the garden of allah-第84节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


poverty　after　the　death　of　his　father；　a　Russian　who　had　come　to
Africa　to　make　a　fortune　by　vine…growing；　and　who　had　had　his　hopes
blasted　by　three　years　of　drought　and　by　the　visitation　of　the　dreaded
phylloxera？　Had　he　not　told　her　of　his　own　hard　work　on　the　rich
uplands　among　the　Spanish　workmen；　of　how　he　had　toiled　early　and　late
in　all　kinds　of　weather；　not　for　himself；　but　for　a　company　that　drew
a　fortune　from　the　land　and　gave　him　a　bare　livelihood？　Till　she　met
him　he　had　never　travelledhe　had　never　seen　almost　anything　of　life。
A　legacy　from　a　relative　had　at　last　enabled　him　to　have　some　freedom
and　to　gratify　a　man's　natural　taste　for　change。　And；　strangely；
perhaps；　he　had　come　first　to　the　desert。　She　could　notshe　did　not
expect　him　to　show　the　sort　of　easy　cultivation　that　a　man　acquires
only　by　long　contact　with　all　sorts　and　conditions　of　men　and　women。
But　she　knew　that　he　was　not　only　full　of　fire　and　feelinga　man　with
a　great　temperament；　but　also　that　he　was　a　man　who　had　found　time　to
study；　whose　mind　was　not　empty。　He　was　a　man　who　had　thought
profoundly。　She　knew　this；　although　even　with　her；　even　in　the　great
intimacy　that　is　born　of　a　great　mutual　passion；　she　knew　him　for　a
man　of　naturally　deep　reserve；　who　could　not　perhaps　speak　all　his
thoughts　to　anyone；　even　to　the　woman　he　loved。　And　knowing　this；　she
felt　a　fighting　temper　rise　up　in　her。　She　resolved　to　use　her　will
upon　this　man　who　loved　her；　to　force　him　to　show　his　best　side　to　the
guest　who　had　come　to　them　out　of　the　terror　of　the　dunes。　She　would
be　obstinate　for　him。

Her　lips　went　down　a　little　at　the　corners。　De　Trevignac　glanced　at
her　above　his　soup…plate；　and　then　at　Androvsky。　He　was　a　man　who　had
seen　much　of　society；　and　who　divined　at　once　the　gulf　that　must　have
separated　the　kind　of　life　led　in　the　past　by　his　hostess　from　the
kind　of　life　led　by　his　host。　Such　gulfs；　he　knew；　are　bridged　with
difficulty。　In　this　case　a　great　love　must　have　been　the　bridge。　His
interest　in　these　two　people；　encountered　by　him　in　the　desolation　of
the　wastes；　and　when　all　his　emotions　had　been　roused　by　the　nearness
of　peril；　would　have　been　deep　in　any　case。　But　there　was　something
that　made　it　extraordinary；　something　connected　with　Androvsky。　It
seemed　to　him　that　he　had　seen；　perhaps　known　Androvsky　at　some　time
in　his　life。　Yet　Androvsky's　face　was　not　familiar　to　him。　He　could
not　yet　tell　from　what　he　drew　this　impression；　but　it　was　strong。　He
searched　his　memory。

Just　at　first　fatigue　was　heavy　upon　him；　but　the　hot　soup；　the　first
glass　of　wine　revived　him。　When　Domini；　full　of　her　secret　obstinacy；
began　to　talk　gaily　he　was　soon　able　easily　to　take　his　part；　and　to
join　her　in　her　effort　to　include　Androvsky　in　the　conversation。　The
cheerful　noise　of　the　camp　came　to　them　from　without。

〃I'm　afraid　my　men　are　lifting　up　their　voices　rather　loudly；〃　said　De
Trevignac。

〃We　like　it；〃　said　Domini。　〃Don't　we；　Boris？〃

There　was　a　long　peal　of　laughter　from　the　distance。　As　it　died　away
Batouch's　peculiar　guttural　chuckle；　which　had　something　negroid　in
it；　was　audible；　prolonging　itself　in　a　loneliness　that　spoke　his
pertinacious　sense　of　humour。

