the garden of allah-第1节

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The　Garden　Of　Allah

by　Robert　Hichens








CONTENTS

BOOK　I。　　　PRELUDE
BOOK　II。　　THE　VOICE　OF　PRAYER
BOOK　III。　THE　GARDEN
BOOK　IV。　　THE　JOURNEY
BOOK　V。　　　THE　REVELATION
BOOK　VI。　　THE　JOURNEY　BACK









THE　GARDEN　OF　ALLAH




BOOK　I。　PRELUDE



CHAPTER　I

The　fatigue　caused　by　a　rough　sea　journey；　and；　perhaps；　the
consciousness　that　she　would　have　to　be　dressed　before　dawn　to　catch
the　train　for　Beni…Mora；　prevented　Domini　Enfilden　from　sleeping。
There　was　deep　silence　in　the　Hotel　de　la　Mer　at　Robertville。　The
French　officers　who　took　their　pension　there　had　long　since　ascended
the　hill　of　Addouna　to　the　barracks。　The　cafes　had　closed　their　doors
to　the　drinkers　and　domino　players。　The　lounging　Arab　boys　had
deserted　the　sandy　Place　de　la　Marine。　In　their　small　and　dusky
bazaars　the　Israelites　had　reckoned　up　the　takings　of　the　day；　and
curled　themselves　up　in　gaudy　quilts　on　their　low　divans　to　rest。　Only
two　or　three　/gendarmes/　were　still　about；　and　a　few　French　and
Spaniards　at　the　Port；　where；　moored　against　the　wharf；　lay　the
steamer　/Le　General　Bertrand/；　in　which　Domini　had　arrived　that
evening　from　Marseilles。

In　the　hotel　the　fair　and　plump　Italian　waiter；　who　had　drifted　to
North　Africa　from　Pisa；　had　swept　up　the　crumbs　from　the　two　long
tables　in　the　/salle…a…manger/；　smoked　a　thin；　dark　cigar　over　a　copy
of　the　/Depeche　Algerienne/；　put　the　paper　down；　scratched　his　blonde
head；　on　which　the　hair　stood　up　in　bristles；　stared　for　a　while　at
nothing　in　the　firm　manner　of　weary　men　who　are　at　the　same　time
thoughtless　and　depressed；　and　thrown　himself　on　his　narrow　bed　in　the
dusty　corner　of　the　little　room　on　the　stairs　near　the　front　door。
Madame；　the　landlady；　had　laid　aside　her　front　and　said　her　prayer　to
the　Virgin。　Monsieur；　the　landlord；　had　muttered　his　last　curse
against　the　Jews　and　drunk　his　last　glass　of　rum。　They　snored　like
honest　people　recruiting　their　strength　for　the　morrow。　In　number　two
Suzanne　Charpot；　Domini's　maid；　was　dreaming　of　the　Rue　de　Rivoli。

But　Domini　with　wide…open　eyes；　was　staring　from　her　big；　square
pillow　at　the　red　brick　floor　of　her　bedroom；　on　which　stood　various
trunks　marked　by　the　officials　of　the　Douane。　There　were　two　windows
in　the　room　looking　out　towards　the　Place　de　la　Marine；　below　which
lay　the　station。　Closed　/persiennes/　of　brownish…green；　blistered　wood
protected　them。　One　of　these　windows　was　open。　Yet　the　candle　at
Domini's　bedside　burnt　steadily。　The　night　was　warm　and　quiet；　without
wind。

