the garden of allah-第52节

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sand　tells　him　secrets。〃

〃He　says。　Do　you　believe　it？〃

〃Would　you　like　to　test　it？〃

〃How？〃

〃By　coming　with　me　to　the　/fumoir/？〃

She　hesitated　obviously。

〃Mind；〃　he　added；　〃I　do　not　press　it。　A　word　from　me　and　he　is　gone。
But　you　are　fearless；　and　you　have　spoken　already；　will　speak　much
more　intimately　in　the　future；　with　the　desert　spirits。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃The　'much　more　intimately'？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　do　not　know　it；　butwhich　is　much　moreI　feel　it。〃

She　was　silent；　looking　towards　the　trees　where　the　Diviner　had
disappeared。　Count　Anteoni's　boyish　merriment　had　faded　away。　He
looked　grave；　almost　sad。

〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃No；　butI　will　confess　it
there　is　something　horrible　about　that　man　to　me。　I　felt　it　the　first
time　I　saw　him。　His　eyes　are　too　intelligent。　They　look　diseased　with
intelligence。〃

〃Let　me　send　him　away。　Smain！〃

But　she　stopped　him。　Directly　he　made　the　suggestion　she　felt　that　she
must　know　more　of　this　man。

〃No。　Let　us　go　to　the　/fumoir/。〃

〃Very　well。　Go；　Smain！〃

Smain　went　into　the　little　tent　by　the　gate；　sat　down　on　his　haunches
and　began　to　smell　at　a　sprig　of　orange　blossoms。　Domini　and　the　Count
walked　into　the　darkness　of　the　trees。

〃What　is　his　name？〃　she　asked。

〃Aloui。〃

〃Aloui。〃

She　repeated　the　word　slowly。　There　was　a　reluctant　and　yet　fascinated
sound　in　her　voice。

〃There　is　melody　in　the　name；〃　he　said。

〃Yes。　Has　hehas　he　ever　looked　in　the　sand　for　you？〃

〃Oncea　long　time　ago。〃

〃May　Idare　I　ask　if　he　found　truth　there？〃

〃He　found　nothing　for　all　the　years　that　have　passed　since　then。〃

〃Nothing！〃

There　was　a　sound　of　relief　in　her　voice。

〃For　those　years。〃

She　glanced　at　him　and　saw　that　once　again　his　face　had　lit　up　into
ardour。

〃He　found　what　is　still　to　come？〃　she　said。

And　he　repeated：

〃He　found　what　is　still　to　come。〃

Then　they　walked　on　in　silence　till　they　saw　the　purple　blossoms　of
the　bougainvillea　clinging　to　the　white　walls　of　the　/fumoir/。　Domini
stopped　on　the　narrow　path。

〃Is　he　in　there？〃　she　asked　almost　in　a　whisper。

〃No　doubt。〃

〃Larbi　was　playing　the　first　day　I　came　here。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　wish　he　was　playing　now。〃

The　silence　seemed　to　her　unnaturally　intense。

〃Even　his　love　must　have　repose。〃

She　went　on　a　step　or　two　till；　but　still　from　a　distance；　she　could
look　over　the　low　plaster　wall　beneath　the　nearest　window　space　into
the　little　room。

〃Yes；　there　he　is；〃　she　whispered。

The　Diviner　was　crouching　on　the　floor　with　his　back　towards　them　and
his　head　bent　down。　Only　his　shoulders　could　be　seen；　covered　with　a
white　gandoura。　They　moved　perpetually　but　slightly。

〃What　is　he　doing？〃

〃Speaking　with　his　ancestor。〃

〃His　ancestor？〃

〃The　sand。　Aloui！〃

He　called　softly。　The　figure　rose；　without　sound　and　instantly；　and
the　face　of　the　Diviner　smiled　at　them　through　the　purple　flowers。
Again　Domini　had　the　sensation　that　her　body　was　a　glass　box　in　which
her　thoughts；　feelings　and　desires　were　ranged　for　this　man's
inspection；　but　she　walked　resolutely　through　the　narrow　doorway　and
sat　down　on　one　of　the　divans。　Count　Anteoni　followed。

