the garden of allah-第49部分

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mysteriously　white；　below。　It　was　deserted。　She　leaned　down。

〃Batouch！〃　she　called　softly。　〃Batouch！〃

He　might　be　hidden　under　the　arcade；　sleeping　in　his　burnous。

〃Batouch！　Batouch！〃

No　answer　came。　She　stood　by　the　parapet；　waiting　and　looking　down　the
road。

All　the　stars　had　faded；　yet　there　was　no　suggestion　of　the　sun。　She
faced　an　unrelenting　austerity。　For　a　moment　she　thought　of　this
atmosphere；　this　dense　stillness；　this　gravity　of　vague　and　shadowy
trees；　as　the　environment　of　those　who　had　erred；　of　the　lost　spirits
of　men　who　had　died　in　mortal　sin。

Almost　she　expected　to　see　the　desperate　shade　of　her　dead　father　pass
between　the　black　stems　of　the　palm　trees；　vanish　into　the　grey　mantle
that　wrapped　the　hidden　world。

〃Batouch！　Batouch！〃

He　was　not　there。　That　was　certain。　She　resolved　to　set　out　alone　and
went　back　into　her　bedroom　to　get　her　revolver。　When　she　came　out
again　with　it　in　her　hand　Androvsky　was　standing　on　the　verandah　just
outside　her　window。　He　took　off　his　hat　and　looked　from　her　face　to
the　revolver。　She　was　startled　by　his　appearance；　for　she　had　not
heard　his　step；　and　had　been　companioned　by　a　sense　of　irreparable
solitude。　This　was　the　first　time　she　had　seen　him　since　he　vanished
from　the　garden　on　the　previous　day。

〃You　are　going　out；　Madame？〃　he　said。

〃Yes。〃

〃Not　alone？〃

〃I　believe　so。　Unless　I　find　Batouch　below。〃

She　slipped　the　revolver　into　the　pocket　of　the　loose　coat　she　wore。

〃But　it　is　dark。〃

〃It　will　be　day　very　soon。　Look！〃

She　pointed　towards　the　east；　where　a　light；　delicate　and　mysterious
as　the　distant　lights　in　the　opal；　was　gently　pushing　in　the　sky。

〃You　ought　not　to　go　alone。〃

〃Unless　Batouch　is　there　I　must。　I　have　given　a　promise　and　I　must
keep　it。　There　is　no　danger。〃

He　hesitated；　looking　at　her　with　an　anxious；　almost　a　suspicious；
expression。

〃Good…bye；　Monsieur　Androvsky。〃

She　went　towards　the　staircase。　He　followed　her　quickly　to　the　head　of
it。

〃Don't　trouble　to　come　down　with　me。〃

〃Ifif　Batouch　is　not　theremight　not　I　guard　you；　Madame？〃　She
remembered　the　Count's　words　and　answered：

〃Let　me　tell　you　where　I　am　going。　I　am　going　to　say　good…bye　to　Count
Anteoni　before　he　starts　for　his　desert　journey。〃

Androvsky　stood　there　without　a　word。

〃Now；　do　you　care　to　come　if　I　don't　find　Batouch？　Mind；　I'm　not　the
least　afraid。〃

〃Perhaps　he　is　thereif　you　told　him。〃　He　muttered　the　words。　His
whole　manner　had　changed。　Now　he　looked　more　than　suspiciouscloudy
and　fierce。

〃Possibly。〃

She　began　to　descend　the　stairs。　He　did　not　follow　her；　but　stood
looking　after　her。　When　she　reached　the　arcade　it　was　deserted。
Batouch　had　forgotten　or　had　overslept　himself。　She　could　have　walked
on　under　the　roof　that　was　the　floor　of　the　verandah；　but　instead　she
stepped　out　into　the　road。　Androvsky　was　above　her　by　the　parapet。　She
glanced　up　and　said：

〃He　is　not　here；　but　it　is　of　no　consequence。　Dawn　is　breaking。　/Au
revoir/！〃

Slowly　he　took　off　his　hat。　As　she　went　away　down　the　road　he　was
holding　it　in　his　hand；　looking　after　her。

