the garden of allah-第16部分

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He　let　the　flowers　go；　and　they　sprang　softly　back；　and　hung　quivering
in　the　space　beyond　his　thin　figure。　Then　he　added：

〃Perhaps　one　should　not　say　more　than　that。〃

〃No。〃

Domini　sat　down　for　a　moment。　She　looked　up　at　him　with　her　direct
eyes　and　at　the　shaking　flowers。　The　sound　of　Larbi's　flute　was　always
in　her　ears。

〃But　may　not　one　think；　feel　a　little　more？〃　she　asked。

〃Oh；　why　not？　If　one　can；　if　one　must？　But　how？　Africa　is　as　fierce
and　full　of　meaning　as　a　furnace；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　I　knowalready；〃　she　replied。

His　words　expressed　what　she　had　already　felt　here　in　Beni…Mora；
surreptitiously　and　yet　powerfully。　He　said　it；　and　last　night　the
African　hautboy　had　said　it。　Peace　and　a　flame。　Could　they　exist
together；　blended；　married？

〃Africa　seems　to　me　to　agree　through　contradiction；〃　she　added；
smiling　a　little；　and　touching　the　snowy　wall　with　her　right　hand。
〃But　then；　this　is　my　first　day。〃

〃Mine　was　when　I　was　a　boy　of　sixteen。〃

〃This　garden　wasn't　here　then？〃

〃No。　I　had　it　made。　I　came　here　with　my　mother。　She　spoilt　me。　She　let
me　have　my　whim。〃

〃This　garden　is　your　boy's　whim？〃

〃It　was。　Now　it　is　a　man's〃

He　seemed　to　hesitate。

〃Paradise；〃　suggested　Domini。

〃I　think　I　was　going　to　say　hiding…place。〃

There　was　no　bitterness　in　his　odd；　ugly　voice；　yet　surely　the　words
implied　bitterness。　The　wounded；　the　fearful；　the　disappointed；　the
condemned　hide。　Perhaps　he　remembered　this；　for　he　added　rather
quickly：

〃I　come　here　to　be　foolish；　Madame；　for　I　come　here　to　think。　This　is
my　special　thinking　place。〃

〃How　strange！〃　Domini　exclaimed　impulsively；　and　leaning　forward　on
the　divan。

〃Is　it？〃

〃I　only　mean　that　already　Beni…Mora　has　seemed　to　me　the　ideal　place
for　that。〃

〃For　thought？〃

〃For　finding　out　interior　truth。〃

Count　Anteoni　looked　at　her　rather　swiftly　and　searchingly。　His　eyes
were　not　large；　but　they　were　bright；　and　held　none　of　the　languor　so
often　seen　in　the　eyes　of　his　countrymen。　His　face　was　expressive
through　its　mobility　rather　than　through　its　contours。　The　features
were　small　and　refined；　not　noble；　but　unmistakably　aristocratic。　The
nose　was　sensitive；　with　wide　nostrils。　A　long　and　straight　moustache；
turning　slightly　grey；　did　not　hide　the　mouth；　which　had　unusually
pale　lips。　The　ears　were　set　very　flat　against　the　head；　and　were
finely　shaped。　The　chin　was　pointed。　The　general　look　of　the　whole
face　was　tense；　critical；　conscious；　but　in　the　defiant　rather　than　in
the　timid　sense。　Such　an　expression　belongs　to　men　who　would　always　be
aware　of　the　thoughts　and　feelings　of　others　concerning　them；　but　who
would　throw　those　thoughts　and　feelings　off　as　decisively　and
energetically　as　a　dog　shakes　the　waterdrops　from　its　coat　on　emerging
from　a　swim。

〃And　sending　it　forth；　like　Ishmael；　to　shift　for　itself　in　the
desert；〃　he　said。

The　odd　remark　sounded　like　neither　statement　nor　question；　merely
like　the　sudden　exclamation　of　a　mind　at　work。

〃Will　you　allow　me　to　take　you　through　the　rest　of　the　garden；
Madame？〃　he　added　in　a　more　formal　voice。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Domini；　who　had　already　got　up；　moved　by　the
examining　look　cast　at　her。

There　was　nothing　in　it　to　resent；　and　she　had　not　resented　it；　but　it
had　recalled　her　to　the　consciousness　that　they　were　utter　strangers
to　each　other。

As　they　came　out　on　the　pale　riband　of　sand　which　circled　the　little
room　Domini　said：