She　now　saw　that　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　on　the　ground；　there　was　a
symmetrical　pyramid　of　sand；　and　that　the　Diviner　was　gently　folding
together　a　bag　in　his　long　and　flexible　fingers。

〃You　see！〃　said　the　Count。

She　nodded；　without　speaking。　The　little　sand　heap　held　her　eyes。　She
strove　to　think　it　absurd　and　the　man　who　had　shaken　it　out　a
charlatan　of　the　desert；　but　she　was　really　gripped　by　an　odd　feeling
of　awe；　as　if　she　were　secretly　expectant　of　some　magical
demonstration。

The　Diviner　squatted　down　once　more　on　his　haunches；　stretched　out　his
fingers　above　the　sand　heap；　looked　at　her　and　smiled。

〃La　vie　de　MadameI　see　it　in　the　sablela　vie　de　Madame　dans　le
grand　desert　du　Sahara。〃

His　eyes　seemed　to　rout　out　the　secrets　from　every　corner　of　her
being；　and　to　scatter　them　upon　the　ground　as　the　sand　was　scattered。

〃Dans　le　grand　desert　du　Sahara；〃　Count　Anteoni　repeated；　as　if　he
loved　the　music　of　the　words。　〃Then　there　is　a　desert　life　for
Madame？〃

The　Diviner　dropped　his　fingers　on　to　the　pyramid；　lightly　pressing
the　sand　down　and　outward。　He　no　longer　looked　at　Domini。　The
searching　and　the　satire　slipped　away　from　his　eyes　and　body。　He
seemed　to　have　forgotten　the　two　watchers　and　to　be　concentrated　upon
the　grains　of　sand。　Domini　noticed　that　the　tortured　expression；　which
had　come　into　his　face　when　she　met　him　in　the　street　and　he　stared
into　the　bag；　had　returned　to　it。　After　pressing　down　the　sand　he
spread　the　bag　which　had　held　it　at　Domini's　feet；　and　deftly
transferred　the　sand　to　it；　scattering　the　grains　loosely　over　the
sacking；　in　a　sort　of　pattern。　Then；　bending　closely　over　them；　he
stared　at　them　in　silence　for　a　long　time。　His　pock…marked　face　was
set　like　stone。　His　emaciated　hands；　stretched　out；　rested　above　the
grains　like　carven　things。　His　body　seemed　entirely　breathless　in　its
absolute　immobility。

The　Count　stood　in　the　doorway；　still　as　he　was；　surrounded　by　the
motionless　purple　flowers。　Beyond；　in　their　serried　ranks；　stood　the
motionless　trees。　No　incense　was　burning　in　the　little　brazier　to…day。
This　cloistered　world　seemed　spell…bound。

A　low　murmur　at　last　broke　the　silence。　It　came　from　the　Diviner。　He
began　to　talk　rapidly；　but　as　if　to　himself；　and　as　he　talked　he　moved
again；　broke　up　with　his　fingers　the　patterns　in　the　sand；　formed
fresh　ones；　spirals；　circles；　snake…like　lines；　series　of　mounting
dots　that　reminded　Domini　of　spray　flung　by　a　fountain；　curves；
squares　and　oblongs。　So　swiftly　was　it　done　and　undone　that　the　sand
seemed　to　be　endowed　with　life；　to　be　explaining　itself　in　these
patterns；　to　be　presenting　deliberate　glimpses　of　hitherto　hidden
truths。　And　always　the　voice　went　on；　and　the　eyes　were　downcast；　and
the　body；　save　for　the　moving　hands　and　arms；　was　absolutely
motionless。

Domini　looked　over　the　Diviner　to　Count　Anteoni；　who　came　gently
forward　and　sat　down；　bending　his　head　to　listen　to　the　voice。

