the garden of allah-第96节

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truth。〃

Androvsky　released　her　as　abruptly　as　he　had　taken　her　in　his　arms；
turned；　and　went　out　into　the　desert。



CHAPTER　XXIV

True　to　his　promise；　on　the　following　day　the　priest　called　to　inquire
after　Androvsky's　health。　He　happened　to　come　just　before　/dejeuner/
was　ready；　and　met　Androvsky　on　the　sand　before　the　tent　door。

〃It's　not　fever　then；　Monsieur；〃　he　said；　after　they　had　shaken　hands。

〃No；　no；〃　Androvsky　replied。　〃I　am　quite　well　this　morning。〃

The　priest　looked　at　him　closely　with　an　unembarrassed　scrutiny。

〃Have　you　been　long　in　the　desert；　Monsieur？〃　he　asked。

〃Some　weeks。〃

〃The　heat　has　tired　you。　I　know　the　look〃

〃I　assure　you；　Monsieur；　that　I　am　accustomed　to　heat。　I　have　lived　in
North　Africa　all　my　life。〃

〃Indeed。　And　yet　by　your　appearance　I　should　certainly　suppose　that
you　needed　a　change　from　the　desert。　The　air　of　the　Sahara　is
magnificent；　but　there　are　people〃

〃I　am　not　one　of　them；〃　Androvsky　said　abruptly。　〃I　have　never　felt　so
strong　physically　as　since　I　have　lived　in　the　sand。〃

The　priest　still　looked　at　him　closely；　but　said　nothing　further　on
the　subject　of　health。　Indeed；　almost　immediately　his　attention　was
distracted　by　the　apparition　of　Ouardi　bearing　dishes　from　the　cook's
tent。

〃I　am　afraid　I　have　called　at　a　very　unorthodox　time；〃　he　remarked；
looking　at　his　watch；　〃but　the　fact　is　that　here　in　Amara　we〃

〃I　hope　you　will　stay　to　/dejeuner/；〃　Androvsky　said。

〃It　is　very　good　of　you。　If　you　are　certain　that　I　shall　not　put　you
out。〃

〃Please　stay。〃

〃I　will；　then；　with　pleasure。〃

He　moved　his　lips　expectantly；　as　if　only　a　sense　of　politeness
prevented　him　from　smacking　them。　Androvsky　went　towards　the　sleeping…
tent；　where　Domini；　who　had　been　into　the　city；　was　washing　her　hands。

〃The　priest　has　called；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　asked　him　to　/dejeuner/。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　frank　astonishment　in　her　dark　eyes。

〃YouBoris！〃

〃Yes；　I。　Why　not？〃

〃I　don't　know。　But　generally　you　hate　people。〃

〃He　seems　a　good　sort　of　man。〃

She　still　looked　at　him　with　some　surprise；　even　with　curiosity。

〃Have　you　taken　a　fancy　to　a　priest？〃　she　asked；　smiling。

〃Why　not？　This　man　is　very　different　from　Father　Roubier；　more　human。〃

〃Father　Beret　is　very　human；　I　think；〃　she　answered。

She　was　still　smiling。　It　had　just　occurred　to　her　that　the　priest　had
timed　his　visit　with　some　forethought。

