the garden of allah-第11节

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the　sea？　What　is　the　worship　of　anyone　to　the　sunset　among　the　hills；
or　to　the　wind　that　lifts　all　the　clouds　from　before　the　face　of　the
moon？

A　chill　stole　over　Domini。　She　felt　like　a　very　poor　woman；　who　can
never　know　the　joy　of　giving；　because　she　does　not　possess　even　a
mite。

The　church　bell　chimed　again　among　the　palms。　Domini　heard　voices
quite　clearly　below　her　under　the　arcade。　A　French　cafe　was　installed
there；　and　two　or　three　soldiers　were　taking　their　/aperitif/　before
dinner　out　in　the　air。　They　were　talking　of　France；　as　people　in　exile
talk　of　their　country；　with　the　deliberateness　that　would　conceal
regret　and　the　child's　instinctive　affection　for　the　mother。　Their
voices　made　Domini　think　again　of　the　recruits；　and　then；　because　of
them；　of　Notre　Dame　de　la　Garde；　the　mother　of　God；　looking　towards
Africa。　She　remembered　the　tragedy　of　her　last　confession。　Would　she
be　able　to　confess　here　to　the　Father　whom　she　had　seen　strolling　in
the　tunnel？　Would　she　learn　to　know　here　what　she　really　was？

How　warm　it　was　in　the　night；　and　how　warmth；　as　it　develops　the
fecundity　of　the　earth；　develops　also　the　possibilities　in　many　men
and　women。　Despite　her　lassitude　of　body；　which　kept　her　motionless　as
an　idol　in　her　chair；　with　her　arm　lying　along　the　parapet　of　the
verandah；　Domini　felt　as　if　a　confused　crowd　of　things　indefinable；
but　violent；　was　already　stirring　within　her　nature；　as　if　this　new
climate　was　calling　armed　men　into　being。　Could　she　not　hear　the
murmur　of　their　voices；　the　distant　clashing　of　their　weapons？

Without　being　aware　of　it　she　was　dropping　into　sleep。　The　sound　of　a
footstep　on　the　wooden　floor　of　the　verandah　recalled　her。　It　was　at
some　distance　behind　her。　It　crossed　the　verandah　and　stopped。　She
felt　quite　certain　that　it　was　the　step　of　her　fellow…traveller；　not
because　she　knew　he　was　staying　in　the　hotel；　but　rather　because　of
the　curious；　uneven　heaviness　of　the　tread。

What　was　he　doing？　Looking　over　the　parapet　into　the　fruit　gardens；
where　the　white　figures　of　the　Arabs　were　flitting　through　the　trees？

He　was　perfectly　silent。　Domini　was　now　wide　awake。　The　feeling　of
calm　serenity　had　left　her。　She　was　nervously　troubled　by　this
presence　near　her；　and　swiftly　recalled　the　few　trifling　incidents　of
the　day　which　had　begun　to　delineate　a　character　for　her。　They　were；
she　found；　all　unpleasant；　all；　at　least；　faintly　disagreeable。　Yet；
in　sum；　what　was　their　meaning？　The　sketch　they　traced　was　so　slight；
so　confused；　that　it　told　little。　The　last　incident　was　the　strangest。
And　again　she　saw　the　long　and　luminous　pathway　of　the　tunnel；
flickering　with　light　and　shade；　carpeted　with　the　pale　reflections　of
the　leaves　and　narrow　branches　of　the　trees；　the　black　figure　of　the
priest　far　down　it；　and　the　tall　form　of　the　stranger　in　an　attitude
of　painful　hesitation。　Each　time　she　had　seen　him；　apparently　desirous
of　doing　something　definite；　hesitation　had　overtaken　him。　In　his
indecision　there　was　something　horrible　to　her；　something　alarming。

She　wished　he　was　not　standing　behind　her；　and　her　discomfort
increased。　She　could　still　hear　the　voices　of　the　soldiers　in　the
cafe。　Perhaps　he　was　listening　to　them。　They　sounded　louder。

