the garden of allah-第94节

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friend　of　mine。〃

He　stretched　out　his　legs　as　if　he　wished　to　elongate　his
satisfaction；　and　stared　Domini　full　in　the　face　with　eyes　that
confidently；　naively；　asked　for　her　approval　of　his　doctrine　of　the
sun。　She　could　not　help　liking　him；　though　she　felt　more　as　if　she
were　sitting　with　a　jolly；　big；　and　rather　rowdy　boy　than　with　a
priest。

〃You　are　fond　of　the　Arabs　then？〃　she　said。

〃Of　course　I　am；　Madame。　I　can　speak　their　language；　and　I'm　as　much
at　home　in　their　tents；　and　more；　than　I　should　ever　be　at　the　Vatican
with　all　respect　to　the　Holy　Father。〃

He　got　up；　went　out　into　the　sand；　expectorated　noisily；　then　returned
to　the　tent；　wiping　his　bearded　mouth　with　a　large　red　cotton　pocket…
handkerchief。

〃Are　you　staying　here　long；　Madame？〃

He　sat　down　again　in　his　chair；　making　it　creak　with　his　substantial
weight。

〃I　don't　know。　If　my　husband　is　happy　here。　But　he　prefers　the
solitudes；　I　think。〃

〃Does　he？　And　yet　he's　gone　into　the　city。　Plenty　of　bustle　there　at
night；　I　can　tell　you。　Well；　now；　I　don't　agree　with　your　husband。　I
know　it's　been　said　that　solitude　is　good　for　the　sad；　but　I　think
just　the　contrary。　Ah！〃

The　last　sonorously　joyous　exclamation　jumped　out　of　Father　Beret　at
the　sight　of　Ouardi；　who　at　this　moment　entered　with　a　large　tray；
covered　with　a　coffee…pot；　cups；　biscuits；　bon…bons；　cigars；　and　a
bulging　flask　of　some　liqueur　flanked　by　little　glasses。

〃You　fare　generously　in　the　desert　I　see；　Madame；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃And
so　much　the　better。　What's　your　servant's　name？〃

Domini　told　him。

〃Ouardi！　that　means　born　in　the　time　of　the　roses。〃　He　addressed
Ouardi　in　Arabic　and　sent　him　off　into　the　darkness　chuckling　gaily。
〃These　Arab　names　all　have　their　meaningsOnlagareb；　mother　of
scorpions；　Omteoni；　mother　of　eagles；　and　so　on。　So　much　the　better！
Comforts　are　rare　here；　but　you　carry　them　with　you。　Sugar；　if　you
please。〃

Domini　put　two　lumps　into　his　cup。

〃If　you　allow　me！〃

He　added　two　more。

〃I　never　refuse　a　good　cigar。　These　harmless　joys　are　excellent　for
man。　They　help　his　Christianity。　They　keep　him　from　bitterness；　harsh
judgments。　But　harshness　is　for　northern　climesrainy　England；　eh？
Forgive　me；　Madame。　I　speak　in　joke。　You　come　from　England　perhaps。　It
didn't　occur　to　me　that〃

They　both　laughed。　His　garrulity　was　irresistible　and　made　Domini　feel
as　if　she　were　sitting　with　a　child。　Perhaps　he　caught　her　feeling；
for　he　added：

〃The　desert　has　made　me　an　/enfant　terrible/；　I　fear。　What　have　you
there？〃

His　eyes　had　been　attracted　by　the　flask　of　liqueur；　to　which　Domini
was　stretching　out　her　hand　with　the　intention　of　giving　him　some。

〃I　don't　know。〃

She　leaned　forward　to　read　the　name　on　the　flask。

〃L　o　u　a　r　i　n　e；〃　she　said。

〃Pst！〃　exclaimed　the　priest；　with　a　start。

〃Will　you　have　some？　I　don't　know　whether　it's　good。　I've　never　tasted
it；　or　seen　it　before。　Will　you　have　some？〃

She　felt　so　absolutely　certain　that　he　would　say　〃Yes〃　that　she　lifted
the　flask　to　pour　the　liqueur　into　one　of　the　little　glasses；　but；
looking　at　him；　she　saw　that　he　hesitated。