〃I　am　coming；〃　she　added。

A　sudden　cheerfulness　had　taken　possession　of　her。　All　the　morning　she
had　been　feeling　grave；　even　almost　apprehensive；　after　a　bad　night。
When　her　husband　had　abruptly　left　her　and　gone　away　into　the　darkness
she　had　been　overtaken　by　a　sudden　wave　of　acute　depression。　She　had
felt；　more　painfully　than　ever　before；　the　mental　separation　which
existed　between　them　despite　their　deep　love；　and　a　passionate　but
almost　hopeless　longing　had　filled　her　heart　that　in　all　things　they
might　be　one；　not　only　in　love　of　each　other；　but　in　love　of　God。　When
Androvsky　had　taken　his　arms　from　her　she　had　seemed　to　feel　herself
released　by　a　great　despair；　and　this　certaintyfor　as　he　vanished
into　the　darkness　she　was　no　more　in　doubt　that　his　love　for　her　left
room　within　his　heart　for　such　an　agonyhad　for　a　moment　brought　her
soul　to　the　dust。　She　had　been　overwhelmed　by　a　sensation　that　instead
of　being　close　together　they　were　far　apart；　almost　strangers；　and　a
great　bitterness　had　entered　into　her。　It　was　accompanied　by　a　desire
for　action。　She　longed　to　follow　Androvsky；　to　lay　her　hand　on　his
arm；　to　stop　him　in　the　sand　and　force　him　to　confide　in　her。　For　the
first　time　the　idea　that　he　was　keeping　something　from　her；　a　sorrow；
almost　maddened　her；　even　made　her　feel　jealous。　The　fact　that　she
divined　what　that　sorrow　was；　or　believed　she　divined　it；　did　not　help
her　just　then。　She　waited　a　long　while；　but　Androvsky　did　not　return；
and　at　last　she　prayed　and　went　to　bed。　But　her　prayers　were　feeble；
disjointed；　and　sleep　did　not　come　to　her；　for　her　mind　was　travelling
with　this　man　who　loved　her　and　who　yet　was　out　there　alone　in　the
night；　who　was　deliberately　separating　himself　from　her。　Towards　dawn；
when　he　stole　into　the　tent；　she　was　still　awake；　but　she　did　not
speak　or　give　any　sign　of　consciousness；　although　she　was　hot　with　the
fierce　desire　to　spring　up；　to　throw　her　arms　round　him；　to　draw　his
head　down　upon　her　heart；　and　say；　〃I　have　given　myself；　body；　heart
and　soul；　to　you。　Give　yourself　to　me；　give　me　the　thing　you　are
keeping　backyour　sorrow。　Till　I　have　that　I　have　not　all　of　you。　And
till　I　have　all　of　you　I　am　in　hell。〃

It　was　a　mad　impulse。　She　resisted　it　and　lay　quite　still。　And　when　he
lay　down　and　was　quiet　she　slept　at　length。

Now；　as　she　heard　him　speak　in　the　sunshine　and　knew　that　he　had
offered　hospitality　to　the　comfortable　priest　her　heart　suddenly　felt
lighter；　she　scarcely　knew　why。　It　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　been　a
little　morbid；　and　that　the　cloud　which　had　settled　about　her　was
lifted；　revealing　the　blue。

At　/dejeuner/　she　was　even　more　reassured。　Her　husband　seemed　to　get
on　with　the　priest　better　than　she　had　ever　seen　him　get　on　with
anybody。　He　began　by　making　an　effort　to　be　agreeable　that　was　obvious
to　her；　but　presently　he　was　agreeable　without　effort。　The　simple
geniality　and　lack　of　self…consciousness　in　Father　Beret　evidently　set
him　at　his　ease。　Once　or　twice　she　saw　him　look　at　his　guest　with　an
earnest　scrutiny　that　puzzled　her；　but　he　talked　far　more　than　usual
and　with　greater　animation；　discussing　the　Arabs　and　listening　to　the
priest's　account　of　the　curiosities　of　life　in　Amara。　When　at　length
Father　Beret　rose　to　go　Androvsky　said　he　would　accompany　him　a　little
way；　and　they　went　off　together；　evidently　on　the　best　of　terms。

