the garden of allah-第73章

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vivid　animal　spirits　boiling　up　within　her；　the　sane　and　healthy　sense
that　welcomes　a　big　manifestation　of　the　ceaseless　enterprise　and　keen
activity　of　a　brotherhood　of　men。　The　loaded　camels；　the　half…naked
running　drivers；　the　dogs　sensitively　sniffing；　as　if　enticing　smells
from　the　city　already　reached　their　nostrils；　the　chattering　desert
merchants　discussing　coming　gains；　the　wealthy　and　richly…dressed
Arabs；　mounted　on　fine　horses；　and　staring　with　eyes　that　glittered　up
the　broad　track　in　search　of　welcoming　friends；　were　sympathetic　to
her　mood。　Amara　was　sucking　them　all　in　together　from　the　solitary
places　as　quiet　waters　are　sucked　into　the　turmoils　of　a　mill…race。
Although　still　out　in　the　sands　they　were　already　in　the　midst　of　a
noise　of　life　flowing　to　meet　the　roar　of　life　that　rose　up　at　the
feet　of　the　minarets；　which　now　looked　tall　and　majestic　in　the
growing　beauty　of　the　sunset。

They　passed　the　caravans　one　by　one；　and　came　on　to　the　crest　of　the
long　sand　slope　just　as　the　sky　above　the　city　was　flushing　with　a
bright　geranium　red。　The　track　from　here　was　level　to　the　city　wall；
and　was　no　longer　soft　with　sand。　A　broad；　hard　road　rang　beneath
their　horses'　hoofs；　startling　them　with　a　music　that　was　like　a　voice
of　civilised　life。　Before　them；　under　the　red　sky；　they　saw　a　dark
blue　of　distant　houses；　towers；　and　great　round　cupolas　glittering
like　gold。　Forests　of　palm　trees　lay　behind；　the　giant　date　palms　for
which　Amara　was　famous。　To　the　left　stretched　the　sands　dotted　with
gleaming　Arab　villages；　to　the　right　again　the　sands　covered　with
hundreds　of　tents　among　which　quantities　of　figures　moved　lively　like
ants；　black　on　the　yellow；　arched　by　the　sky　that　was　alive　with　lurid
colour；　red　fading　into　gold；　gold　into　primrose；　primrose　into　green；
green　into　the　blue　that　still　told　of　the　fading　day。　And　to　this
multi…coloured　sky；　from　the　barbaric　city　and　the　immense　sands　in
which　it　was　set；　rose　a　great　chorus　of　life；　voices　of　men　and
beasts；　cries　of　naked　children　playing　Cora　on　the　sand…hills；　of
mothers　to　straying　infants；　shrill　laughter　of　unveiled　girls
wantonly　gay；　the　calls　of　men；　the　barking　of　multitudes　of　dogs；
the　guard　dogs　of　the　nomads　that　are　never　silent　night　or　day；the
roaring　of　hundreds　of　camels　now　being　unloaded　for　the　night；　the
gibbering　of　the　mad　beggars　who　roam　perpetually　on　the　outskirts　of
the　encampments　like　wolves　seeking　what　they　may　devour；　the　braying
of　donkeys；　the　whinnying　of　horses。　And　beneath　these　voices　of
living　things；　foundation　of　their　uprising　vitality；　pulsed　barbarous
music；　the　throbbing　tomtoms　that　are　for　ever　heard　in　the　lands　of
the　sun；　fetish　music　that　suggests　fatalism；　and　the　grand　monotony
of　the　enormous　spaces；　and　the　crude　passion　that　repeats　itself；　and
the　untiring；　sultry　loves　and　the　untired；　sultry　languors　of　the
children　of　the　sun。

The　silence　of　the　sands；　which　Domini　and　Androvsky　had　known　and
loved；　was　merged　in　the　tumult　of　the　sands。　The　one　had　been
mystical；　laying　the　soul　to　rest。　The　other　was　provocative；　calling
the　soul　to　wake。　At　this　moment　the　sands　themselves　seemed　to　stir
with　life　and　to　cry　aloud　with　voices。

〃The　very　sky　is　barbarous　to…night！〃　Domini　exclaimed。　〃Did　you　ever
see　such　colour；　Boris？〃

〃Over　the　minarets　it　is　like　a　great　wound；〃　he　answered。

〃No　wonder　men　are　careless　of　human　life　in　such　a　land　as　this。　All
the　wildness　of　the　world　seems　to　be　concentrated　here。　Amara　is　like
the　desert　city　of　some　tremendous　dream。　It　looks　wicked　and
unearthly；　but　how　superb！〃

〃Look　at　those　cupolas！〃　he　said。　〃Are　there　really　Oriental　palaces
here？　Has　Batouch　told　us　the　truth　for　once？〃

