the garden of allah-第20部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


scarcely　believe　that　she　had　not　yet　spent　twenty…four　hours　in　Beni…
Mora。　A　conviction　came　to　her　that　she　would　be　there　for　a　long
while；　that　she　would　strike　roots　into　this　sunny　place　of　peace。
When　she　heard　the　church　bell　now　she　thought　of　the　interior　of　the
church　and　of　the　priest　with　an　odd　sort　of　familiar　pleasure；　as
people　in　England　often　think　of　the　village　church　in　which　they　have
always　been　accustomed　to　worship；　and　of　the　clergyman　who　ministers
in　it　Sunday　after　Sunday。　Yet　at　moments　she　remembered　her　inward
cry　in　Count　Anteoni's　garden；　〃Oh；　what　is　going　to　happen　to　me
here？〃　And　then　she　was　dimly　conscious　that　Beni…Mora　was　the　home　of
many　things　besides　peace。　It　held　warring　influences。　At　one　moment
it　lulled　her　and　she　was　like　an　infant　rocked　in　a　cradle。　At
another　moment　it　stirred　her；　and　she　was　a　woman　on　the　edge　of
mysterious　possibilities。　There　must　be　many　individualities　among　the
desert　spirits　of　whom　Count　Anteoni　had　spoken。　Now　one　was　with　her
and　whispered　to　her；　now　another。　She　fancied　the　light　touch　of
their　hands　on　hers；　pulling　gently　at　her；　as　a　child　pulls　you　to
take　you　to　see　a　treasure。　And　their　treasure　was　surely　far　away；
hidden　in　the　distance　of　the　desert　sands。

As　soon　as　the　sun　began　to　decline　towards　the　west　she　put　on　her
hat；　thrust　the　card　Count　Anteoni　had　given　her　into　her　glove　and
set　out　towards　the　big　hotel　alone。　She　met　Hadj　as　she　walked　down
the　arcade。　He　wished　to　accompany　her；　and　was　evidently　filled　with
treacherous　ideas　of　supplanting　his　friend　Batouch；　but　she　gave　him
a　franc　and　sent　him　away。　The　franc　soothed　him　slightly；　yet　she
could　see　that　his　childish　vanity　was　injured。　There　was　a　malicious
gleam　in　his　long；　narrow　eyes　as　he　looked　after　her。　Yet　there　was
genuine　admiration　too。　The　Arab　bows　down　instinctively　before　any
dominating　spirit；　and　such　a　spirit　in　a　foreign　woman　flashes　in　his
eyes　like　a　bright　flame。　Physical　strength；　too；　appeals　to　him　with
peculiar　force。　Hadj　tossed　his　head　upwards；　tucked　in　his　chin；　and
muttered　some　words　in　his　brown　throat　as　he　noted　the　elastic　grace
with　which　the　rejecting　foreign　woman　moved　till　she　was　out　of　his
sight。　And　she　never　looked　back　at　him。　That　was　a　keen　arrow　in　her
quiver。　He　fell　into　a　deep　reverie　under　the　arcade　and　his　face
became　suddenly　like　the　face　of　a　sphinx。

Meanwhile　Domini　had　forgotten　him。　She　had　turned　to　the　left　down　a
small　street　in　which　some　Indians　and　superior　Arabs　had　bazaars。　One
of　the　latter　came　out　from　the　shadow　of　his　hanging　rugs　and
embroideries　as　she　passed；　and；　addressing　her　in　a　strange　mixture
of　incorrect　French　and　English；　begged　her　to　come　in　and　examine　his
wares。

She　shook　her　head；　but　could　not　help　looking　at　him　with　interest。

He　was　the　thinnest　man　she　had　ever　seen；　and　moved　and　stood　almost
as　if　he　were　boneless。　The　line　of　his　delicate　and　yet　arbitrary
features　was　fierce。　His　face　was　pitted　with　small…pox　and　marked　by
an　old　wound；　evidently　made　by　a　knife；　which　stretched　from　his　left
cheek　to　his　forehead；　ending　just　over　the　left　eyebrow。　The
expression　of　his　eyes　was　almost　disgustingly　intelligent。　While　they
were　fixed　upon　her　Domini　felt　as　if　her　body　were　a　glass　box　in
which　all　her　thoughts；　feelings；　and　desires　were　ranged　for　his
inspection。　In　his　demeanour　there　was　much　that　pleaded；　but　also
something　that　commanded。　His　fingers　were　unnaturally　long　and　held　a
small　bag；　and　he　planted　himself　right　before　her　in　the　road。

