the garden of allah-第60节

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her　world　would　laugh　or　wonder；　and　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　her
life　she　was　uneasily　self…conscious　because　of　the　self　that　watched
herself；　as　if　that　self　held　something　coldly　satirical　that　mocked
at　her　and　marvelled。



CHAPTER　XIV

〃What　shall　I　do　to…night？〃

Alone　in　the　now　empty　/salle…a…manger/　Domini　asked　herself　the
question。　She　was　restless；　terribly　restless　in　mind；　and　wanted
distraction。　The　idea　of　going　to　her　room；　of　reading；　even　of
sitting　quietly　in　the　verandah；　was　intolerable　to　her。　She　longed
for　action；　swiftness；　excitement；　the　help　of　outside　things；　of　that
exterior　life　which　she　had　told　Count　Anteoni　she　had　begun　to　see　as
a　mirage。　Had　she　been　in　a　city　she　would　have　gone　to　a　theatre　to
witness　some　tremendous　drama；　or　to　hear　some　passionate　or　terrible
opera。　Beni…Mora　might　have　been　a　place　of　many　and　strange
tragedies；　would　be　no　doubt　again；　but　it　offered　at　this　moment
little　to　satisfy　her　mood。　The　dances　of　the　Cafes　Maures；　the　songs
of　the　smokers　of　the　keef；　the　long　histories　of　the　story…tellers
between　the　lighted　candlesshe　wanted　none　of　these；　and；　for　a
moment；　she　wished　she　were　in　London；　Paris；　any　great　capital　that
spent　itself　to　suit　the　changing　moods　of　men。　With　a　sigh　she　got　up
and　went　out　to　the　Arcade。　Batouch　joined　her　immediately。

〃What　can　I　do　to…night；　Batouch？〃　she　said。

〃There　are　the　femmes　mauresques；〃　he　began。

〃No；　no。〃

〃Would　Madame　like　to　hear　the　story…teller？〃

〃No。　I　should　not　understand　him。〃

〃I　can　explain　to　Madame。〃

〃No。〃

She　stepped　out　into　the　road。

〃There　will　be　a　moon　to…night；　won't　there？〃　she　said；　looking　up　at
the　starry　sky。

〃Yes；　Madame；　later。〃

〃What　time　will　it　rise？〃

〃Between　nine　and　ten。〃

She　stood　in　the　road；　thinking。　It　had　occurred　to　her　that　she　had
never　seen　moonrise　in　the　desert。

〃And　now　it　is〃she　looked　at　her　watch〃only　eight。〃

〃Does　Madame　wish　to　see　the　moon　come　up　pouring　upon　the　palms〃

〃Don't　talk　so　much；　Batouch；〃　she　said　brusquely。

To…night　the　easy　and　luscious　imaginings　of　the　poet　worried　her　like
the　cry　of　a　mosquito。　His　presence　even　disturbed　her。　Yet　what　could
she　do　without　him？　After　a　pause　she　said：

〃Can　one　go　into　the　desert　at　night？〃

〃On　foot；　Madame？　It　would　be　dangerous。　One　cannot　tell　what　may　be
in　the　desert　by　night。〃

These　words　made　her　long　to　go。　They　had　a　charm；　a　violence　perhaps；
of　the　unknown。

〃One　might　ride；〃　she　said。　〃Why　not？　Who　could　hurt　us　if　we　were
mounted　and　armed？〃

〃Madame　is　brave　as　the　panther　in　the　forests　of　the　Djurdjurah。〃

〃And　you；　Batouch？　Aren't　you　brave？〃

〃Madame；　I　am　afraid　of　nothing。〃　He　did　not　say　it　boastfully；　like
Hadj；　but　calmly；　almost　loftily。

〃Well；　we　are　neither　of　us　afraid。　Let　us　ride　out　on　the　Tombouctou
road　and　see　the　moon　rise。　I'll　go　and　put　on　my　habit。〃

