the garden of allah-第66部分

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of　Count　Anteoni's　garden。　Along　the　white　blue　which　was　the　road　the
camels　painfully　advanced；　urged　by　the　cries　and　the　sticks　of　the
running　drivers。　Presently　the　brown　buildings　of　old　Beni…Mora　came
partially　into　sight；　peeping　here　and　there　through　the　flying　sands
and　the　frantic　palm　leaves。　The　desert　was　at　hand。

Ali　began　to　sing；　breathing　his　song　into　the　back　of　Batouch's　hood。

　〃The　love　of　women　is　like　the　holiday　song　that　the　boy　sings　gaily
　　　　In　the　sunny　garden
　　The　love　of　women　is　like　the　little　moon；　the　little　happy　moon
　　　　In　the　last　night　of　Ramadan。
　　The　love　of　women　is　like　the　great　silence　that　steals　at　dusk
　　　　To　kiss　the　scented　blossoms　of　the　orange　tree。
　　Sit　thee　down　beneath　the　orange　tree；　O　loving　man！
　　That　thou　mayst　know　the　kiss　that　tells　the　love　of　women。

　　　　　　　　Janat！　Janat！　Janat！〃

Batouch　stirred　uneasily；　pulled　his　hood　from　his　eyes　and　looked
into　the　storm　gravely。　Then　he　shifted　on　the　camel's　hump　and　said
to　Ali：

〃How　shall　we　get　to　Arba？　The　wind　is　like　all　the　Touaregs　going　to
battle。　And　when　we　leave　the　oasis〃

〃The　wind　is　going　down；　Batouch…ben…Brahim；〃　responded　Ali；　calmly。
〃This　evening　the　Roumis　can　lie　in　the　tents。〃

Batouch's　thick　lips　curled　with　sarcasm。　He　spat　into　the　wind；　blew
his　nose　in　his　burnous；　and　answered：

〃You　are　a　child；　and　can　sing　a　pretty　song；　but〃

Ali　pointed　with　his　delicate　hand　towards　the　south。

〃Do　you　not　see　the　light　in　the　sky？〃

Batouch　stared　before　him；　and　perceived　that　there　was　in　truth　a
lifting　of　the　darkness　beyond；　a　whiteness　growing　where　the　desert
lay。

〃As　we　come　into　the　desert　the　wind　will　fall；〃　said　Ali；　and　again
he　began　to　sing　to　himself：

　　　　　　　〃Janat！　Janat！　Janat！〃

Domini　could　not　see　the　light　in　the　south；　and　no　premonition　warned
her　of　any　coming　abatement　of　the　storm。　Once　more　she　had　begun　to
listen　to　the　roaring　of　the　wind　and　to　wait　for　the　larger　voice　of
the　desert；　for　the　triumphant　clarion　of　the　sands　that　would
announce　to　her　her　entry　with　Androvsky　into　the　life　of　the　wastes。
Again　she　personified　the　Sahara；　but　now　more　vividly　than　ever
before。　In　the　obscurity　she　seemed　to　see　it　far　away；　like　a　great
heroic　figure；　waiting　for　her　and　her　passion；　waiting　in　a　region　of
gold　and　silken　airs　at　the　back　of　the　tempest　to　crown　her　life　with
a　joy　wide　as　its　dreamlike　spaces；　to　teach　her　mind　the　inner　truths
that　lie　beyond　the　crowded　ways　of　men　and　to　open　her　heart　to　the
most　profound　messages　of　Nature。

