the garden of allah-第19节

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edge　of　Time。　Only　to　the　left　was　the　immeasurable　expanse　intruded
upon　by　a　long　spur　of　mountains；　which　ran　out　boldly　for　some
distance　and　then　stopped　abruptly；　conquered　and　abashed　by　the
imperious　flats。　Beneath　the　mountains　were　low；　tent…like；　cinnamon…
coloured　undulations；　which　reminded　Domini　of　those　made　by　a　shaken…
out　sheet；　one　smaller　than　the　other　till　they　melted　into　the　level。
The　summits　of　the　most　distant　mountains；　which　leaned　away　as　if　in
fear　of　the　desert；　were　dark　and　mistily　purple。　Their　flanks　were
iron　grey　at　this　hour；　flecked　in　the　hollows　with　the　faint　mauve
and　pink　which　became　carnation　colour　when　the　sun　set。

Domini　scarcely　looked　at　them。　Till　now　she　had　always　thought　that
she　loved　mountains。　The　desert　suddenly　made　them　insignificant；
almost　mean　to　her。　She　turned　her　eyes　towards　the　flat　spaces。　It
was　in　them　that　majesty　lay；　mystery；　power；　and　all　deep　and
significant　things。　In　the　midst　of　the　river　bed；　and　quite　near；
rose　a　round　and　squat　white　tower　with　a　small　cupola。　Beyond　it；　on
the　little　cliff；　was　a　tangle　of　palms　where　a　tiny　oasis　sheltered　a
few　native　huts。　At　an　immense　distance；　here　and　there；　other　oases
showed　as　dark　stains　show　on　the　sea　where　there　are　hidden　rocks。
And　still　farther　away；　on　all　hands；　the　desert　seemed　to　curve　up
slightly　like　a　shallow　wine…hued　cup　to　the　misty　blue　horizon　line；
which　resembled　a　faintly　seen　and　mysterious　tropical　sea；　so　distant
that　its　sultry　murmur　was　lost　in　the　embrace　of　the　intervening
silence。

An　Arab　passed　on　the　path　below　the　wall。　He　did　not　see　them。　A
white　dog　with　curling　lips　ran　beside　him。　He　was　singing　to　himself
in　a　low；　inward　voice。　He　went　on　and　turned　towards　the　oasis；　still
singing　as　he　walked　slowly。

〃Do　you　know　what　he　is　singing？〃　the　Count　asked。

Domini　shook　her　head。　She　was　straining　her　ears　to　hear　the　melody
as　long　as　possible。

〃It　is　a　desert　song　of　the　freed　negroes　of　Touggourt'No　one　but
God　and　I　knows　what　is　in　my　heart。'〃

Domini　lowered　her　parasol　to　conceal　her　face。　In　the　distance　she
could　still　hear　the　song；　but　it　was　dying　away。

〃Oh！　what　is　going　to　happen　to　me　here？〃　she　thought。

Count　Anteoni　was　looking　away　from　her　now　across　the　desert。　A
strange　impulse　rose　up　in　her。　She　could　not　resist　it。　She　put　down
her　parasol；　exposing　herself　to　the　blinding　sunlight；　knelt　down　on
the　hot　sand；　leaned　her　arms　on　the　white　parapet；　put　her　chin　in
the　upturned　palms　of　her　hands　and　stared　into　the　desert　almost
fiercely。

〃No　one　but　God　and　I　knows　what　is　in　my　heart；〃　she　thought。　〃But
that's　not　true；　that's　not　true。　For　I　don't　know。〃

The　last　echo　of　the　Arab's　song　fainted　on　the　blazing　air。　Surely　it
had　changed　now。　Surely；　as　he　turned　into　the　shadows　of　the　palms；
he　was　singing；　〃No　one　but　God　knows　what　is　in　my　heart。〃　Yes；　he
was　singing　that。　〃No　one　but　Godno　one　but　God。〃