〃Certainly；〃　said　Androvsky；　still　in　the　same　strained　and　unnatural
voice　which　had　surprised　Domini　when　she　introduced　the　two　men。　〃We
are　accustomed　to　gaiety　round　the　camp　fire。〃

〃You　are　making　a　long　stay　in　the　desert；　Monsieur？〃　asked　De
Trevignac。

〃I　hope　so；　Monsieur。　It　depends　on　myit　depends　on　Madame
Androvsky。〃

〃Why　didn't　he　say　'my　wife'？〃　thought　De　Trevignac。　And　again　he
searched　his　memory。　Had　he　ever　met　this　man？　If　so；　where？〃

〃I　should　like　to　stay　in　the　desert　for　ever；〃　Domini　said　quickly；
with　a　long　look　at　her　husband。

〃I　should　not；　Madame；〃　De　Trevignac　said。

〃I　understand。　The　desert　has　shown　you　its　terrors。〃

〃Indeed　it　has。〃

〃But　to　us　it　has　only　shown　its　enchantment。　Hasn't　it？〃　She　spoke　to
Androvsky。　After　a　pause　he　replied：

〃Yes。〃

The　word；　when　it　came；　sounded　like　a　lie。

For　the　first　time　since　her　marriage　Domini　felt　a　cold；　like　a　cold
of　ice　about　her　heart。　Was　it　possible　that　Androvsky　had　not　shared
her　joy　in　the　desert？　Had　she　been　alone　in　her　happiness？　For　a
moment　she　sat　like　one　stunned　by　a　blow。　Then　knowledge；　reason；
spoke　in　her。　She　knew　of　Androvsky's　happiness　with　her；　knew　it
absolutely。　There　are　some　things　in　which　a　woman　cannot　be　deceived。
When　Androvsky　was　with　her　he　wanted　no　other　human　being。　Nothing
could　take　that　certainty　from　her。

〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　recovered；　〃there　are　places　in　the　desert　in
which　melancholy　seems　to　brood；　in　which　one　has　a　sense　of　the
terrors　of　the　wastes。　Mogar；　I　think；　is　one　of　them；　perhaps　the
only　one　we　have　been　in　yet。　This　evening；　when　I　was　sitting　under
the　tower；　even　I〃and　as　she　said　〃even　I〃　she　smiled　happily　at
Androvsky〃knew　some　forebodings。〃

〃Forebodings？〃　Androvsky　said　quickly。　〃Why　should　you？〃　He　broke
off。

〃Not　of　coming　misfortune；　I　hope；　Madame？〃　said　De　Trevignac　in　a
voice　that　was　now　irresistibly　cheerful。

He　was　helping　himself　to　some　gazelle；　which　sent　forth　an　appetising
odour；　and　Ouardi　was　proudly　pouring　out　for　him　the　first　glass　of
blithely　winking　champagne。

〃I　hardly　know；　but　everything　looked　sad　and　strange；　I　began　to
think　about　the　uncertainties　of　life。〃

Domini　and　De　Trevignac　were　sipping　their　champagne。　Ouardi　came
behind　Androvsky　to　fill　his　glass。

〃Non！　non！〃　he　said；　putting　his　hand　over　it　and　shaking　his　head。

De　Trevignac　started。

Ouardi　looked　at　Domini　and　made　a　distressed　grimace；　pointing　with　a
brown　finger　at　the　glass。

〃Oh；　Boris！　you　must　drink　champagne　to…night！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃I　would　rather　not；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　not　accustomed　to　it。〃