〃How　wild　and　extraordinary　that　tune　is！〃

〃Larbi's。　I　suppose　it　is；　but　no　African　music　seems　strange　to　me。　I
was　born　on　my　father's　estate；　near　Tunis。　He　was　a　Sicilian；　but
came　to　North　Africa　each　winter。　I　have　always　heard　the　tomtoms　and
the　pipes；　and　I　know　nearly　all　the　desert　songs　of　the　nomads。〃

〃This　is　a　love…song；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes。　Larbi　is　always　in　love；　they　tell　me。　Each　new　dancer　catches
him　in　her　net。　Happy　Larbi！〃

〃Because　he　can　love　so　easily？〃

〃Or　unlove　so　easily。　Look　at　him；　Madame。〃

At　a　little　distance；　under　a　big　banana　tree；　and　half　hidden　by
clumps　of　scarlet　geraniums；　Domini　saw　a　huge　and　very　ugly　Arab；
with　an　almost　black　skin；　squatting　on　his　heels；　with　a　long　yellow
and　red　flute　between　his　thick　lips。　His　eyes　were　bent　down；　and　he
did　not　see　them；　but　went　on　busily　playing；　drawing　from　his　flute
coquettish　phrases　with　his　big　and　bony　fingers。

〃And　I　pay　him　so　much　a　week　all　the　year　round　for　doing　that；〃　the
Count　said。

His　grating　voice　sounded　kind　and　amused。　They　walked　on；　and　Larbi's
tune　died　gradually　away。

〃Somehow　I　can't　be　angry　with　the　follies　and　vices　of　the　Arabs；〃
the　Count　continued。　〃I　love　them　as　they　are；　idle；　absurdly　amorous；
quick　to　shed　blood；　gay　as　children；　whimsical　aswell；　Madame；　were
I　talking　to　a　man　I　might　dare　to　say　pretty　women。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　will；　then。　I　glory　in　their　ingrained　contempt　of　civilisation。
But　I　like　them　to　say　their　prayers　five　times　in　the　day　as　it　is
commanded；　and　no　Arab　who　touches　alcohol　in　defiance　of　the
Prophet's　law　sets　foot　in　my　garden。〃

There　was　a　touch　of　harshness　in　his　voice　as　he　said　the　last　words；
the　sound　of　the　autocrat。　Somehow　Domini　liked　it。　This　man　had
convictions；　and　strong　ones。　That　was　certain。　There　was　something
oddly　unconventional　in　him　which　something　in　her　responded　to。　He
was　perfectly　polite；　and　yet；　she　was　quite　sure；　absolutely　careless
of　opinion。　Certainly　he　was　very　much　a　man。

〃It　is　pleasant；　too；〃　he　resumed；　after　a　slight　pause；　〃to　be
surrounded　by　absolutely　thoughtless　people　with　thoughtful　faces　and
mysterious　eyeswells　without　truth　at　the　bottom　of　them。〃

She　laughed。

〃No　one　must　think　here　but　you！〃

〃I　prefer　to　keep　all　the　folly　to　myself。　Is　not　that　a　grand
cocoanut？〃

He　pointed　to　a　tree　so　tall　that　it　seemed　soaring　to　heaven。

〃Yes；　indeed。　Like　the　one　that　presides　over　the　purple　dog。〃

〃You　have　seen　my　fetish？〃

〃Smain　showed　him　to　me；　with　reverence。〃

〃Oh；　he　is　king　here。　The　Arabs　declare　that　on　moonlight　nights　they
have　heard　him　joining　in　the　chorus　of　the　Kabyle　dogs。〃

〃You　speak　almost　as　if　you　believed　it。〃

〃Well；　I　believe　more　here　than　I　believe　anywhere　else。　That　is
partly　why　I　come　here。〃

〃I　can　understand　thatI　mean　believing　much　here。〃

〃What！　Already　you　feel　the　spell　of　Beni…Mora；　the　desert　spell！　Yes；
there　is　enchantment　hereand　so　I　never　stay　too　long。〃

〃For　fear　of　what？〃

Count　Anteoni　was　walking　easily　beside　her。　He　walked　from　the　hips；
like　many　Sicilians；　swaying　very　slightly；　as　if　he　liked　to　be　aware
how　supple　his　body　still　was。　As　Domini　spoke　he　stopped。　They　were
now　at　a　place　where　four　paths　joined；　and　could　see　four　vistas　of
green　and　gold；　of　magical　sunlight　and　shadow。

