the garden of allah-第23节

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decisively　and　mounted　the　dark；　winding　stair　till　she　reached　a
door。　She　pushed　it　open　with　some　difficulty；　and　came　out　into　the
air　at　a　dizzy　height；　shutting　the　door　forcibly　behind　her　with　an
energetic　movement　of　her　strong　arms。

The　top　of　the　tower　was　small　and　square；　and　guarded　by　a　white
parapet　breast　high。　In　the　centre　of　it　rose　the　outer　walls　and　the
ceiling　of　the　top　of　the　staircase；　which　prevented　a　person　standing
on　one　side　of　the　tower　from　seeing　anybody　who　was　standing　at　the
opposite　side。　There　was　just　sufficient　space　between　parapet　and
staircase　wall　for　two　people　to　pass　with　difficulty　and　manoeuvring。

But　Domini　was　not　concerned　with　such　trivial　details；　as　she　would
have　thought　them　had　she　thought　of　them。　Directly　she　had　shut　the
little　door　and　felt　herself　alonealone　as　an　eagle　in　the　skyshe
took　the　step　forward　that　brought　her　to　the　parapet；　leaned　her　arms
on　it；　looked　out　and　was　lost　in　a　passion　of　contemplation。

At　first　she　did　not　discern　any　of　the　multitudinous　minutiae　in　the
great　evening　vision　beneath　and　around　her。　She　only　felt　conscious
of　depth；　height；　space；　colour；　mystery；　calm。　She　did　not　measure。
She　did　not　differentiate。　She　simply　stood　there；　leaning　lightly　on
the　snowy　plaster　work；　and　experienced　something　that　she　had　never
experienced　before；　that　she　had　never　imagined。　It　was　scarcely
vivid；　for　in　everything　that　is　vivid　there　seems　to　be　something
small；　the　point　to　which　wonders　converge；　the　intense　spark　to　which
many　fires　have　given　themselves　as　food；　the　drop　which　contains　the
murmuring　force　of　innumerable　rivers。　It　was　more　than　vivid。　It　was
reliantly　dim；　as　is　that　pulse　of　life　which　is　heard　through　and
above　the　crash　of　generations　and　centuries　falling　downwards　into
the　abyss；　that　persistent；　enduring　heart…beat；　indifferent　in　its
mystical　regularity；　that　ignores　and　triumphs；　and　never　grows　louder
nor　diminishes；　inexorably　calm；　inexorably　steady；　undefeatedmore
utterly　unaffected　by　unnumbered　millions　of　tragedies　and　deaths。

Many　sounds　rose　from　far　down　beneath　the　tower；　but　at　first　Domini
did　not　hear　them。　She　was　only　aware　of　an　immense；　living　silence；　a
silence　flowing　beneath；　around　and　above　her　in　dumb；　invisible
waves。　Circles　of　rest　and　peace；　cool　and　serene；　widened　as　circles
in　a　pool　towards　the　unseen　limits　of　the　satisfied　world；　limits
lost　in　the　hidden　regions　beyond　the　misty；　purple　magic　where　sky
and　desert　met。　And　she　felt　as　if　her　brain；　ceaselessly　at　work　from
its　birth；　her　heart；　unresting　hitherto　in　a　commotion　of　desires；
her　soul；　an　eternal　flutter　of　anxious；　passionate　wings；　folded
themselves　together　gently　like　the　petals　of　roses　when　a　summer
night　comes　into　a　garden。

She　was　not　conscious　that　she　breathed　while　she　stood　there。　She
thought　her　bosom　ceased　to　rise　and　fall。　The　very　blood　dreamed　in
her　veins　as　the　light　of　evening　dreamed　in　the　blue。

She　knew　the　Great　Pause　that　seems　to　divide　some　human　lives　in　two；
as　the　Great　Gulf　divided　him　who　lay　in　Abraham's　bosom　from　him　who
was　shrouded　in　the　veil　of　fire。




BOOK　II。　THE　VOICE　OF　PRAYER



CHAPTER　VII

The　music　of　things　from　below　stole　up　through　the　ethereal　spaces　to
Domini　without　piercing　her　dream。　But　suddenly　she　started　with　a
sense　of　pain　so　acute　that　it　shook　her　body　and　set　the　pulses　in
her　temples　beating。　She　lifted　her　arms　swiftly　from　the　parapet　and
turned　her　head。　She　had　heard　a　little　grating　noise　which　seemed　to
be　near　to　her；　enclosed　with　her　on　this　height　in　the　narrow　space
of　the　tower。　Slight　as　it　was；　and　shortalready　she　no　longer　heard
itit　had　in　an　instant　driven　her　out　of　Heaven；　as　if　it　had　been
an　angel　with　a　flaming　sword。　She　felt　sure　that　there　must　be
something　alive　with　her　at　the　tower　summit；　something　which　by　a
sudden　movement　had　caused　the　little　noise　she　had　heard。　What　was
it？　When　she　turned　her　head　she　could　only　see　the　outer　wall　of　the
staircase；　a　section　of　the　narrow　white　space　which　surrounded　it；　an
angle　of　the　parapet　and　blue　air。

She　listened；　holding　her　breath　and　closing　her　two　hands　on　the
parapet；　which　was　warm　from　the　sun。　Now；　caught　back　to　reality；　she
could　hear　faintly　the　sounds　from　below　in　Beni…Mora。　But　they　did
not　concern　her；　and　she　wished　to　shut　them　out　from　her　ears。　What
did　concern　her　was　to　know　what　was　with　her　up　in　the　sky。　Had　a
bird　alighted　on　the　parapet　and　startled　her　by　scratching　at　the
plaster　with　its　beak？　Could　a　mouse　have　shuffled　in　the　wall？　Or　was
there　a　human　being　up　there　hidden　from　her　by　the　masonry？