〃Or　less　than　the　truth？　I　could　believe　anything　of　Amara　at　this
moment。　What　hundreds　of　camels！　They　remind　me　of　Arba；　our　first
halting…place。〃　She　looked　at　him　and　he　at　her。

〃How　long　ago　that　seems！〃　she　said。

〃A　thousand　years　ago。〃

They　both　had　a　memory　of　a　great　silence；　in　the　midst　of　this
growing　tumult　in　which　the　sky　seemed　now　to　take　its　part；　calling
with　the　voices　of　its　fierce　colours；　with　the　voices　of　the　fires
that　burdened　it　in　the　west。

〃Silence　joined　us；　Domini；〃　Androvsky　said。

〃Yes。　Perhaps　silence　is　the　most　beautiful　voice　in　the　world。〃

Far　off；　along　the　great　white　road；　they　saw　two　horsemen　galloping
to　meet　them　from　the　city；　one　dressed　in　brilliant　saffron　yellow；
the　other　in　the　palest　blue；　both　crowned　with　large　and　snowy
turbans。

〃Who　can　they　be？〃　said　Domini；　as　they　drew　near。　〃They　look　like　two
princes　of　the　Sahara。〃

Then　she　broke　into　a　merry　laugh。

〃Batouch！　and　Ali！〃　she　exclaimed。

The　servants　galloped　up　then；　without　slackening　speed　deftly　wheeled
their　horses　in　a　narrow　circle；　and　were　beside　them；　going　with
them；　one　on　the　right　hand；　the　other　on　the　left。

〃Bravo！〃　Domini　cried；　delighted　at　this　feat　of　horsemanship。　〃But
what　have　you　been　doing？　You　are　transformed！〃

〃Madame；　we　have　been　to　the　Bain　Maure；〃　replied　Batouch；　calmly；
swelling　out　his　broad　chest　under　his　yellow　jacket　laced　with　gold。
〃We　have　had　our　heads　shaved　till　they　are　smooth　and　beautiful　as
polished　ivory。　We　have　been　to　the　perfumer〃he　leaned
confidentially　towards　her；　exhaling　a　pungent　odour　of　amber〃to　the
tailor；　to　the　baboosh　bazaar！〃he　kicked　out　a　foot　cased　in　a
slipper　that　was　bright　almost　as　a　gold　piece〃to　him　who　sells　the
cherchia。〃　He　shook　his　head　till　the　spangled　muslin　that　flowed
about　it　trembled。　〃Is　it　not　right　that　your　servants　should　do　you
honour　in　the　city？〃

〃Perfectly　right；〃　she　answered　with　a　careful　seriousness。　〃I　am
proud　of　you　both。〃

〃And　Monsieur？〃　asked　Ali；　speaking　in　his　turn。

Androvsky　withdrew　his　eyes　from　the　city；　which　was　now　near　at　hand。

〃Splendid！〃　he　said；　but　as　if　attending　to　the　Arabs　with　difficulty。
〃You　are　splendid。〃

As　they　came　towards　the　old　wall　which　partially　surrounds　Amara；　and
which　rises　from　a　deep　natural　moat　of　sand；　they　saw　that　the　ground
immediately　before　the　city　which；　from　a　distance；　had　looked　almost
fiat；　was　in　reality　broken　up　into　a　series　of　wavelike　dunes；　some
small　with　depressions　like　deep　crevices　between　them；　others　large
with　summits　like　plateaux。　These　dunes　were　of　a　sharp　lemon　yellow
in　the　evening　light；　a　yellow　that　was　cold　in　its　clearness；　almost
setting　the　teeth　on　edge。　They　went　away　into　great　rolling　slopes　of
sand　on　which　the　camps　of　the　nomads　and　the　Ouled　Nails　were
pitched；　some　near　to；　some　distant　from；　the　city；　but　they
themselves　were　solitary。　No　tents　were　pitched　close　to　the　city；
under　the　shadow　of　its　wall。　As　Androvsky　spoke；　Domini　exclaimed：

