the garden of allah-第103章
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Their camp was pitched on the sand…hills； to the north of the city
near the French and Arab cemeteries。 They reached it only when
darkness was falling； going out of the city on foot by the great wall
of dressed stone which enclosed the Kasba of the native soldiers； and
ascending and descending various slopes of deep sand； over which the
airs of night blew with a peculiar thin freshness that renewed
Domini's sense of being at the end of the world。 Everything here
whispered the same message； said； 〃We are the denizens of far…away。〃
In their walk to the camp they were accompanied by a little
procession。 Shabah； the Caid of Amara； a shortish man whose immense
dignity made him almost gigantic； insisted upon attending them to the
tents； with his young brother； a pretty； libertine boy of sixteen； the
brother's tutor； an Arab black as a negro but without the negro's look
of having been freshly oiled； and two attendants。 To them joined
himself the Caid of the Nomads； a swarthy potentate who not only
looked； but actually was； immense； his four servants； and his uncle； a
venerable person like a shepherd king。 These worthies surrounded
Domini and Androvsky； and behind streamed the curious； the envious；
the greedy and the desultory Arabs； who follow in the trail of every
stranger； hopeful of the crumbs that are said to fall from the rich
man's table。 Shabah spoke French and led the conversation； which was
devoted chiefly to his condition of health。 Some years before an
attempt had been made upon his life by poison； and since that time； as
he himself expressed it； his stomach had been 〃perturbed as a guard
dog in the night when robbers are approaching。〃 All efforts to console
or to inspire him with hope of future cure were met with a stern
hopelessness； a brusque certainty of perpetual suffering。 The idea
that his stomach could again know peace evidently shocked and
distressed him； and as they all waded together through the sand；
pioneered by the glorified Batouch； Domini was obliged to yield to his
emphatic despair； and to join with him in his appreciation of the
perpetual indigestion which set him apart from the rest of the world
like some God within a shrine。 The skittish boy； his brother； who wore
kid gloves； cast at her sly glances of admiration which asked for a
return。 The black tutor grinned。 And the Caid of the Nomads punctuated
their progress with loud grunts of heavy satisfaction； occasionally
making use of Batouch as interpreter to express his hopes that they
would visit his palace in the town； and devour a cous…cous on his
carpet。
When they came to the tents it was necessary to entertain these
personages with coffee； and they finally departed promising a speedy
return； and full of invitations； which were cordially accepted by
Batouch on his employer's behalf before either Domini or Androvsky had
time to say a word。
As the /cortege/ disappeared over the sands towards the city Domini
burst into a little laugh； and drew Androvsky out to the tent door to
see them go。
〃Society in the sands！〃 she exclaimed gaily。 〃Boris； this is a new
experience。 Look at our guests making their way to their palaces！〃
Slowly the potentates progressed across the white dunes towards the
city。 Shabah wore a long red cloak。 His brother was in pink and gold；
with white billowing trousers。 The Caid of the Nomads was in green。
They all moved with a large and conscious majesty； surrounded by their
obsequious attendants。 Above them the purple sky showed a bright
evening star。 Near it was visible the delicate silhouette of the young
moon。 Scattered over the waste rose many koubbahs； grey in the white；
with cupolas of gypse。 Hundreds of dogs were barking in the distance。
To the left； on the vast； rolling slopes of sand； glared the
innumerable fires kindled before the tents of the Ouled Nails。 Before
the sleeping tent rose the minarets and the gilded cupolas of the city
which it dominated from its mountain of sand。 Behind it was the
blanched immensity of the plain； of the lonely desert from which
Domini and Androvsky had come to face this barbaric stir of life。 And
the city was full of music； of tomtoms throbbing； of bugles blowing in
the Kasba； of pipes shrieking from hidden dwellings； and of the faint
but multitudinous voices of men； carried to them on their desolate and
treeless height by the frail wind of night that seemed a white wind；
twin…brother of the sands。
〃Let us go a step or two towards the city； Boris；〃 Domini said； as
their guests sank magnificently down into a fold of the dunes。
〃Towards the city！〃 he answered。 〃Why not？〃 He glanced behind him to
the vacant； noiseless sands。
She set her impulse against his for the first time。
〃No； this is our town life； our Sahara season。 Let us give ourselves
to it。 The loneliness will be its antidote some day。〃
〃Very well； Domini；〃 he answered。
They went a little way towards the city； and stood still in the sand
at the edge of their height。
〃Listen； Boris！ Isn't it strange in the night all this barbaric music？
It excites me。〃
〃You are glad to be here。〃
She heard the note of disappointment in his voice； but did not respond
to it。
〃And look at all those fires； hundreds of them in the sand！〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃it is wonderful； but the solitudes are best。 This is
not the heart of the desert； this is what the Arabs call it； 'The
belly of the Desert。' In the heart of the desert there is silence。〃
She thought of the falling of the wind when the Sahara took them； and
knew that her love of the silence was intense。 Nevertheless； to…night
the other part of her was in the ascendant。 She wanted him to share
it。 He did not。 Could she provoke him to share it？
〃Yet； as we rode in； I had a feeling that the heart of the desert was
here；〃 she said。 〃You know I said so。〃
〃Do you say so still？〃
〃The heart； Boris； is the centre of life； isn't it？〃
He was silent。 She felt his inner feeling fighting hers。
〃To…night；〃 she said； putting her arm through his； and looking towards
the city。 〃I feel a tremendous sympathy with human life such as I
never felt before。 Boris； it comes to me from you。 Yes； it does。 It is
born of my love for you； and seems to link me； and you with me； to all
these strangers； to all men and women； to everything that lives。 It is
as if I was not quite human before； and my love for you had made me
completely human； had done something to me that eveneven my love for
God had not been able to do。〃
She lowered her voice at the last words。 After a moment she added：
〃Perhaps in isolation； even with you； I could not come to
completeness。 Perhaps you could not in isolation even with me。 Boris；
I think it's good for us to be in the midst of life for a time。〃
〃You wish to remain here； Domini？〃
〃Yes； for a time。〃
The fatalistic feeling that had sometimes come upon her in this land
entered into her at this moment。 She felt； 〃It is written that we are
to remain here。〃
〃Let us remain here； Domini；〃 he said quietly。
The note of disappointment had gone out of his voice； deliberately
banished from it by his love for her； but she seemed to hear it；
nevertheless； echoing far down in his soul。 At that moment she loved
him like a woman he had made a lover； but also like a woman he had
made a mother by becoming a child。
〃Thank you； Boris；〃 she answered very quietly。 〃You are good to me。〃
〃You are good to me；〃 he said； remembering the last words of Father
Roubier。 〃How can I be anything else？〃
Directly he had spoken the words his body trembled violently。
〃Boris； what is it？〃 she exclaimed； startled。
He took his arm away from hers。
〃Thesethese noises of the city in the night coming across the sand…
hills are extraordinary。 I have become so used to silence that perhaps
they get upon my nerves。 I shall grow accustomed to them presently。〃
He turned towards the tents； and she went with him。 It seemed to her
that he had evaded her question； that he had not wished to answer it；
and the sense sharply awakened in her by a return to life near a city
made her probe for the reason of this。 She did not find it； but in her
mental search she found herself present
