the garden of allah-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


gestures　and　poses　of　the　plaster　saints。　Yet　as　Domini　touched　her
forehead　and　breast　with　holy　water；　and　knelt　for　a　moment　on　the
stone　floor；　she　was　conscious　that　this　rather　pitiful　house　of　God
moved　her　to　an　emotion　she　had　not　felt　in　the　great　and　beautiful
churches　to　which　she　was　accustomed　in　England　and　on　the　Continent。
Through　the　windows　she　saw　the　outlines　of　palm　leaves　vibrating　in
the　breeze；　African　fingers；　feeling；　with　a　sort　of　fluttering
suspicion；　if　not　enmity；　round　the　heart　of　this　intruding　religion；
which　had　wandered　hither　from　some　distant　place；　and；　stayed；
confronting　the　burning　glance　of　the　desert。　Bold；　little；　humble
church！　Domini　knew　that　she　would　love　it。　But　she　did　not　know　then
how　much。

She　wandered　round　slowly　with　a　grave　face。　Yet　now　and　then；　as　she
stood　by　one　of　the　plaster　saints；　she　smiled。　They　were　indeed
strange　offerings　at　the　shrine　of　Him　who　held　this　Africa　in　the
hollow　of　His　hand；　of　Him　who　had　ordered　the　pageant　of　the　sun
which　she　had　seen　last　night　among　the　mountains。　And　presently　she
and　this　little　church　in　which　she　stood　alone　became　pathetic　in　her
thoughts；　and　even　the　religion　which　the　one　came　to　profess　in　the
other　pathetic　too。　For　here；　in　Africa；　she　began　to　realise　the
wideness　of　the　world；　and　that　many　things　must　surely　seem　to　the
Creator　what　these　plaster　saints　seemed　just　then　to　her。

〃Oh；　how　little；　how　little！〃　she　whispered　to　herself。　〃Let　me　be
bigger！　Oh；　let　me　grow；　and　here；　not　only　hereafter！〃

The　church　door　creaked。　She　turned　her　head　and　saw　the　priest　whom
she　had　met　in　the　tunnel　entering。　He　came　up　to　her　at　once；　saluted
her；　and　said：

〃I　saw　you　from　my　window；　Madame；　and　thought　I　would　offer　to　show
you　our　little　church　here。　We　are　very　proud　of　it。〃

Domini　liked　his　voice　and　his　naive　remark。　His　face；　too；　though
undistinguished；　looked　honest；　kind；　and　pathetic；　but　with　a　pathos
that　was　unaffected　and　quite　unconscious。　The　lower　part　of　it　was
hidden　by　a　moustache　and　beard。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　answered。　〃I　have　been　looking　round　already。〃

〃You　are　a　Catholic；　Madame？〃

〃Yes。〃

The　priest　looked　pleased。　There　was　something　childlike　in　the
mobility　of　his　face。

〃I　am　glad；〃　he　said　simply。　〃We　are　not　a　rich　community　in　Beni…
Mora；　but　we　have　been　fortunate　in　bygone　years。　Our　great　Cardinal；
the　Father　of　Africa；　loved　this　place　and　cherished　his　children
here。〃

〃Cardinal　Lavigerie？〃

〃Yes；　Madame。　His　house　is　now　a　native　hospital。　His　statue　faces　the
beginning　of　the　great　desert　road；　But　we　remember　him　and　his　spirit
is　still　among　us。〃

The　priest's　eyes　lit　up　as　he　spoke。　The　almost　tragic　expression　of
his　face　changed　to　one　of　enthusiasm。

〃He　loved　Africa；　I　believe；〃　Domini　said。

〃His　heart　was　here。　And　what　he　did！　I　was　to　have　been　one　of　his
/freres　armes/；　but　my　health　prevented；　and　afterwards　the
association　was　dissolved。〃

