the garden of allah-第8节

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and　limpidity　of　light　falling　at　evening　from　a　declining　sun　in　a
hot　country；　came　full　upon　him；　and　brightened　his　hair。　Domini　saw
that　it　was　brown　with　some　chestnut　in　it；　thick；　and　cut　extremely
short；　as　if　his　head　had　recently　been　shaved。　She　felt　convinced
that　he　was　not　French。　He　might　be　an　Austrian；　perhaps；　or　a　Russian
from　the　south　of　Russia。　He　remained　motionless　in　that　attitude　of
profound　observation。　It　suggested　great　force　not　merely　of　body；　but
also　of　mind；　an　almost　abnormal　concentration　upon　the　thing
observed。　This　was　a　man　who　could　surely　shut　out　the　whole　world　to
look　at　a　grain　of　sand；　if　he　thought　it　beautiful　or　interesting。

They　were　near　Beni…Mora　now。　Its　palms　appeared　far　off；　and　in　the
midst　of　them　a　snow…white　tower。　The　Sahara　lay　beyond　and　around　it；
rolling　away　from　the　foot　of　low；　brown　hills；　that　looked　as　if　they
had　been　covered　with　a　soft　powder　of　bronze。　A　long　spur　of　rose…
coloured　mountains　stretched　away　towards　the　south。　The　sun　was　very
near　his　setting。　Small；　red　clouds　floated　in　the　western　quarter　of
the　sky；　and　the　far　desert　was　becoming　mysteriously　dim　and　blue；
like　a　remote　sea。　Here　and　there　thin　wreaths　of　smoke　ascended　from
it；　and　lights　glittered　in　it；　like　earth…bound　stars。

Domini　had　never　before　understood　how　strangely；　how　strenuously；
colour　can　at　moments　appeal　to　the　imagination。　In　this　pageant　of
the　East　she　saw　arise　the　naked　soul　of　Africa；　no　faded；　gentle
thing；　fearful　of　being　seen；　fearful　of　being　known　and　understood；
but　a　phenomenon　vital；　bold　and　gorgeous；　like　the　sound　of　a　trumpet
pealing　a　great　/reveille/。　As　she　looked　on　this　flaming　land　laid
fearlessly　bare　before　her；　disdaining　the　clothing　of　grass；　plant
and　flower；　of　stream　and　tree；　displaying　itself　with　an　almost
brazen　/insouciance/；　confident　in　its　spacious　power；　and　in　its
golden　pride；　her　heart　leaped　up　as　if　in　answer　to　a　deliberate
appeal。　The　fatigue　in　her　died。　She　responded　to　this　/reveille/　like
a　young　warrior　who；　so　soon　as　he　is　wakened；　stretches　out　his　hand
for　his　sword。　The　sunset　flamed　on　her　clear；　white　cheeks；　giving
them　its　hue　of　life。　And　her　nature　flamed　to　meet　it。　In　the　huge
spaces　of　the　Sahara　her　soul　seemed　to　hear　the　footsteps　of　Freedom
treading　towards　the　south。　And　all　her　dull　perplexities；　all　her
bitterness　of　/ennui/；　all　her　questionings　and　doubts；　were　swept
away　on　the　keen　desert　wind　into　the　endless　plains。　She　had　come
from　her　last　confession　asking　herself；　〃What　am　I？〃　She　had　felt
infinitely　small　confronted　with　the　pettiness　of　modern；　civilised
life　in　a　narrow；　crowded　world。　Now　she　did　not　torture　herself　with
any　questions；　for　she　knew　that　something　large；　something　capable；
something　perhaps　even　noble；　rose　up　within　her　to　greet　all　this
nobility；　all　this　mighty　frankness　and　fierce；　undressed　sincerity　of
nature。　This　desert　and　this　sun　would　be　her　comrades；　and　she　was
not　afraid　of　them。