〃After　allwhy　not？〃　he　ejaculated。　〃Why　not？〃

She　was　holding　the　flask　over　the　glass。　He　saw　that　his　remark
surprised　her。

〃Yes；　Madame；　thanks。〃

She　poured　out　the　liqueur　and　handed　it　to　him。　He　set　it　down　by　his
coffee…cup。

〃The　fact　is；　Madamebut　you　know　nothing　about　this　liqueur？〃

〃No；　nothing。　What　is　it？〃

Her　curiosity　was　roused　by　his　hesitation；　his　words；　but　still　more
by　a　certain　gravity　which　had　come　into　his　face。

〃Well；　this　liqueur　comes　from　the　Trappist　monastery　of　El…Largani。〃

〃The　monks'　liqueur！〃　she　exclaimed。

And　instantly　she　thought　of　Mogar。

〃You　do　know　then？〃

〃Ouardi　told　me　we　had　with　us　a　liqueur　made　by　some　monks。〃

〃This　is　it；　and　very　excellent　it　is。　I　have　tasted　it　in　Tunis。〃

〃But　then　why　did　you　hesitate　to　take　it　here？〃

He　lifted　his　glass　up　to　the　lamp。　The　light　shone　on　its　contents；
showing　that　the　liquid　was　pale　green。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃the　Trappists　of　El…Largani　have　a　fine　property。
They　grow　every　sort　of　things；　but　their　vineyards　are　specially
famous；　and　their　wines　bring　in　a　splendid　revenue。　This　is　their
only　liqueur；　this　Louarine。　It；　too；　has　brought　in　a　lot　of　money　to
the　community；　but　when　what　they　have　in　stock　at　the　monastery　now
is　exhausted　they　will　never　make　another　franc　by　Louarine。〃

〃But　why　not？〃

〃The　secret　of　its　manufacture　belonged　to　one　monk　only。　At　his　death
he　was　to　confide　it　to　another　whom　he　had　chosen。〃

〃And　he　died　suddenly　without〃

〃Madame；　he　didn't　die。〃

The　gravity　had　returned　to　the　priest's　face　and　deepened　there；
transforming　it。　He　put　the　glass　down　without　touching　it　with　his
lips。

〃ThenI　don't　understand。〃

〃He　disappeared　from　the　monastery。〃

〃Do　you　mean　he　left　ita　Trappist？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃After　taking　the　final　vows？〃

〃Oh；　he　had　been　a　monk　at　El…Largani　for　over　twenty　years。〃

〃How　horrible！〃　Domini　said。　She　looked　at　the　pale…green　liquid。　〃How
horrible！〃　she　repeated。

〃Yes。　The　monks　would　have　kept　the　matter　a　secret；　but　a　servant　of
the　/hotellerie/who　had　taken　no　vow　of　eternal　silencespoke；　and
well；　I　know　it　here　in　the　'belly　of　the　desert。'〃

〃Horrible！〃

She　said　the　word　again；　and　as　if　she　felt　its　meaning　more　acutely
each　time　she　spoke　it。

〃After　twenty　years　to　go！〃　she　added　after　a　moment。　〃And　was　there
no　reason；　nono　excuseno；　I　don't　mean　excuse！　But　had　nothing
exceptional　happened？〃

〃What　exceptional　thing　can　happen　in　a　Trappist　monastery？〃　said　the
priest。　〃One　day　is　exactly　like　another　there；　and　one　year　exactly
like　another。〃

〃Was　it　long　ago？〃

〃No；　not　very　long。　Only　some　months。　Oh；　perhaps　it　may　be　a　year　by
now；　but　not　more。　Poor　fellow！　I　suppose　he　was　a　man　who　didn't　know
himself；　Madame；　and　the　devil　tempted　him。〃

〃But　after　twenty　years！〃　said　Domini。

The　thing　seemed　to　her　almost　incredible。

〃That　man　must　be　in　hell　now；〃　she　added。　〃In　the　hell　a　man　can　make
for　himself　by　his　own　act。　Oh；　here　is　my　husband。〃