As　she　lay　there；　Domini　still　felt　the　movement　of　the　sea。　The
passage　had　been　a　bad　one。　The　ship；　crammed　with　French　recruits　for
the　African　regiments；　had　pitched　and　rolled　almost　incessantly　for
thirty…one　hours；　and　Domini　and　most　of　the　recruits　had　been　ill。
Domini　had　had　an　inner　cabin；　with　a　skylight　opening　on　to　the　lower
deck；　and　heard　above　the　sound　of　the　waves　and　winds　their　groans
and　exclamations；　rough　laughter；　and　half…timid；　half…defiant
conversations　as　she　shook　in　her　berth。　At　Marseilles　she　had　seen
them　come　on　board；　one　by　one；　dressed　in　every　variety　of　poor
costume；　each　one　looking　anxiously　around　to　see　what　the　others　were
like；　each　one　carrying　a　mean　yellow　or　black　bag　or　a　carefully…tied
bundle。　On　the　wharf　stood　a　Zouave；　in　tremendous　red　trousers　and　a
fez；　among　great　heaps　of　dull　brown　woollen　rugs。　And　as　the　recruits
came　hesitatingly　along　he　stopped　them　with　a　sharp　word；　examined
the　tickets　they　held　out；　gave　each　one　a　rug；　and　pointed　to　the
gangway　that　led　from　the　wharf　to　the　vessel。　Domini；　then　leaning
over　the　rail　of　the　upper　deck；　had　noticed　the　different　expressions
with　which　the　recruits　looked　at　the　Zouave。　To　all　of　them　he　was　a
phenomenon；　a　mystery　of　Africa　and　of　the　new　life　for　which　they
were　embarking。　He　stood　there　impudently　and　indifferently　among　the
woollen　rugs；　his　red　fez　pushed　well　back　on　his　short；　black　hair
cut　/en　brosse/；　his　bronzed　face　twisted　into　a　grimace　of　fiery
contempt；　throwing；　with　his　big　and　muscular　arms；　rug　after　rug　to
the　anxious　young　peasants　who　filed　before　him。　They　all　gazed　at　his
legs　in　the　billowing　red　trousers；　some　like　children　regarding　a
Jack…in…the…box　which　had　just　sprung　up　into　view；　others　like
ignorant；　but　superstitious；　people　who　had　unexpectedly　come　upon　a
shrine　by　the　wayside。　One　or　two　seemed　disposed　to　laugh　nervously；
as　the　very　stupid　laugh　at　anything　they　see　for　the　first　time。　But
fear　seized　them。　They　refrained　convulsively　and　shambled　on　to　the
gangway；　looking　sideways；　like　fowls；　and　holding　their　rugs
awkwardly　to　their　breasts　with　their　dirty；　red　hands。

To　Domini　there　was　something　pitiful　in　the　sight　of　all　these　lads；
uprooted　from　their　homes　in　France；　stumbling　helplessly　on　board
this　ship　that　was　to　convey　them　to　Africa。　They　crowded　together。
Their　poor　bundles　and　bags　jostled　one　against　the　other。　With　their
clumsy　boots　they　trod　on　each　other's　feet。　And　yet　all　were　lonely
strangers。　No　two　in　the　mob　seemed　to　be　acquaintances。　And　every
lad；　each　in　his　different　way；　was　furtively　on　the　defensive；
uneasily　wondering　whether　some　misfortune　might　not　presently　come　to
him　from　one　of　these　unknown　neighbours。

