the garden of allah-第20节

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feel　that　I　don't　know。　He　was　quite　unlike　any　ordinary　man。〃

〃Would　you　care　to　see　if　you　can　recognise　him？　These　are　really
marvellous　glasses。〃

Domini　took　them　from　him　with　some　eagerness。

〃Twist　them　about　till　they　suit　your　eyes。〃

At　first　she　could　see　nothing　but　a　fierce　yellow　glare。　She　turned
the　screw　and　gradually　the　desert　came　to　her；　startlingly　distinct。
The　boulders　of　the　river　bed　were　enormous。　She　could　see　the　veins
of　colour　in　them；　a　lizard　running　over　one　of　them　and　disappearing
into　a　dark　crevice；　then　the　white　tower　and　the　Arabs　beneath　it。
One　was　an　old　man　yawning；　the　other　a　boy。　He　rubbed　the　tip　of　his
brown　nose；　and　she　saw　the　henna　stains　upon　his　nails。　She　lifted
the　glasses　slowly　and　with　precaution。　The　tower　ran　away。　She　came
to　the　low　cliff；　to　the　brown　huts　and　the　palms；　passed　them　one　by
one；　and　reached　the　last；　which　was　separated　from　its　companions。
Under　it　stood　a　tall　Arab　in　a　garment　like　a　white　night…shirt。

〃He　looks　as　if　he　had　only　one　eye！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃The　palm…tree　manyes。〃

She　travelled　cautiously　away　from　him；　keeping　the　glasses　level。

〃Ah！〃　she　said　on　an　indrawn　breath。

As　she　spoke　the　thin；　nasal　cry　of　a　distant　voice　broke　upon　her
ears；　prolonging　a　strange　call。

〃The　Mueddin；〃　said　Count　Anteoni。

And　he　repeated　in　a　low　tone　the　words　of　the　angel　to　the　prophet：
〃Oh　thou　that　art　covered　arise　。　。　。　and　magnify　thy　Lord；　and　purify
thy　clothes；　and　depart　from　uncleanness。〃

The　call　died　away　and　was　renewed　three　times。　The　old　man　and　the
boy　beneath　the　tower　turned　their　faces　towards　Mecca；　fell　upon
their　knees　and　bowed　their　heads　to　the　hot　stones。　The　tall　Arab
under　the　palm　sank　down　swiftly。　Domini　kept　the　glasses　at　her　eyes。
Through　them；　as　in　a　sort　of　exaggerated　vision；　very　far　off；　yet
intensely　distinct；　she　saw　the　man　with　whom　she　had　travelled　in　the
train。　He　went　to　and　fro；　to　and　fro　on　the　burning　ground　till　the
fourth　call　of　the　Mueddin　died　away。　Then；　as　he　approached　the
isolated　palm　tree　and　saw　the　Arab　beneath　it　fall　to　the　earth　and
bow　his　long　body　in　prayer；　he　paused　and　stood　still　as　if　in
contemplation。　The　glasses　were　so　powerful　that　it　was　possible　to
see　the　expressions　on　faces　even　at　that　distance。　The　expression　on
the　traveller's　face　was；　or　seemed　to　be；　at　first　one　of　profound
attention。　But　this　changed　swiftly　as　he　watched　the　bowing　figure；
and　was　succeeded　by　a　look　of　uneasiness；　then　of　fierce　disgust；
thensurelyof　fear　or　horror。　He　turned　sharply　away　like　a　driven
man；　and　hurried　off　along　the　cliff　edge　in　a　striding　walk；
quickening　his　steps　each　moment　till　his　departure　became　a　flight。
He　disappeared　behind　a　projection　of　earth　where　the　path　sank　to　the
river　bed。

