the garden of allah-第30部分

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the　gaudy　finery　she　began　to　understand。　And　had　she　remained　in
doubt　an　incident　now　occurred　which　must　have　enlightened　her。

A　great　gaunt　Arab；　one　of　the　true　desert　men；　almost　black；　with
high　cheek　bones；　hollow　cheeks；　fierce　falcon's　eyes　shining　as　if
with　fever；　long　and　lean　limbs　hard　as　iron；　dressed　in　a　rough；
sacklike　brown　garment；　and　wearing　a　turban　bound　with　cords　of
camel's　hair；　strode　softly　down　the　alley；　slipped　in　front　of
Domini；　and　went　up　to　the　woman；　holding　out　something　in　his　scaly
hand。　There　was　a　brief　colloquy。　The　woman　stretched　her　arm　up　the
staircase；　took　the　candle；　held　it　to　the　man's　open　hand；　and　bent
over　counting　the　money　that　lay　in　the　palm。　She　counted　it　twice
deliberately。　Then　she　nodded。　She　got　up；　turned；　holding　the　candle
above　her　square　headdress；　and　went　slowly　up　the　staircase　followed
by　the　Arab；　who　grasped　his　coarse　draperies　and　lifted　them；　showing
his　bare　legs。　The　two　disappeared　without　noise　into　the　darkness；
leaving　the　stairway　deserted；　its　white　steps；　its　white　walls
faintly　lit　by　the　moon。

The　woman　had　not　once　looked　at　the　man；　but　only　at　the　money　in　his
scaly　hand。

Domini　felt　hot　and　rather　sick。　She　wondered　why　she　had　stood　there
watching。　Yet　she　had　not　been　able　to　turn　away。　Now；　as　she　stepped
back　into　the　middle　of　the　alley　and　walked　on　with　the　man　beside
her　she　wondered　what　he　was　thinking　of　her。　She　could　not　talk　to
him　any　more。　She　was　too　conscious　of　the　lighted　stairways；　one
after　one；　succeeding　each　other　to　right　and　left　of　them；　of　the
still　figures；　of　the　watching　eyes　in　which　the　yellow　rays　of　the
candles　gleamed。　Her　companion　did　not　speak；　but　as　they　walked　he
glanced　furtively　from　one　side　to　the　other；　then　stared　down
steadily　on　the　white　road。　When　they　turned　to　the　right　and　came　out
by　the　gardens；　and　Domini　saw　the　great　tufted　heads　of　the　palms
black　against　the　moon；　she　felt　relieved　and　was　able　to　speak　again。

〃I　should　like　you　to　know　that　I　am　quite　a　stranger　to　all　African
things　and　people；〃　she　said。　〃That　is　why　I　am　liable　to　fall　into
mistakes　in　such　a　place　as　this。　Ah；　there　is　the　hotel；　and　my　maid
on　the　verandah。　I　want　to　thank　you　again　for　looking　after　me。〃

They　were　at　a　few　steps　from　the　hotel　door　in　the　road。　The　man
stopped；　and　Domini　stopped　too。

〃Madame；〃　he　said　earnestly；　with　a　sort　of　hardly　controlled
excitement；　〃II　am　glad。　I　was　ashamedI　was　ashamed。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Of　my　conductof　my　awkwardness。　But　you　will　forgive　it。　I　am　not
accustomed　to　the　society　of　ladieslike　you。　Anything　I　have　done　I
have　not　done　out　of　rudeness。　That　is　all　I　can　say。　I　have　not　done
it　out　of　rudeness。〃

He　seemed　to　be　almost　trembling　with　agitation。

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　she　said。　〃Besides；　it　was　nothing。〃

〃Oh；　no；　it　was　abominable。　I　understand　that。　I　am　not　so　coarse…
fibred　as　not　to　understand　that。〃

Domini　suddenly　felt　that　to　take　his　view　of　the　matter；　exaggerated
though　it　was；　would　be　the　kindest　course；　even　the　most　delicate。

〃You　were　rude　to　me；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　shall　forget　it　from　this
moment。〃

She　held　out　her　hand。　He　grasped　it；　and　again　she　felt　as　if　a
furnace　were　pouring　its　fiery　heat　upon　her。

