the garden of allah-第119节

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〃Good…bye；　Batouch！　Good…bye；　Ouardi！　Good…bye；　Smain！〃

The　train　moved　on。　As　it　reached　the　end　of　the　platform　Domini　saw
an　emaciated　figure　standing　there　alone；　a　thin　face　with　glittering
eyes　turned　towards　her　with　a　glaring　scrutiny。　It　was　the　sand…
diviner。　He　smiled　at　her；　and　his　smile　contracted　the　wound　upon　his
face；　making　it　look　wicked　and　grotesque　like　the　face　of　a　demon。
She　sank　down　on　the　seat。　For　a　moment；　a　hideous　moment；　she　felt　as
if　he　personified　Beni…Mora；　as　if　this　smile　were　Beni…Mora's
farewell　to　her　and　to　Androvsky。

And　Irena　was　dancing　at　Onargla；　far　away　in　the　desert。

She　remembered　the　night　in　the　dancing…house；　Irena's　attack　upon
Hadj。

That　love　of　Africa　was　at　an　end。　Was　not　everything　at　an　end？　Yet
Larbi　still　played　upon　his　flute　in　the　garden　of　Count　Anteoni；
still　played　the　little　tune　that　was　as　the　/leit　motif/　of　the
eternal　renewal　of　life。　And　within　herself　she　carried　God's　mystery
of　renewal；　even　she；　with　her　numbed　mind；　her　tired　heart。　She；　too；
was　to　help　to　carry　forward　the　banner　of　life。

She　had　come　to　Beni…Mora　in　the　sunset；　and　now；　in　the　sunset；　she
was　leaving　it。　But　she　did　not　lean　from　the　carriage　window　to　watch
the　pageant　that　was　flaming　in　the　west。　Instead；　she　shut　her　eyes
and　remembered　it　as　it　was　on　that　evening　when　they；　who　now　were
journeying　away　from　the　desert　together；　had　been　journeying　towards
it　together。　Strangers　who　had　never　spoken　to　each　other。　And　the
evening　came；　and　the　train　stole　into　the　gorge　of　El…Akbara；　and
still　she　kept　her　eyes　closed。　Only　when　the　desert　was　finally　left
behind；　divided　from　them　by　the　great　wall　of　rock；　did　she　look　up
and　speak　to　Androvsky。

〃We　met　here；　Boris；〃　she　said。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃at　the　gate　of　the　desert。　I　shall　never　be　here
again。〃

Soon　the　night　fell　around　them。

*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*

In　the　evening　of　the　following　day　they　reached　Tunis；　and　drove　to
the　Hotel　d'Orient；　where　they　had　written　to　engage　rooms　for　one
night。　They　had　expected　that　the　city　would　be　almost　deserted　by　its
European　inhabitants　now　the　summer　had　set　in；　but　when　they　drove　up
to　the　door　of　the　hotel　the　proprietor　came　out　to　inform　them　that；
owing　to　the　arrival　of　a　ship　full　of　American　tourists　who；
personally　conducted；　were　〃viewing〃　Tunis　after　an　excursion　to　the
East　and　to　the　Holy　Land；　he　had　been　unable　to　keep　for　them　a
private　sitting…room。　With　many　apologies　he　explained　that　all　the
sitting…rooms　in　the　house　had　been　turned　into　bedrooms；　but　only　for
one　night。　On　the　morrow　the　personally…conducted　ones　would　depart
and　Madame　and　Monsieur　could　have　a　charming　salon。　They　listened
silently　to　his　explanations　and　apologies；　standing　in　the　narrow
entrance　hall；　which　was　blocked　up　with　piles　of　luggage。　〃Tomorrow；〃
he　kept　on　repeating；　〃to…morrow〃　all　would　be　different。

Domini　glanced　at　Androvsky；　who　stood　with　his　head　bent　down；
looking　on　the　ground。

