the garden of allah-第73部分

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that　suggests　tragedy；　islets　that　looked　desolate；　and　as　if　no　life
had　ever　been　upon　them；　or　could　be。　Back　from　the　snowy　plains
stretched　sand　dunes　of　the　palest　primrose　colour；　sand　dunes
innumerable；　myriads　and　myriads　of　them；　rising　and　falling；　rising
and　falling；　till　they　were　lost　in　the　grey　distance　of　this　silent
world。　In　the　foreground；　at　their　horses'　feet；　wound　from　the　hill
summit　a　broad　track　faintly　marked　in　the　deep　sand；　and　flanked　by
huge　dunes　shaped；　by　the　action　of　the　winds；　into　grotesque
semblances　of　monsters；　leviathans；　beasts　with　prodigious　humps；
sphinxes；　whales。　This　track　was　presently　lost　in　the　blanched
plains。　Far　away；　immeasurably　far；　sea　and　snow　blended　and　faded
into　the　cloudy　grey。　Above　the　near　dunes　two　desert　eagles　were
slowly　wheeling　in　a　weary　flight；　occasionally　sinking　towards　the
sand；　then　rising　again　towards　the　clouds。　And　the　track　was　strewn
with　the　bleached　bones　of　camels　that　had　perished；　or　that　had　been
slaughtered；　on　some　long　desert　march。

To　the　left　of　them　the　solitary　tower　commanded　this　terrific　vision
of　desolation；　seemed　to　watch　it　steadily；　yet　furtively；　with　its
tiny　loophole　eyes。

〃We　have　come　into　winter；〃　Domini　murmured。

She　looked　at　the　white　of　the　camels'　bones；　of　the　plains；　at　the
grey　white　of　the　sky；　at　the　yellow　pallor　of　the　dunes。

〃How　wonderful！　How　terrible！〃　she　said。

She　drew　her　horse　to　one　side；　a　little　nearer　to　Androvsky's。

〃Does　the　Russian　in　you　greet　this　land？〃　she　asked　him。

He　did　not　reply。　He　seemed　to　be　held　in　thrall　by　the　sad　immensity
before　them。

〃I　realise　here　what　it　must　be　to　die　in　the　desert；　to　be　killed　by
itby　hunger；　by　thirst　in　it；〃　she　said　presently；　speaking；　as　if
to　herself；　and　looking　out　over　the　mirage　sea；　the　mirage　snow。
〃This　is　the　first　time　I　have　really　felt　the　terror　of　the　desert。〃

Her　horse　drooped　its　head　till　its　nose　nearly　touched　the　earth；　and
shook　itself　in　a　long　shiver。　She　shivered　too；　as　if　constrained　to
echo　an　animal's　distress。

〃Things　have　died　here；〃　Androvsky　said；　speaking　at　last　in　a　low
voice　and　pointing　with　his　long…lashed　whip　towards　the　camels'
skeletons。　〃Come；　Domini；　the　horses　are　tired。〃

He　cast　another　glance　at　the　tower；　and　they　dismounted　by　their
tent；　which　was　pitched　at　the　very　edge　of　the　steep　slope　that　sank
down　to　the　beast…like　shapes　of　the　near　dunes。

An　hour　later　Domini　said　to　Androvsky：

〃You　won't　go　after　gazelle　this　evening　surely？〃

They　had　been　having　coffee　in　the　tent　and　had　just　finished。
Androvsky　got　up　from　his　chair　and　went　to　the　tent　door。　The　grey　of
the　sky　was　pierced　by　a　gleaming　shaft　from　the　sun。

〃Do　you　mind　if　I　go？〃　he　said；　turning　towards　her　after　a　glance　to
the　desert。

〃No；　but　aren't　you　tired？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃I　couldn't　ride；　and　now　I　can　ride。　I　couldn't　shoot；　and　I'm　just
beginning〃

〃Go；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃Besides；　we　want　gazelle　for　dinner；　Batouch
says；　though　I　don't　suppose　we　should　starve　without　it。〃　She　came　to
the　tent　door　and　stood　beside　him；　and　he　put　his　arm　around　her。

〃If　I　were　alone　here；　Boris；〃　she　said；　leaning　against　his　shoulder；
〃I　believe　I　should　feel　horribly　sad　to…day。〃