〃Good…night。〃

〃Good…night；　Madame。　Thank　you。〃

She　was　going　away　to　the　hotel　door；　but　she　stopped。

〃My　name　is　Domini　Enfilden；〃　she　said　in　English。

The　man　stood　in　the　road　looking　at　her。　She　waited。　She　expected　him
to　tell　her　his　name。　There　was　a　silence。　At　last　he　said
hesitatingly；　in　English　with　a　very　slight　foreign　accent：

〃My　name　is　BorisBoris　Androvsky。〃

〃Batouch　told　me　you　were　English；〃　she　said。

〃My　mother　was　English；　but　my　father　was　a　Russian　from　Tiflis。　That
is　my　name。〃

There　was　a　sound　in　his　voice　as　if　he　were　insisting　like　a　man
making　an　assertion　not　readily　to　be　believed。

〃Good…night；〃　Domini　said　again。

And　she　went　away　slowly；　leaving　him　standing　on　the　moonlit　road。

He　did　not　remain　there　long；　nor　did　he　follow　her　into　the　hotel。
After　she　had　disappeared　he　stood　for　a　little　while　gazing　up　at　the
deserted　verandah　upon　which　the　moon…rays　fell。　Then　he　turned　and
looked　towards　the　village；　hesitated；　and　finally　walked　slowly　back
towards　the　tiny；　shrouded　alley　in　which　on　the　narrow　staircases　the
painted　girls　sat　watching　in　the　night。



CHAPTER　IX

On　the　following　morning　Batouch　arrived　with　a　handsome　grey　Arab
horse　for　Domini　to　try。　He　had　been　very　penitent　the　night　before；
and　Domini　had　forgiven　easily　enough　his　pre…occupation　with　Suzanne；
who　had　evidently　made　a　strong　impression　upon　his　susceptible
nature。　Hadj　had　been　but　slightly　injured　by　Irena；　but　did　not
appear　at　the　hotel　for　a　very　sufficient　reason。　Both　the　dancer　and
he　were　locked　up　for　the　moment；　till　the　Guardians　of　Justice　in
Beni…Mora　had　made　up　their　minds　who　should　be　held　responsible　for
the　uproar　of　the　previous　night。　That　the　real　culprit　was　the
smiling　poet　was　not　likely　to　occur　to　them；　and　did　not　seem　to
trouble　him。　When　Domini　inquired　after　Hadj　he　showed　majestic
indifference；　and　when　she　hinted　at　his　crafty　share　in　the　causing
of　the　tragedy　he　calmly　replied

〃Hadj…ben…Ibrahim　will　know　from　henceforth　whether　the　Mehari　with
the　swollen　tongue　can　bite。〃

Then；　leaping　upon　the　horse；　whose　bridle　he　was　holding；　he　forced
it　to　rear；　caracole　and　display　its　spirit　and　its　paces　before
Domini；　sitting　it　superbly；　and　shooting　many　sly　glances　at　Suzanne；
who　leaned　over　the　parapet　of　the　verandah　watching；　with　a　rapt
expression　on　her　face。

Domini　admired　the　horse；　but　wished　to　mount　it　herself　before　coming
to　any　conclusion　about　it。　She　had　brought　her　own　saddle　with　her
and　ordered　Batouch　to　put　it　on　the　animal。　Meanwhile　she　went
upstairs　to　change　into　her　habit。　When　she　came　out　again　on　to　the
verandah　Boris　Androvsky　was　there；　standing　bare…headed　in　the　sun
and　looking　down　at　Batouch　and　the　horse。　He　turned　quickly；　greeted
Domini　with　a　deep　bow；　then　examined　her　costume　with　wondering；
startled　eyes。

〃I'm　going　to　try　that　horse；〃　she　said　with　deliberate　friendliness。
〃To　see　if　I'll　buy　him。　Are　you　a　judge　of　a　horse？〃

〃I　fear　not；　Madame。〃

She　had　spoken　in　English　and　he　replied　in　the　same　language。　She　was
standing　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　holding　her　whip　lightly　in　her
right　hand。　Her　splendid　figure　was　defined　by　the　perfectly…fitting；
plain　habit；　and　she　saw　him　look　at　it　with　a　strange　expression　in
his　eyes；　an　admiration　that　was　almost　ferocious；　and　that　was　yet
respectful　and　even　pure。　It　was　like　the　glance　of　a　passionate
schoolboy　verging　on　young　manhood；　whose　natural　instincts　were　astir
but　whose　temperament　was　unwarped　by　vice；　a　glance　that　was　a
burning　tribute；　and　that　told　a　whole　story　of　sex　and　surely　of　hot；
inquiring　ignorancestrange　glances　of　a　man　no　longer　even　very
young。　It　made　something　in　her　leap　and　quiver。　She　was　startled　and
almost　angered　by　that；　but　not　by　the　eyes　that　caused　it。

