the garden of allah-第85部分

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the　flask　to　pour　the　liqueur　into　one　of　the　little　glasses；　but；
looking　at　him；　she　saw　that　he　hesitated。

〃After　allwhy　not？〃　he　ejaculated。　〃Why　not？〃

She　was　holding　the　flask　over　the　glass。　He　saw　that　his　remark
surprised　her。

〃Yes；　Madame；　thanks。〃

She　poured　out　the　liqueur　and　handed　it　to　him。　He　set　it　down　by　his
coffee…cup。

〃The　fact　is；　Madamebut　you　know　nothing　about　this　liqueur？〃

〃No；　nothing。　What　is　it？〃

Her　curiosity　was　roused　by　his　hesitation；　his　words；　but　still　more
by　a　certain　gravity　which　had　come　into　his　face。

〃Well；　this　liqueur　comes　from　the　Trappist　monastery　of　El…Largani。〃

〃The　monks'　liqueur！〃　she　exclaimed。

And　instantly　she　thought　of　Mogar。

〃You　do　know　then？〃

〃Ouardi　told　me　we　had　with　us　a　liqueur　made　by　some　monks。〃

〃This　is　it；　and　very　excellent　it　is。　I　have　tasted　it　in　Tunis。〃

〃But　then　why　did　you　hesitate　to　take　it　here？〃

He　lifted　his　glass　up　to　the　lamp。　The　light　shone　on　its　contents；
showing　that　the　liquid　was　pale　green。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃the　Trappists　of　El…Largani　have　a　fine　property。
They　grow　every　sort　of　things；　but　their　vineyards　are　specially
famous；　and　their　wines　bring　in　a　splendid　revenue。　This　is　their
only　liqueur；　this　Louarine。　It；　too；　has　brought　in　a　lot　of　money　to
the　community；　but　when　what　they　have　in　stock　at　the　monastery　now
is　exhausted　they　will　never　make　another　franc　by　Louarine。〃

〃But　why　not？〃

〃The　secret　of　its　manufacture　belonged　to　one　monk　only。　At　his　death
he　was　to　confide　it　to　another　whom　he　had　chosen。〃

〃And　he　died　suddenly　without〃

〃Madame；　he　didn't　die。〃

The　gravity　had　returned　to　the　priest's　face　and　deepened　there；
transforming　it。　He　put　the　glass　down　without　touching　it　with　his
lips。

〃ThenI　don't　understand。〃

〃He　disappeared　from　the　monastery。〃

〃Do　you　mean　he　left　ita　Trappist？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃After　taking　the　final　vows？〃

〃Oh；　he　had　been　a　monk　at　El…Largani　for　over　twenty　years。〃

〃How　horrible！〃　Domini　said。　She　looked　at　the　pale…green　liquid。　〃How
horrible！〃　she　repeated。

〃Yes。　The　monks　would　have　kept　the　matter　a　secret；　but　a　servant　of
the　/hotellerie/who　had　taken　no　vow　of　eternal　silencespoke；　and
well；　I　know　it　here　in　the　'belly　of　the　desert。'〃

〃Horrible！〃

She　said　the　word　again；　and　as　if　she　felt　its　meaning　more　acutely
each　time　she　spoke　it。

〃After　twenty　years　to　go！〃　she　added　after　a　moment。　〃And　was　there
no　reason；　nono　excuseno；　I　don't　mean　excuse！　But　had　nothing
exceptional　happened？〃

〃What　exceptional　thing　can　happen　in　a　Trappist　monastery？〃　said　the
priest。　〃One　day　is　exactly　like　another　there；　and　one　year　exactly
like　another。〃

〃Was　it　long　ago？〃

〃No；　not　very　long。　Only　some　months。　Oh；　perhaps　it　may　be　a　year　by
now；　but　not　more。　Poor　fellow！　I　suppose　he　was　a　man　who　didn't　know
himself；　Madame；　and　the　devil　tempted　him。〃

〃But　after　twenty　years！〃　said　Domini。

The　thing　seemed　to　her　almost　incredible。

〃That　man　must　be　in　hell　now；〃　she　added。　〃In　the　hell　a　man　can　make
for　himself　by　his　own　act。　Oh；　here　is　my　husband。〃

Androvsky　stood　in　the　tent　door；　looking　in　upon　them　with　startled；
scrutinising　eyes。　He　had　come　over　the　deep　sand　without　noise。
Neither　Domini　nor　the　priest　had　heard　a　footstep。　The　priest　got　up
from　his　chair　and　bowed　genially。

