　of　arid　pallor　before　the　city　gates　as　yet　unseen。　The
stretch　of　blue　above　looked　vaster　here；　the　horizons　more　remote；
the　radiance　of　the　sun　more　vivid；　more　inexorable。　Nature　surely
expanded　as　if　in　an　effort　to　hold　her　arm　against　some　tremendous
spectacle　set　in　its　bosom　by　the　activity　of　men；　who　were　strong　and
ardent　as　the　giants　of　old；　who　had　powers　and　a　passion　for
employing　them　persistently　not　known　in　any　other　region　of　the
earth。　The　immensity　of　Mogar　brought　sadness　to　the　mind。　The
immensity　of　Ain…Amara　brought　excitement。　Even　at　this　distance　from
it；　when　its　minarets　were　still　like　shadowy　fingers　of　an　unlifted
hand；　Androvsky　and　Domini　were　conscious　of　influences　streaming
forth　from　its　battlements　over　the　sloping　sands　like　a　procession
that　welcomed　them　to　a　new　phase　of　desert　life。

〃And　people　talk　of　the　monotony　of　the　Sahara！〃　Domini　said　speaking
out　of　their　mutual　thought。　〃Everything　is　here；　Boris；　you've　never
drawn　near　to　London。　Long　before　you　reach　the　first　suburbs　you　feel
London　like　a　great　influence　brooding　over　the　fields　and　the　woods。
Here　you　feel　Amara　in　the　same　way　brooding　over　the　sands。　It's　as
if　the　sands　were　full　of　voices。　Doesn't　it　excite　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃But〃and　he　turned　in　his　saddle　and　looked　back〃I
feel　as　if　the　solitudes　were　safer。〃

〃We　can　return　to　them。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃We　are　splendidly　free。　There's　nothing　to　prevent　us　leaving　Amara
tomorrow。〃

〃Isn't　there？〃　he　answered；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　the　minarets。

〃What　can　there　be？〃

〃Who　knows？〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Boris？　Are　you　superstitious？　But　you　reject　the
influence　of　place。　Don't　you　rememberat　Mogar？〃

At　the　mention　of　the　name　his　face　clouded　and　she　was　sorry　she　had
spoken　it。　Since　they　had　left　the　hill　above　the　mirage　sea　they　had
scarcely　ever　alluded　to　their　night　there。　They　had　never　once　talked
of　the　dinner　in　camp　with　De　Trevignac　and　his　men；　or　renewed　their
conversation　in　the　tent　on　the　subject　of　religion。　But　since　that
day；　since　her　words　about　Androvsky's　lack　of　perfect　happiness　even
with　her　far　out　in　the　freedom　of　the　desert；　Domini　had　been
conscious　that；　despite　their　great　love　for　each　other；　their　mutual
passion　for　the　solitude　in　which　it　grew　each　day　more　deep　and　more
engrossing；　wrapping　their　lives　in　fire　and　leading　them　on　to　the
inner　abodes　of　sacred　understanding；　there　was　at　moments　a　barrier
between　them。

At　first　she　had　striven　not　to　recognise　its　existence。　She　had
striven　to　be　blind。　But　she　was　essentially　a　brave　woman　and　an
almost　fanatical　lover　of　truth　for　its　own　sake；　thinking　that　what
is　called　an　ugly　truth　is　less　ugly　than　the　loveliest　lie。　To　deny
truth　is　to　play　the　coward。　She　could　not　long　do　that。　And　so　she
quickly　learned　to　face　this　truth　with　steady　eyes　and　an　unflinching
heart。

At　moments　Androvsky　retreated　from　her；　his　mind　became　rem