〃/Au　revoir/；〃　she　said；　turning　to　go　down。

〃May　Imight　I　see　you　get　up？〃　said　Androvsky。

〃Get　up！〃　she　said。

〃Up　on　the　horse？〃

She　could　not　help　smiling　at　his　fashion　of　expressing　the　act　of
mounting。　He　was　not　a　sportsman　evidently；　despite　his　muscular
strength。

〃Certainly；　if　you　like。　Come　along。〃

Without　thinking　of　it　she　spoke　rather　as　to　a　schoolboy；　not　with
superiority；　but　with　the　sort　of　bluffness　age　sometimes　uses　good…
naturedly　to　youth。　He　did　not　seem　to　resent　it　and　followed　her　down
to　the　arcade。

The　side　saddle　was　on　and　the　poet　held　the　grey　by　the　bridle。　Some
Arab　boys　had　assembled　under　the　arcade　to　see　what　was　going
forward。　The　Arab　waiter　lounged　at　the　door　with　the　tassel　of　his
fez　swinging　against　his　pale　cheek。　The　horse　fidgetted　and　tugged
against　the　rein；　lifting　his　delicate　feet　uneasily　from　the　ground；
flicking　his　narrow　quarters　with　his　long　tail；　and　glancing　sideways
with　his　dark　and　brilliant　eyes；　which　were　alive　with　a　nervous
intelligence　that　was　almost　hectic。　Domini　went　up　to　him　and
caressed　him　with　her　hand。　He　reared　up　and　snorted。　His　whole　body
seemed　a…quiver　with　the　desire　to　gallop　furiously　away　alone　into
some　far　distant　place。

Androvsky　stood　near　the　waiter；　looking　at　Domini　and　at　the　horse
with　wonder　and　alarm　in　his　eyes。

The　animal；　irritated　by　inaction；　began　to　plunge　violently　and　to
get　out　of　hand。

〃Give　me　the　reins；〃　Domini　said　to　the　poet。　〃That's　it。　Now　put　your
hand　for　me。〃

Batouch　obeyed。　Her　foot　just　touched　his　hand　and　she　was　in　the
saddle。

Androvsky　sprang　forward　on　to　the　pavement。　His　eyes　were　blazing
with　anxiety。　She　saw　it　and　laughed　gaily。

〃Oh；　he's　not　vicious；〃　she　said。　〃And　vice　is　the　only　thing　that's
dangerous。　His　mouth　is　perfect；　but　he's　nervous　and　wants　handling。
I'll　just　take　him　up　the　gardens　and　back。〃

She　had　been　reining　him　in。　Now　she　let　him　go；　and　galloped　up　the
straight　track　between　the　palms　towards　the　station。　The　priest　had
come　out　into　his　little　garden　with　Bous…Bous；　and　leaned　over　his
brushwood　fence　to　look　after　her。　Bous…Bous　barked　in　a　light
soprano。　The　Arab　boys　jumped　on　their　bare　toes；　and　one　of　them；　who
was　a　bootblack；　waved　his　board　over　his　shaven　head。　The　Arab　waiter
smiled　as　if　with　satisfaction　at　beholding　perfect　competence。　But
Androvsky　stood　quite　still　looking　down　the　dusty　road　at　the
diminishing　forms　of　horse　and　rider；　and　when　they　disappeared；
leaving　behind　them　a　light　cloud　of　sand　films　whirling　in　the　sun；
he　sighed　heavily　and　dropped　his　chin　on　his　chest　as　if　fatigued。

〃I　can　get　a　horse　for　Monsieur　too。　Would　Monsieur　like　to　have　a
horse？〃

It　was　the　poet's　amply　seductive　voice。　Androvsky　started。

〃I　don't　ride；〃　he　said　curtly。

〃I　will　teach　Monsieur。　I　am　the　best　teacher　in　Beni…Mora。　In　three
lessons　Monsieur　will〃

〃I　don't　ride；　I　tell　you。〃

Androvsky　was　looking　angry。　He　stepped　out　into　the　road。　Bous…Bous；
who　was　now　observing