〃Good…evening；　Monsieur；〃　he　said；　not　waiting　for　any　introduction。
〃I　am　the　Aumonier　of　Amara；　and〃

He　paused　in　the　full　flow　of　his　talk。　Androvsky's　eyes　had　wandered
from　his　face　to　the　table；　upon　which　stood　the　coffee；　the　liqueur；
and　the　other　things　brought　by　Ouardi。　It　was　evident　even　to　the
self…centred　priest　that　his　host　was　not　listening　to　him。　There　was
a　moment's　awkward　pause。　Then　Domini　said：

〃Boris；　Monsieur　l'Aumonier！〃

She　did　not　speak　loudly；　but　with　an　intention　that　recalled　the　mind
of　her　husband。　He　stepped　slowly　into　the　tent　and　held　out　his　hand
in　silence　to　the　priest。　As　he　did　so　the　lamplight　fell　full　upon
him。

〃Boris；　are　you　ill？〃　Domini　exclaimed。

The　priest　had　taken　Androvsky's　hand；　but　with　a　doubtful　air。　His
cheerful　and　confident　manner　had　died　away；　and　his　eyes；　fixed　upon
his　host；　shone　with　an　astonishment　which　was　mingled　with　a　sort　of
boyish　glumness。　It　was　evident　that　he　felt　that　his　presence　was
unwelcome。

〃I　have　a　headache；〃　Androvsky　said。　〃Ithat　is　why　I　returned。〃

He　dropped　the　priest's　hand。　He　was　again　looking　towards　the　table。

〃The　sun　was　unusually　fierce　to…day；〃　Domini　said。　〃Do　you　think〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　interrupted。　〃That's　it。　I　must　have　had　a　touch　of　the
sun。〃

He　put　his　hand　to　his　head。

〃Excuse　me；　Monsieur；〃　he　said；　speaking　to　the　priest　but　not　looking
at　him。　〃I　am　really　feeling　unwell。　Another　day〃

He　went　out　of　the　tent　and　disappeared　silently　into　the　darkness。
Domini　and　the　priest　looked　after　him。　Then　the　priest；　with　an　air
of　embarrassment；　took　up　his　hat　from　the　table。　His　cigar　had　gone
out；　but　he　pulled　at　it　as　if　he　thought　it　was　still　alight；　then
took　it　out　of　his　mouth　and；　glancing　with　a　naive　regret　at　the　good
things　upon　the　table；　his　half…finished　coffee；　the　biscuits；　the
white　box　of　bon…bonssaid：

〃Madame；　I　must　be　off。　I've　a　good　way　to　go；　and　it's　getting　late。
If　you　will　allow　me〃

He　went　to　the　tent　door　and　called；　in　a　powerful　voice：

〃Belgassem！　Belgassem！〃

He　paused；　then　called　again：

〃Belgassem！〃

A　light　travelled　over　the　sand　from　the　farther　tents　of　the
servants。　Then　the　priest　turned　round　to　Domini　and　shook　her　by　the
hand。

〃Good…night；　Madame。〃

〃I'm　very　sorry；〃　she　said；　not　trying　to　detain　him。　〃You　must　come
again。　My　husband　is　evidently　ill；　and〃

〃You　must　go　to　him。　Of　course。　Of　course。　This　sun　is　a　blessing。
Still；　it　brings　fever　sometimes；　especially　to　strangers。　We　sand…
rascalseh；　Madame！〃　he　laughed；　but　the　laugh　had　lost　its　sonorous
ring〃we　can　stand　it。　It's　our　friend。　But　for　travellers　sometimes
it's　a　little　bit　too　much。　But　now；　mind；　I'm　a　bit　of　a　doctor；　and
if　to…morrow　your　husband　is　no　better　I　mightanyhow〃he　looked
again　longingly　at　the　bon…bons　and　the　cigars〃if　you'll　allow　me
I'll　call　to　know　how　he　is。〃

〃Thank　you；　Monsieur。〃

〃Not　at　all；　Madame；　not　at　all！　I　can　set　him　right　in　a　minute；　if
it's　anything　to　do　with　the　sun；　in　a　minute。　Ah；　here's　Belgassem！〃

The　soldier　stood　like　a　statue　without；　bearing　the　lantern。　The
priest　hesitated。　He　was　holding　the　burnt…out　cigar　in　his　hand；　and
now　he　glanced　at　it　and　then　at　the　cigar…box。　A　plaintive　expression
overspread　his　bronzed　and　bearded　face。　It　became　almost　piteous。
Quickly　Domini　wait　to　the　table；　took　two　cigars　from　the　box　and
came　back。