She　listened；　holding　Androvsky's　hand；　and　she　felt　that　he　was
listening　too；　with　an　intensity　strong　as　her　own；　or　stronger。
Presently　his　hand　closed　upon　hers　more　tightly；　almost　hurting　her
physically。　As　it　did　so　she　glanced　up；　but　not　at　him；　and　noticed
that　the　curtains　of　the　palanquin　were　fluttering　less　fiercely。
Once；　for　an　instant；　they　were　almost　still。　Then　again　they　moved　as
if　tugged　by　invisible　hands；　then　were　almost　still　once　more。　At　the
same　time　the　wind's　voice　sank　in　her　ears　like　a　music　dropping
downward　in　a　hollow　place。　It　rose；　but　swiftly　sank　a　second　time　to
a　softer　hush；　and　she　perceived　in　the　curtained　enclosure　a　faintly
growing　light　which　enabled　her　to　see；　for　the　first　time　since　she
had　left　the　church；　her　husband's　features。　He　was　looking　at　her
with　an　expression　of　anticipation　in　which　there　was　awe；　and　she
realised　that　in　her　expectation　of　the　welcome　of　the　desert　she　had
been　mistaken。　She　had　listened　for　the　sounding　of　a　clarion；　but　she
was　to　be　greeted　by　a　still；　small　voice。　She　understood　the　awe　in
her　husband's　eyes　and　shared　it。　And　she　knew　at　once；　with　a　sudden
thrill　of　rapture；　that　in　the　scheme　of　things　there　are　blessings
and　nobilities　undreamed　of　by　man　and　that　must　always　come　upon　him
with　a　glorious　shock　of　surprise；　showing　him　the　poor　faultiness　of
what　he　had　thought　perhaps　his　most　magnificent　imaginings。　Elisha
sought　for　the　Lord　in　the　fire　and　in　the　whirlwind；　but　in　the
still；　small　voice　onward　came　the　Lord。

Incomparably　more　wonderful　than　what　she　had　waited　for　seemed　to　her
now　this　sudden　falling　of　the　storm；　this　mystical　voice　that　came　to
them　out　of　the　heart　of　the　sands　telling　them　that　they　were　passing
at　last　into　the　arms　of　the　Sahara。　The　wind　sank　rapidly。　The　light
grew　in　the　palanquin。　From　without　the　voices　of　the　camel…drivers
and　of　Batouch　and　Ali　talking　together　reached　their　ears　distinctly。
Yet　they　remained　silent。　It　seemed　as　if　they　feared　by　speech　to
break　the　spell　of　the　calm　that　was　flowing　around　them；　as　if　they
feared　to　interrupt　the　murmur　of　the　desert。　Domini　now　returned　the
gaze　of　her　husband。　She　could　not　take　her　eyes　from　his；　for　she
wished　him　to　read　all　the　joy　that　was　in　her　heart；　she　wished　him
to　penetrate　her　thoughts；　to　understand　her　desires；　to　be　at　one
with　the　woman　who　had　been　born　on　the　eve　of　the　passing　of　the
wind。　With　the　coming　of　this　mystic　calm　was　coming　surely　something
else。　The　silence　was　bringing　with　it　the　fusing　of　two　natures。　The
desert　in　this　moment　was　drawing　together　two　souls　into　a　union
which　Time　and　Death　would　have　no　power　to　destroy。　Presently　the
wind　completely　died　away；　only　a　faint　breeze　fluttered　the　curtains
of　the　palanquin；　and　the　light　that　penetrated　between　them　here　and
there　was　no　longer　white；　but　sparkled　with　a　tiny　dust　of　gold。　Then
Androvsky　moved　to　open　the　curtains；　and　Domini　spoke　for　the　first
time　since　their　marriage。

〃Wait；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。

He　dropped　his　hand　obediently；　and　looked　at　her　with　inquiry　in　his
eyes。

〃Don't　let　us　look　till　we　are　far　out；〃　she　said；　〃far　away　from
Beni…Mora。〃

He　made　no　answer；　but　she　saw　that　he　understood　all　that　was　in　her
heart。　He　leaned　a　little　nearer　to　her　and　stretched　out　his　arm　as
if　to　put　it　round　her。　But　he　did　not　put　it　round　her；　and　she　knew
why。　He　was　husbanding　his　great　joy　as　she　had　husbanded　the　dark
hours　of　the　previous　night　that　to　her　were　golden。　And　that
unfinished　action；　that　impulse　unfulfilled；　showed　her　more　clearly
the　depths　of　his　passion　for　her　even　than　had　the　desperate　clasp　of
his　hands　about　her　knees　in　the　garden。　That　which　he　did　not　do　now
was　the　greatest　assertion　possible　of　all　that　he　would　do　in　the
life　that　was　before　them；　and　made　her　feel　how　entirely　she　belonged
to　him。　Something　within　her　trembled　like　a　poor　child　before　whom　is
suddenly　set　the　prospect　of　a　day　of　perfect　happiness。　She　thought
of　the　ending　of　this　day；　of　the　coming　of　the　evening。　Always　the
darkness　had　parted　them；　at　the　ending　of　this　day　it　would　unite
them。　In　Androvsky's　eyes　she　read　her　thought　of　the　darkness
reflected；　reflected　and　yet　changed；　transmuted　by　sex。　It　was　as　if
at　that　moment　she　read　the　same　story　written　in　two　waysby　a　woman
and　by　a　man；　as　if　she　saw　Eden；　not　only　as　Eve　saw　it；　but　as　Adam。

