the garden of allah-第97节

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drooped　under　their　loads　of　barbaric　rings　and　bracelets。　Batouch
would　evidently　have　liked　to　dismount　here。　Like　all　Arabs　he　was
fascinated　by　the　sight　of　these　idols　of　the　waste；　whose　painted
faces　called　to　the　surface　the　fluid　poetry　within　him；　but　Domini
rode　on；　descending　towards　the　city　gate　by　which　she　had　first
entered　Amara。　The　priest's　house　was　there　and　Androvsky　was　with　the
priest。　She　hoped　he　had　perhaps　gone　in　to　return　the　visit　paid　to
them。　As　she　rode　into　the　city　she　glanced　at　the　house。　The　door　was
open　and　she　saw　the　gay　rugs　in　the　little　hall。　She　had　a　strong
inclination　to　stop　and　ask　if　her　husband　were　there。　He　might　mount
Batouch's　horse　and　accompany　her　home。

〃Batouch；〃　she　said；　〃will　you　ask　if　Monsieur　Androvsky　is　with　Pere
Beret。　I　think〃

She　stopped　speaking。　She　had　just　seen　her　husband's　face　pass　across
the　window…space　of　the　room　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　hall　door。
She　could　not　see　it　very　well。　The　arcade　built　out　beyond　the　house
cast　a　deep　shade　within；　and　in　this　shade　the　face　had　flitted　like
a　shadow。　Batouch　had　sprung　from　his　horse。　But　the　sight　of　the
shadowy　face　had　changed　her　mind。　She　resolved　not　to　interrupt　the
two　men。　Long　ago　at　Beni…Mora　she　had　asked　Androvsky　to　call　upon　a
priest。　She　remembered　the　sequel　to　that　visit。　This　time　Androvsky
had　gone　of　his　own　will。　If　he　liked　this　priest；　if　they　became
friends；　perhapsshe　remembered　her　vision　in　the　dancing…house；　her
feeling　that　when　she　drew　near　Amara　she　was　drawing　near　to　the
heart　of　the　desert。　If　she　should　see　Androvsky　praying　here！　Yet
Father　Beret　hardly　seemed　a　man　likely　to　influence　her　husband；　or
anyone　with　a　strong　and　serious　personality。　He　was　surely　too　fond
of　the　things　of　this　world；　too　obviously　a　lover　and　cherisher　of
the　body。　Nevertheless；　there　was　something　attractive　in　him；　a
kindness；　a　geniality。　In　trouble　he　would　be　sympathetic。　Certainly
her　husband　must　have　taken　a　liking　to　him；　and　the　chances　of　life
and　the　influences　of　destiny　were　strange　and　not　to　be　foreseen。

〃No；　Batouch；〃　she　said。　〃We　won't　stop。〃

〃But；　Madame；〃　he　cried；　〃Monsieur　is　in　there。　I　saw　his　face　at　the
window。〃

〃Never　mind。　We　won't　disturb　them。　I　daresay　they　have　something　to
talk　about。〃

They　cantered　on　towards　the　market…place。　It　was　not　market…day；　and
the　town；　like　the　camp　of　the　Ouled　Nails；　was　almost　deserted。　As
she　rode　up　the　hill　towards　the　place　of　the　fountain；　however；　she
saw　two　handsomely…dressed　Arabs；　followed　by　a　servant；　slowly
strolling　towards　her　from　the　doorway　of　the　Bureau　Arabe。　One；　who
was　very　tall；　was　dressed　in　green；　and　carried　a　long　staff；　from
which　hung　green　ribbons。　The　other　wore　a　more　ordinary　costume　of
white；　with　a　white　burnous　and　a　turban　spangled　with　gold。

〃Madame！〃　said　Batouch。

〃Yes。〃

〃Do　you　see　the　Arab　dressed　in　green？〃

He　spoke　in　an　almost　awestruck　voice。

〃Yes。　Who　is　he？〃

〃The　great　marabout　who　lives　at　Beni…Hassan。〃

The　name　struck　upon　Domini's　ear　with　a　strange　familiarity。

〃But　that's　where　Count　Anteoni　went　when　he　rode　away　from　Beni…Mora
that　morning。〃

