the garden of allah-第16章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
heart of the East startled and fascinated her； a mystery in which
indifference and devotion mingle。 The white figure swayed slowly to
and fro； carrying the dull； humming voice with it； and now she seemed
to hear a far…away fanaticism； the bourdon of a fatalism which she
longed to understand。
〃Ahmeda！〃
Batouch shouted。 His voice came like a stone from a catapult。 The
merchant turned calmly and without haste； showing an aquiline face
covered with wrinkles； tufted with white hairs； lit by eyes that shone
with the cruel expressiveness of a falcon's。 After a short colloquy in
Arabic he raised himself from his haunches； and came to the front of
the room； where there was a small wooden counter。 He was smiling now
with a grace that was almost feminine。
〃What perfume does Madame desire？〃 he said in French。
Domini gazed at him as at a deep mystery； but with the searching
directness characteristic of her； a fearlessness so absolute that it
embarrassed many people。
〃Please give me something that is of the Eastnot violets； not
lilac。〃
〃Amber；〃 said Batouch。
The merchant； still smiling； reached up to a shelf； showing an arm
like a brown twig； and took down a glass bottle covered with red and
green lines。 He removed the stopper； made Domini take off her glove；
touched her bare hand with the stopper； then with his forefinger
gently rubbed the drop of perfume which had settled on her skin till
it was slightly red。
〃Now； smell it；〃 he commanded。
Domini obeyed。 The perfume was faintly medicinal； but it filled her
brain with exotic visions。 She shut her eyes。 Yes； that was a voice of
Africa too。 Oh！ how far away she was from her old life and hollow
days。 The magic carpet had been spread indeed； and she had been wafted
into a strange land where she had all to learn。
〃Please give me some of that；〃 she said。
The merchant poured the amber into a phial； where it lay like a thread
in the glass； weighed it in a scales and demanded a price。 Batouch
began at once to argue with vehemence； but Domini stopped him。
〃Pay him；〃 she said； giving Batouch her purse。
The perfume…seller took the money with dignity； turned away； squatted
upon his haunches against the blackened wall； and picked up the broad…
leaved volume which lay upon the floor。 He swayed gently and
rhythmically to and fro。 Then once more the voice of the drowsy bee
hummed in the shadows。 The worshipper and the Prophet stood before the
feet of Allah。
And the womanshe was set afar off； as woman is by white…robed men in
Africa。
〃Now； Batouch； you can carry the perfume to the hotel and I will go to
that garden。〃
〃Alone？ Madame will never find it。〃
〃I can ask the way。〃
〃Impossible！ I will escort Madame to the gate。 There I will wait for
her。 Monsieur the Count does not permit the Arabs to enter with
strangers。〃
〃Very well；〃 Domini said。
The seller of perfumes had led her towards a dream。 She was not
combative； and she would be alone in the garden。 As they walked
towards it in the sun； through narrow ways where idle Arabs lounged
with happy aimlessness； Batouch talked of Count Anteoni； the owner of
the garden。
Evidently the Count was the great personage of Beni…Mora。 Batouch
spoke of him with a convinced respect； describing him as fabulously
rich； fabulously generous to the Arabs。
〃He never gives to the French； Madame； but when he is here each
Friday； upon our Sabbath； he comes to the gate with a bag of money in
his hand； and he gives five franc pieces to every Arab who is there。〃
〃And what is he？ French？〃
〃He is Italian； but he is always travelling； and he has made gardens
everywhere。 He has three in Africa alone； and in one he keeps many
lions。 When he travels he takes six Arabs with him。 He loves only the
Arabs。〃
Domini began to feel interested in this wandering maker of gardens；
who was a pilgrim over the world like Monte Cristo。
〃Is he young？〃 she asked。
〃No。〃
〃Married？〃
〃Oh； no！ He is always alone。 Sometimes he comes here and stays for
three months； and is never once seen outside the garden。 And sometimes
for a year he never comes to Beni…Mora。 But he is here now。 Twenty
Arabs are always working in the garden； and at night ten Arabs with
guns are always awake； some in a tent inside the door and some among
the trees。
〃Then there is danger at night？〃
〃The garden touches the desert； and those who are in the desert
without arms are as birds in the air without wings。〃
They had come out from among the houses now into a broad； straight
road； bordered on the left by land that was under cultivation； by
fruit trees； and farther away by giant palms； between whose trunks
could be seen the stony reaches of the desert and spurs of grey…blue
and faint rose…coloured mountains。 On the right was a shady garden
with fountains and stone benches； and beyond stood a huge white palace
built in the Moorish style； and terraced roofs and a high tower
ornamented with green and peacock…blue tiles。 In the distance； among
more palms； appeared a number of low； flat huts of brown earth。 The
road； as far as the eyes could see； stretched straight forward through
enormous groves of palms； whose feathery tops swayed gently in the
light wind that blew from the desert。 Upon all things rained a flood
of blue and gold。 A blinding radiance made all things glad。
〃How glorious light is！〃 Domini exclaimed； as she looked down the road
to the point where its whiteness was lost in the moving ocean of the
trees。
Batouch assented without enthusiasm； having always lived in the light。
〃As we return from the garden we will visit the tower；〃 he said；
pointing to the Moorish palace。 〃It is a hotel； and is not yet open；
but I know the guardian。 From the tower Madame will see the whole of
Beni…Mora。 Here is the negro village。〃
They traversed its dusty alleys slowly。 On the side where the low
brown dwellings threw shadows some of the inhabitants were dreaming or
chattering； wrapped in garments of gaudy cotton。 Little girls in the
fiercest orange colour； with tattooed foreheads and leathern amulets；
darted to and fro； chasing each other and shrieking with laughter。
Naked babies； whose shaven heads made a warm resting…place for flies；
stared at Domini with a lustrous vacancy of expression。 At the corners
of the alleys unveiled women squatted； grinding corn in primitive
hand…mills； or winding wool on wooden sticks。 Their heads were covered
with plaits of imitation hair made of wool； in which barbaric silver
ornaments were fastened； and their black necks and arms jingled with
chains and bangles set with squares of red coral and large dull blue
and green stones。 Some of them called boldly to Batouch； and he
answered them with careless impudence。 The palm…wood door of one of
the houses stood wide open； and Domini looked in。 She saw a dark space
with floor and walls of earth； a ceiling of palm and brushwood； a low
divan of earth without mat or covering of any kind。
〃They have no furniture？〃 she asked Batouch。
〃No。 What do they want with it？ They live out here in the sun and go
in to sleep。〃
Life simplified to this extent made her smile。 Yet she looked at the
squatting figures in the gaudy cotton rags with a stirring of envy。
The memory of her long and complicated London years； filled with a
multitude of so…called pleasures which had never stifled the dull pain
set up in her heart by the rude shock of her mother's sin and its
result； made this naked； sunny； barbarous existence seem desirable。
She stood for a moment to watch two women sorting grain for cous…cous。
Their guttural laughter； their noisy talk； the quick and energetic
movements of their busy black hands； reminded her of children's
gaiety。 And Nature rose before her in the sunshine； confronting
artifice and the heavy languors of modern life in cities。 How had she
been able to endure the yoke so long？
〃Will Madame take me to London with her when she returns？〃 said
Batouch； slyly。
〃I am not going back to London for a very long time；〃 she replied with
energy。
〃You will stay here many weeks？〃
〃Months； perhaps。 And perhaps I shall travel on into the desert。 Yes；
I must do that。〃
〃If we fol