〃Is　it　Arabic？〃　she　whispered。

He　nodded。

〃Can　you　understand　it？〃

〃Not　yet。　Presently　it　will　get　slower；　clearer。　He　always　begins　like
this。〃

〃Translate　it　for　me。〃

〃Exactly　as　it　is？〃

〃Exactly　as　it　is。〃

〃Whatever　it　may　be？〃

〃Whatever　it　may　be。〃

He　glanced　at　the　tortured　face　of　the　Diviner　and　looked　grave。

〃Remember　you　have　said　I　am　fearless；〃　she　said。

He　answered：

〃Whatever　it　is　you　shall　know　it。〃

Then　they　were　silent　again。　Gradually　the　Diviner's　voice　grew
clearer；　the　pace　of　its　words　less　rapid；　but　always　it　sounded
mysterious　and　inward；　less　like　the　voice　of　a　man　than　the　distant
voice　of　a　secret。

〃I　can　hear　now；〃　whispered　the　Count。

〃What　is　he　saying？〃

〃He　is　speaking　about　the　desert。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃He　sees　a　great　storm。　Wait　a　moment！〃

The　voice　spoke　for　some　seconds　and　ceased；　and　once　again　the
Diviner　remained　absolutely　motionless；　with　his　hands　extended　above
the　grains　like　carven　things。

〃He　sees　a　great　sand…storm；　one　of　the　most　terrible　that　has　ever
burst　over　the　Sahara。　Everything　is　blotted　out。　The　desert　vanishes。
Beni…Mora　is　hidden。　It　is　day；　yet　there　is　a　darkness　like　night。　In
this　darkness　he　sees　a　train　of　camels　waiting　by　a　church。〃

〃A　mosque？〃

〃No；　a　church。　In　the　church　there　is　a　sound　of　music。　The　roar　of
the　wind；　the　roar　of　the　camels；　mingles　with　the　chanting　and　drowns
it。　He　cannot　hear　it　any　more。　It　is　as　if　the　desert　is　angry　and
wishes　to　kill　the　music。　In　the　church　your　life　is　beginning。〃

〃My　life？〃

〃Your　real　life。　He　says　that　now　you　are　fully　born；　that　till　now
there　has　been　a　veil　around　your　soul　like　the　veil　of　the　womb
around　a　child。〃

〃He　says　that！〃

There　was　a　sound　of　deep　emotion　in　her　voice。

〃That　is　all。　The　roar　of　the　wind　from　the　desert　has　silenced　the
music　in　the　church；　and　all　is　dark。〃

The　Diviner　moved　again；　and　formed　fresh　patterns　in　the　sand　with
feverish　rapidity；　and　again　began　to　speak　swiftly。

〃He　sees　the　train　of　camels　that　waited　by　the　church　starting　on　a
desert　journey。　The　storm　has　not　abated。　They　pass　through　the　oasis
into　the　desert。　He　sees　them　going　towards　the　south。〃

Domini　leaned　forward　on　the　divan；　looking　at　Count　Anteoni　above　the
bent　body　of　the　Diviner。

〃By　what　route？〃　she　whispered。

〃By　the　route　which　the　natives　call　the　road　to　Tombouctou。〃

〃Butit　is　my　journey！〃

〃Upon　one　of　the　camels；　in　a　palanquin　such　as　the　great　sheikhs　use
to　carry　their　women；　there　are　two　people；　protected　against　the
storm　by　curtains。　They　are　silent；　listening　to　the　roaring　of　the
wind。　One　of　them　is　you。〃

〃Two　people！〃

〃Two　people。〃

〃Butwho　is　the　other？〃

〃He　cannot　see。　It　is　as　if　the　blackness　of　the　storm　were　deeper
round　about　the　other　and　hid　the　other　from　him。　The　caravan　passes
on　and　is　lost　in　the　desolation　and　the　storm。〃

She　said　nothing；　but　looked　down　at　the　thin　body　of　the　Diviner
crouched　close　to　her　knees。　Was　this　pock…marked　fac