〃Yes；　Madame。〃

〃Is　it　far　from　Amara？〃

〃Two　hours'　ride　across　the　desert。〃

〃But　then　Count　Anteoni　may　be　near　us。　After　he　left　he　wrote　to　me
and　gave　me　his　address　at　the　marabout's　house。〃

〃If　he　is　still　with　the　marabout；　Madame。〃

They　were　close　to　the　fountain　now；　and　the　marabout　and　his
companion　were　coming　straight　towards　them。

〃If　Madame　will　allow　me　I　will　salute　the　marabout；〃　said　Batouch。

〃Certainly。〃

He　sprang　off　his　horse　immediately；　tied　it　up　to　the　railing　of　the
fountain；　and　went　respectfully　towards　the　approaching　potentate　to
kiss　his　hand。　Domini　saw　the　marabout　stop　and　Batouch　bend　down；
then　lift　himself　up　and　suddenly　move　back　as　if　in　surprise。　The
Arab　who　was　with　the　marabout　seemed　also　surprised。　He　held　out　his
hand　to　Batouch；　who　took　it；　kissed　it；　then　kissed　his　own　hand；　and
turning；　pointed　towards　Domini。　The　Arab　spoke　a　word　to　the
marabout；　then　left　him；　and　came　rapidly　forward　to　the　fountain。　As
he　drew　close　to　her　she　saw　a　face　browned　by　the　sun；　a　very　small；
pointed　beard；　a　pair　of　intensely　bright　eyes　surrounded　by　wrinkles。
These　eyes　held　her。　It　seemed　to　her　that　she　knew　them；　that　she　had
often　looked　into　them　and　seen　their　changing　expressions。　Suddenly
she　exclaimed：

〃Count　Anteoni！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　I！〃

He　held　out　his　hand　and　clasped　hers。

〃So　you　have　started　upon　your　desert　journey；〃　he　added；　looking
closely　at　her；　as　he　had　often　looked　in　the　garden。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　as　I　ventured　to　advisethat　last　time；　do　you　remember？〃

She　recollected　his　words。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　and　there　was　a　warmth　of　joy；　almost　of　pride；　in
her　voice。　〃I　am　not　alone。〃

Count　Anteoni　was　standing　with　one　hand　on　her　horse's　neck。　As　she
spoke；　his　hand　dropped　down。

〃I　have　been　away　from　Beni…Hassan；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃The　marabout　and
I　have　been　travelling　in　the　south　and　only　returned　yesterday。　I
have　heard　no　news　for　a　long　time　from　Beni…Mora；　but　I　know。　You　are
Madame　Androvsky。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃I　am　Madame　Androvsky。〃

There　was　a　silence　between　them。　In　it　she　heard　the　dripping　water
in　the　fountain。　At　last　Count　Anteoni　spoke　again。

〃It　was　written；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃It　was　written　in　the　sand。〃

She　thought　of　the　sand…diviner　and　was　silent。　An　oppression　of
spirit　had　suddenly　come　upon　her。　It　seemed　to　her　connected　with
something　physical；　something　obscure；　unusual；　such　as　she　had　never
felt　before。　It　was；　she　thought；　as　if　her　body　at　that　moment　became
more　alive　than　it　had　ever　been；　and　as　if　that　increase　of　life
within　her　gave　to　her　a　peculiar　uneasiness。　She　was　startled。　She
even　felt　alarmed；　as　at　the　faint　approach　of　something　strange；　of
something　that　was　going　to　alter　her　life。　She　did　not　know　at　all
what　it　was。　For　the　moment　a　sense　of　confusion　and　of　pain　beset
her；　and　she　was　scarcely　aware　with　whom　she　was；　or　where。　The
sensation　passed　and　she　recovered　herself　and　met　Count　Anteoni's
eyes　quietly。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃all　that　has　happened　to　me　here　in　Africa　was
written　in　the　sand　and　in　fire。〃