〃Shall　I　stay？〃

He　pressed　her　against　him。

〃No。　I　shall　know　you　are　coming　back。　Oh；　how　extraordinary　it　is　to
think　we　lived　so　many　years　without　knowing　of　each　other's
existence；　that　we　lived　alone。　Were　you　ever　happy？〃

He　hesitated　before　he　replied。

〃I　sometimes　thought　I　was。〃

〃But　do　you　think　now　you　ever　really　were？〃

〃I　don't　knowperhaps　in　a　lonely　sort　of　way。〃

〃You　can　never　be　happy　in　that　way　now？〃

He　said　nothing；　but；　after　a　moment；　he　kissed　her　long　and　hard；　and
as　if　he　wanted　to　draw　her　being　into　his　through　the　door　of　his
lips。

〃Good…bye；〃　he　said；　releasing　her。　〃I　shall　be　back　directly　after
sundown。〃

〃Yes。　Don't　wait　for　the　dark　down　there。　If　you　were　lost　in　the
dunes！〃

She　pointed　to　the　distant　sand　hills　rising　and　falling　monotonously
to　the　horizon。

〃If　you　are　not　back　in　good　time；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　stand　by　the
tower　and　wave　a　brand　from　the　fire。〃

〃Why　by　the　tower？〃

〃The　ground　is　highest　by　the　tower。〃

She　watched　him　ride　away　on　a　mule；　with　two　Arabs　carrying　guns。
They　went　towards　the　plains　of　saltpetre　that　looked　like　snow　beside
the　sea　that　was　only　a　mirage。　Then　she　turned　back　into　the　tent；
took　up　a　volume　of　Fromentin's；　and　sat　down　in　a　folding…chair　at
the　tent　door。　She　read　a　little；　but　it　was　difficult　to　read　with
the　mirage　beneath　her。　Perpetually　her　eyes　were　attracted　from　the
book　to　its　mystery　and　plaintive　sadness；　that　was　like　the　sadness
of　something　unearthly；　of　a　spirit　that　did　not　move　but　that
suffered。　She　did　not　put　away　the　book；　but　presently　she　laid　it
down　on　her　knees；　open；　and　sat　gazing。　Androvsky　had　disappeared
with　the　Arabs　into　some　fold　of　the　sands。　The　sun…ray　had　vanished
with　him。　Without　Androvsky　and　the　sunshe　still　connected　them
together；　and　knew　she　would　for　ever。

The　melancholy　of　this　desert　scene　was　increased　for　her　till　it
became　oppressive　and　lay　upon　her　like　a　heavy　weight。　She　was　not　a
woman　inclined　to　any　morbid　imaginings。　Indeed；　all　that　was　morbid
roused　in　her　an　instinctive　disgust。　But　the　sudden　greyness　of　the
weather；　coming　after　weeks　of　ardent　sunshine；　and　combined　with　the
fantastic　desolation　of　the　landscape；　which　was　half　real　and　half
unreal；　turned　her　for　the　moment　towards　a　dreariness　of　spirit　that
was　rare　in　her。

She　realised　suddenly；　as　she　looked　and　did　not　see　Androvsky　even　as
a　black　and　moving　speck　upon　the　plain；　what　the　desert　would　seem　to
her　without　him；　even　in　sunshine；　the　awfulness　of　the　desolation　of
it；　the　horror　of　its　distances。　And　realising　this　she　also　realised
the　uncertainty　of　the　human　life　in　connection　with　any　other　human
life。　To　be　dependent　on　another　is　to　double　the　sum　of　the　terrors
of　uncertainty。　She　had　done　that。

If　the　immeasurable　sands　took　Androvsky　and　never　gave　him　back　to
her！　What　would　she　do？

She　gazed　at　the　mirage　sea　with　its　dim　red　islands；　and　at　the　sad
white　plains　along　its　edge。

Wintershe　would　be　plunged　in　eternal　winter。　And　each　human　life
hangs　on　a　thread。　All　deep　love；　all　consuming　passion；　holds　a　great
fear　within　the　circle　of　a　great　glory。　To…day　the　fear　within　the
circle　of　her　glory　seemed　to　grow。　But　she　suddenly　realised　that　she
ought　to　dominate　it；　to　confine　itas　it　wereto　its　original　and
permanent　proportions。

She　got　up；　came　out　upon　the　edge　of　the　hill；　and　walked　along　it
slowly　towards　the　tower。

