the garden of allah-第39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！


back　over　them　their　horses　seemed　to　be　wading　through　a　silent　sea
of　blood。　The　sky　in　the　west　looked　like　an　enormous　conflagration；
in　which　tortured　things　were　struggling　and　lifting　twisted　arms。

Domini's　acquaintance　with　Androvsky　had　not　progressed　as　easily　and
pleasantly　as　her　intercourse　with　Count　Anteoni。　She　recognised　that
he　was　what　is　called　a　〃difficult　man。〃　Now　and　then；　as　if　under　the
prompting　influence　of　some　secret　and　violent　emotion；　he　spoke　with
apparent　naturalness；　spoke　perhaps　out　of　his　heart。　Each　time　he　did
so　she　noticed　that　there　was　something　of　either　doubt　or　amazement
in　what　he　said。　She　gathered　that　he　was　slow　to　rely；　quick　to
mistrust。　She　gathered；　too；　that　very　many　things　surprised　him；　and
felt　sure　that　he　hid　nearly　all　of　them　from　her；　and　wouldhad　not
his　own　will　sometimes　betrayed　himhave　hidden　all。　His　reserve　was
as　intense　as　everything　about　him。　There　was　a　fierceness　in　it　that
revealed　its　existence。　He　always　conveyed　to　her　a　feeling　of
strength；　physical　and　mental。　Yet　he　always　conveyed；　too；　a　feeling
of　uneasiness。　To　a　woman　of　Domini's　temperament　uneasiness　usually
implies　a　public　or　secret　weakness。　In　Androvsky's　she　seemed　to　be
aware　of　passion；　as　if　it　were　one　to　dash　obstacles　aside；　to　break
through　doors　of　iron；　to　rush　out　into　the　open。　And　thenwhat　then？
To　tremble　at　the　world　before　him？　At　what　he　had　done？　She　did　not
know。　But　she　did　know　that　even　in　his　uneasiness　there　seemed　to　be
fibre；　muscle；　sinew；　nerveall　which　goes　to　make　strength；
swiftness。

Speech　was　singularly　difficult　to　him。　Silence　seemed　to　be　natural；
not　irksome。　After　a　few　words　he　fell　into　it　and　remained　in　it。　And
he　was　less　self…conscious　in　silence　than　in　speech。　He　seemed；　she
fancied；　to　feel　himself　safer；　more　a　man　when　he　was　not　speaking。
To　him　the　use　of　words　was　surely　like　a　yielding。

He　had　a　peculiar　faculty　of　making　his　presence　felt　when　he　was
silent；　as　if　directly　he　ceased　from　speaking　the　flame　in　him　was
fanned　and　leaped　up　at　the　outside　world　beyond　its　bars。

She　did　not　know　whether　he　was　a　gentleman　or　not。

If　anyone　had　asked　her；　before　she　came　to　Beni…Mora；　whether　it
would　be　possible　for　her　to　take　four　solitary　rides　with　a　man；　to
meet　himif　only　for　a　few　minutesevery　day　of　ten　days；　to　sit
opposite　to　him；　and　not　far　from　him；　at　meals　during　the　same　space
of　time；　and　to　be　unable　to　say　to　herself　whether　he　was　or　was　not
a　gentleman　by　birth　and　educationfeeling　set　asideshe　would　have
answered　without　hesitation　that　it　would　be　utterly　impossible。　Yet
so　it　was。　She　could　not　decide。　She　could　not　place　him。　She　could
not　imagine　what　his　parentage；　what　his　youth；　his　manhood　had　been。
She　could　not　fancy　him　in　any　environmentsave　that　golden　light；
that　blue　radiance；　in　which　she　had　first　consciously　and　fully　met
him　face　to　face。　She　could　not　hear　him　in　converse　with　any　set　of
men　or　women；　or　invent；　in　her　mind；　what　he　might　be　likely　to　say
to　them。　She　could　not　conceive　him　bound　by　any　ties　of　home；　or
family；　mother；　sister；　wife；　child。　When　she　looked　at　him；　thought
about　him；　he　presented　himself　to　her　alone；　like　a　thing　in　the　air。

Yet　he　was　more　male　than　other　men；　breathed　humanityof　some　kind
as　fire　breathes　heat。

The　child　there　was　in　him　almost　confused　her；　made　her　wonder
whether　long　contact　with　the　world　had　tarnished　her　own　original
simplicity。　But　she　only　saw　the　child　in　him　now　and　then；　and　she
fancied　that　it；　too；　he　was　anxious　to　conceal。