〃Yon　must　have　a　cigar　to　smoke　on　the　way。〃

〃Really；　Madame；　you　are　too　good；　butwell；　I　rarely　refuse　a　fine
cigar；　and　theseupon　my　wordare〃

He　struck　a　match　on　his　broad…toed　boot。　His　demeanour　was　becoming
cheerful　again。　Domini　gave　the　other　cigar　to　the　soldier。

〃Good…night；　Madame。　A　demain　then；　a　demain！　I　trust　your　husband　may
be　able　to　rest。　A　demain！　A　demain！〃

The　light　moved　away　over　the　dunes　and　dropped　down　towards　the　city。
Then　Domini　hurried　across　the　sand　to　the　sleeping…tent。　As　she　went
she　was　acutely　aware　of　the　many　distant　noises　that　rose　up　in　the
night　to　the　pale　crescent　of　the　young　moon；　the　pulsing　of　the
tomtoms　in　the　city；　the　faint　screaming　of　the　pipes　that　sounded
almost　like　human　beings　in　distress；　the　passionate　barking　of　the
guard　dogs　tied　up　to　the　tents　on　the　sand…slopes　where　the
multitudes　of　fires　gleamed。　The　sensation　of　being　far　away；　and
close　to　the　heart　of　the　desert；　deepened　in　her；　but　she　felt　now
that　it　was　a　savage　heart；　that　there　was　something　terrible　in　the
remoteness。　In　the　faint　moonlight　the　tent　cast　black　shadows　upon
the　wintry　whiteness　of　the　sands；　that　rose　and　fell　like　waves　of　a
smooth　but　foam…covered　sea。　And　the　shadow　of　the　sleeping…tent
looked　the　blackest　of　them　all。　For　she　began　to　feel　as　if　there　was
another　darkness　about　it　than　the　darkness　that　it　cast　upon　the
sand。　Her　husband's　face　that　night　as　he　came　in　from　the　dunes　had
been　dark　with　a　shadow　cast　surely　by　his　soul。　And　she　did　not　know
what　it　was　in　his　soul　that　sent　forth　the　shadow。

〃Boris！〃

She　was　at　the　door　of　the　sleeping…tent。　He　did　not　answer。

〃Boris！〃

He　came　in　from　the　farther　tent　that　he　used　as　a　dressing…room；
carrying　a　lit　candle　in　his　hand。　She　went　up　to　him　with　a　movement
of　swift；　ardent　sincerity。

〃You　felt　ill　in　the　city？　Did　Batouch　let　you　come　back　alone？〃

〃I　preferred　to　be　alone。〃

He　set　down　the　candle　on　the　table；　and　moved　so　that　the　light　of　it
did　not　fall　upon　his　face。　She　took　his　hands　in　hers　gently。　There
was　no　response　in　his　hands。　They　remained　in　hers；　nervelessly。　They
felt　almost　like　dead　things　in　her　hands。　But　they　were　not　cold；　but
burning　hot。

〃You　have　fever！〃　she　said。

She　let　one　of　his　hands　go　and　put　one　of　hers　to　his　forehead。

〃Your　forehead　is　burning；　and　your　pulseshow　they　are　beating！　Like
hammers！　I　must〃

〃Don't　give　me　anything；　Domini！　It　would　be　useless。〃

She　was　silent。　There　was　a　sound　of　hopelessness　in　his　voice　that
frightened　her。　It　was　like　the　voice　of　a　man　rejecting　remedies
because　he　knew　that　he　was　stricken　with　a　mortal　disease。

〃Why　did　that　priest　come　here　to…night？〃　he　asked。

They　were　both　standing　up；　but　now　he　sat　down　in　a　chair　heavily；
taking　his　hand　from　hers。

〃Merely　to　pay　a　visit　of　courtesy。〃

〃At　night？〃

He　spoke　suspiciously。　Again　she　thought　of　Mogar；　and　of　how；　on　his
return　from　the　dunes；　he　had　said　to　her；　〃There　is　a　light　in　the
tower。〃　A　painful　sensation　of　being　surrounded　with　mystery　came　upon
her。　It　was　hateful　to　her　strong　and　frank　nature。　It　was　like　a
miasma　that　suffocated　her　soul。

〃Oh；　Boris；〃　she　exclaimed　bluntly；　〃why　should　he　not　come　at　night？〃

〃Is　such　a　thing　usual？〃

〃But　he　was　visiting　the　tents　over　thereof　the　nomads；　and　he　had
heard　of