the garden of allah-第14章

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more　mischievous；　and　opening　her　parasol。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃

〃Wherever　Madame　wishes。　There　is　the　market；　the　negro　village；　the
mosque；　the　casino；　the　statue　of　the　Cardinal；　the　bazaars；　the
garden　of　the　Count　Ferdinand　Anteoni。〃

〃A　garden；〃　said　Domini。　〃Is　it　a　beautiful　one？〃

Batouch　was　about　to　burst　into　a　lyric　ecstasy；　but　he　checked
himself　and　said：

〃Madame　shall　see　for　herself　and　tell　me　afterwards　if　in　all　Europe
there　is　one　such　garden。〃

〃Oh；　the　English　gardens　are　wonderful；〃　she　said；　smiling　at　his
patriotic　conceit。

〃No　doubt。　Madame　shall　tell　me；　Madame　shall　tell　me；〃　he　repeated
with　imperturbable　confidence。

〃But　first　I　wish　to　go　for　a　moment　into　the　church；〃　she　said。　〃Wait
for　me　here；　Batouch。〃

She　crossed　the　road；　passed　the　modest；　one…storied　house　of　the
priest；　and　came　to　the　church；　which　looked　out　on　to　the　quiet
gardens。　Before　going　up　the　steps　and　in　at　the　door　she　paused　for　a
moment。　There　was　something　touching　to　her；　as　a　Catholic；　in　this
symbol　of　her　faith　set　thus　far　out　in　the　midst　of　Islamism。　The
cross　was　surely　rather　lonely；　here；　raised　above　the　white…robed　men
to　whom　it　meant　nothing。　She　was　conscious　that　since　she　had　come　to
this　land　of　another　creed；　and　of　another　creed　held　with　fanaticism；
her　sentiment　for　her　own　religion；　which　in　England　for　many　years
had　been　but　lukewarm；　had　suddenly　gained　in　strength。　She　had　an
odd；　almost　manly；　sensation　that　it　was　her　duty　in　Africa　to　stand
up　for　her　faith；　not　blatantly　in　words　to　impress　others；　but
perseveringly　in　heart　to　satisfy　herself。　Sometimes　she　felt　very
protective。　She　felt　protective　today　as　she　looked　at　this　humble
building；　which　she　likened　to　one　of　the　poor　saints　of　the　Thebaid；
who　dwelt　afar　in　desert　places；　and　whose　devotions　were　broken　by
the　night…cries　of　jackals　and　by　the　roar　of　ravenous　beasts。　With
this　feeling　strong　upon　her　she　pushed　open　the　door　and　went　in。

The　interior　was　plain；　even　ugly。　The　walls　were　painted　a　hideous
drab。　The　stone　floor　was　covered　with　small；　hard；　straw…bottomed
chairs　and　narrow　wooden　forms　for　the　patient　knees　of　worshippers。
In　the　front　were　two　rows　of　private　chairs；　with　velvet　cushions　of
various　brilliant　hues　and　velvet…covered　rails。　On　the　left　was　a
high　stone　pulpit。　The　altar；　beyond　its　mean　black　and　gold　railing；
was　dingy　and　forlorn。　On　it　there　was　a　tiny　gold　cross　with　a　gold
statuette　of　Christ　hanging；　surmounted　by　a　canopy　with　four　pillars；
which　looked　as　if　made　of　some　unwholesome　sweetmeat。　Long　candles　of
blue　and　gold　and　bouquets　of　dusty　artificial　flowers　flanked　it。
Behind　it；　in　a　round　niche；　stood　a　painted　figure　of　Christ　holding
a　book。　The　two　adjacent　side　chapels　had　domed　roofs　representing　the
firmament。　Beneath　the　pulpit　stood　a　small　harmonium。　At　the　opposite
end　of　the　church　was　a　high　gallery　holding　more　chairs。　The　mean；
featureless　windows　were　filled　with　glass　half　white；　half　staring
red　dotted　with　yellow　crosses。　Round　the　walls　were　reliefs　of　the
fourteen　stations　of　the　Cross　in　white　plaster　on　a　gilt　ground
framed　in　grey　marble。　From　the　roof　hung　vulgar　glass　chandeliers
with　ropes　tied　with　faded　pink　ribands。　Several　frightful　plaster
statues　daubed　with　scarlet　and　chocolate　brown　stood　under　the
windows；　which　were　protected　with　brown　woollen　curtains。　Close　to
the　entrance　were　a　receptacle　for　holy　water　in　the　form　of　a　shell；
and　a　confessional　of　stone　flanked　by　boxes；　one　of　which　bore　the
words；　〃Graces　obtenues；〃　the　other；　〃Demandes；〃　and　a　card　on　which
was　printed；　〃Litanies　en　honneur　de　Saint　Antoine　de　Padoue。〃