〃But　to　drink　our　guest's　health　after　his　escape　from　death！〃

Androvsky　took　his　hand　from　the　glass　and　Ouardi　filled　it　with　wine。

Then　Domini　raised　her　glass　and　drank　to　De　Trevignac。　Androvsky
followed　her　example；　but　without　geniality；　and　when　he　put　his　lips
to　the　wine　he　scarcely　tasted　it。　Then　he　put　the　glass　down　and　told
Ouardi　to　give　him　red　wine。　And　during　the　rest　of　the　evening　he
drank　no　more　champagne。　He　also　ate　very　little；　much　less　than
usual；　for　in　the　desert　they　both　had　the　appetites　of　hunters。

After　thanking　them　cordially　for　drinking　his　health；　De　Trevignac
said：

〃I　was　nearly　experiencing　the　certainty　of　death。　But　was　it　Mogar
that　turned　you　to　such　thoughts；　Madame？〃

〃I　think　so。　There　is　something　sad；　even　portentous　about　it。〃

She　looked　towards　the　tent　door；　imagining　the　immense　desolation
that　was　hidden　in　the　darkness　outside；　the　white　plains；　the　mirage
sea；　the　sand　dunes　like　monsters；　the　bleached　bones　of　the　dead
camels　with　the　eagles　hovering　above　them。

〃Don't　you　think　so；　Boris？　Don't　you　think　it　looks　like　a　place　in
whichlike　a　tragic　place；　a　place　in　which　tragedies　ought　to
occur？〃

〃It　is　not　places　that　make　tragedies；〃　he　said；　〃or　at　least　they
make　tragedies　far　more　seldom　than　the　people　in　them。〃

He　stopped；　seemed　to　make　an　effort　to　throw　off　his　taciturnity；　and
suddenly　to　be　able　to　throw　it　off；　at　least　partially。　For　he
continued　speaking　with　greater　naturalness　and　ease；　even　with　a
certain　dominating　force。

〃If　people　would　use　their　wills　they　need　not　be　influenced　by　place；
they　need　not　be　governed　by　a　thousand　things；　by　memories；　by　fears；
by　fanciesyes；　even　by　fancies　that　are　the　merest　shadows；　but　out
of　which　they　make　phantoms。　Half　the　terrors　and　miseries　of　life　lie
only　in　the　minds　of　men。　They　even　cause　the　very　tragedies　they
would　avoid　by　expecting　them。〃

He　said　the　last　words　with　a　sort　of　strong　contemptthen；　more
quietly；　he　added：

〃You；　Domini；　why　should　you　feel　the　uncertainty　of　life；　especially
at　Mogar？　You　need　not。　You　can　choose　not　to。　Life　is　the　same　in　its
chances　here　as　everywhere？〃

〃But　you；〃　she　answered〃did　you　not　feel　a　tragic　influence　when　we
arrived　here？　Do　you　remember　how　you　looked　at　the　tower？〃

〃The　tower！〃　he　said；　with　a　quick　glance　at　De　Trevignac。　〃Iwhy
should　I　look　at　the　tower？〃

〃I　don't　know；　but　you　did；　almost　as　if　you　were　afraid　of　it。〃

〃My　tower！〃　said　De　Trevignac。

Another　roar　of　laughter　reached　them　from　the　camp　fire。　It　made
Domini　smile　in　sympathy；　but　De　Trevignac　and　Androvsky　looked　at
each　other　for　a　moment；　the　one　with　a　sort　of　earnest　inquiry；　the
other　with　hostility；　or　what　seemed　hostility；　across　the　circle　of
lamplight　that　lay　between　them。

〃A　tower　rising　in　the　desert　emphasises　the　desolation。　I　suppose
that　was　it；〃　Androvsky　said；　as　the　laugh　died　down　into　Batouch's
throaty　chuckle。　〃it　suggests　lonely　people　watching。〃

〃For　something　that　never　comes；　or　something　terrible　that　comes；〃　De
Trevignac　said。

As　he　spoke　the　last　words　Androvsky　moved　uneasily　in　his　chair；　and
looked　out　towards　the　camp；　as　if　he　longed　to　get　up　and　go　into　the
open　air；　as　if　the　tent　roof　above　his　head　oppressed　him。

Trevignac　turned