the garden of allah-第80节
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knew； too； that he was no longer a practising Catholic； and that； for
some reason； he dreaded any intimacy with priests。 He never spoke
against them。 He had scarcely ever spoken of them to her。 But she
remembered his words in the garden； 〃I do not care for priests。〃 She
remembered； too； his action in the tunnel on the day of his arrival in
Beni…Mora。 And the reticence that they both preserved on the subject
of religion； and its reason； were the only causes of regret in this
desert dream of hers。 Even this regret； too； often faded in hope。 For
in the desert； the Garden of Allah； she had it borne in upon her that
Androvsky would discover what he must surely secretly be seekingthe
truth that each man must find for himself； truth for him of the
eventual existence in which the mysteries of this present existence
will be made plain； and of the Power that has fashioned all things。
And she was able to hope in silence； as women do for the men they
love。
〃Don't think I do not realise that you have worked；〃 she went on after
a pause。 〃You told me how you always cultivated the land yourself；
even when you were still a boy； that you directed the Spanish
labourers in the vineyards； thatyou have earned a long holiday。 But
should it last for ever？〃
〃You are right。 Well； let us take an oasis； let us become palm
gardeners like that Frenchman at Meskoutine。〃
〃And build ourselves an African house； white； with a terrace roof。〃
〃And sell our dates。 We can give employment to the Arabs。 We can
choose the poorest。 We can improve their lives。 After all； if we owe a
debt to anyone it is to them； to the desert。 Let us pay our debt to
the desert men and live in the desert。〃
〃It would be an ideal life；〃 she said with her eyes shining on his。
〃And a possible life。 Let us live it。 I could not bear to leave the
desert。 Where should we go？〃
〃Where should we go！〃 she repeated。
She was still looking at him； but now the expression of her eyes had
quite changed。 They had become grave； and examined him seriously with
a sort of deep inquiry。 He sat upon the Arab rug； leaning his back
against the wall of the traveller's house。
〃Why do you look at me like that； Domini？〃 he asked with a sudden
stirring of something that was like uneasiness。
〃I！ I was wondering what you would like； what other life would suit
you。〃
〃Yes？〃 he said quickly。 〃Yes？〃
〃It's very strange； Boris； but I cannot connect you with anything but
the desert； or see you anywhere but in the desert。 I cannot even
imagine you among your vines in Tunisia。〃
〃They were not altogether mine；〃 he corrected； still with a certain
excitement which he evidently endeavoured to repress。 〃II had the
right； the duty of cultivating the land。〃
〃Well； however it was； you were always at work； you were responsible；
weren't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I can't see you even in the vineyards or the wheat…fields。 Isn't it
strange？〃
She was always looking at him with the same deep and wholly
unselfconscious inquiry。
〃And as to London； Paris〃
Suddenly she burst into a little laugh and her gravity vanished。
〃I think you would hate them；〃 she said。 〃And theythey wouldn't like
you because they wouldn't understand you。〃
〃Let us buy our oasis；〃 he said abruptly。 〃Build our African house；
sell our dates and remain in the desert。 I hear Batouch。 It must be
time to ride on to Mogar。 Batouch！ Batouch！〃
Batouch came from the courtyard of the house wiping the remains of a
cous…cous from his languid lips。
〃Untie the horses；〃 said Androvsky。
〃But； Monsieur； it is still too hot to travel。 Look！ No one is
stirring。 All the village is asleep。〃
He waved his enormous hand； with henna…tinted nails； towards the
distant town； carved surely out of one huge piece of bronze。
〃Untie the horses。 There are gazelle in the plain near Mogar。 Didn't
you tell me？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； but〃
〃We'll get there early and go out after them at sunset。 Now； Domini。〃
They rode away in the burning heat of the noon towards the southwest
across the vast plains of grey sand； followed at a short distance by
Batouch and Ali。
〃Monsieur is mad to start in the noon；〃 grumbled Batouch。 〃But
Monsieur is not like Madame。 He may live in the desert till he is old
and his hair is grey as the sand； but he will never be an Arab in his
heart。〃
〃Why； Batouch…ben…Brahim？〃
〃He cannot rest。 To Madame the desert gives its calm； but to
Monsieur〃 He did not finish his sentence。 In front Domini and
Androvsky had put their horses to a gallop。 The sand flew up in a thin