Count　Anteoni　looked　down　at　her。　She　did　not　notice　it；　and　he　kept
his　eyes　on　her　for　a　moment。　Then　he　turned　to　the　desert　again。

By　degrees；　as　she　watched；　Domini　became　aware　of　many　things
indicative　of　life；　and　of　many　lives　in　the　tremendous　expanse　that
at　first　had　seemed　empty　of　all　save　sun　and　mystery。　She　saw　low；
scattered　tents；　far…off　columns　of　smoke　rising。　She　saw　a　bird　pass
across　the　blue　and　vanish　towards　the　mountains。　Black　shapes
appeared　among　the　tiny　mounds　of　earth；　crowned　with　dusty　grass　and
dwarf　tamarisk　bushes。　She　saw　them　move；　like　objects　in　a　dream；
slowly　through　the　shimmering　gold。　They　were　feeding　camels；　guarded
by　nomads　whom　she　could　not　see。

At　first　she　persistently　explored　the　distances；　carried　forcibly　by
an　/elan/　of　her　whole　nature　to　the　remotest　points　her　eyes　could
reach。　Then　she　withdrew　her　gaze　gradually；　reluctantly；　from　the
hidden　summoning　lands；　whose　verges　she　had　with　difficulty　gained；
and　looked；　at　first　with　apprehension；　upon　the　nearer　regions。　But
her　apprehension　died　when　she　found　that　the　desert　transmutes　what
is　close　as　well　as　what　is　remote；　suffuses　even　that　which　the　hand
could　almost　touch　with　wonder；　beauty；　and　the　deepest；　most　strange
significance。

Quite　near　in　the　river　bed　she　saw　an　Arab　riding　towards　the　desert
upon　a　prancing　black　horse。　He　mounted　a　steep　bit　of　path　and　came
out　on　the　flat　ground　at　the　cliff　top。　Then　he　set　his　horse　at　a
gallop；　raising　his　bridle　hand　and　striking　his　heels　into　the　flanks
of　the　beast。　And　each　of　his　movements；　each　of　the　movements　of　his
horse；　was　profoundly　interesting；　and　held　the　attention　of　the
onlooker　in　a　vice；　as　if　the　fates　of　worlds　depended　upon　where　he
was　carried　and　how　soon　he　reached　his　goal。　A　string　of　camels　laden
with　wooden　bales　met　him　on　the　way；　and　this　chance　encounter　seemed
to　Domini　fraught　with　almost　terrible　possibilities。　Why？　She　did　not
ask　herself。　Again　she　sent　her　gaze　further；　to　the　black　shapes
moving　stealthily　among　the　little　mounds；　to　the　spirals　of　smoke
rising　into　the　glimmering　air。　Who　guarded　those　camels？　Who　fed
those　distant　fires？　Who　watched　beside　them？　It　seemed　of　vital
consequence　to　her　that　she　should　know。

Count　Anteoni　took　out　his　watch　and　glanced　at　it。

〃I　am　looking　to　see　if　it　is　nearly　the　hour　of　prayer；〃　he　said。
〃When　I　am　in　Beni…Mora　I　usually　come　here　then。〃

〃You　turn　to　the　desert　as　the　faithful　turn　towards　Mecca？〃

〃Yes。　I　like　to　see　men　praying　in　the　desert。〃

He　spoke　indifferently；　but　Domini　felt　suddenly　sure　that　within　him
there　were　depths　of　imagination；　of　tenderness；　even　perhaps　of
mysticism。

〃An　atheist　in　the　desert　is　unimaginable；〃　he　added。　〃In　cathedrals
they　may　exist　very　likely；　and　even　feel　at　home。　I　have　seen
cathedrals　in　which　I　could　believe　I　was　one；　buthow　many　human
beings　can　you　see　in　the　desert　at　this　moment；　Madame？〃