She　was　delighted　and　surprised。　She　had　been　right；　then。　It　was　time
that　Androvsky　was　subjected　to　another　influence　than　that　of　the
unpeopled　wastes。　It　was　time　that　he　came　into　contact　with　men　whose
minds　were　more　akin　to　his　than　the　minds　of　the　Arabs　who　had　been
their　only　companions。　She　began　to　imagine　him　with　her　in　civilised
places；　to　be　able　to　imagine　him。　And　she　was　glad　they　had　come　to
Amara　and　confirmed　in　her　resolve　to　stay　on　there。　She　even　began　to
wish　that　the　French　officers　quartered　therefew　in　number；　some
five　or　sixwould　find　them　in　the　sand；　and　that　Androvsky　would
offer　them　hospitality。　It　occurred　to　her　that　it　was　not　quite
wholesome　for　a　man　to　live　in　isolation　from　his　fellow…men；　even
with　the　woman　he　loved；　and　she　determined　that　she　would　not　be
selfish　in　her　love；　that　she　would　think　for　Androvsky；　act　for　him；
even　against　her　own　inclination。　Perhaps　his　idea　of　life　in　an　oasis
apart　from　Europeans　was　one　she　ought　to　combat；　though　it　fascinated
her。　Perhaps　it　would　be　stronger；　more　sane；　to　face　a　more　ordinary；
less　dreamy；　life；　in　which　they　would　meet　with　people；　in　which　they
would　inevitably　find　themselves　confronted　with　duties。　She　felt
powerful　enough　in　that　moment　to　do　anything　that　would　make　for
Androvsky's　welfare　of　soul。　His　body　was　strong　and　at　ease。　She
thought　of　him　going　away　with　the　priest　in　friendly　conversation。
How　splendid　it　would　be　if　she　could　feel　some　day　that　the　health　of
his　soul　accorded　completely　with　that　of　his　body！

〃Batouch！〃　she　called　almost　gaily。

Batouch　appeared；　languidly　smoking　a　cigarette；　and　with　a　large
flower　tied　to　a　twig　protending　from　behind　his　ear。

〃Saddle　the　horses。　Monsieur　has　gone　with　the　Pere　Beret。　I　shall
take　a　ride；　just　a　short　ride　round　the　camp　over　therein　at　the
city　gate；　through　the　market…place；　and　home。　You　will　come　with　me。〃

Batouch　threw　away　his　cigarette　with　energy。　Poet　though　he　was；　all
the　Arab　blood　in　him　responded　to　the　thought　of　a　gallop　over　the
sands。　Within　a　few　minutes　they　were　off。　When　she　was　in　the　saddle
it　was　at　all　times　difficult　for　Domini　to　be　sad　or　even　pensive。
She　had　a　native　passion　for　a　good　horse；　and　riding　was　one　of　the
joys；　and　almost　the　keenest；　of　her　life。　She　felt　powerful　when　she
had　a　spirited；　fiery　animal　under　her；　and　the　wide　spaces　of　the
desert　summoned　speed　as　they　summoned　dreams。　She　and　Batouch　went
away　at　a　rapid　pace；　circled　round　the　Arab　cemetery；　made　a　detour
towards　the　south；　and　then　cantered　into　the　midst　of　the　camps　of
the　Ouled　Nails。　It　was　the　hour　of　the　siesta。　Only　a　few　people　were
stirring；　coming　and　going　over　the　dunes　to　and　from　the　city　on
languid　errands　for　the　women　of　the　tents；　who　reclined　in　the　shade
of　their　brushwood　arbours　upon　filthy　cushions　and　heaps　of　multi…
coloured　rags；　smoking　cigarettes；　playing　cards　with　Arab　and　negro
admirers；　or　staring　into　vacancy　beneath　their　heavy　eyebrows　as　they
listened　to　the　sound　of　music　played　upon　long　pipes　of　reed。　No　dogs
barked　in　their　camp。　The　only　guardians　were　old　women；　whose　sandy
faces　were　scored　with　innumerable　wrinkles；　and　whose　withered　hands
drooped　under　their　loads　of　barbaric　rings　and　bracelets。　Batouch
would　evidently　have　liked　to　dismount　here。　Like　all　Arabs　he　was
fasci