〃Madame　should　take　her　revolver。〃

〃Of　course。　Bring　the　horses　round　at　nine。〃

When　she　had　put　on　her　habit　it　was　only　a　few　minutes　after　eight。
She　longed　to　be　in　the　saddle；　going　at　full　speed　up　the　long；　white
road　between　the　palms。　Physical　movement　was　necessary　to　her；　and
she　began　to　pace　up　and　down　the　verandah　quickly。　She　wished　she　had
ordered　the　horses　at　once；　or　that　she　could　do　something　definite　to
fill　up　the　time　till　they　came。　As　she　turned　at　the　end　of　the
verandah　she　saw　a　white　form　approaching　her；　when　it　drew　near　she
recognised　Hadj；　looking　self…conscious　and　mischievous；　but　a　little
triumphant　too。　At　this　moment　she　was　glad　to　see　him。　He　received
her　congratulations　on　his　recovery　and　approaching　marriage　with　a
sort　of　skittish　gaiety；　but　she　soon　discovered　that　he　had　come　with
a　money…making　reason。　Having　seen　his　cousin　safely　off　the　premises；
it　had　evidently　occurred　to　him　to　turn　an　honest　penny。　And　pennies
were　now　specially　needful　to　him　in　view　of　married　life。

〃Does　Madame　wish　to　see　something　strange　and　wonderful　to…night？〃　he
asked；　after　a　moment；　looking　at　her　sideways　out　of　the　corners　of
his　wicked　eyes；　which；　as　Domini　could　see；　were　swift　to　read
character　and　mood。

〃I　am　going　out　riding。〃

He　looked　astonished。

〃In　the　night？〃

〃Yes。　Batouch　has　gone　to　fetch　the　horses。〃

Hadj's　face　became　a　mask　of　sulkiness。

〃If　Madame　goes　out　with　Batouch　she　will　be　killed。　There　are　robbers
in　the　desert；　and　Batouch　is　afraid　of〃

〃Could　we　see　the　strange　and　wonderful　thing　in　an　hour？〃　she
interrupted。

The　gay　and　skittish　expression　returned　instantly　to　his　face。

〃Yes；　Madame。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

He　shook　his　head　and　made　an　artful　gesture　with　his　hand　in　the　air。

〃Madame　shall　see。〃

His　long　eyes　were　full　of　mystery；　and　he　moved　towards　the
staircase。

〃Come；　Madame。〃

Domini　laughed　and　followed　him。　She　felt　as　if　she　were　playing　a
game；　yet　her　curiosity　was　roused。　They　went　softly　down　and　slipped
out　of　the　hotel　like　children　fearing　to　be　caught。

〃Batouch　will　be　angry。　There　will　be　white　foam　on　his　lips；〃
whispered　Hadj；　dropping　his　chin　and　chuckling　low　in　his　throat。
〃This　way；　Madame。〃

He　led　her　quickly　across　the　gardens　to　the　Rue　Berthe；　and　down　a
number　of　small　streets；　till　they　reached　a　white　house　before　which；
on　a　hump；　three　palm　trees　grew　from　one　trunk。　Beyond　was　waste
ground；　and　further　away　a　stretch　of　sand　and　low　dunes　lost　in　the
darkness　of　the；　as　yet；　moonless　night。　Domini　looked　at　the　house
and　at　Hadj；　and　wondered　if　it　would　be　foolish　to　enter。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked　again。