Domini；　still　with　her　round　chin　in　her　hands；　searched　the　blazing
region　with　her　eyes。　She　saw　three　running　figures　with　the　train　of
camels　which　was　now　descending　into　the　river　bed。　In　the　shadow　of
the　low　white　tower　two　more　were　huddled；　motionless。　She　looked　away
to　right　and　left；　but　saw　only　the　shallow　pools；　the　hot　and
gleaming　boulders；　and　beyond　the　yellow　cliffs　the　brown　huts　peeping
through　the　palms。　The　horseman　had　disappeared。

〃I　can　see　five；〃　she　answered。

〃Ah！　you　are　not　accustomed　to　the　desert。〃

〃There　are　more？〃

〃I　could　count　up　to　a　dozen。　Which　are　yours？〃

〃The　men　with　the　camels　and　the　men　under　that　tower。〃

〃There　are　four　playing　the　/jeu　des　dames/　in　the　shadow　of　the　cliff
opposite　to　us。　There　is　one　asleep　under　a　red　rock　where　the　path
ascends　into　the　desert。　And　there　are　two　more　just　at　the　edge　of
the　little　oasisFiliash；　as　it　is　called。　One　is　standing　under　a
palm；　and　one　is　pacing　up　and　down。〃

〃You　must　have　splendid　eyes。〃

〃They　are　trained　to　the　desert。　But　there　are　probably　a　score　of
Arabs　within　sight　whom　I　don't　see。〃

〃Oh！　now　I　see　the　men　at　the　edge　of　the　oasis。　How　oddly　that　one　is
moving。　He　goes　up　and　down　like　a　sailor　on　the　quarter…deck。〃

〃Yes；　it　is　curious。　And　he　is　in　the　full　blaze　of　the　sun。　That
can't　be　an　Arab。〃

He　drew　a　silver　whistle　from　his　waistcoat　pocket；　put　it　to　his　lips
and　sounded　a　call。　In　a　moment　Smain　same　running　lightly　over　the
sand。　Count　Anteoni　said　something　to　him　in　Arabic。　He　disappeared；
and　speedily　returned　with　a　pair　of　field…glasses。　While　he　was　gone
Domini　watched　the　two　doll…like　figures　on　the　cliff　in　silence。　One
was　standing　under　a　large　isolated　palm　tree　absolutely　still；　as
Arabs　often　stand。　The　other；　at　a　short　distance　from　him　and　full　in
the　sun；　went　to　and　fro；　to　and　fro；　always　measuring　the　same　space
of　desert；　and　turning　and　returning　at　two　given　points　which　never
varied。　He　walked　like　a　man　hemmed　in　by　walls；　yet　around　him　were
the　infinite　spaces。　The　effect　was　singularly　unpleasant　upon　Domini。
All　things　in　the　desert；　as　she　had　already　noticed；　became　almost
terribly　significant；　and　this　peculiar　activity　seemed　full　of　some
extraordinary　and　even　horrible　meaning。　She　watched　it　with　straining
eyes。

Count　Anteoni　took　the　glasses　from　Smain　and　looked　through　them；
adjusting　them　carefully　to　suit　his　sight。

〃/Ecco！/〃　he　said。　〃I　was　right。　That　man　is　not　an　Arab。〃

He　moved　the　glasses　and　glanced　at　Domini。

〃You　are　not　the　only　traveller　here；　Madame。〃

He　looked　through　the　glasses　again。

〃I　knew　that；〃　she　said。

〃Indeed？〃

〃There　is　one　at　my　hotel。〃

〃Possibly　this　is　he。　He　makes　me　think　of　a　caged　tiger；　who　has　been
so　long　in　captivity　that　when　you　let　him　out　he　still　imagines　the
bars　to　be　all　round　him。　What　was　he　like？〃

All　the　time　he　was　speaking　he　was　staring　intently　through　the
glasses。　As　Domini　did　not　reply　he　removed　them　from　his　eyes　and
glanced　at　her　inquiringly。

〃I　am　trying　to　think　what　he　looked　like；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃But　I
feel　that　I　don't　know。　He　was　quite　unlike　any　ordinary　man。〃

〃Would　you　care　to　see　if　yo