〃Shall　we　try　another　hotel？〃　she　asked。

〃If　you　wish；〃　he　answered　in　a　low　voice。

〃It　would　be　useless；　Madame；〃　said　the　proprietor。　〃All　the　hotels
are　full。　In　the　others　you　will　not　find　even　a　bedroom。〃

〃Perhaps　we　had　better　stay　here；〃　she　said　to　Androvsky。

Her　voice；　too；　was　low　and　tired。　In　her　heart　something　seemed　to
say；　〃Do　not　strive　any　more。　In　the　garden　it　was　finished。　Already
you　are　face　to　face　with　the　end。〃

When　she　was　alone　in　her　small　bedroom；　which　was　full　of　the　noises
of　the　street；　and　had　washed　and　put　on　another　dress；　she　began　to
realise　how　much　she　had　secretly　been　counting　on　one　more　evening
alone　with　Androvsky。　She　had　imagined　herself　dining　with　him　in
their　sitting…room　unwatched；　sitting　together　afterwards；　for　an　hour
or　two；　in　silence　perhaps；　but　at　least　alone。　She　had　imagined　a
last　solitude　with　him　with　the　darkness　of　the　African　night　around
them。　She　had　counted　upon　that。　She　realised　it　now。　Her　whole　heart
and　soul　had　been　asking　for　that；　believing　that　at　least　that　would
be　granted　to　her。　But　it　was　not　to　be。　She　must　go　down　with　him
into　a　crowd　of　American　tourists；　musther　heart　sickened。　It　seemed
to　her　for　a　moment　that　if　only　she　could　have　this　one　more　evening
quietly　with　the　man　she　loved　she　could　brace　herself　to　bear
anything　afterwards；　but　that　if　she　could　not　have　it　she　must　break
down。　She　felt　desperate。

A　gong　sounded　below。　She　did　not　move；　though　she　heard　it；　knew　what
it　meant。　After　a　few　minutes　there　was　a　tap　at　the　door。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　said。

〃Dinner　is　ready；　Madame；〃　said　a　voice　in　English　with　a　strong
foreign　accent。

Domini　went　to　the　door　and　opened　it。

〃Does　Monsieur　know？〃

〃Monsieur　is　already　in　the　hall　waiting　for　Madame。〃

She　went　down　and　found　Androvsky。

They　dined　at　a　small　table　in　a　room　fiercely　lit　up　with　electric
light　and　restless　with　revolving　fans。　Close　to　them；　at　an　immense
table　decorated　with　flowers；　dined　the　American　tourists。　The　women
wore　hats　with　large　hanging　veils。　The　men　were　in　travelling　suits。
They　looked　sunburnt　and　gay；　and　talked　and　laughed　with　an　intense
vivacity。　Afterwards　they　were　going　in　a　body　to　see　the　dances　of
the　Almees。　Androvsky　shot　one　glance　at　them　as　he　came　in；　then
looked　away　quickly。　The　lines　near　his　mouth　deepened。　For　a　moment
he　shut　his　eyes。　Domini　did　not　speak　to　him；　did　not　attempt　to
talk。　Enveloped　by　the　nasal　uproar　of　the　gay　tourists　they　ate　in
silence。　When　the　short　meal　was　over　they　got　up　and　went　out　into
the　hall。　The　public　drawing…room　opened　out　of　it　on　the　left。　They
looked　into　it　and　saw　red　plush　settees；　a　large　centre　table　covered
with　a　rummage　of　newspapers；　a　Jew　with　a　bald　head　writing　a　letter；
and　two　old　German　ladies　with　caps　drinking　coffee　and　knitting
stockings。

〃The　desert！〃　Androvsky　whispered。

Suddenly　he　drew　away　from　the　door　and　walked　out　into　the　street。
Lines　of　carriages　stood　there　waiting　to　be　hired。　He　beckoned　to
one；　a　victoria　with　a　pair　of　small　Arab　horses。　When　it　was　in　front
of　the　hotel　he　said　to　Domini：