〃Madame；　come　in；　venez　avec　moi。　Venezvenez！　I　have　muchI　will
showj'ai　des　choses　extraordinaires！　Tenez！　Look！〃

He　untied　the　mouth　of　the　bag。　Domini　looked　into　it；　expecting　to
see　something　preciousjewels　perhaps。　She　saw　only　a　quantity　of
sand；　laughed；　and　moved　to　go　on。　She　thought　the　Arab　was　an
impudent　fellow　trying　to　make　fun　of　her。

〃No；　no；　Madame！　Do　not　laugh！　Ce　sable　est　du　desert。　Il　y　a　des
histoires　la…dedans。　Il　y　a　l'histoire　de　Madame。　Come　bazaar！　I　will
read　for　Madamewhat　will　bewhat　will　becomeI　will　readI　will
tell。　Tenez！〃　He　stared　down　into　the　bag　and　his　face　became　suddenly
stern　and　fixed。　〃Deja　je　vois　des　choses　dans　la　vie　de　Madame。　Ah！
Mon　Dieu！　Ah！　Mon　Dieu！〃

〃No；　no；〃　Domini　said。

She　had　hesitated；　but　was　now　determined。

〃I　have　no　time　to…day。〃

The　man　cast　a　quick　and　sly　glance　at　her；　then　stared　once　more　into
the　bag。　〃Ah！　Mon　Dieu！　Ah！　Mon　Dieu！〃　he　repeated。　〃The　life　to　come
the　life　of　MadameI　see　it　in　the　bag！〃

His　face　looked　tortured。　Domini　walked　on　hurriedly。　When　she　had　got
to　a　little　distance　she　glanced　back。　The　man　was　standing　in　the
middle　of　the　road　and　glaring　into　the　bag。　His　voice　came　down　the
street　to　her。

〃Ah！　Mon　Dieu！　Ah！　Mon　Dieu！　I　see　itI　seeje　vois　la　vie　de　Madame
Ah！　Mon　Dieu！〃

There　was　an　accent　of　dreadful　suffering　in　his　voice。　It　made　Domini
shudder。

She　passed　the　mouth　of　the　dancers'　street。　At　the　corner　there　was　a
large　Cafe　Maure；　and　here；　on　rugs　laid　by　the　side　of　the　road；
numbers　of　Arabs　were　stretched；　some　sipping　tea　from　glasses；　some
playing　dominoes；　some　conversing；　some　staring　calmly　into　vacancy；
like　animals　drowned　in　a　lethargic　dream。　A　black　boy　ran　by　holding
a　hammered　brass　tray　on　which　were　some　small　china　cups　filled　with
thick　coffee。　Halfway　up　the　street　he　met　three　unveiled　women　clad
in　voluminous　white　dresses；　with　scarlet；　yellow；　and　purple
handkerchiefs　bound　over　their　black　hair。　He　stopped　and　the　women
took　the　cups　with　their　henna…tinted　fingers。　Two　young　Arabs　joined
them。　There　was　a　scuffle。　White　lumps　of　sugar　flew　up　into　the　air。
Then　there　was　a　babel　of　voices；　a　torrent　of　cries　full　of　barbaric
gaiety。

Before　it　had　died　out　of　Domini's　ears　she　stood　by　the　statue　of
Cardinal　Lavigerie。　Rather　militant　than　priestly；　raised　high　on　a
marble　pedestal；　it　faced　the　long　road　which；　melting　at　last　into　a
faint　desert　track；　stretched　away　to　Tombouctou。　The　mitre　upon　the
head　was　worn　surely　as　if　it　were　a　helmet；　the　pastoral　staff　with
its　double　cross　was　grasped　as　if　it　were　a　sword。　Upon　the　lower
cross　was　stretched　a　figure　of　the　Christ　in　agony。　And　the　Cardinal；
gazing　with　the　eyes　of　an　eagle　out　into　the　pathless　wastes　of　sand
that　lay　beyond　the　palm　trees；　seemed；　by　his　mere　attitude；　to　cry
to　all　the　myriad　hordes　of　men　the　deep…bosomed　Sahara　mothered　in
her　mystery　and　silence；　〃Come　unto　the　Church！　Come　unto　me！〃