Androvsky　stood　in　the　tent　door；　looking　in　upon　them　with　startled；
scrutinising　eyes。　He　had　come　over　the　deep　sand　without　noise。
Neither　Domini　nor　the　priest　had　heard　a　footstep。　The　priest　got　up
from　his　chair　and　bowed　genially。

〃Good…evening；　Monsieur；〃　he　said；　not　waiting　for　any　introduction。
〃I　am　the　Aumonier　of　Amara；　and〃

He　paused　in　the　full　flow　of　his　talk。　Androvsky's　eyes　had　wandered
from　his　face　to　the　table；　upon　which　stood　the　coffee；　the　liqueur；
and　the　other　things　brought　by　Ouardi。　It　was　evident　even　to　the
self…centred　priest　that　his　host　was　not　listening　to　him。　There　was
a　moment's　awkward　pause。　Then　Domini　said：

〃Boris；　Monsieur　l'Aumonier！〃

She　did　not　speak　loudly；　but　with　an　intention　that　recalled　the　mind
of　her　husband。　He　stepped　slowly　into　the　tent　and　held　out　his　hand
in　silence　to　the　priest。　As　he　did　so　the　lamplight　fell　full　upon
him。

〃Boris；　are　you　ill？〃　Domini　exclaimed。

The　priest　had　taken　Androvsky's　hand；　but　with　a　doubtful　air。　His
cheerful　and　confident　manner　had　died　away；　and　his　eyes；　fixed　upon
his　host；　shone　with　an　astonishment　which　was　mingled　with　a　sort　of
boyish　glumness。　It　was　evident　that　he　felt　that　his　presence　was
unwelcome。

〃I　have　a　headache；〃　Androvsky　said。　〃Ithat　is　why　I　returned。〃

He　dropped　the　priest's　hand。　He　was　again　looking　towards　the　table。

〃The　sun　was　unusually　fierce　to…day；〃　Domini　said。　〃Do　you　think〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　interrupted。　〃That's　it。　I　must　have　had　a　touch　of　the
sun。〃

He　put　his　hand　to　his　head。

〃Excuse　me；　Monsieur；〃　he　said；　speaking　to　the　priest　but　not　looking
at　him。　〃I　am　really　feeling　unwell。　Another　day〃

He　went　out　of　the　tent　and　disappeared　silently　into　the　darkness。
Domini　and　the　priest　looked　after　him。　Then　the　priest；　with　an　air
of　embarrassment；　took　up　his　hat　from　the　table。　His　cigar　had　gone
out；　but　he　pulled　at　it　as　if　he　thought　it　was　still　alight；　then
took　it　out　of　his　mouth　and；　glancing　with　a　naive　regret　at　the　good
things　upon　the　table；　his　half…finished　coffee；　the　biscuits；　the
white　box　of　bon…bonssaid：

〃Madame；　I　must　be　off。　I've　a　good　way　to　go；　and　it's　getting　late。
If　you　will　allow　me〃

He　went　to　the　tent　door　and　called；　in　a　powerful　voice：

〃Belgassem！　Belgassem！〃

He　paused；　then　called　again：

〃Belgassem！〃

A　light　travelled　over　the　sand　from　the　farther　tents　of　the
servants。　Then　the　priest　turned　round　to　Domini　and　shook　her　by　the
hand。

〃Good…night；　Madame。〃

〃I'm　very　sorry；〃　she　said；　not　trying　to　detain　him。　〃You　must　come
again。　My　husband　is　evidently　ill；　and〃

〃You　must　go　to　him。　Of　course。　Of　course。　This　sun　is　a　blessing。
Still；　it　brings　fever　sometimes；　especially　to　strangers。　We　sand…
rascalseh；　Madame！〃　he　laughed；　but　the　laugh　had　lost　its　sonorous
ring〃we　can　stand　it。　It's　our　friend。　But　for　travellers　sometimes
it's　a　little　bit　too　much。　But　now；　mind；　I'm　a　bit　of　a　doctor；　and
if　to…morrow　your　husband　is　no　better　I