〃He　does　not　like　the　Count；〃　she　thought。

At　the　corner　she　turned　into　the　street　where　the　sand…diviner　had
his　bazaar；　and　as　she　neared　his　door　she　was　aware　of　a　certain
trepidation。　She　did　not　want　to　see　those　piercing　eyes　looking　at
her　in　the　semi…darkness；　and　she　hurried　her　steps。　But　her　anxiety
was　needless。　All　the　doors　were　shut；　all　the　inhabitants　doubtless
wrapped　in　sleep。　Yet；　when　she　had　gained　the　end　of　the　street；　she
looked　back；　half　expecting　to　see　an　apparition　of　a　thin　figure；　a
tortured　face；　to　hear　a　voice；　like　a　goblin's　voice；　calling　after
her。　Midway　down　the　street　there　was　a　man　coming　slowly　behind　her。
For　a　moment　she　thought　it　was　the　Diviner　in　pursuit；　but　something
in　the　gait　soon　showed　her　her　mistake。　There　was　a　heaviness　in　the
movement　of　this　man　quite　unlike　the　lithe　and　serpentine　agility　of
Aloui。　Although　she　could　not　see　the　face；　or　even　distinguish　the
costume　in　the　morning　twilight；　she　knew　it　for　Androvsky。　From　a
distance　he　was　watching　over　her。　She　did　not　hesitate；　but　walked　on
quickly　again。　She　did　not　wish　him　to　know　that　she　had　seen　him。
When　she　came　to　the　long　road　that　skirted　the　desert　she　met　the
breeze　of　dawn　that　blows　out　of　the　east　across　the　flats；　and　drank
in　its　celestial　purity。　Between　the　palms；　far　away　towards　Sidi…
Zerzour；　above　the　long　indigo　line　of　the　Sahara；　there　rose　a　curve
of　deep　red　gold。　The　sun　was　coming　up　to　take　possession　of　his
waiting　world。　She　longed　to　ride　out　to　meet　him；　to　give　him　a
passionate　welcome　in　the　sand；　and　the　opening　words　of　the　Egyptian
〃Adoration　of　the　Sun　by　the　Perfect　Souls〃　came　to　her　lips：

〃Hommage　a　Toi。　Dieu　Soleil。　Seigneur　du　Ciel；　Roi　sur　la　Terre！　Lion
du　Soir！　Grande　Ame　divine；　vivante　a　toujours。〃

Why　had　she　not　ordered　her　horse　to　ride　a　little　way　with　Count
Anteoni？　She　might　have　pretended　that　she　was　starting　on　her　great
journey。

The　red　gold　curve　became　a　semi…circle　of　burnished　glory　resting
upon　the　deep　blue；　then　a　full　circle　that　detached　itself
majestically　and　mounted　calmly　up　the　cloudless　sky。　A　stream　of
light　poured　into　the　oasis；　and　Domini；　who　had　paused　for　a　moment
in　silent　worship；　went　on　swiftly　through　the　negro　village　which　was
all　astir；　and　down　the　track　to　the　white　villa。

She　did　not　glance　round　again　to　see　whether　Androvsky　was　still
following　her；　for；　since　the　sun　had　come；　she　had　the　confident
sensation　that　he　was　no　longer　near。

He　had　surely　given　her　into　the　guardianship　of　the　sun。

The　door　of　the　garden　stood　wide　open；　and；　as　she　entered；　she　saw
three　magnificent　horses　prancing　upon　the　sweep　of　sand　in　the　midst
of　a　little　group　of　Arabs。　Smain　greeted　her　with　graceful　warmth　and
begged　her　to　follow　him　to　the　/fumoir/；　where　the　Count　was　waiting
for　her。

〃It　is　good　of　you！〃　the　Count　said；　meeting　her　in　the　doorway。　〃I
relied　on　you；　you　see！〃

Breakfast　for　two　was　scattered　upon　the　little　smoking…tables；
coffee；　eggs；　rolls；　fruit；　sweetmeats。　And　everywhere　sprigs　of
orange　blossom　filled　the　cool　air　with　delicate　sweetness。

〃How　delicious！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃A　breakfast　here！　Butno；　not
there！〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃That　is　exactly　where　he　was。〃

〃Aloui！　How　superstitious　you　are！〃

He　moved　her　table。　She　sat　down　near　the　doorway　and　poured　out
coffee　for　them　both。

〃You　look　workmanlike。〃

She　glanced　at　his　riding…dress　and　long　whip。　Smoked　glasses　hung
across　his　chest　by　a　thin　cord。

〃I　shall　have　some　hard　riding；　but　I'm　tough；　though　you　may　not
think　it。　I've　covered　many　a　league　of　my　friend　in　bygone　years。〃

He　tapped　an　eggshell　smartly；　and　began　to　eat　with　appetite。

〃How　gravely　gay　you　are！〃　she　said；　lifting　the　steaming　coffee　to
her　lips。　He　smiled。

