the garden of allah-第101章

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presently　sank　down　and　vanished　into　some　depression　of　the　dunes。
For　an　instant　one　blood…red　hand　was　visible　alone；　waving　a　signal
above　the　sand　to　someone　unseen。　Its　fingers　fluttered　like　the　wings
of　a　startled　bird。　Then　it；　too；　vanished；　and　the　sharply…cold　lemon
yellow　of　the　dunes　stretched　in　vivid　loneliness　beneath　the　evening
sky。

To　both　of　them　this　brief　vision　of　women　in　the　sand　brought　home
the　solitude　of　the　desert　and　the　barbarity　of　the　life　it　held；　the
ascetism　of　this　supreme　manifestation　of　Nature　and　the　animal
passion　which　fructifies　in　its　heart。

〃Do　you　know　what　that　made　me　think　of；　Boris？〃　Domini　said；　as　the
red　hand　with　its　swiftly…moving　fingers　disappeared。　〃You'll　smile；
perhaps；　and　I　scarcely　know　why。　It　made　me　think　of　the　Devil　in　a
monastery。〃

Androvsky　did　not　smile。　Nor　did　he　answer。　She　felt　sure　that　he；
too；　had　been　strongly　affected　by　that　glimpse　of　Sahara　life。　His
silence　gave　Batouch　an　opportunity　of　pouring　forth　upon　them　a　flood
of　poetical　description　of　the　dancing…girls　of　Amara；　all　of　whom　he
seemed　to　know　as　intimate　friends。　Before　he　ceased　they　came　into
the　city。

The　road　was　still　majestically　broad。　They　looked　with　interest　at
the　first　houses；　one　on　each　side　of　the　way。　And　here　again　they
were　met　by　the　sharp　contrast　which　was　evidently　to　be　the　keynote
of　Amara。　The　house　on　the　left　was　European；　built　of　white　stone；
clean；　attractive；　but　uninteresting；　with　stout　white　pillars　of
plaster　supporting　an　arcade　that　afforded　shade　from　the　sun；　windows
with　green　blinds；　and　an　open　doorway　showing　a　little　hall；　on　the
floor　of　which　lay　a　smart　rug　glowing　with　gay　colours；　that　on　the
right；　before　which　the　sand　lay　deep　as　if　drifted　there　by　some
recent　wind　of　the　waste；　was　African　and　barbarous；　an　immense　and
rambling　building　of　brown　earth；　brushwood　and　palm；　windowless；　with
a　flat…terraced　roof；　upon　which　were　piled　many　strange…looking
objects　like　things　collapsed；　red　and　dark　green；　with　fringes　and
rosettes；　and　tall　sticks　of　palm　pointing　vaguely　to　the　sky。

〃Why；　these　are　like　our　palanquin！〃　Domini　said。

〃They　are　the　palanquins　of　the　dancing…girls；　Madame；〃　said　Batouch。
〃That　is　the　cafe　of　the　dancers；　and　that〃he　pointed　to　the　neat
house　opposite〃is　the　house　of　Monsieur　the　Aumonier　of　Amara。〃

〃Aumonier；〃　said　Androvsky；　sharply。　〃Here！〃

He　paused；　then　added　more　quietly：

〃What　should　he　do　here？〃

〃But；　Monsieur；　he　is　for　the　French　officers。〃

〃There　are　French　officers？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　four　or　five；　and　the　commandant。　They　live　in　the
palace　with　the　cupolas。〃

〃I　forgot；〃　Androvsky　said　to　Domini。　〃We　are　not　out　of　the　sphere　of
French　influence。　This　place　looks　so　remote　and　so　barbarous　that　I
imagined　it　given　over　entirely　to　the　desert　men。〃

〃We　need　not　see　the　French；〃　she　said。　〃We　shall　be　encamped　outside
in　the　sand。〃

〃And　we　need　not　stay　here　long；〃　he　said　quickly。

〃Boris；〃　she　asked　him；　half　in　jest；　half　in　earnest；　〃shall　we　buy　a
desert　island　to　live　in？〃

〃Let　us　buy　an　oasis；〃　he　said。　〃That　would　be　the　perfthe　safest
life　for　us。〃

〃The　safest？〃

〃The　safest　for　our　happiness。　Domini；　I　have　a　horror　of　the　world！〃
He　said　the　last　words　with　a　strong；　almost　fierce；　emphasis。

〃Had　you　it　always；　or　only　since　we　have　been　married？〃

〃Iperhaps　it　was　born　in　me；　perhaps　it　is　part　of　me。　Who　knows？〃

He　had　relapsed　into　a　gravity　that　was　heavy　with　gloom；　and　looked
about　him　with　eyes　that　seemed　to　wish　to　reject　all　that　offered
itself　to　their　sight。