The　speakers　were　getting　up　from　their　seats。　There　was　a　jingling　of
spurs；　a　tramp　of　feet；　and　the　voices　died　away。　The　church　bell
chimed　again。　As　it　did　so　Domini　heard　heavy　and　uneven　steps　cross
the　verandah　hurriedly。　An　instant　later　she　heard　a　window　shut
sharply。

〃Suzanne！〃　she　called。

Her　maid　appeared；　yawning；　with　various　parcels　in　her　hands。

〃Yes；　Mademoiselle。〃

〃I　sha'n't　go　down　to　the　/salle…a…manger/　to…night。　Tell　them　to　give
me　some　dinner　in　my　/salon/。〃

〃Yes；　Mademoiselle。〃

〃You　did　not　see　who　was　on　the　verandah　just　now？〃

The　maid　looked　surprised。

〃I　was　in　Mademoiselle's　room。〃

〃Yes。　How　near　the　church　is。〃

〃Mademoiselle　will　have　no　difficulty　in　getting　to　Mass。　She　will　not
be　obliged　to　go　among　all　the　Arabs。〃

Domini　smiled。

〃I　have　come　here　to　be　among　the　Arabs；　Suzanne。〃

〃The　porter　of　the　omnibus　tells　me　they　are　dirty　and　very　dangerous。
They　carry　knives；　and　their　clothes　are　full　of　fleas。〃

〃You　will　feel　quite　differently　about　them　in　the　morning。　Don't
forget　about　dinner。〃

〃I　will　speak　about　it　at　once；　Mademoiselle。〃

Suzanne　disappeared；　walking　as　one　who　suspects　an　ambush。

After　dinner　Domini　went　again　to　the　verandah。　She　found　Batouch
there。　He　had　now　folded　a　snow…white　turban　round　his　head；　and
looked　like　a　young　high　priest　of　some　ornate　religion。　He　suggested
that　Domini　should　come　out　with　him　to　visit　the　Rue　des　Ouled　Nails
and　see　the　strange　dances　of　the　Sahara。　But　she　declined。

〃Not　to…night；　Batouch。　I　must　go　to　bed。　I　haven't　slept　for　two
nights。〃

〃But　I　do　not　sleep；　Madame。　In　the　night　I　compose　verses。　My　brain
is　alive。　My　heart　is　on　fire。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　am　not　a　poet。　Besides；　I　may　be　here　for　a　long　time。　I
shall　have　many　evenings　to　see　the　dances。〃

The　poet　looked　displeased。

〃The　gentleman　is　going；〃　he　said。　〃Hadj　is　at　the　door　waiting　for
him　now。　But　Hadj　is　afraid　when　he　enters　the　street　of　the　dancers。〃

〃Why？〃

〃There　is　a　girl　there　who　wishes　to　kill　him。　Her　name　is　Aishoush。
She　was　sent　away　from　Beni…Mora　for　six　months；　but　she　has　come
back；　and　after　all　this　time　she　still　wishes　to　kill　Hadj。〃

〃What　has　he　done　to　her？〃

〃He　has　not　loved　her。　Yes；　Hadj　is　afraid；　but　he　will　go　with　the
gentleman　because　he　must　earn　money　to　buy　a　costume　for　the　/fete/
of　Ramadan。　I　also　wish　to　buy　a　new　costume。〃

He　looked　at　Domini　with　a　dignified　plaintiveness。　His　pose　against
the　pillar　of　the　verandah　was　superb。　Over　his　blue　cloth　jacket　he
had　thrown　a　thin　white　burnous；　which　hung　round　him　in　classic
folds。　Domini　could　scarcely　believe　that　so　magnificent　a　creature
was　touting　for　a　franc。　The　idea　certainly　did　occur　to　her；　but　she
banished　it。　For　she　was　a　novice　in　Africa。