〃Yes。　To…day　I　am　happy；　as　a　pious　man　is　happy　when　after　a　long
illness；　he　goes　once　more　to　church。〃

〃The　desert　seems　to　be　everything　to　you。〃

〃I　feel　that　I　am　going　out　to　freedom；　to　more　than　freedom。〃　He
stretched　out　his　arms　above　his　head。

〃Yet　you　have　stayed　always　in　this　garden　all　these　days。〃

〃I　was　waiting　for　my　summons；　as　you　will　wait　for　yours。〃

〃What　summons　could　I　have？〃

〃It　will　come！〃　he　said　with　conviction。　〃It　will　come！〃　She　was
silent；　thinking　of　the　diviner's　vision　in　the　sand；　of　the　caravan
of　camels　disappearing　in　the　storm　towards　the　south。　Presently　she
asked　him：

〃Are　you　ever　coming　back？〃

He　looked　at　her　in　surprise；　then　laughed。

〃Of　course。　What　are　you　thinking？〃

〃That　perhaps　you　will　not　come　back；　that　perhaps　the　desert　will
keep　you。〃

〃And　my　garden？〃

She　looked　out　across　the　tiny　sand…path　and　the　running　rill　of　water
to　the　great　trees　stirred　by　the　cool　breeze　of　dawn。

〃It　would　miss　you。〃

After　a　moment；　during　which　his　bright　eyes　followed　hers；　he　said：

〃Do　you　know；　I　have　a　great　belief　in　the　intuitions　of　good　women？〃

〃Yes？〃

〃An　almost　fanatical　belief。　Will　you　answer　me　a　question　at　once；
without　consideration；　without　any　time　for　thought？〃

〃If　you　ask　me　to。〃

〃I　do　ask　you。〃

〃Then？〃

〃Do　you　see　me　in　this　garden　any　more？〃

A　voice　answered：

〃No。〃

It　was　her　own；　yet　it　seemed　another's　voice；　with　which　she　had
nothing　to　do。

A　great　feeling　of　sorrow　swept　over　her　as　she　heard　it。

〃Do　come　back！〃　she　said。

The　Count　had　got　up。　The　brightness　of　his　eyes　was　obscured。

〃If　not　here；　we　shall　meet　again；〃　he　said　slowly。

〃Where？〃

〃In　the　desert。〃

〃Did　the　Diviner？　No；　don't　tell　me。〃

She　got　up　too。

〃It　is　time　for　you　to　start？〃

〃Nearly。〃

A　sort　of　constraint　had　settled　over　them。　She　felt　it　painfully　for
a　moment。　Did　it　proceed　from　something　in　his　mind　or　in　hers？　She
could　not　tell。　They　walked　slowly　down　one　of　the　little　paths　and
presently　found　themselves　before　the　room　in　which　sat　the　purple
dog。

〃If　I　am　never　to　come　back　I　must　say　good…bye　to　him；〃　the　Count
said。

〃But　you　will　come　back。〃

〃That　voice　said　'No。'〃

〃It　was　a　lying　voice。〃

〃Perhaps。〃

They　looked　in　at　the　window　and　met　the　ferocious　eyes　of　the　dog。

〃And　if　I　never　come　back　will　he　bay　the　moon　for　his　old　master？〃
said　the　Count　with　a　whimsical；　yet　sad；　smile。　〃I　put　him　here。　And
will　these　trees；　many　of　which　I　planted；　whisper　a　regret？　Absurd；
isn't　it；　Miss　Enfilden？　I　never　can　feel　that　the　growing　things　in
my　garden　do　not　know　me　as　I　know　them。〃

〃Someone　will　regret　you　if〃

〃Will　you？　Will　you　really？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　believe　it。〃

He　looked　at　her。　She　could　see；　by　the　expression　of　his　eyes；　that
he　was　on　the　point　of　saying　something；　but　was　held　back　by　some
fighting　sensation；　perhaps　by　some　reserve。

〃What　is　it？〃

〃May　I　speak　frankly　to　you　without　offence？〃　he　asked。　〃I　am　really
rather　old；　you　know。〃

〃Do　speak。〃

〃That　guest　of　mine　yesterday〃

〃Monsieur　Androvsky？〃

〃Yes。　He　interested　me　enormously；　profoundly。〃

〃Really！　Yet　he　was　at　his　worst　yesterday。〃

〃Perhaps　that　was　why