A　few　of　the　recruits；　as　they　came　on　board；　looked　up　at　Domini　as
she　leant　over　the　rail；　and　in　all　the　different　coloured　and　shaped
eyes　she　thought　she　read　a　similar　dread　and　nervous　hope　that　things
might　turn　out　pretty　well　for　them　in　the　new　existence　that　had　to
be　faced。　The　Zouave；　wholly　careless　or　unconscious　of　the　fact　that
he　was　an　incarnation　of　Africa　to　these　raw　peasants；　who　had　never
before　stirred　beyond　the　provinces　where　they　were　born；　went　on
taking　the　tickets；　and　tossing　the　woollen　rugs　to　the　passing
figures；　and　pointing　ferociously　to　the　gangway。　He　got　very　tired　of
his　task　towards　the　end；　and　showed　his　fatigue　to　the　latest　comers；
shoving　their　rugs　into　their　arms　with　brusque　violence。　And　when　at
length　the　wharf　was　bare　he　spat　on　it；　rubbed　his　short…fingered；
sunburnt　hands　down　the　sides　of　his　blue　jacket；　and　swaggered　on
board　with　the　air　of　a　dutiful　but　injured　man　who　longed　to　do　harm
in　the　world。　By　this　time　the　ship　was　about　to　cast　off；　and　the
recruits；　ranged　in　line　along　the　bulwarks　of　the　lower　deck；　were
looking　in　silence　towards　Marseilles；　which；　with　its　tangle　of　tall
houses；　its　forest　of　masts；　its　long；　ugly　factories　and　workshops；
now　represented　to　them　the　whole　of　France。　The　bronchial　hoot　of　the
siren　rose　up　menacingly。　Suddenly　two　Arabs；　in　dirty　white　burnouses
and　turbans　bound　with　cords　of　camel's　hair；　came　running　along　the
wharf。　The　siren　hooted　again。　The　Arabs　bounded　over　the　gangway　with
grave　faces。　All　the　recruits　turned　to　examine　them　with　a　mixture　of
superiority　and　deference；　such　as　a　schoolboy　might　display　when
observing　the　agilities　of　a　tiger。　The　ropes　fell　heavily　from　the
posts　of　the　quay　into　the　water；　and　were　drawn　up　dripping　by　the
sailors；　and　/Le　General　Bertrand/　began　to　move　out　slowly　among　the
motionless　ships。

Domini；　looking　towards　the　land　with　the　vague　and　yet　inquiring
glance　of　those　who　are　going　out　to　sea；　noticed　the　church　of　Notre
dame　de　la　Garde；　perched　on　its　high　hill；　and　dominating　the　noisy
city；　the　harbour；　the　cold；　grey　squadrons　of　the　rocks　and　Monte
Cristo's　dungeon。　At　the　time　she　hardly　knew　it；　but　now；　as　she　lay
in　bed　in　the　silent　inn；　she　remembered　that；　keeping　her　eyes　upon
the　church；　she　had　murmured　a　confused　prayer　to　the　Blessed　Virgin
for　the　recruits。　What　was　the　prayer？　She　could　scarcely　recall　it。　A
woman's　petition；　perhaps；　against　the　temptations　that　beset　men
shifting　for　themselves　in　far…off　and　dangerous　countries；　a　woman's
cry　to　a　woman　to　watch　over　all　those　who　wander。

When　the　land　faded；　and　the　white　sea　rose；　less　romantic
considerations　took　possession　of　her。　She　wished　to　sleep；　and　drank
a　dose　of　a　drug。　It　did　not　act　completely；　but　only　numbed　her
senses。　Through　the　long　hours　she　lay　in　the　dark　cabin；　looking　at
the　faint　radiance　that　penetrated　through　the　glass　shutters　of　the
skylight。　The　recruits；　humanised　and　drawn　together　by　misery；　were
becoming　acquainted。　The　incessant　murmur　of　their　voices　dropped　down
to　her；　with　the　sound　of　the　waves；　and　of　the　mysterious　cries　and
creaking　shudders　that　go　through　labouring　ships。　And　all　these
noises　seemed　to　her　hoarse　and　pathetic；　suggestive；　too；　of　danger。

When　they　reached　the　African　shore；　and　saw　the　lights　of　houses
twinkling　upon　the　hills；　the　pale　recruits　were　marshalled　on　the
white　road　by　Zouaves；　who　met　them　from　the　barracks　of　Robertville。
Already　they　looked　older　than　they　had　looked　when　they　embarked。
Domini　saw　them　march　away　up　the　hill。　They　still　clung　to　their　bags
and　bundles。　Some　of　them；　lifting　shaky　voices；　tried　to　sing　in
chorus。　One　of　the　Zouaves　angrily　shouted　to　them　to　be　quiet。　They
obeyed；　and　disappeared　heavily　into　the　shadows；　staring　about　them
anxiou