The　sad　expression　returned　to　his　face。

〃There　are　many　temptations　in　such　a　land　and　climate　as　this；〃　he
said。　〃And　men　are　weak。　But　there　are　still　the　White　Fathers　whom　he
founded。　Glorious　men。　They　carry　the　Cross　into　the　wildest　places　of
the　world。　The　most　fanatical　Arabs　respect　the　White　Marabouts。〃

〃You　wish　you　were　with　them？〃

〃Yes；　Madame。　But　my　health　only　permits　me　to　be　a　humble　parish
priest　here。　Not　all　who　desire　to　enter　the　most　severe　life　can　do
so。　If　it　were　otherwise　I　should　long　since　have　been　a　monk。　The
Cardinal　himself　showed　me　that　my　duty　lay　in　other　paths。〃

He　pointed　out　to　Domini　one　or　two　things　in　the　church　which　he
admired　and　thought　worthy；　the　carving　of　the　altar　rail　into　grapes；
ears　of　corn；　crosses；　anchors；　the　white　embroidered　muslin　that
draped　the　tabernacle；　the　statue　of　a　bishop　in　a　red　and　gold　mitre
holding　a　staff　and　Bible；　and　another　statue　representing　a　saint
with　a　languid　and　consumptive　expression　stretching　out　a　Bible；　on
the　leaves　of　which　a　tiny；　smiling　child　was　walking。

As　they　were　about　to　leave　the　church　he　made　Domini　pause　in　front
of　a　painting　of　Saint　Bruno　dressed　in　a　white　monkish　robe；　beneath
which　was　written　in　gilt　letters：

　〃Saint　Bruno　ordonne　a　ses　disciples
　　De　renoncer　aux　biens　terrestres
　　Pour　acquerir　les　biens　celestes。〃

The　disciples　stood　around　the　saint　in　grotesque　attitudes　of　pious
attention。

〃That；　I　think；　is　very　beautiful；〃　he　said。　〃Who　could　look　at　it
without　feeling　that　the　greatest　act　of　man　is　renunciation？〃

His　dark　eyes　flamed。　Just　then　a　faint　soprano　bark　came　to　them　from
outside　the　church　door；　a　very　discreet　and　even　humble；　but　at　the
same　time　anxious；　bark。　The　priest's　face　changed。　The　almost
passionate　asceticism　of　it　was　replaced　by　a　soft　and　gentle　look。

〃Bous…Bous　wants　me；〃　he　said；　and　he　opened　the　door　for　Domini　to
pass　out。

A　small　white　and　yellow　dog；　very　clean　and　well　brushed；　was　sitting
on　the　step　in　an　attentive　attitude。　Directly　the　priest　appeared　it
began　to　wag　its　short　tail　violently　and　to　run　round　his　feet；
curving　its　body　into　semi…circles。　He　bent　down　and　patted　it。

〃My　little　companion；　Madame；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　not　with　me　yesterday；
as　he　was　being　washed。〃

Then　he　took　off　his　hat　and　walked　towards　his　house；　accompanied　by
Bous…Bous；　who　had　suddenly　assumed　an　air　of　conscious　majesty；　as　of
one　born　to　preside　over　the　fate　of　an　important　personage。

Domini　stood　for　a　moment　under　the　palm　trees　looking　after　them。
There　was　a　steady　shining　in　her　eyes。

〃Madame　is　a　Catholic　too？〃　asked　Batouch；　staring　steadily　at　her。

Domini　nodded。　She　did　not　want　to　discuss　religion　with　an　Arab　minor
poet　just　then。

〃Take　me　to　the　market；〃　she　said；　mindful　of　her　secret　resolve　to
get　rid　of　her　companion　as　soon　as　possible。

They　set　out　across　the　gardens。

It　was　a　celestial　day。　All　the　clear；　untempered　light　of　the　world
seemed　to　have　made　its　home　in　Beni…Mora。　Yet　the　heat　was　not
excessive；　for　the　glorious　strength　of　the　sun　was　robbed　of　its
terror；　its　possible　brutality；　by　the　bright　and　feathery　dryness　and
coolness　of　the　airs。　She　stepped　out　briskly。　Her　body　seemed
suddenly　to　become　years　younger；　full　of　elasticity　and　radiant
strength。

