the garden of allah-第37节

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to　the　other。　A　grey　mule；　tethered　to　a　palm…wood　door　and　loaded
with　brushwood；　lashed　out　with　its　hoofs　at　a　negro；　who　at　once
began　to　batter　it　passionately　with　a　pole；　and　a　long　line　of
sneering　camels　confronted　them；　treading　stealthily；　and　turning
their　serpentine　necks　from　side　to　side　as　they　came　onwards　with　a
soft　and　weary　inflexibility。　In　the　distance　there　was　a　vision　of　a
glaring　market…place　crowded　with　moving　forms　and　humming　with
noises。

The　change　from　mysterious　peace　to　this　vivid　and　concentrated　life
was　startling。

With　difficulty　they　avoided　the　onset　of　the　camels　by　pulling　their
horses　into　the　midst　of　the　dreamers　against　the　walls；　who　rolled
and　scrambled　into　places　of　safety；　then　stood　up　and　surrounded
them；　staring　with　an　almost　terrible　interest　upon　them；　and
surveying　their　horses　with　the　eyes　of　connoisseurs。　The　children
danced　up　and　began　to　ask　for　alms；　and　an　immense　man；　with　a　broken
nose　and　brown　teeth　like　tusks；　laid　a　gigantic　hand　on　Domini's
bridle　and　said；　in　atrocious　French：

〃I　am　the　guide；　I　am　the　guide。　Look　at　my　certificates。　Take　no　one
else。　The　people　here　are　robbers。　I　am　the　only　honest　man。　I　will
show　Madame　everything。　I　will　take　Madame　to　the　inn。　Lookmy
certificates！　Read　them！　Read　what　the　English　lord　says　of　me。　I
alone　am　honest　here。　I　am　honest　Mustapha！　I　am　honest　Mustapha！〃

He　thrust　a　packet　of　discoloured　papers　and　dirty　visiting…cards　into
her　hands。　She　dropped　them；　laughing；　and　they　floated　down　over　the
horse's　neck。　The　man　leaped　frantically　to　pick　them　up；　assisted　by
the　robbers　round　about。　A　second　caravan　of　camels　appeared；　preceded
by　some　filthy　men　in　rags；　who　cried；　〃Oosh！　oosh！〃　to　clear　the　way。
The　immense　man；　brandishing　his　recovered　certificates；　plunged
forward　to　encounter　them；　shouting　in　Arabic；　hustled　them　back；
kicked　them；　struck　at　the　camels　with　a　stick　till　those　in　front
receded　upon　those　behind　and　the　street　was　blocked　by　struggling
beasts　and　resounded　with　roaring　snarls；　the　thud　of　wooden　bales
clashing　together；　and　the　desperate　protests　of　the　camel…drivers；
one　of　whom　was　sent　rolling　into　a　noisome　dust　heap　with　his　turban
torn　from　his　head。

〃The　inn！　This　is　the　inn！　Madame　will　descend　here。　Madame　will　eat
in　the　garden。　Monsieur　Alphonse！　Monsieur　Alphonse！　Here　are　clients
for　/dejeuner/。　I　have　brought　them。　Do　not　believe　Mohammed。　It　is　I
thatI　will　assist　Madame　to　descend。　I　will〃

Domini　was　standing　in　a　tiny　cabaret　before　a　row　of　absinthe
bottles；　laughing；　almost　breathless。　She　scarcely　knew　how　she　had
come　there。　Looking　back　she　saw　Androvsky　still　sitting　on　his　horse
in　the　midst　of　the　clamouring　mob。　She　went　to　the　low　doorway；　but
Mustapha　barred　her　exit。

〃This　is　Sidi…Zerzour。　Madame　will　eat　in　the　garden。　She　is　tired；
fainting。　She　will　eat　and　then　she　will　see　the　great　Mosque　of
Zerzour。〃

〃Sidi…Zerzour！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Monsieur　Androvsky；　do　you　know　where
we　are？　This　is　the　famous　Sidi…Zerzour；　where　the　great　warrior　is
buried；　and　where　the　Arabs　make　pilgrimages　to　worship　at　his　tomb。〃