〃Boris…look！　That　is　the　most　extraordinary　thing　I　have　ever　seen！〃

She　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。　He　obeyed　her　eyes　and　looked　to　his
right；　to　the　small　lemon…yellow　dunes　that　were　close　to　them。　At
perhaps　a　hundred　yards　from　the　road　was　a　dune　that　ran　parallel
with　it。　The　fire　of　the　sinking　sun　caught　its　smooth　crest；　and
above　this　crest；　moving　languidly　towards　the　city；　were　visible　the
heads　and　busts　of　three　women；　the　lower　halves　of　whose　bodies　were
concealed　by　the　sand　of　the　farther　side　of　the　dune。　They　were
dancing…girls。　On　their　heads；　piled　high　with　gorgeous　handkerchiefs；
were　golden　crowns　which　glittered　in　the　sun…rays；　and　tufts　of
scarlet　feathers。　Their　oval　faces；　covered　with　paint；　were　partially
concealed　by　long　strings　of　gold　coins；　which　flowed　from　their
crowns　down　over　their　large　breasts　and　disappeared　towards　their
waists；　which　were　hidden　by　the　sand。　Their　dresses　were　of　scarlet；
apple…green　and　purple　silks；　partially　covered　by　floating　shawls　of
spangled　muslin。　Beneath　their　crowns　and　handkerchiefs　burgeoned
forth　plaits　of　false　hair　decorated　with　coral　and　silver　ornaments。
Their　hands；　which　they　held　high；　gesticulating　above　the　crest　of
the　dune；　were　painted　blood　red。

These　busts　and　heads　glided　slowly　along　in　the　setting　sun；　and
presently　sank　down　and　vanished　into　some　depression　of　the　dunes。
For　an　instant　one　blood…red　hand　was　visible　alone；　waving　a　signal
above　the　sand　to　someone　unseen。　Its　fingers　fluttered　like　the　wings
of　a　startled　bird。　Then　it；　too；　vanished；　and　the　sharply…cold　lemon
yellow　of　the　dunes　stretched　in　vivid　loneliness　beneath　the　evening
sky。

To　both　of　them　this　brief　vision　of　women　in　the　sand　brought　home
the　solitude　of　the　desert　and　the　barbarity　of　the　life　it　held；　the
ascetism　of　this　supreme　manifestation　of　Nature　and　the　animal
passion　which　fructifies　in　its　heart。

〃Do　you　know　what　that　made　me　think　of；　Boris？〃　Domini　said；　as　the
red　hand　with　its　swiftly…moving　fingers　disappeared。　〃You'll　smile；
perhaps；　and　I　scarcely　know　why。　It　made　me　think　of　the　Devil　in　a
monastery。〃

Androvsky　did　not　smile。　Nor　did　he　answer。　She　felt　sure　that　he；
too；　had　been　strongly　affected　by　that　glimpse　of　Sahara　life。　His
silence　gave　Batouch　an　opportunity　of　pouring　forth　upon　them　a　flood
of　poetical　description　of　the　dancing…girls　of　Amara；　all　of　whom　he
seemed　to　know　as　intimate　friends。　Before　he　ceased　they　came　into
the　city。

The　road　was　still　majestically　broad。　They　looked　with　interest　at
the　first　houses；　one　on　each　side　of　the　way。　And　here　again　they
were　met　by　the　sharp　contrast　which　was　evidently　to　be　the　keynote
of　Amara。　The　house　on　the　left　was　European；　built　of　white　stone；
clean；　attractive；　but　uninteresting；　with　stout　white　pillars　of
plaster　supporting　an　arcade　that　afforded　shade　from　the　sun；　windows
with　green　blinds；　and　an　open　doorway　showing　a　little　hall；　on　the
floor　of　which　lay　a　smart　rug　glowing　with　gay　colours；　that　on　the
right；　before　which　the　sand　lay　deep　as　if　drifted　there　by　some
recent　wind　of　the　waste；　was　African　and　barbarous；　an　immense　and
rambling　building　of　brown　earth；　brushwood　and　palm；　windowless；　with
a　flat…terraced　roof；　upon　which　were　piled　many　strange…looking
objects　like　things　collapsed；　red　and　dark　green；　with　fringes　and
rosettes；　and　tall　sticks　of　palm　pointing　vaguely　to　the　sky。

〃Why；　these　are　like　our　palanquin！〃　Domini　said。

〃They　are　the　palanquins　of　the　dancing…girls；　Madame；〃　said　Batouch。
〃That　is　the　cafe　of　the　dancers；　and　that〃he　pointed　to　the　neat
house　opposite〃is　the　house　of　Monsieur　the　Aumonier　of　Amara。〃

〃Aumonier；〃　said　Androvsky；　sharply。　〃Here！〃

He　paused；　then　added　more　quietly：

〃What　should　he　do　here？〃

〃But；　Monsieur；　he　is　for　the　French　officers。〃

〃There　are　French　officers？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　four　or　five；　and　the　commandant。　They　live　in　the
palace　with　the　cupolas。〃

〃I　forgot；〃　Androvsky　said　to　Domini。　〃We　are　not　out　of　the　sphere　of
French　influence。　This　place　looks　so　remote　and　so　barbarous　that　I
imagined　it　given　over　entirely　to　the　desert　men。〃

〃We　need　not　see　the　French；〃　she　said。　〃We　shall　be　encamped　outside
in　the　sand。〃

〃And　we　need　not　stay　here　long；〃　he　said　quickly。

〃Boris；〃　she　asked　him；　half　in　jest；　half　in　earnest；　〃shall　we　buy　a
desert　is