〃I　scarcely　know；　of　being　carried　who　knows　wherein　mind　or　heart。
Oh；　there　is　danger　in　Beni…Mora；　Madame；　there　is　danger。　This
startling　air　is　full　of　influences；　of　desert　spirits。〃

He　looked　at　her　in　a　way　she　could　not　understandbut　it　made　her
think　of　the　perfume…seller　in　his　little　dark　room；　and　of　the　sudden
sensation　she　had　had　that　mystery　coils；　like　a　black　serpent；　in　the
shining　heart　of　the　East。

〃And　now；　Madame；　which　path　shall　we　take？　This　one　leads　to　my
drawing…room；　that　on　the　right　to　the　Moorish　bath。〃

〃And　that？〃

〃That　one　goes　straight　down　to　the　wall　that　overlooks　the　Sahara。〃

〃Please　let　us　take　it。〃

〃The　desert　spirits　are　calling　to　you？　But　you　are　wise。　What　makes
this　garden　remarkable　is　not　its　arrangement；　the　number　and　variety
of　its　trees；　but　the　fact　that　it　lies　flush　with　the　Saharalike　a
man's　thoughts　of　truth　with　Truth；　perhaps。〃

He　turned　up　the　tail　of　the　sentence　and　his　harsh　voice　gave　a
little　grating　crack。

〃I　don't　believe　they　are　so　different　from　one　another　as　the　garden
and　the　desert。〃

She　looked　at　him　directly。

〃It　would　be　too　ironical。〃

〃But　nothing　is；〃　the　Count　said。

〃You　have　discovered　that　in　this　garden？〃

〃Ah；　it　is　new　to　you；　Madame！〃

For　the　first　time　there　was　a　sound　of　faint　bitterness　in　his　voice。

〃One　often　discovers　the　saddest　thing　in　the　loveliest　place；〃　he
added。　〃There　you　begin　to　see　the　desert。〃

Far　away；　at　the　small　orifice　of　the　tunnel　of　trees　down　which　they
were　walking；　appeared　a　glaring　patch　of　fierce　and　quivering
sunlight。

〃I　can　only　see　the　sun；〃　Domini　said。

〃I　know　so　well　what　it　hides　that　I　imagine　I　actually　see　the
desert。　One　loves　one's　kind；　assiduous　liar。　Isn't　it　so？〃

〃The　imagination？　But　perhaps　I　am　not　disposed　to　allow　that　it　is　a
liar。〃

〃Who　knows？　You　may　be　right。〃

He　looked　at　her　kindly　with　his　bright　eyes。　It　had　not　seem　to
strike　him　that　their　conversation　was　curiously　intimate；　considering
that　they　were　strangers　to　one　another；　that　he　did　not　even　know　her
name。　Domini　wondered　suddenly　how　old　he　was。　That　look　made　him　seem
much　older　than　he　had　seemed　before。　There　was　such　an　expression　in
his　eyes　as　may　sometimes　be　seen　in　eyes　that　look　at　a　child　who　is
kissing　a　rag　doll　with　deep　and　determined　affection。　〃Kiss　your
doll！〃　they　seemed　to　say。　〃Put　off　the　years　when　you　must　know　that
dolls　can　never　return　a　kiss。〃

〃I　begin　to　see　the　desert　now；〃　Domini　said　after　a　moment　of
silent　walking。　〃How　wonderful　it　is！〃

〃Yes；　it　is。　The　most　wonderful　thing　in　Nature。　You　will　think　it
much　more　wonderful　when　you　fancy　you　know　it　well。〃

〃Fancy！〃

〃I　don't　think　anyone　can　ever　really　know　the　desert。　It　is　the　thing
that　keeps　calling；　and　does　not　permit　one　to　draw　near。〃

〃But　then；　one　might　learn　to　hate　it。〃

〃I　don't　think　so。　Truth　does　just　the　same；　you　know。　And　yet　men
keep　on　trying　to　draw　near。〃

〃But　sometimes　they　succeed。〃

〃Do　they？　Not　when　they　live　in　gardens。〃

He　laughed　for　the　first　time　since　they　had　been　together；　and　all
his　face　was　covered　with　a　network　of　little　moving　lines。

〃One　should　never　live　in　a　garden；　Madame。〃

〃I　will　try　to　take　your　word　for　it；　but　the　task　will　be　difficult。〃

〃Yes？　More　difficult；　perhaps；　when　you　see　what　lies　beside　my
th