〃Yes；　Madame。〃

He　answered　in　a　low　voice。

〃As　we　are　here　we　ought　to　see。　Do　you　know；　I　think　we　must　yield　to
honest　Mustapha　and　have　/dejeuner/　in　the　garden。　It　is　twelve
o'clock　and　I　am　hungry。　We　might　visit　the　mosque　afterwards　and　ride
home　in　the　afternoon。〃

He　sat　there　hunched　up　on　the　horse　and　looked　at　her　in　silent
hesitation；　while　the　Arabs　stood　round　staring。

〃You'd　rather　not？〃

She　spoke　quietly。　He　shook　his　feet　out　of　the　stirrups。　A　number　of
brown　hands　and　arms　shot　forth　to　help　him。　Domini　turned　back　into
the　cabaret。　She　heard　a　tornado　of　voices　outside；　a　horse　neighing
and　trampling；　a　scuffling　of　feet；　but　she　did　not　glance　round。　In
about　three　minutes　Androvsky　joined　her。　He　was　limping　slightly　and
bending　forward　more　than　ever。　Behind　the　counter　on　which　stood　the
absinthe　bottle　was　a　tarnished　mirror；　and　she　saw　him　glance
quickly；　almost　guiltily　into　it；　put　up　his　hands　and　try　to　brush
the　dust　from　his　hair；　his　shoulders。

〃Let　me　do　it；〃　she　said　abruptly。　〃Turn　round。〃

He　obeyed　without　a　word；　turning　his　back　to　her。　With　her　two　hands；
which　were　covered　with　soft；　loose　suede　gloves；　she　beat　and　brushed
the　dust　from　his　coat。　He　stood　quite　still　while　she　did　it。　When
she　had　finished　she　said：

〃There；　that's　better。〃

Her　voice　was　practical。　He　did　not　move；　but　stood　there。

〃I've　done　what　I　can；　Monsieur　Androvsky。〃

Then　he　turned　slowly；　and　she　saw；　with　amazement；　that　there　were
tears　in　his　eyes。　He　did　not　thank　her　or　say　a　word。

A　small　and　scrubby…looking　Frenchman；　with　red　eyelids　and　moustaches
that　drooped　over　a　pendulous　underlip；　now　begged　Madame　to　follow
him　through　a　small　doorway　beyond　which　could　be　seen　three　just　shot
gazelles　lying　in　a　patch　of　sunlight　by　a　wired…in　fowl…run。　Domini
went　after　him；　and　Androvsky　and　honest　Mustaphastill　vigorously
proclaiming　his　own　virtuesbrought　up　the　rear。　They　came　into　the
most　curious　garden　she　had　ever　seen。

It　was　long　and　narrow　and　dishevelled；　without　grass　or　flowers。　The
uneven　ground　of　it　was　bare；　sun…baked　earth；　hard　as　parquet；　rising
here　into　a　hump；　falling　there　into　a　depression。　Immediately　behind
the　cabaret；　where　the　dead　gazelles　with　their　large　glazed　eyes　lay
by　the　fowl…run；　was　a　rough　wooden　trellis　with　vines　trained　over
it；　making　an　arbour。　Beyond　was　a　rummage　of　orange　trees；　palms；
gums　and　fig　trees　growing　at　their　own　sweet　will；　and　casting
patterns　of　deep　shade　upon　the　earth　in　sharp　contrast　with　the
intense　yellow　sunlight　which　fringed　them　where　the　leafage　ceased。
An　attempt　had　been　made　to　create　formal　garden　paths　and　garden　beds
by　sticking　rushes　into　little　holes　drilled　in　the　ground；　but　the
paths　were　zig…zag　as　a　drunkard's　walk；　and　the　round　and　oblong　beds
contained　no　trace　of　plants。　On　either　hand　rose　steep　walls　of
earth；　higher　than　a　man；　and　crowned　with　prickly　thorn　bushes。　Over
them　looked　palm　trees。　At　the　end　of　the　garden　ran　a　slow　stream　of
muddy　water　in　a　channel　with　crumbling　banks　trodden　by　many　naked
feet。　Beyond　it　was　yet　another　lower　wall　of　earth；　yet　another　maze
of　palms。　Heat　and　silence　brooded　here　like　reptiles　on　the　warm　mud
of　a　tropic　river　in　a　jungle。　Lizards　ran　in　and　out　of　the
innumerable　holes　in　the　walls；　and　flies　buzzed　beneath　the　ragged
leaves　of　the　fig　trees　and　crawled　in　the　hot　cracks　of　the　earth。