Without　being　aware　of　it　she　breathed　out　a　great　sigh；　feeling　the
necessity　of　liberating　her　joy　of　spirit；　of　letting　the　body；
however　inadequately　and　absurdly；　make　some　demonstration　in　response
to　the　secret　stirring　of　the　soul。　The　man　in　the　far　corner　of　the
carriage　turned　and　looked　at　her。　When　she　heard　this　movement　Domini
remembered　her　irritation　against　him　at　El…Akbara。　In　this　splendid
moment　the　feeling　seemed　to　her　so　paltry　and　contemptible　that　she
had　a　lively　impulse　to　make　amends　for　the　angry　look　she　had　cast　at
him。　Possibly；　had　she　been　quite　normal；　she　would　have　checked　such
an　impulse。　The　voice　of　conventionality　would　have　made　itself　heard。
But　Domini　could　act　vigorously；　and　quite　carelessly；　when　she　was
moved。　And　she　was　deeply　moved　now；　and　longed　to　lavish　the
humanity；　the　sympathy　and　ardour　that　were　quick　in　her。　In　answer　to
the　stranger's　movement　she　turned　towards　him；　opening　her　lips　to
speak　to　him。　Afterwards　she　never　knew　what　she　meant　to　say；
whether；　if　she　had　spoken；　the　words　would　have　been　French　or
English。　For　she　did　not　speak。

The　man's　face　was　illuminated　by　the　setting　sun　as　he　sat　half　round
on　his　seat；　leaning　with　his　right　hand　palm　downwards　on　the
cushions。　The　light　glittered　on　his　short　hair。　He　had　pushed　back
his　soft　hat；　and　exposed　his　high；　rugged　forehead　to　the　air；　and
his　brown　left　hand　gripped　the　top　of　the　carriage　door。　The　large；
knotted　veins　on　it；　the　stretched　sinews；　were　very　perceptible。　The
hand　looked　violent。　Domini's　eyes　fell　on　it　as　she　turned。　The
impulse　to　speak　began　to　fail；　and　when　she　glanced　up　at　the　man's
face　she　no　longer　felt　it　at　all。　For；　despite　the　glory　of　the
sunset　on　him；　there　seemed　to　be　a　cold　shadow　in　his　eyes。　The　faint
lines　near　his　mouth　looked　deeper　than　before；　and　now　suggested　most
powerfully　the　dreariness；　the　harshness　of　long…continued　suffering。
The　mouth　itself　was　compressed　and　grim；　and　the　man's　whole
expression　was　fierce　and　startling　as　the　expression　of　a　criminal
bracing　himself　to　endure　inevitable　detection。　So　crude　and　piercing
indeed　was　this　mask　confronting　her　that　Domini　started　and　was
inclined　to　shudder。　For　a　minute　the　man's　eyes　held　hers；　and　she
thought　she　saw　in　them　unfathomable　depths　of　misery　or　of
wickedness。　She　hardly　knew　which。　Sorrow　was　like　crime；　and　crime
like　the　sheer　desolation　of　grief　to　her　just　then。　And　she　thought
of　the　outer　darkness　spoken　of　in　the　Bible。　It　came　before　her　in
the　sunset。　Her　father　was　in　it；　and　this　stranger　stood　by　him。　The
thing　was　as　vital；　and　fled　as　swiftly　as　a　hallucination　in　a
madman's　brain。

Domini　looked　down。　All　the　triumph　died　out　in　her；　all　the　exquisite
consciousness　of　the　freedom；　the　colour；　the　bigness　of　life。　For
there　was　a　black　spot　on　the　sunhumanity；　God's　mistake　in　the
great　plan　of　Creation。　And　the　shadow　cast　by　humanity　tempered；　even
surely　conquered；　the　light。　She　wondered　whether　she　would　always
feel　the　cold　of　the　sunless　places　in　the　golden　dominion　of　the　sun。