A　long　time　passed；　but　they　did　not　feel　it　to　be　long。　When　their
camel　halted　they　unclasped　their　hands　slowly　like　sleepers
reluctantly　awaking。

They　heard　Batouch's　voice　outside　the　palanquin。

〃Madame！〃　he　called。　〃Madame！〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Domini；　stifling　a　sigh。

〃Madame　should　draw　the　curtains。　We　are　halfway　to　Arba。　It　is　time
for　/dejeuner/。　I　will　make　the　camel　of　Madame　lie　down。〃

A　loud　〃A…a…ah！〃　rose　up；　followed　by　a　fierce　groaning　from　the
camel；　and　a　lethargic；　yet　violent；　movement　that　threw　them　forward
and　backward。　They　sank。　A　hand　from　without　pulled　back　the　curtains
and　light　streamed　over　them。　They　set　their　feet　in　sand；　stood　up；
and　looked　about　them。

Already　they　were　far　out　in　the　desert；　though　not　yet　beyond　the
limit　of　the　range　of　red　mountains；　which　stretched　forward　upon
their　left　but　at　no　great　distance　beyond　them　ended　in　the　sands。
The　camels　were　lying　down　in　a　faintly　defined　track　which　was
bordered　upon　either　side　by　the　plain　covered　with　little　humps　of
sandy　soil　on　which　grew　dusty　shrub。　Above　them　was　a　sky　of　faint
blue；　heavy　with　banks　of　clouds　towards　the　east；　and　over　their
heads　dressed　in　wispy　veils　of　vaporous　white；　through　which　the　blue
peered　in　sections　that　grew　larger　as　they　looked。　Towards　the　south；
where　Arba　lay　on　a　low　hill　of　earth；　without　grass　or　trees；　beyond
a　mound　covered　thickly　with　tamarisk　bushes；　which　was　a　feeding…
place　for　immense　herds　of　camels；　the　blue　was　clear　and　the　light　of
the　sun　intense。　A　delicate　breeze　travelled　about　them；　stirring　the
bushes　and　the　robes　of　the　Arabs；　who　were　throwing　back　their　hoods；
and　uncovering　their　mouths；　and　smiling　at　them；　but　seriously；　as
Arabs　alone　can　smile。　Beside　them　stood　two　white　and　yellow　guard
dogs；　blinking　and　looking　weary。

For　a　moment　they　stood　still；　blinking　too；　almost　like　the　dogs。　The
change　to　this　immensity　and　light　from　the　narrow　darkness　of　the
palanquin　overwhelmed　their　senses。　They　said　nothing；　but　only　stared
silently。　Then　Domini；　with　a　large　gesture；　stretched　her　arms　above
her　head；　drawing　a　deep　breath　which　ended　in　a　little；　almost
sobbing；　laugh　of　exultation。

〃Out　of　prison；〃　she　said　disconnectedly。　〃Out　of　prisoninto　this！〃
Suddenly　she　turned　upon　Androvsky　and　caught　his　arm；　and　twined　both
of　her　arms　round　it　with　a　strong　confidence　that　was　careless　of
everything　in　the　intensity　of　its　happiness。

〃All　my　life　I've　been　in　prison；〃　she　said。　〃You've　unlocked　the
door！〃　And　then；　as　suddenly　as　she　had　caught　his　arm；　she　let　it　go。
Something　surged　up　in　her；　making　her　almost　afraid；　or；　if　not　that；
confused。　It　was　as　if　her　nature　were　a　horse　taking　the　bit　between
its　teeth　preparatory　to　a　tremendous　gallop。　Whither？　She　did　not
know。　She　was　intoxicated　by　the　growing　light；　the　sharp；　delicious
air；　the　huge　spaces　around　her；　the　solitude　with　this　man　who　held
her　soul　surely　in　his　hands。　She　had　always　connected　him　with　the
desert。　Now　he　was　hers　into　the　desert；　and　the　desert　was　hers　with
him。　But　was　it　possible？　Could　such　a　fate　have　be