〃Madame　is　very　strong。　Madame　walks　like　a　Bedouin。〃

Batouch's　voice　sounded　seriously　astonished；　and　Domini　burst　out
laughing。

〃In　England　there　are　many　strong　women。　But　I　shall　grow　stronger
here。　I　shall　become　a　real　Arab。　This　air　gives　me　life。〃

They　were　just　reaching　the　road　when　there　was　a　clatter　of　hoofs；
and　a　Spahi；　mounted　on　a　slim　white　horse；　galloped　past　at　a
tremendous　pace；　holding　his　reins　high　above　the　red　peak　of　his
saddle　and　staring　up　at　the　sun。　Domini　looked　after　him　with
critical　admiration。

〃You've　got　some　good　horses　here；〃　she　said　when　the　Spahi　had
disappeared。

〃Madame　knows　how　to　ride？〃

She　laughed　again。

〃I've　ridden　ever　since　I　was　a　child。〃

〃You　can　buy　a　fine　horse　here　for　sixteen　pounds；〃　remarked　Batouch；
using　the　pronoun　〃tu；〃　as　is　the　custom　of　the　Arabs。

〃Find　me　a　good　horse；　a　horse　with　spirit；　and　I'll　buy　him；〃　Domini
said。　〃I　want　to　go　far　out　in　the　desert；　far　away　from　everything。〃

〃You　must　not　go　alone。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃There　are　bandits　in　the　desert。〃

〃I'll　take　my　revolver；〃　Domini　said　carelessly。　〃But　I　will　go
alone。〃

They　were　in　sight　of　the　market　now；　and　the　hum　of　voices　came　to
them；　with　nasal　cries；　the　whine　of　praying　beggars；　and　the　fierce
braying　of　donkeys。　At　the　end　of　the　small　street　in　which　they　were
Domini　saw　a　wide　open　space；　in　the　centre　of　which　stood　a　quantity
of　pillars　supporting　a　peaked　roof。　Round　the　sides　of　the　square
were　arcades　swarming　with　Arabs；　and　under　the　central　roof　a　mob　of
figures　came　and　went；　as　flies　go　and　come　on　a　piece　of　meat　flung
out　into　a　sunny　place。

〃What　a　quantity　of　people！　Do　they　all　live　in　Beni…Mora？〃　she　asked。

〃No；　they　come　from　all　parts　of　the　desert　to　sell　and　to　buy。　But
most　of　those　who　sell　are　Mozabites。〃

Little　children　in　bright…coloured　rags　came　dancing　round　Domini；
holding　out　their　copper…coloured　hands；　and　crying　shrilly；　〃'Msee；
M'dame！　'Msee；　M'dame！〃　A　deformed　man；　who　looked　like　a　distorted
beetle；　crept　round　her　feet；　gazing　up　at　her　with　eyes　that　squinted
horribly；　and　roaring　in　an　imperative　voice　some　Arab　formula　in
which　the　words　〃Allah…el…Akbar〃　continually　recurred。　A　tall　negro；
with　a　long　tuft　of　hair　hanging　from　his　shaven　head；　followed　hard
upon　her　heels；　rolling　his　bulging　eyes；　in　which　two　yellow　flames
were　caught；　and　trying　to　engage　her　attention；　though　with　what
object　she　could　not　imagine。　From　all　directions　tall　men　with　naked
arms　and　legs；　and　fluttering　white　garments；　came　slowly　towards　her；
staring　intently　at　her　with　lustrous　eyes；　whose　expression　seemed　to
denote　rather　a　calm　and　dignified　appraisement　than　any　vulgar
curiosity。　Boys；　with　the　whitest　teeth　she　had　ever　beheld；　and
flowers　above　their　well…shaped；　delicate　ear