This　last　supposition　disturbed　her　almost　absurdly　for　a　moment。　She
was　inclined　to　walk　quickly　round　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　tower；
but　something　stronger　than　her　inclination；　an　imperious　shyness；
held　her　motionless。　She　had　been　carried　so　far　away　from　the　world
that　she　felt　unable　to　face　the　scrutiny　of　any　world…bound　creature。
Having　been　in　the　transparent　region　of　magic　it　seemed　to　her　as　if
her　secret；　the　great　secret　of　the　absolutely　true；　the　naked
personality　hidden　in　every　human　being；　were　set　blazing　in　her　eyes
like　some　torch　borne　in　a　procession；　just　for　that　moment。　The
moment　past；　she　could　look　anyone　fearlessly　in　the　face；　but　not
now；　not　yet。

While　she　stood　there；　half　turning　round；　she　heard　the　sound　again
and　knew　what　caused　it。　A　foot　had　shifted　on　the　plaster　floor。
There　was　someone　else　then　looking　out　over　the　desert。　A　sudden　idea
struck　her。　Probably　it　was　Count　Anteoni。　He　knew　she　was　coming　and
might　have　decided　to　act　once　more　as　her　cicerone。　He　had　not　heard
her　climbing　the　stairs；　and；　having　gone　to　the　far　side　of　the
tower；　was　no　doubt　watching　the　sunset；　lost　in　a　dream　as　she　had
been。

She　resolved　not　to　disturb　himif　it　was　he。　When　he　had　dreamed
enough　he　must　inevitably　come　round　to　where　she　was　standing　in
order　to　gain　the　staircase。　She　would　let　him　find　her　there。　Less
troubled　now；　but　in　an　utterly　changed　mood；　she　turned；　leaned　once
more　on　the　parapet　and　looked　over；　this　time　observantly；　prepared
to　note　the　details　that；　combined　and　veiled　in　the　evening　light　of
Africa；　made　the　magic　which　had　so　instantly　entranced　her。

She　looked　down　into　the　village　and　could　see　its　extent；　precisely
how　it　was　placed　in　the　Sahara；　in　what　relation　exactly　it　stood　to
the　mountain　ranges；　to　the　palm　groves　and　the　arid；　sunburnt　tracts；
where　its　life　centred　and　where　it　tailed　away　into　suburban　edges
not　unlike　the　ragged　edges　of　worn　garments；　where　it　was　idle　and
frivolous；　where　busy　and　sedulous。　She　realised　for　the　first　time
that　there　were　two　distinct　layers　of　life　in　Beni…Morathe　life　of
the　streets；　courts；　gardens　and　market…place；　and　above　it　the　life
of　the　roofs。　Both　were　now　spread　out　before　her；　and　the　latter；　in
its　domestic　intimacy；　interested　and　charmed　her。　She　saw　upon　the
roofs　the　children　playing　with　little　dogs；　goats；　fowls；　mothers　in
rags　of　gaudy　colours　stirring　the　barley　for　cous…cous；　shredding
vegetables；　pounding　coffee；　stewing　meat；　plucking　chickens；　bending
over　bowls　from　which　rose　the　steam　of　soup；　small　girls；　seated　in
dusty　corners；　solemnly　winding　wool　on　sticks；　and　pausing；　now　and
then；　to　squeak　to　distant　members　of　the　home　circle；　or　to　smell　at
flowers　laid　beside　them　as　solace　to　their　industry。　An　old
grandmother　rocked　and　kissed　a　naked　baby　with　a　pot　belly。　A　big
grey　rat　stole　from　a　rubbish　heap　close　by　her；　flitted　across　the
sunlit　space；　and　disappeared　into　a　cranny。　Pigeons　circled　above　the
home　activities；　delicate　lovers　of　the　air；　wandered　among　the　palm
tops；　returned　and　fearlessly　alighted　on　the　brown　earth　parapets；
strutting　hither　and　thither　and　making　their　perpetual；
characteristic　motion　of　the　head；　half　nod；　half　genuflection。　Veiled
girls　promenaded　to　take　the　evening　cool；　folding　their　arms　beneath
their　flowing　draperies；　and　chattering　to　one　another　in　voices　that
Domini　could　not　hear。　More　close　at　hand　certain　roofs　in　the
dancers'　street　revealed　luxurious　sofas　on　which　painted　houris　were
lolling　in　sinuous　attitudes；　or　were　posed　with　a　stiffness　of　idols；
little　tables　set　with　coffee　cups；　others　round　which　were　gathered
Zouaves　intent　on　card　games；　but　ever　ready　to　pause　for　a　caress　or
for　some　jesting　absurdity　with　the　women　who　squatted　beside　them。
Some　men；　dressed　like　girls；　went　to　and　fro；　serving　the　dancers
with　sweetmeats　and　with　cigarettes；　their　beards　flowing　down　with　a
grotesque　effect　over　their　dresses　of　embroidered　muslin；　their　hairy
arms　emerging　from　hanging　sleeves　of　silk。　A　negro　boy　sat　holding　a
tomtom　between　his　bare　knees　and　beating　it　with　supple　hands；　and　a
Jewess　performed　the　stomach　dance；　waving　two　handkerchiefs　stained
red　and　purple；　and　singing　in　a　loud　and　barbarous　contralto　voice
which　Domini　could　hear　but　very　faintly。　The　card…players　stopped
their　game　and　watched　her；　and　Domini　watched　too。　For　the　first
time；　and