Domini　laid　the　glasses　down　on　the　wall　and　looked　at　Count　Anteoni。

〃You　say　an　atheist　in　the　desert　is　unimaginable？

〃Isn't　it　true？〃

〃Has　an　atheist　a　hatred；　a　horror　of　prayer？〃

〃Chi　lo　sa？　The　devil　shrank　away　from　the　lifted　Cross。〃

〃Because　he　knew　how　much　that　was　true　it　symbolised。〃

〃No　doubt　had　it　been　otherwise　he　would　have　jeered；　not　cowered。　But
why　do　you　ask　me　this　question；　Madame？〃

〃I　have　just　seen　a　man　flee　from　the　sight　of　prayer。〃

〃Your　fellow…traveller？〃

〃Yes。　It　was　horrible。〃

She　gave　him　back　the　glasses。

〃They　reveal　that　which　should　be　hidden；〃　she　said。

Count　Anteoni　took　the　glasses　slowly　from　her　hands。　As　he　bent　to　do
it　he　looked　steadily　at　her；　and　she　could　not　read　the　expression　in
his　eyes。

〃The　desert　is　full　of　truth。　Is　that　what　you　mean？〃　he　asked。

She　made　no　reply。　Count　Anteoni　stretched　out　his　hand　to　the　shining
expanse　before　them。

〃The　man　who　is　afraid　of　prayer　is　unwise　to　set　foot　beyond　the　palm
trees；〃　he　said。

〃Why　unwise？〃

He　answered　her　very　gravely。

〃The　Arabs　have　a　saying：　'The　desert　is　the　garden　of　Allah。'〃

*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*

Domini　did　not　ascend　the　tower　of　the　hotel　that　morning。　She　had
seen　enough　for　the　moment；　and　did　not　wish　to　disturb　her
impressions　by　adding　to　them。　So　she　walked　back　to　the　Hotel　du
Desert　with　Batouch。

Count　Anteoni　had　said　good…bye　to　her　at　the　door　of　the　garden；　and
had　begged　her　to　come　again　whenever　she　liked；　and　to　spend　as　many
hours　there　as　she　pleased。

〃I　shall　take　you　at　your　word；〃　she　said　frankly。　〃I　feel　that　I
may。〃

As　they　shook　hands　she　gave　him　her　card。　He　took　out　his。　〃By　the
way；〃　he　said；　〃the　big　hotel　you　passed　in　coming　here　is　mine。　I
built　it　to　prevent　a　more　hideous　one　being　built；　and　let　it　to　the
proprietor。　You　might　like　to　ascend　the　tower。　The　view　at　sundown　is
incomparable。　At　present　the　hotel　is　shut；　but　the　guardian　will　show
you　everything　if　you　give　him　my　card。〃

He　pencilled　some　words　in　Arabic　on　the　back　from　right　to　left。

〃You　write　Arabic；　too？〃　Domini　said；　watching　the　forming　of　the
pretty　curves　with　interest。

〃Oh；　yes；　I　am　more　than　half　African；　though　my　father　was　a　Sicilian
and　my　mother　a　Roman。〃

He　gave　her　the　card；　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed。　When　the　tall　white
door　was　softly　shut　by　Smain；　Domini　felt　rather　like　a　new　Eve
expelled　from　Paradise；　without　an　Adam　as　a　companion　in　exile。

〃Well；　Madame？〃　said　Batouch。　〃Have　I　spoken　the　truth？〃

〃Yes。　No　European　garden　can　be　so　beautiful　as　that。　Now　I　am　going
straight　home。〃

She　smiled　to　herself　as　she　said　the　last　word。

Outside　the　hotel　they　found　Hadj　looking　ferocious。　He　exchanged　some
words　with　Batouch；　accompanying　them　with　violent　gestures。　When　he
had　finished　speaking　he　spat　upon　the　ground。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　him？〃　Domini　asked。

〃The　Monsieur　who　is　staying　here　would　not　take　him　to…day；　but　went
into　the　desert　alone。　Hadj　wishes　that　the　nomads　may　cut　his　throat；
and　that　his　flesh　may　be　eaten　by　jackals。　Hadj　is　sure　that　he　is　a
bad　man　and　will　come　to　a　bad　end。〃