This　man　had　certainly　a　power　to　rouse　feeling　in　others。　She　knew　it
by　her　own　experience。　By　turns　he　had　made　her　feel　motherly；
protecting；　curious；　constrained；　passionate；　energetic；　timidyes；
almost　timid　and　shy。　No　other　human　being　had　ever；　even　at　moments；
thus　got　the　better　of　her　natural　audacity；　lack　of　self…
consciousness；　and　inherent；　almost　boyish；　boldness。　Nor　was　she
aware　what　it　was　in　him　which　sometimes　made　her　uncertain　of
herself。

She　wondered。　But　he　often　woke　up　wonder　in　her。

Despite　their　rides；　their　moments　of　intercourse　in　the　hotel；　on　the
verandah；　she　scarcely　felt　more　intimate　with　him　than　she　had　at
first。　Sometimes　indeed　she　thought　that　she　felt　less　so；　that　the
moment　when　the　train　ran　out　of　the　tunnel　into　the　blue　country　was
the　moment　in　which　they　had　been　nearest　to　each　other　since　they
trod　the　verges　of　each　other's　lives。

She　had　never　definitely　said　to　herself：　〃Do　I　like　him　or　dislike
him？〃

Now；　as　she　sat　with　Count　Anteoni　watching　the　noon；　the　half…drowsy；
half…imaginative　expression　had　gone　out　of　her　face。　She　looked
rather　rigid；　rather　formidable。

Androvsky　and　Count　Anteoni　had　never　met。　The　Count　had　seen
Androvsky　in　the　distance　from　his　garden　more　than　once；　but
Androvsky　had　not　seen　him。　The　meeting　that　was　about　to　take　place
was　due　to　Domini。　She　had　spoken　to　Androvsky　on　several　occasions　of
the　romantic　beauty　of　this　desert　garden。

〃It　is　like　a　garden　of　the　/Arabian　Nights/；〃　she　had　said。

He　did　not　look　enlightened；　and　she　was　moved　to　ask　him　abruptly
whether　he　had　ever　read　the　famous　book。　He　had　not。　A　doubt　came　to
her　whether　he　had　ever　even　heard　of　it。　She　mentioned　the　fact　of
Count　Anteoni's　having　made　the　garden；　and　spoke　of　him；　sketching
lightly　his　whimsicality；　his　affection　for　the　Arabs；　his　love　of
solitude；　and　of　African　life。　She　also　mentioned　that　he　was　by　birth
a　Roman。

〃But　scarcely　of　the　black　world　I　should　imagine；〃　she　added。

Androvsky　said　nothing。

〃You　should　go　and　see　the　garden；〃　she　continued。　〃Count　Anteoni
allows　visitors　to　explore　it。〃

〃I　am　sure　it　must　be　very　beautiful；　Madame；〃　he　replied；　rather
coldly；　she　thought。

He　did　not　say　that　he　would　go。

As　the　garden　won　upon　her；　as　its　enchanted　mystery；　the　airy　wonder
of　its　shadowy　places；　the　glory　of　its　trembling　golden　vistas；　the
restfulness　of　its　green　defiles；　the　strange；　almost　unearthly　peace
that　reigned　within　it　embalmed　her　spirit；　as　she　learned　not　only　to
marvel　at　it；　to　be　entranced　by　it；　but　to　feel　at　home　in　it　and
love　it；　she　was　conscious　of　a　persistent　desire　that　Androvsky
should　know　it　too。

Perhaps　his　dogged　determination　about　the　riding　had　touched　her　more
than　she　was　aware。　She　often　saw　before　her　the　bent　figure；　that
looked　tired；　riding　alone　into　the　luminous　grey；　starting　thus　early
that　his　act；　humble　and　determined；　might　not　be　known　by　her。　He　did
not　know　that　she　had　seen　him；　not　only　on　that　morning；　but　on　many
subsequent　mornings；　setting　forth　to　study　the　new　art　in　the
solitude　of　the　still　hours。　But　the　fact　that　she　had　seen；　had
watched　till　horse　and　rider　vanished　beyond　the　palms；　had　understood
why；　perhaps　moved　her　to　this　permanent　wish　that　he　could　share　her
pleasure　in　the　garden；　know　it　as　she　did。