Outside；　freed　from　the　shadow　of　the　tent；　she　felt　less　oppressed；
though　still　melancholy；　and　even　slightly　apprehensive；　as　if　some
trouble　were　coming　to　her　and　were　near　at　hand。　Mentally　she　had
made　the　tower　the　limit　of　her　walk；　and　therefore　when　she　reached
it　she　stood　still。

It　was　a　squat；　square　tower；　strongly　constructed；　with　loopholes　in
the　four　sides；　and　now　that　she　was　by　it　she　saw　built　out　at　the
back　of　it　a　low　house　with　small　shuttered　windows　and　a　narrow
courtyard　for　mules。　No　doubt　Androvsky　was　right　and　French　soldiers
had　once　been　here　to　work　the　optic　telegraph。　She　thought　of　the
recruits　and　of　Marseilles；　of　Notre　Dame　de　la　Garde；　the　Mother　of
God；　looking　towards　Africa。　Such　recruits　came　to　live　in　such
strange　houses　as　this　tower　lost　in　the　desert　and　now　abandoned。　She
glanced　at　the　shuttered　windows　and　turned　back　towards　the　tent；　but
something　in　the　situation　of　the　towerperhaps　the　fact　that　it　was
set　on　the　highest　point　of　the　groundattracted　her；　and　she
presently　made　Batouch　bring　her　out　some　rugs　and　ensconced　herself
under　its　shadow；　facing　the　mirage　sea。

How　long　she　sat　there　she　did　not　know。　Mirage　hypnotises　the
imaginative　and　suggests　to　them　dreams　strange　and　ethereal；　sad
sometimes；　as　itself。　How　long　she　might　have　sat　there　dreaming；　but
for　an　interruption；　she　knew　still　less。　It　was　towards　evening；
however；　but　before　evening　had　fallen；　that　a　weary　and　travel…
stained　party　of　three　French　soldiers；　Zouaves；　and　an　officer　rode
slowly　up　the　sandy　track　from　the　dunes。　They　were　mounted　on　mules；
and　carried　their　small　baggage　with　them　on　two　led　mules。　When　they
reached　the　top　of　the　hill　they　turned　to　the　right　and　came　towards
the　tower。　The　officer　was　a　little　in　advance　of　his　men。　He　was　a
smart…looking；　fair　man　of　perhaps　thirty…two；　with　blonde　moustaches；
blue　eyes　with　blonde　lashes；　and　hair　very　much　the　colour　of　the
sand　dunes。　His　face　was　bright　red；　burnt；　as　a　fair　delicate　skin
burns；　by　the　sun。　His　eyes；　although　protected　by　large　sun
spectacles；　were　inflamed。　The　skin　was　peeling　from　his　nose。　His
hair　was　full　of　sand；　and　he　rode　leaning　forward　over　his　animal's
neck；　holding　the　reins　loosely　in　his　hands；　that　seemed　nerveless
from　fatigue。　Yet　he　looked　smart　and　well…bred　despite　his　evident
exhaustion；　as　if　on　parade　he　would　be　a　dashing　officer。　It　was
evident　that　both　he　and　his　men　were　riding　in　from　some　tremendous
journey。　The　latter　looked　dog…tired；　scarcely　human　in　their
collapse。　They　kept　on　their　mules　with　difficulty；　shaking　this　way
and　that　like　sacks；　with　their　unshaven　chins　wagging　loosely　up　and
down。　But　as　they　saw　the　tower　they　began　to　sing　in　chorus　half
under　their　breath；　and　leaning　their　broad　hands　on　the　necks　of　the
beasts　for　support　they　looked　with　a　sort　of　haggard　eagerness　in　its
direction。

Domini　was　roused　from　her　contemplation　of　the　mirage　and　the
daydreams　it　suggested　by　the　approach　of　this　small　cavalcade。　The
officer　was　almost　upon　her　ere　she　heard　the　clatter　of　his　mule
among　the　stones。　She　looked　up；　startled；　and　he　looked　down；　even
more　surprised；　apparently；　to　see　a　lady　ensconced　at　the　foot　of　the
tower。　His　astonishment　and　exhaustion　did　not；　however；　get　the
better　of　his　instinctive　good　breeding；　and　sitting　straight　up　in
the　saddle　he　took　off　his　s