But　he　only　replied；　〃Madame　will　see！〃　and　struck　his　flat　hand　upon
the　door。　It　was　opened　a　little　way；　and　a　broad　face　covered　with
little　humps　and　dents　showed；　the　thick　lips　parted　and　muttering
quickly。　Then　the　face　was　withdrawn；　the　door　opened　wider；　and　Hadj
beckoned　to　Domini　to　go　in。　After　a　moment's　hesitation　she　did　so；
and　found　herself　in　a　small　interior　court；　with　a　tiled　floor；
pillars；　and　high　up　a　gallery　of　carved　wood；　from　which；　doubtless；
dwelling…rooms　opened。　In　the　court；　upon　cushions；　were　seated　four
vacant…looking　men；　with　bare　arms　and　legs　and　long　matted　hair；
before　a　brazier；　from　which　rose　a　sharply　pungent　perfume。　Two　of
these　men　were　very　young；　with　pale；　ascetic　faces　and　weary　eyes。
They　looked　like　young　priests　of　the　Sahara。　At　a　short　distance；
upon　a　red　pillow；　sat　a　tiny　boy　of　about　three　years　old；　dressed　in
yellow　and　green。　When　Domini　and　Hadj　came　into　the　court　no　one
looked　at　them　except　the　child；　who　stared　with　slowly…rolling；
solemn　eyes；　slightly　shifting　on　the　pillow。　Hadj　beckoned　to　Domini
to　seat　herself　upon　some　rugs　between　the　pillars；　sat　down　beside
her　and　began　to　make　a　cigarette。　Complete　silence　prevailed。　The
four　men　stared　at　the　brazier；　holding　their　nostrils　over　the
incense　fumes　which　rose　from　it　in　airy　spirals。　The　child　continued
to　stare　at　Domini。　Hadj　lit　his　cigarette。　And　time　rolled　on。

Domini　had　desired　violence；　and　had　been　conveyed　into　a　dumbness　of
mystery；　that　fell　upon　her　turmoil　of　spirit　like　a　blow。　What　struck
her　as　especially　strange　and　unnatural　was　the　fact　that　the　men　with
whom　she　was　sitting　in　the　dim　court　of　this　lonely　house　had　not
looked　at　her；　did　not　appear　to　know　that　she　was　there。　Hadj　had
caught　the　aroma　of　their　meditations　with　the　perfume　of　the　incense；
for　his　eyes　had　lost　their　mischief　and　become　gloomily　profound；　as
if　they　stared　on　bygone　centuries　or　watched　a　far…off　future。　Even
the　child　began　to　look　elderly；　and　worn　as　with　fastings　and　with
watchings。　As　the　fumes　perpetually　ascended　from　the　red…hot　coals　of
the　brazier　the　sharp　smell　of　the　perfume　grew　stronger。　There　was　in
it　something　provocative　and　exciting　that　was　like　a　sound；　and
Domini　marvelled　that　the　four　men　who　crouched　over　it　and　drank　it
in　perpetually　could　be　unaffected　by　its　influence　when　she；　who　was
at　some　distance　from　it；　felt　dawning　on　her　desires　of　movement；　of
action；　almost　a　physical　necessity　to　get　up　and　do　something
extraordinary；　absurd　or　passionate；　such　as　she　had　never　done　or
dreamed　of　till　this　moment。

A　low　growl　like　that　of　a　wild　beast　broke　the　silence。　Domini　did
not　know　at　first　whence　it　came。　She　stared　at　the　four　men；　but　they
were　all　gazing　vacantly　into　the　brazier；　their　naked　arms　dropping
to　the　floor。　She　glanced　at　Hadj。　He　was　delicately　taking　a
cigarette　paper　from　a　little　case。　The　childno；　it　was　absurd　even
to　think　of　a　child　emitting　such　a　sound。

Someone　growled　again　more　fiercely；　and　this　time　Domini　saw　that　it
was　the　palest　of　the　ascetic…looking　youths。　He　shook　back　his　long
hair；　rose　to　his　feet　with　a　bound；　and　moving　into　the　centre　of　the
court　gazed　ferociously　at　his　companions。　As　if　in　obedience　to　the
glance；　two　of　them　stretched　their　arms　backwards；　found　two　tomtoms；
and　began　to　beat　them　loudly　and　monotonously。　The　young　ascetic
bowed　to　the　tomtoms；　dropping　his　lower　jaw　and　jumping　on　his　bare
feet。　He　bowed　again　as　if　saluting　a　fetish；　and　again　and　agai