the garden of allah-第53节

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She　said　nothing；　but　looked　down　at　the　thin　body　of　the　Diviner
crouched　close　to　her　knees。　Was　this　pock…marked　face　the　face　of　a
prophet？　Did　this　skin　and　bone　envelop　the　soul　of　a　seer？　She　no
longer　wished　that　Larbi　was　playing　upon　his　flute　or　felt　the
silence　to　be　unnatural。　For　this　man　had　filled　it　with　the　roar　of
the　desert　wind。　And　in　the　wind　there　struggled　and　was　finally　lost
the　sound　of　voices　of　her　Faith　chantingwhat？　The　wind　was　too
strong。　The　voices　were　too　faint。　She　could　not　hear。

Once　more　the　Diviner　stirred。　For　some　minutes　his　fingers　were　busy
in　the　sand。　But　now　they　moved　more　slowly　and　no　words　came　from　his
lips。　Domini　and　the　Count　bent　low　to　watch　what　he　was　doing。　The
look　of　torture　upon　his　face　increased。　It　was　terrible；　and　made
upon　Domini　an　indelible　impression；　for　she　could　not　help　connecting
it　with　his　vision　of　her　future；　and　it　suggested　to　her　formless
phantoms　of　despair。　She　looked　into　the　sand；　as　if　she；　too；　would
be　able　to　see　what　he　saw　and　had　not　told；　looked　till　she　began　to
feel　almost　hypnotised。　The　Diviner's　hands　trembled　now　as　they　made
the　patterns；　and　his　breast　heaved　under　his　white　robe。　Presently　he
traced　in　the　sand　a　triangle　and　began　to　speak。

The　Count　bent　down　till　his　ear　was　almost　at　the　Diviner's　lips；　and
Domini　held　her　breath。　That　caravan　lost　in　the　desolation　of　the
desert；　in　the　storm　and　the　darknesswhere　was　it？　What　had　been　its
fate？　Sweat　ran　down　over　the　Diviner's　face；　and　dropped　upon　his
robe；　upon　his　hands；　upon　the　sand；　making　dark　spots。　And　the　voice
whispered　on　huskily　till　she　was　in　a　fever　of　impatience。　She　saw
upon　the　face　of　the　Count　the　Diviner's　tortured　look　reflected。　Was
it　not　also　on　her　face？　A　link　surely　bound　them　all　together　in　this
tiny　room；　close　circled　by　the　tall　trees　and　the　intense　silence。
She　looked　at　the　triangle　in　the　sand。　It　was　very　distinct；　more
distinct　than　the　other　patterns　had　been。　What　did　it　represent？　She
searched　her　mind；　thinking　of　the　desert；　of　her　life　there；　of　man's
life　in　the　desert。　Was　it　not　tent…shaped？　She　saw　it　as　a　tent；　as
her　tent　pitched　somewhere　in　the　waste　far　from　the　habitations　of
men。　Now　the　trembling　hands　were　still；　the　voice　was　still；　but　the
sweat　did　not　cease　from　dropping　down　upon　the　sand。

〃Tell　me！〃　she　murmured　to　the　Count。

He　obeyed；　seeming　now　to　speak　with　an　effort。

〃It　is　far　away　in　the　desert〃

He　paused。

〃Yes？　Yes？〃

〃Very　far　away　in　a　sandy　place。　There　are　immense　dunes；　immense
white　dunes　of　sand　on　every　side；　like　mountains。　Near　at　hand　there
is　a　gleam　of　many　fires。　They　are　lit　in　the　market…place　of　a　desert
city。　Among　the　dunes；　with　camels　picketed　behind　it；　there　is　a
tent〃

She　pointed　to　the　triangle　traced　upon　the　sand。

〃I　knew　it；〃　she　whispered。　〃It　is　my　tent。〃

〃He　sees　you　there；　as　he　saw　you　in　the　palanquin。　But　now　it　is
night　and　you　are　quite　alone。　You　are　not　asleep。　Something　keeps　you
awake。　You　are　excited。　You　go　out　of　the　tent　upon　the　dunes　and　look
towards　the　fires　of　the　city。　He　hears　the　jackals　howling　all　around
you；　and　sees　the　skeletons　of　dead　camels　white　under　the　moon。〃