He　called　men　in　from　the　desert。　Domini　fancied　his　voice　echoing
along　the　sands　till　the　worshippers　of　Allah　and　of　his　Prophet　heard
it　like　a　clarion　in　Tombouctou。

When　she　reached　the　great　hotel　the　sun　was　just　beginning　to　set。
She　drew　Count　Anteoni's　card　from　her　glove　and　rang　the　bell。　After
a　long　interval　a　magnificent　man；　with　the　features　of　an　Arab　but　a
skin　almost　as　black　as　a　negro；　opened　the　door。

〃Can　I　go　up　the　tower　to　see　the　sunset？〃　she　asked；　giving　him　the
card。

The　man　bowed　low；　escorted　her　through　a　long　hall　full　of　furniture
shrouded　in　coverings；　up　a　staircase；　along　a　corridor　with　numbered
rooms；　up　a　second　staircase　and　out　upon　a　flat…terraced　roof；　from
which　the　tower　soared　high　above　the　houses　and　palms　of　Beni…Mora；　a
landmark　visible　half…a…day's　journey　out　in　the　desert。　A　narrow
spiral　stair　inside　the　tower　gained　the　summit。

〃I'll　go　up　alone；〃　Domini　said。　〃I　shall　stay　some　time　and　I　would
rather　not　keep　you。〃

She　put　some　money　into　the　Arab's　hand。　He　looked　pleased；　yet
doubtful　too　for　a　moment。　Then　he　seemed　to　banish　his　hesitation
and；　with　a　deprecating　smile；　said　something　which　she　could　not
understand。　She　nodded　intelligently　to　get　rid　of　him。　Already；　from
the　roof；　she　caught　sight　of　a　great　visionary　panorama　glowing　with
colour　and　magic。　She　was　impatient　to　climb　still　higher　into　the
sky；　to　look　down　on　the　world　as　an　eagle　does。　So　she　turned　away
decisively　and　mounted　the　dark；　winding　stair　till　she　reached　a
door。　She　pushed　it　open　with　some　difficulty；　and　came　out　into　the
air　at　a　dizzy　height；　shutting　the　door　forcibly　behind　her　with　an
energetic　movement　of　her　strong　arms。

The　top　of　the　tower　was　small　and　square；　and　guarded　by　a　white
parapet　breast　high。　In　the　centre　of　it　rose　the　outer　walls　and　the
ceiling　of　the　top　of　the　staircase；　which　prevented　a　person　standing
on　one　side　of　the　tower　from　seeing　anybody　who　was　standing　at　the
opposite　side。　There　was　just　sufficient　space　between　parapet　and
staircase　wall　for　two　people　to　pass　with　difficulty　and　manoeuvring。

But　Domini　was　not　concerned　with　such　trivial　details；　as　she　would
have　thought　them　had　she　thought　of　them。　Directly　she　had　shut　the
little　door　and　felt　herself　alonealone　as　an　eagle　in　the　skyshe
took　the　step　forward　that　brought　her　to　the　parapet；　leaned　her　arms
on　it；　looked　out　and　was　lost　in　a　passion　of　contemplation。

At　first　she　did　not　discern　any　of　the　multitudinous　minutiae　in　the
great　evening　vision　beneath　and　around　her。　She　only　felt　conscious
of　depth；　height；　space；　colour；　mystery；　calm。　She　did　not　measure。
She　did　not　differentiate。　She　simply　stood　there；　leaning　lightly　on
the　snowy　plaster　work；　and　experienced　something　that　she　had　never
experienced　before；　that　she　had　never　imagined。　It　was　scarcely
vivid；　for　in　everything　that　is　vivid　there　seems　to　be　something
small；　the　point　to　which　wonders　converge；　the　intense　spark　to　which
many　fires　have　given　themselves　as　food；　the　drop　which　contains　the
murmuring　force　of　innumerable　rivers。　It　was　more　than　vivid。　It　was
reliantly　dim；　as　is　that　pulse　of　life　which　is　heard　through　and
above　the　crash　of　generations　and　centuries　falling　downwards　into
the　abyss；　that　persistent；　enduring　heart…beat；　indifferent　in　its
mystical　regularity；　that　ignores　and　triumphs；　and　never　grows　louder
nor　diminishes；　inexorably　calm；　inexorably　steady；　undefeatedmore
utterly　unaffected　by　unnumbered　millions　of　tragedies　and　deaths。

Many　sounds　rose　from　far　down　be