The　man　had　dropped　his　eyes　too。　His　hand　fell　from　the　door　to　his
knee。　He　did　not　move　till　the　train　ran　into　Beni…Mora；　and　the　eager
faces　of　countless　Arabs　stared　in　upon　them　from　the　scorched　field
of　manoeuvres　where　Spahis　were　exercising　in　the　gathering　twilight。



CHAPTER　IV

Having　given　her　luggage　ticket　to　a　porter；　Domini　passed　out　of　the
station　followed　by　Suzanne；　who　looked　and　walked　like　an　exhausted
marionette。　Batouch；　who　had　emerged　from　a　third…class　compartment
before　the　train　stopped；　followed　them　closely；　and　as　they　reached
the　jostling　crowd　of　Arabs　which　swarmed　on　the　roadway　he　joined
them　with　the　air　of　a　proprietor。

〃Which　is　Madame's　hotel？〃

Domini　looked　round。

〃Ah；　Batouch！〃

Suzanne　jumped　as　if　her　string　had　been　sharply　pulled；　and　cast　a
glance　of　dreary　suspicion　upon　the　poet。　She　looked　at　his　legs；　then
upwards。

He　wore　white　socks　which　almost　met　his　pantaloons。　Scarcely　more
than　an　inch　of　pale　brown　skin　was　visible。　The　gold　buttons　of　his
jacket　glittered　brightly。　His　blue　robe　floated　majestically　from　his
broad　shoulders；　and　the　large　tassel　of　his　fez　fell　coquettishly
towards　his　left　ear；　above　which　was　set　a　pale　blue　flower　with　a
woolly　green　leaf。

Suzanne　was　slightly　reassured　by　the　flower　and　the　bright　buttons。
She　felt　that　they　needed　a　protector　in　this　mob　of　shouting　brown
and　black　men；　who　clamoured　about　them　like　savages；　exposing　bare
legs　and　arms；　even　bare　chests；　in　a　most　barbarous　manner。

〃We　are　going　to　the　Hotel　du　Desert；〃　Domini　continued。　〃Is　it　far？〃

〃Only　a　few　minutes；　Madame。〃

〃I　shall　like　to　walk　there。〃

Suzanne　collapsed。　Her　bones　became　as　wax　with　apprehension。　She　saw
herself　toiling　over　leagues　of　sand　towards　some　nameless　hovel。

〃Suzanne；　you　can　get　into　the　omnibus　and　take　the　handbags。〃

At　the　sweet　word　omnibus　a　ray　of　hope　stole　into　the　maid's　heart；
and　when　a　nicely…dressed　man；　in　a　long　blue　coat　and　indubitable
trousers；　assisted　her　politely　into　a　vehicle　which　was　unmistakable
she　almost　wept　for　joy。

Meanwhile　Domini；　escorted　serenely　by　the　poet；　walked　towards　the
long　gardens　of　Beni…Mora。　She　passed　over　a　wooden　bridge。　White　dust
was　flying　from　the　road；　along　which　many　of　the　Arab　aristocracy
were　indolently　strolling；　carrying　lightly　in　their　hands　small　red
roses　or　sprigs　of　pink　geranium。　In　their　white　robes　they　looked；
she　thought；　like　monks；　though　the　cigarettes　many　of　them　were
smoking　fought　against　the　illusion。　Some　of　them　were　dressed　like
Batouch　in　pale…coloured　cloth。　They　held　each　other's　hands　loosely
as　they　sauntered　along；　chattering　in　soft　contralto　voices。　Two　or
three　were　attended　by　servants；　who　walked　a　pace　or　two　behind　them
on　the　left。　These　were　members　of　great　families；　rulers　of　tribes；
men　who　had　influence　over　the　Sahara　people。　One；　a　shortish　man　with
a　coal…black　beard；　moved　so　majestically　that　he　seemed　almost　a
giant。　His　face　was　very　pale。　On　one　of　his　small；