She　shuddered　in　spite　of　herself。

〃There　is　something　tremendous　in　your　soul。　He　says　it　is　as　if　all
the　date　palms　of　the　desert　bore　their　fruit　together；　and　in　all　the
dry　places；　where　men　and　camels　have　died　of　thirst　in　bygone　years；
running　springs　burst　forth；　and　as　if　the　sand　were　covered　with
millions　of　golden　flowers　big　as　the　flower　of　the　aloe。〃

〃But　then　it　is　joy；　it　must　be　joy！〃

〃He　says　it　is　great　joy。〃

〃Then　why　does　he　look　like　that；　breathe　like　that？〃

She　indicated　the　Diviner；　who　was　trembling　where　he　crouched；　and
breathing　heavily；　and　always　sweating　like　one　in　agony。

〃There　is　more；〃　said　the　Count；　slowly。

〃Tell　me。〃

〃You　stand　alone　upon　the　dunes　and　you　look　towards　the　city。　He
hears　the　tomtoms　beating；　and　distant　cries　as　if　there　were　a
fantasia。　Then　he　sees　a　figure　among　the　dunes　coming　towards　you。〃

〃Who　is　it？〃　she　asked。

He　did　not　answer。　But　she　did　not　wish　him　to　answer。　She　had　spoken
without　meaning　to　speak。

〃You　watch　this　figure。　It　comes　to　you；　walking　heavily。〃

〃Walking　heavily？〃

〃That's　what　he　says。　The　dates　shrivel　on　the　palms；　the　streams　dry
up；　the　flowers　droop　and　die　in　the　sand。　In　the　city　the　tomtoms
faint　away　and　the　red　fires　fade　away。　All　is　dark　and　silent。　And
then　he　sees〃

〃Wait！〃　Domini　said　almost　sharply。

He　sat　looking　at　her。　She　pressed　her　hands　together。　In　her　dark
face；　with　its　heavy　eyebrows　and　strong；　generous　mouth；　a　contest
showed；　a　struggle　between　some　quick　desire　and　some　more　sluggish
but　determined　reluctance。　In　a　moment　she　spoke　again。

〃I　won't　hear　anything　more；　please。〃

〃But　you　said　'whatever　it　may　be。'〃

〃Yes。　But　I　won't　hear　anything　more。〃

She　spoke　very　quietly；　with　determination。

The　Diviner　was　beginning　to　move　his　hands　again；　to　make　fresh
patterns　in　the　sand；　to　speak　swiftly　once　more。

〃Shall　I　stop　him？〃

〃Please。〃

〃Then　would　you　mind　going　out　into　the　garden？　I　will　join　you　in　a
moment。　Take　care　not　to　disturb　him。〃

She　got　up　with　precaution；　held　her　skirts　together　with　her　hands；
and　slipped　softly　out　on　to　the　garden　path。　For　a　moment　she　was
inclined　to　wait　there；　to　look　back　and　see　what　was　happening　in　the
/fumoir/。　But　she　resisted　her　inclination；　and　walked　on　slowly　till
she　reached　the　bench　where　she　had　sat　an　hour　before　with　Androvsky。
There　she　sat　down　and　waited。　In　a　few　minutes　she　saw　the　Count
coming　towards　her　alone。　His　face　was　very　grave；　but　lightened　with
a　slight　smile　when　he　saw　her。

〃He　has　gone？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。〃

He　was　about　to　sit　beside　her；　but　she　said　quickly：

〃Would　you　mind　going　back　to　the　jamelon　tree？〃

〃Where　we　sat　this　morning？〃

〃Was　it　onlyyes。〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Oh；　but　you　are　going　away　to…morrow！　You　have　a　lot　to　do　probably？〃