〃I　am　too　tired　to　go　out　to…night；〃　she　said　decisively。

〃Good…night；　Madame。　I　shall　be　here　to…morrow　morning　at　seven
o'clock。　The　dawn　in　the　garden　of　the　gazelles　is　like　the　flames　of
Paradise；　and　you　can　see　the　Spahis　galloping　upon　horses　that　are
beautiful　as〃

〃I　shall　not　get　up　early　to…morrow。〃

Batouch　assumed　an　expression　that　was　tragically　submissive　and
turned　to　go。　Just　then　Suzanne　appeared　at　the　French　window　of　her
bedroom。　She　started　as　she　perceived　the　poet；　who　walked　slowly　past
her　to　the　staircase；　throwing　his　burnous　back　from　his　big
shoulders；　and　stood　looking　after　him。　Her　eyes　fixed　themselves　upon
the　section　of　bare　leg　that　was　visible　above　his　stockings　white　as
the　driven　snow；　and　a　faintly　sentimental　expression　mingled　with
their　defiance　and　alarm。

Domini　got　up　from　her　chair　and　leaned　over　the　parapet。　A　streak　of
yellow　light　from　the　doorway　of　the　hotel　lay　upon　the　white　road
below；　and　in　a　moment　she　saw　two　figures　come　out　from　beneath　the
verandah　and　pause　there。　Hadj　was　one；　the　stranger　was　the　other。
The　stranger　struck　a　match　and　tried　to　light　a　cigar；　but　failed。　He
struck　another　match；　and　then　another；　but　still　the　cigar　would　not
draw。　Hadj　looked　at　him　with　mischievous　astonishment。

〃If　Monsieur　will　permit　me〃　he　began。

But　the　stranger　took　the　cigar　hastily　from　his　mouth　and　flung　it
away。

〃I　don't　want　to　smoke；〃　Domini　heard　him　say　in　French。

Then　he　walked　away　with　Hadj　into　the　darkness。

As　they　disappeared　Domini　heard　a　faint　shrieking　in　the　distance。　It
was　the　music　of　the　African　hautboy。

The　night　was　marvellously　dry　and　warm。　The　thickly　growing　trees　in
the　garden　scarcely　moved。　It　was　very　still　and　very　dark。　Suzanne；
standing　at　her　window；　looked　like　a　shadow　in　her　black　dress。　Her
attitude　was　romantic。　Perhaps　the　subtle　influence　of　this　Sahara
village　was　beginning　to　steal　even　over　her　obdurate　spirit。

The　hautboy　went　on　crying。　Its　notes；　though　faint；　were　sharp　and
piercing。　Once　more　the　church　bell　chimed　among　the　date　palms；　and
the　two　musics；　with　their　violently　differing　associations；　clashing
together　smote　upon　Domini's　heart　with　a　sense　of　trouble；　almost　of
tragedy。　The　pulses　in　her　temples　throbbed；　and　she　clasped　her　hands
tightly　together。　That　brief　moment；　in　which　she　heard　the　duet　of
those　two　voices；　was　one　of　the　most　interesting；　yet　also　one　of　the
most　painful　she　had　ever　known。　The　church　bell　was　silent　now；　but
the　hautboy　did　not　cease。　It　was　barbarous　and　provocative；　shrill
with　a　persistent　triumph。

Domini　went　to　bed　early；　but　she　could　not　sleep。　Just　before
midnight　she　heard　someone　walking　up　and　down　on　the　verandah。　The
step　was　heavy　and　shuffling。　It　came　and　went；　came　and　went；　without
pause　till　she　was　in　a　fever　of　uneasiness。　Only　when　two　chimed　from
the　church　did　it　cease　at　last。

She　whispered　a　prayer　to　Notre　Dame　de　la　Garde；　The　Blessed　Virgin；
looking　towards　Africa。　For　the　first　time　she　felt　the　loneliness　of
her　situation　and　that　she　was　far　away。