〃Will　you　get　in；　Domini？〃

She　obeyed。　Androvsky　said　to　the　mettse　driver：

〃Drive　to　the　Belvedere。　Drive　round　the　park　till　I　tell　you　to
return。〃

The　man　whipped　his　horses；　and　they　rattled　down　the　broad　street；
past　the　brilliantly…lighted　cafes；　the　Cercle　Militaire；　the　palace
of　the　Resident；　where　Zouaves　were　standing；　turned　to　the　left　and
were　soon　out　on　a　road　where　a　tram　line　stretched　between　villas；
waste　ground　and　flat　fields。　In　front　of　them　rose　a　hill　with　a
darkness　of　trees　scattered　over　it。　They　reached　it；　and　began　to
mount　it　slowly。　The　lights　of　the　city　shone　below　them。　Domini　saw
great　sloping　lawns　dotted　with　streets　and　by　trees。　Scents　of　hidden
flowers　came　to　her　in　the　night；　and　she　heard　a　whirr　of　insects。
Still　they　mounted；　and　presently　reached　the　top　of　the　hill。

〃Stop！〃　said　Androvsky　to　the　driver。

He　drew　up　his　horses。

〃Wait　for　us　here。〃

Androvsky　got　out。

〃Shall　we　walk　a　little　way？〃　he　said　to　Domini。

〃Yesyes。〃

She　got　out　too；　and　they　walked　slowly　along　the　deserted　road。　Below
them　she　saw　the　lights　of　ships　gliding　upon　the　lakes；　the　bright
eyes　of　a　lighthouse；　the　distant　lamps　of　scattered　villages　along
the　shores；　and；　very　far　off；　a　yellow　gleam　that　dominated　the　sea
beyond　the　lakes　and　seemed　to　watch　patiently　all　those　who　came　and
went；　the　pilgrims　to　and　from　Africa。　That　gleam　shone　in　Carthage。

From　the　sea　over　the　flats　came　to　them　a　breeze　that　had　a　savour　of
freshness；　of　cool　and　delicate　life。

They　walked　for　some　time　without　speaking；　then　Domini　said：

〃From　the　cemetery　of　El…Largani　you　looked　out　over　this；　didn't　you；
Boris？〃

〃Yes；　Domini；〃　he　answered。　〃It　was　then　that　the　voice　spoke　to　me。〃

〃It　will　never　speak　again。　God　will　not　let　it　speak　again。〃

〃How　can　you　know　that？〃

〃We　are　tried　in　the　fire；　Boris；　but　we　are　not　burnt　to　death。〃

She　said　it　for　herself；　to　reassure　herself；　to　give　a　little　comfort
to　her　own　soul。

〃To…night　I　feel　as　if　it　were　not　so；〃　he　answered。　〃When　we　came　to
the　hotel　it　seemedI　thought　that　I　could　not　go　on。〃

〃And　now？〃

〃Now　I　do　not　know　anything　except　that　this　is　my　last　night　with
you。　And；　Domini；　that　seems　to　me　to　be　absolutely　incredible
although　I　know　it。　I　cannot　imagine　any　future　away　from　you；　any
life　in　which　I　do　not　see　you。　I　feel　as　if　in　parting　from　you　I　am
parting　from　myself；　as　if　the　thing　left　would　be　no　more　a　man；　but
only　a　broken　husk。　Can　I　pray　without　you；　love　God　without　you？〃

〃Best　without　me。〃

〃But　can　I　live　without　you；　Domini？　Can　I　wake　day　after　day　to　the
sunshine；　and　know　that　I　shall　never　see　you　again；　and　go　on　living？
Can　I　do　that？　I　don't　feel　as　if　it　could　be。　Perhaps；　when　I　have
done　my　penance；　God　will　have　mercy。〃

〃How；　Boris？〃

〃Perhaps　He　will　let　me　die。〃

〃Let　us　fix　all　the　thoughts　of　our　hearts　on　the　life　in　which　He　may
let　us　be　together　once　more。　Look；　Boris；　th