〃You　are　thinking　of　the　sun。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Iwhere　are　you　living？〃

〃Close　by　on　the　sand…hill　beyond　the　city　wall。〃

〃Where　you　can　see　the　fires　lit　at　night　and　hear　the　sound　of　the
music　of　Africa？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃As　he　said。〃

〃Yes；　as　he　said。〃

Again　the　overwhelming　sense　of　some　strange　and　formidable　approach
came　over　her；　but　this　time　she　fought　it　resolutely。

〃Will　you　come　and　see　me？〃　she　said。

She　had　meant　to　say　〃us；〃　but　did　not　say　it。

〃If　you　will　allow　me。〃

〃When？〃

〃I〃　she　heard　the　odd；　upward　grating　in　his　voice　which　she
remembered　so　well。　〃May　I　come　now　if　you　are　riding　to　the　tents？〃

〃Please　do。〃

〃I　will　explain　to　the　marabout　and　follow　you。〃

〃But　the　way？　Shall　Batouch？〃

〃No；　it　is　not　necessary。〃

She　rode　away。　When　she　reached　the　camp　she　found　that　Androvsky　had
not　yet　returned；　and　she　was　glad。　She　wanted　to　talk　to　Count
Anteoni　alone。　Within　a　few　minutes　she　saw　him　coming　towards　the
tent。　His　beard　and　his　Arab　dress　so　altered　him　that　at　a　short
distance　she　could　not　recognise　him；　could　only　guess　that　it　was　he。
But　directly　he　was　near；　and　she　saw　his　eyes；　she　forgot　that　he　was
altered；　and　felt　that　she　was　with　her　kind　and　whimsical　host　of　the
garden。

〃My　husband　is　in　the　city；〃　she　said。

〃Yes。〃

〃With　the　priest。〃

She　saw　an　expression　of　surprise　flit　over　Count　Anteoni's　face。　It
went　away　instantly。

〃Pere　Beret；〃　he　said。　〃He　is　a　cheerful　creature　and　very　good　to　the
Arabs。〃

They　sat　down　just　inside　the　shadow　of　the　tent　before　the　door；　and
he　looked　out　quietly　towards　the　city。

〃Yes；　this　is　the　place；〃　he　said。

She　knew　that　he　was　alluding　to　the　vision　of　the　sand…diviner；　and
said　so。

〃Did　you　believe　at　the　time　that　what　he　said　would　come　true？〃　she
asked。

〃How　could　I？　Am　I　a　child？〃

He　spoke　with　gentle　irony；　but　she　felt　he　was　playing　with　her。

〃Cannot　a　man　believe　such　things？〃

He　did　not　answer　her；　but　said：

〃My　fate　has　come　to　pass。　Do　you　not　care　to　know　what　it　is？〃

〃Yes；　do　tell　me。〃

She　spoke　earnestly。　She　felt　a　change　in　him；　a　great　change　which　as
yet　she　did　not　understand　fully。　It　was　as　if　he　had　been　a　man　in
doubt　and　was　now　a　man　no　longer　in　doubt；　as　if　he　had　arrived　at
some　goal　and　was　more　at　peace　with　himself　than　he　had　been。

〃I　have　become　a　Mohammedan；〃　he　said　simply。

〃A　Mohammedan！〃

She　repeated　the　words　as　a　person　repeats　words　in　surprise；　but　her
voice　did　not　sound　surprised。

〃You　wonder？〃　he　asked。

After　a　moment　she　answered：

〃No。　I　never　thought　of　such　a　thing；　but　I　am　not　surprised。　Now　you
have　told　me　it　seems　to　explain　you；　much　that　I　noticed　in　you；
wondered　about　in　you。〃

She　looked　at　him　steadily；　but　without　curiosity。

〃I　feel　that　you　are　happy　now。〃

〃Yes；　I