〃I　want　the　desert　and　you　in　it；〃　he　said。　〃The　lonely　desert；　with
you。〃

〃And　nothing　else？〃

〃I　want　that。　I　cannot　have　that　taken　from　me。〃

He　looked　about　him　quickly　from　side　to　side　as　they　rode　up　the
street；　as　if　he　were　a　scout　sent　in　advance　of　an　army　and　suspected
ambushes。　His　manner　reminded　her　of　the　way　he　had　looked　towards　the
tower　as　they　rode　into　Mogar。　And　he　had　connected　that　tower　with
the　French。　She　remembered　his　saying　to　her　that　it　must　have　been
built　for　French　soldiers。　As　they　rode　into　Mogar　he　had　dreaded
something　in　Mogar。　The　strange　incident　with　De　Trevignac　had
followed。　She　had　put　it　from　her　mind　as　a　matter　of　small；　or　no；
importance；　had　resolutely　forgotten　it；　had　been　able　to　forget　it　in
their　dream　of　desert　life　and　desert　passion。　But　the　entry　into　a
city　for　the　moment　destroyed　the　dreamlike　atmosphere　woven　by　the
desert；　recalled　her　town　sense；　that　quick…wittedness；　that　sharpness
of　apprehension　and　swiftness　of　observation　which　are　bred　in　those
who　have　long　been　accustomed　to　a　life　in　the　midst　of　crowds　and
movement；　and　changing　scenes　and　passing　fashions。　Suddenly　she
seemed　to　herself　to　be　reading　Androvsky　with　an　almost　merciless
penetration；　which　yet　she　could　not　check。　He　had　dreaded　something
in　Mogar。　He　dreaded　something　here　in　Amara。　An　unusual　incidentfor
the　coming　of　a　stranger　into　their　lives　out　of　their　desolation　of
the　sand　was　unusualhad　followed　close　upon　the　first　dread。　Would
another　such　incident　follow　upon　this　second　dread？　And　of　what　was
this　dread　born？

Batouch　drew　her　attention　to　the　fact　that　they　were　coming　to　the
marketplace；　and　to　the　curious　crowds　of　people　who　were　swarming　out
of　the　tortuous；　narrow　streets　into　the　main　thoroughfare　to　watch
them　pass；　or　to　accompany　them；　running　beside　their　horses。　She
divined　at　once；　by　the　passionate　curiosity　their　entry　aroused；　that
he　had　misspent　his　leisure　in　spreading　through　the　city　lying
reports　of　their　immense　importance　and　fabulous　riches。

〃Batouch；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　been　talking　about　us。〃

〃No；　Madame；　I　merely　said　that　Madame　is　a　great　lady　in　her　own
land；　and　that　Monsieur〃

〃I　forbid　you　ever　to　speak　about　me；　Batouch；〃　said　Androvsky；
brusquely。

He　seemed　worried　by　the　clamour　of　the　increasing　mob　that　surrounded
them。　Children　in　long　robes　like　night…gowns　skipped　before　them；
calling　out　in　shrill　voices。　Old　beggars；　with　diseased　eyes　and
deformed　limbs；　laid　filthy　hands　upon　their　bridles　and　demanded
alms。　Impudent　boys；　like　bronze　statuettes　suddenly　endowed　with　a
fury　of　life；　progressed　backwards　to　keep　them　full　in　view；　shouting
information　at　them　and　proclaiming　their　own　transcendent　virtues　as
guides。　Lithe　desert　men；　almost　naked；　but　with　carefully…covered
heads；　strode　beside　them；　keeping　pace　with　the　horses；　saying
nothing；　but　watching　them　with　a　bright　intentness　that　seemed　to
hint　at　unutterable　designs。　And　towards　them；　through　the　air　that
seemed　heavy　and　almost　suffocating　now　that　they　were　among
buildings；　and　through　clouds　of　buzzing　flies；　came　the　noise　of　the
larger　tumult　of　the　market…place。

Looking　over　the　heads　of　the　throng　Domini　saw　the　wide　road　opening
out　into　a　great　space；　with　the　first　palms　of　the　oasis　thronging　on
the　left；　and　a　cluster　of　buildings；　many　with　small　cupolas；　like
down…turned　white　cups；　on　the　right。　On　the　farther　side　of　this
space；　which　was　black　with　people　clad　for　the　most　in　dingy
garments；　was　an　arcade　jutting　out　from　a　number　of　hovel…like
houses；　and　to　the　right　of　them；　where　the　market…place；　making　a
wide　sweep；　continued　up　hill　and　was　hidden　from　her　view；　was　the
end　of　the　great　building　whose　gilded　cupolas　they　had　seen　as　they
rode　in　from　the　desert；　rising　above　the　city　with　the　minarets　of
its　mosques。

The　flies　buzzed　furiously　about　the　horses'　heads　and　flanks；　and　the
people　buzzed　more　furiously；　like　larger　flies；　about　the　riders。　It
seemed　to　Domini　as　if　the　whole　city　was　intent　upon　her　and
Androvsky；　was　observing　them；　considering　them；　wondering　about　them；
was　full　of　a　thousand　intentions　all　connected　with　them。

When　they　gained　the　market…place　the　noise　and　the　watchful　curiosity
made　a　violent　crescendo。　It　happened　to　be　market　day　and；　although
the　sun　was　setting；　buying　and　selling　were　not　yet　over。　On　the　hot
earth　over　which；　whenever　there　is　any　wind　from　the　desert；　the
white　sand　grains　sift　and　s