She　did　not　argue　with　herself　about　the　matter。　She　only　knew　that
she　wished；　that　presently　she　meant　Androvsky　to　pass　through　the
white　gate　and　be　met　on　the　sand　by　Smain　with　his　rose。

One　day　Count　Anteoni　had　asked　her　whether　she　had　made　acquaintance
with　the　man　who　had　fled　from　prayer。

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　it。〃

〃How？〃

〃We　have　ridden　to　Sidi…Zerzour。〃

〃I　am　not　always　by　the　wall。〃

〃No；　but　I　think　you　were　that　day。〃

〃Why　do　you　think　so？〃

〃I　am　sure　you　were。〃

He　did　not　either　acknowledge　or　deny　it。

〃He　has　never　been　to　see　my　garden；〃　he　said。

〃No。〃

〃He　ought　to　come。〃

〃I　have　told　him　so。〃

〃Ah？　Is　he　coming？〃

〃I　don't　think　so。〃

〃Persuade　him　to。　I　have　a　pride　in　my　gardenoh；　you　have　no　idea
what　a　pride！　Any　neglect　of　it；　any　indifference　about　it　rasps　me；
plays　upon　the　raw　nerve　each　one　of　us　possesses。〃

He　spoke　smilingly。　She　did　not　know　what　he　was　feeling；　whether　the
remote　thinker　or　the　imp　within　him　was　at　work　or　play。

〃I　doubt　if　he　is　a　man　to　be　easily　persuaded；〃　she　said。

〃Perhaps　notpersuade　him。〃

After　a　moment　Domini　said：

〃I　wonder　whether　you　recognise　that　there　are　obstacles　which　the
human　will　can't　negotiate？〃

〃I　could　scarcely　live　where　I　do　without　recognising　that　the　grains
of　sand　are　often　driven　by　the　wind。　But　when　there　is　no　wind！〃

〃They　lie　still？〃

〃And　are　the　desert。　I　want　to　have　a　strange　experience。〃

〃What？〃

〃A　/fete/　in　my　garden。〃

〃A　fantasia？〃

〃Something　far　more　banal。　A　lunch　party；　a　/dejeuner/。　Will　you
honour　me？〃

〃By　breakfasting　with　you？　Yes；　of　course。　Thank　you。〃

〃And　will　you　bringthe　second　sun　worshipper？〃

She　looked　into　the　Count's　small；　shining　eyes。

〃Monsieur　Androvsky？〃

〃If　that　is　his　name。　I　can　send　him　an　invitation；　of　course。　But
that's　rather　formal；　and　I　don't　think　he　is　formal。〃

〃On　what　day　do　you　ask　us？〃

〃Any　dayFriday。〃

〃And　why　do　you　ask　us？〃

〃I　wish　to　overcome　this　indifference　to　my　garden。　It　hurts　me；　not
only　in　my　pride；　but　in　my　affections。〃

The　whole　thing　had　been　like　a　sort　of　serious　game。　Domini　had　not
said　that　she　would　convey　the　odd　invitation；　but　when　she　was　alone；
and　thought　of　the　way　in　which　Count　Anteoni　had　said　〃Persuade　him；〃
she　knew　she　would；　and　she　meant　Androvsky　to　accept　it。　This　was　an
opportunity　of　seeing　him　in　company　with　another　man；　a　man　of　the
world；　who　had　read；　travelled；　thought；　and　doubtless　lived。

She　asked　him　that　evening；　and　saw　the　red；　that　came　as　it　comes　in
a　boy's　face；　mount　to　his　forehead。

〃Everybody　who　comes　to　Beni…Mora　comes　to　see　the　garden；〃　she　said
before　he　could　reply。　〃Count　Anteoni　is　half　angry　with　you　for　being
an　exception。〃

〃Butbut；　Madame；　how　can　Monsieur　the　Count　know　that　I　am　here？　I
have　not　seen　him。〃

〃He　knows　there　is　a　second　traveller；　and　he's　a　hospitable　man。
Monsieur　Androvsky；　I　want　you　to　come；　I　want　you　to　see　the　garden。〃

〃It　is　very　kind　of　you；　Madame。〃

The　reluctance　in　his　voice　was　extreme。　Yet　he　did　not　like　to　say
no。　While　he　hesitated；　Domini　continued：

〃You　remember　when　I　asked　you　to　ride？〃

〃Yes；　Madame。〃