cloud around them。
〃Nom d'un chien！〃 said Batouch； who； in unpoetical moments；
occasionally indulged in the expletives of the French infidels who
were his country's rulers。 〃What is there in the mind of Monsieur
which makes him ride as if he fled from an enemy？〃
〃I know not； but he goes like a hare before the sloughi； Batouch…ben
Brahim；〃 answered Ali； gravely。
Then they sent their horses on in chase of the cloud of sand towards
the southwest。
About four in the afternoon they reached the camp at Mogar。
As they rode in slowly； for their horses were tired and streaming with
heat after their long canter across the sands； both Domini and
Androvsky were struck by the novelty of this halting…place； which was
quite unlike anything they had yet seen。 The ground rose gently but
continuously for a considerable time before they saw in the distance
the pitched tents with the dark forms of the camels and mules。 Here
they were out of the sands； and upon hard； sterile soil covered with
small stones embedded in the earth。 Beyond the tents they could see
nothing but the sky； which was now covered with small； ribbed grey
clouds； sad…coloured and autumnal； and a lonely tower built of stone；
which rose from the waste at about two hundred yards from the tents to
the east。 Although they could see so little； however； they were
impressed with a sensation that they were on the edge of some vast
vision； of some grandiose effect of Nature； that would bring to them a
new and astonishing knowledge of the desert。 Perhaps it was the sight
of the distant tower pointing to the grey clouds that stirred in them
this almost excited feeling of expectation。
〃It is like a watch…tower；〃 Domini said； pointing with her whip。 〃But
who could live in such a place； far from any oasis？〃
〃And what can it overlook？〃 said Androvsky。 〃This is the nearest
horizon line we have seen since we came into the desert。〃
〃Yes； but〃
She glanced at him as they put their horses into a gentle canter。 Then
she added：
〃You； too； feel that we are coming to something tremendous； don't you？
Her horse whinnied shrilly。 Domini stroked his foam…flecked neck with
her hand。
〃Abou is as full of anticipation as we are；〃 she said。 Androvsky was
looking towards the tower。
〃That was built for French soldiers；〃 he said。 A moment afterwards he
added：
〃I wonder why Batouch chose this place for us to camp in？〃
There was a faint sound as of irritation in his voice。
〃Perhaps we shall know in a minute；〃 Domini answered。 They cantered
on。 Their horses' hoofs rang with a hard sound on the stony ground。
〃It's inhospitable here；〃 Androvsky said。 She looked at him in
surprise。
〃I never knew you to take a dislike to any halting…place before；〃 she
said。 〃What's the matter； Boris？〃
He smiled at her； but almost immediately his face was clouded by the
shadow of a gloom that seemed to respond to the gloom of the sky。 And
he fixed his eyes again upon the tower。
〃I like a far horizon；〃 he answered。 〃And there's no sun to…day。〃
〃I suppose even in the desert we cannot have it always；〃 she said。 And
in her voice； too； there was a touch of melancholy； as if she had
caught his mood。 A minute later she added：
〃I feel exactly as if I were on a hill top and were coming to a view
of the sea。〃
Almost as she spoke they cantered in among the tents of the
attendants； and reined in their horses at the edge of a slope that was
almost a precipice。 Then they sat still in their saddles； gazing。
They had been living for weeks in the midst of vastness； and had
become accustomed to see stretched out around them immense tracts of
land melting away into far blue distances； but this view from Mogar
made them catch their breath and stiffed their pulses。
It was gigantic。 There was even something unnatural in its appearance
of immensity； as if it were； perhaps； deceptive； and existed in their
vision of it only。 So； surely； might look a plain to one who had taken
haschish； which enlarges； makes monstrous and threateningly terrific。
Domini had a feeling that no human eyes could really see such infinite
tracts of land and water as those she seemed to be seeing at this
moment。 For there was water here； in the midst of the desert。 Infinite
expanses of sea met infinite plains of snow。 Or so it seemed to both
of them。 And the sea was grey and calm as a winter sea； breathing its
plaint along a winter land。 From it； here and there； rose islets whose
low cliffs were a deep red like the red of sandstone； a sad colour
that suggests tragedy； islets that looked desolate； and as if no life
had ever been upon them； or could be。 Back fr