The　landlord　wished　to　put　a　table　under　the　vine　close　to　the　cabaret
wall；　but　Domini　begged　him　to　bring　it　to　the　end　of　the　garden　near
the　stream。　With　the　furious　assistance　of　honest　Mustapha　he　carried
it　there　and　quickly　laid　it　in　the　shadow　of　a　fig　tree；　while　Domini
and　Androvsky　waited　in　silence　on　two　straw…bottomed　chairs。

The　atmosphere　of　the　garden　was　hostile　to　conversation。　The　sluggish
muddy　stream；　the　almost　motionless　trees；　the　imprisoned　heat　between
the　surrounding　walls；　the　faint　buzz　of　the　flies　caused　drowsiness
to　creep　upon　the　spirit。　The　long　ride；　too；　and　the　ardent　desert
air；　made　this　repose　a　luxury。　Androvsky's　face　lost　its　emotional
expression　as　he　gazed　almost　vacantly　at　the　brown　water　shifting
slowly　by　between　the　brown　banks　and　the　brown　walls　above　which　the
palm　trees　peered。　His　aching　limbs　relaxed。　His　hands　hung　loose
between　his　knees。　And　Domini　half　closed　her　eyes。　A　curious　peace
descended　upon　her。　Lapped　in　the　heat　and　silence　for　the　moment　she
wanted　nothing。　The　faint　buzz　of　the　flies　sounded　in　her　ears　and
seemed　more　silent　than　even　the　silence　to　which　it　drew　attention。
Never　before；　not　in　Count　Anteoni's　garden；　had　she　felt　more　utterly
withdrawn　from　the　world。　The　feathery　tops　of　the　palms　were　like　the
heads　of　sentinels　guarding　her　from　contact　with　all　that　she　had
known。　And　beyond　them　lay　the　desert；　the　empty；　sunlit　waste。　She
shut　her　eyes；　and　murmured　to　herself；　〃I　am　in　far　away。　I　am　in　far
away。〃　And　the　flies　said　it　in　her　ears　monotonously。　And　the　lizards
whispered　it　as　they　slipped　in　and　out　of　the　little　dark　holes　in
the　walls。　She　heard　Androvsky　stir；　and　she　moved　her　lips　slowly。
And　the　flies　and　the　lizards　continued　the　refrain。　But　she　said　now；
〃We　are　in　far　away。〃

Honest　Mustapha　strode　forward。　He　had　a　Bashi…Bazouk　tread　to　wake　up
a　world。　/Dejeuner/　was　ready。　Domini　sighed。　They　took　their　places
under　the　fig　tree　on　either　side　of　the　deal　table　covered　with　a
rough　white　cloth；　and　Mustapha；　with　tremendous　gestures；　and
gigantic　postures　suggesting　the　untamed　descendant　of　legions　of
freeborn；　sun…suckled　men；　served　them　with　red　fish；　omelette；
gazelle　steaks；　cheese；　oranges　and　dates；　with　white　wine　and　Vals
water。

Androvsky　scarcely　spoke。　Now　that　he　was　sitting　at　a　meal　with
Domini　he　was　obviously　embarrassed。　All　his　movements　were　self…
conscious。　He　seemed　afraid　to　eat　and　refused　the　gazelle。　Mustapha
broke　out　into　turbulent　surprise　and　prolonged　explanations　of　the