〃Because　he　does　not　want　a　guide　every　day！　But　neither　shall　I。〃

〃Madame　is　quite　different。　I　would　give　my　life　for　Madame。〃

〃Don't　do　that；　but　go　this　afternoon　and　find　me　a　horse。　I　don't
want　a　quiet　one；　but　something　with　devil；　something　that　a　Spahi
would　like　to　ride。〃

The　desert　spirits　were　speaking　to　her　body　as　well　as　to　her　mind。　A
physical　audacity　was　stirring　in　her；　and　she　longed　to　give　it　vent。

〃Madame　is　like　the　lion。　She　is　afraid　of　nothing。〃

〃You　speak　without　knowing；　Batouch。　Don't　come　for　me　this　afternoon；
but　bring　round　a　horse；　if　you　can　find　one；　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃This　very　evening　I　will〃

〃No；　Batouch。　I　said　to…morrow　morning。〃

She　spoke　with　a　quiet　but　inflexible　decision　which　silenced　him。
Then　she　gave　him　ten　francs　and　went　into　the　dark　house；　from　which
the　burning　noonday　sun　was　carefully　excluded。　She　intended　to　rest
after　/dejeuner/；　and　towards　sunset　to　go　to　the　big　hotel　and　mount
alone　to　the　summit　of　the　tower。

It　was　half…past　twelve；　and　a　faint　rattle　of　knives　and　forks　from
the　/salle…a…manger/　told　her　that　/dejeuner/　was　ready。　She　went
upstairs；　washed　her　face　and　hands　in　cold　water；　stood　still　while
Suzanne　shook　the　dust　from　her　gown；　and　then　descended　to　the　public
room。　The　keen　air　had　given　her　an　appetite。

The　/salle…a…manger/　was　large　and　shady；　and　was　filled　with　small
tables；　at　only　three　of　which　were　people　sitting。　Four　French
officers　sat　together　at　one。　A　small；　fat；　perspiring　man　of　middle
age；　probably　a　commercial　traveller；　who　had　eyes　like　a　melancholy
toad；　was　at　another；　eating　olives　with　anxious　rapidity；　and　wiping
his　forehead　perpetually　with　a　dirty　white　handkerchief。　At　the　third
was　the　priest　with　whom　Domini　had　spoken　in　the　church。　His　napkin
was　tucked　under　his　beard；　and　he　was　drinking　soup　as　he　bent　well
over　his　plate。

A　young　Arab　waiter；　with　a　thin；　dissipated　face；　stood　near　the　door
in　bright　yellow　slippers。　When　Domini　came　in　he　stole　forward　to
show　her　to　her　table；　making　a　soft；　shuffling　sound　on　the　polished
wooden　floor。　The　priest　glanced　up　over　his　napkin；　rose　and　bowed。
The　French　officers　stared　with　an　interest　they　were　too　chivalrous
to　attempt　to　conceal。　Only　the　fat　little　man　was　entirely
unconcerned。　He　wiped　his　forehead；　stuck　his　fork　deftly　into　an
olive；　and　continued　to　look　like　a　melancholy　toad　entangled　by　fate
in　commercial　pursuits。

Domini's　table　was　by　a　window；　across　which　green　Venetian　shutters
were　drawn。　It　was　at　a　considerable　distance　from　the　other　guests；
who　did　not　live　in　the　house；　but　came　there　each　day　for　their
meals。　Near　it　she　noticed　a　table　laid　for　one　person；　and　so
arranged　that　if　he　came　to　/dejeuner/　he　would　sit　exactly　opposite
to　her。　She　wondered　if　it　was　for　the　man　at　whom　she　had　just　been
looking　through　Count　Anteoni's　field…glasses；　the　man　who　had　fled
from　prayer　in　the　〃Garden　of　Allah。〃　As　she　glanced　at　the　empty
chair　standing　before　the　knives　and　forks；　and　the　white　cloth；　she
was　uncertain　whether　she　wished　it　to　be　filled　by　the　traveller　or
not。　She　felt　his　presence