〃Nothing。　My　men　will　arrange　everything。〃

She　got　up；　and　they　walked　in　silence　till　they　saw　once　more　the
immense　spaces　of　the　desert　bathed　in　the　afternoon　sun。　As　Domini
looked　at　them　again　she　knew　that　their　wonder；　their　meaning；　had
increased　for　her。　The　steady　crescendo　that　was　beginning　almost　to
frighten　her　was　maintainedthe　crescendo　of　the　voice　of　the　Sahara。
To　what　tremendous　demonstration　was　this　crescendo　tending；　to　what
ultimate　glory　or　terror？　She　felt　that　her　soul　was　as　yet　too
undeveloped　to　conceive。　The　Diviner　had　been　right。　There　was　a　veil
around　it；　like　the　veil　of　the　womb　that　hides　the　unborn　child。

Under　the　jamelon　tree　she　sat　down　once　more。

〃MayI　light　a　cigar？〃　the　Count　asked。

〃Do。〃

He　struck　a　match；　lit　a　cigar；　and　sat　down　on　her　left；　by　the
garden　wall。

〃Tell　me　frankly；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　wish　to　talk　or　to　be　silent？〃

〃I　wish　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃I　am　sorry　now　I　asked　you　to　test　Aloui's　powers。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　I　fear　they　made　an　unpleasant　impression　upon　you。〃

〃That　was　not　why　I　made　you　stop　him。〃

〃No？〃

〃You　don't　understand　me。　I　was　not　afraid。　I　can　only　say　that；　but　I
can't　give　you　my　reason　for　stopping　him。　I　wished　to　tell　you　that
it　was　not　fear。〃

〃I　believeI　know　that　you　are　fearless；〃　he　said　with　an　unusual
warmth。　〃You　are　sure　that　I　don't　understand　you？〃

〃Remember　the　refrain　of　the　Freed　Negroes'　song！〃

〃Ah；　yesthose　black　fellows。　But　I　know　something　of　you；　Miss
Enfildenyes；　I　do。〃

〃I　would　rather　you　didyou　and　your　garden。〃

〃Andsome　dayI　should　like　you　to　know　a　little　more　of　me。〃

〃Thank　you。　When　will　you　come　back？〃

〃I　can't　tell。　But　you　are　not　leaving？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

The　idea　of　leaving　Beni…Mora　troubled　her　heart　strangely。

〃No；　I　am　too　happy　here。〃

〃Are　you　really　happy？〃

〃At　any　rate　I　am　happier　than　I　have　ever　been　before。〃

〃You　are　on　the　verge。〃

He　was　looking　at　her　with　eyes　in　which　there　was　tenderness；　but
suddenly　they　flashed　fire；　and　he　exclaimed：

〃My　desert　land　must　not　bring　you　despair。〃

She　was　startled　by　his　sudden　vehemence。

〃What　I　would　not　hear！〃　she　said。　〃You　know　it！〃

〃It　is　not　my　fault。　I　am　ready　to　tell　it　to　you。〃

〃No。　But　do　you　believe　it？　Do　you　believe　that　man　can　read　the
future　in　the　sand？　How　can　it　be？〃

〃How　can　a　thousand　things　be？　How　can　these　desert　men　stand　in　fire；
with　their　naked　feet　set　on　burning　brands；　with　burning　brands　under
their　armpits；　and　not　be　burned？　How　can　they　pierce　themselves　with
skewers　and　cut　themselves　with　knives　and　no　blood　flow？　But　I　told
you　the　first　day　I　met　you；　the　desert　always　makes　me　the　same　gift
when　I　return　to　it。〃

〃What　gift？〃

〃The　gift　of　belief。〃

〃Then　you　do　believe　in　that　manAloui？〃

〃Do　you？〃

〃I　can　only　say　that　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　it　might　be　divination。　If
I　had　not　felt　that　I　should　not　have　stopped　it。　I　should　have
treated　it　as　a　game。〃

〃It　impressed　you　as　it　impresses　me。　Well；　for　both　of　us　the　desert
has　gifts。　Let　us　a