There　was　nothing　to　please　the　eye；　nothing　to　appeal　to　the　senses。
There　was　not　even　the　mystery　which　shrouds　and　softens；　for　the
sunshine　streamed　in　through　the　white　glass　of　the　windows；
revealing；　even　emphasising；　as　if　with　deliberate　cruelty；　the　cheap
finery；　the　tarnished　velvet；　the　crude　colours；　the　meretricious
gestures　and　poses　of　the　plaster　saints。　Yet　as　Domini　touched　her
forehead　and　breast　with　holy　water；　and　knelt　for　a　moment　on　the
stone　floor；　she　was　conscious　that　this　rather　pitiful　house　of　God
moved　her　to　an　emotion　she　had　not　felt　in　the　great　and　beautiful
churches　to　which　she　was　accustomed　in　England　and　on　the　Continent。
Through　the　windows　she　saw　the　outlines　of　palm　leaves　vibrating　in
the　breeze；　African　fingers；　feeling；　with　a　sort　of　fluttering
suspicion；　if　not　enmity；　round　the　heart　of　this　intruding　religion；
which　had　wandered　hither　from　some　distant　place；　and；　stayed；
confronting　the　burning　glance　of　the　desert。　Bold；　little；　humble
church！　Domini　knew　that　she　would　love　it。　But　she　did　not　know　then
how　much。

She　wandered　round　slowly　with　a　grave　face。　Yet　now　and　then；　as　she
stood　by　one　of　the　plaster　saints；　she　smiled。　They　were　indeed
strange　offerings　at　the　shrine　of　Him　who　held　this　Africa　in　the
hollow　of　His　hand；　of　Him　who　had　ordered　the　pageant　of　the　sun
which　she　had　seen　last　night　among　the　mountains。　And　presently　she
and　this　little　church　in　which　she　stood　alone　became　pathetic　in　her
thoughts；　and　even　the　religion　which　the　one　came　to　profess　in　the
other　pathetic　too。　For　here；　in　Africa；　she　began　to　realise　the
wideness　of　the　world；　and　that　many　things　must　surely　seem　to　the
Creator　what　these　plaster　saints　seemed　just　then　to　her。

〃Oh；　how　little；　how　little！〃　she　whispered　to　herself。　〃Let　me　be
bigger！　Oh；　let　me　grow；　and　here；　not　only　hereafter！〃

The　church　door　creaked。　She　turned　her　head　and　saw　the　priest　whom
she　had　met　in　the　tunnel　entering。　He　came　up　to　her　at　once；　saluted
her；　and　said：

〃I　saw　you　from　my　window；　Madame；　and　thought　I　would　offer　to　show
you　our　little　church　here。　We　are　very　proud　of　it。〃

Domini　liked　his　voice　and　his　naive　remark。　His　face；　too；　though
undistinguished；　looked　honest；　kind；　and　pathetic；　but　with　a　pathos
that　was　unaffected　and　quite　unconscious。　The　lower　part　of　it　was
hidden　by　a　moustache　and　beard。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　answered。　〃I　have　been　looking　round　already。〃

〃You　are　a　Catholic；　Madame？〃

〃Yes。〃

The　priest　looked　pleased。　There　was　something　childlike　in　the
mobility　of　his　face。

〃I　am　glad；〃　he　said　simply。　〃We　are　not　a　rich　community　in　Beni…
Mora；　but　we　have　been　fortunate　in　bygone　years。　Our　great　Cardinal；
the　Father　of　Africa；　loved　this　place　and　cherished　his　children
here。〃

〃Cardinal　Lavigerie？〃

〃Yes；　Madame。　His　house　is　now　a　native　hospital。　His　statue　faces　the
beginning　of　the　great　desert　road；　But　we　remember　him　and　his　spirit
is　still　among　us。〃

The　priest's　eyes　lit　up　as　he　spoke。　The　almost　tragic　expression　of
his　face　changed　to　one　of　enthusiasm。

〃He　loved　Africa；　I　believe；〃　Domini　said。

〃His　heart　was　here。　And　what　he　did！　I　was　to　have　been　one　of　his
/freres　armes/；　but　my　health　prevented；　and　afterwards　the
association　was　dissolved。〃

The　sad　expression　returned　to　his　face。

〃There　are　many　temptations　in　such　a　land　and　climate　as　this；〃　he
said。　〃And　men　are　weak。　But　there　are　still　the　White　Fathers　whom　he
founded。　Glorious　men。　They　carry　the　Cross　into　the　wildest　places　of
the　world。　The　most　fanatical　Arabs　respect　the　White　Marabouts。〃

〃You　wish　you　were　with　them？〃

〃Yes；　Madame。　But　my　health　only　permits　me　to　be　a　humble　parish
priest　here。　Not　all　who　desire　to　enter　the　most　severe　life　can　do
so。　If　it　were　otherwise　I　should　long　since　have　been　a　monk。　The
Cardinal　himself　showed　me　that　my　duty　lay　in　other　paths。〃

He　pointed　out　to　Domini　one　or　two　things　in　the　church　which　he
admired　and　thought　worthy；　the　carving　of　the　altar　rail　into　grapes；
ears　of　corn；　crosses；　anchors；　the　white　embroidered　muslin　that
draped　the　tabernacle；　the　statue　of　a　bishop　in　a　red　and　gold　mitre
holding　a　staff　and　Bible；　and　another　statue　representing　a　saint
with　a　languid　and　consumptive　expression　stretching　out　a　Bible；　on
the　leaves　of　which　a　tiny；　smiling　child　was　walking。

As　they　were　about　to　leave　the　church　he　made　Domini　pause