the garden of allah-第17章
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〃Months； perhaps。 And perhaps I shall travel on into the desert。 Yes；
I must do that。〃
〃If we followed the white road into the desert； and went on and on for
many days； we should come at last to Tombouctou；〃 said Batouch。 〃But
very likely we should be killed by the Touaregs。 They are fierce and
they hate strangers。〃
〃Would you be afraid to go？〃 Domini asked him； curiously。
〃Why afraid？〃
〃Of being killed？〃
He looked calmly surprised。 〃Why should I be afraid to die？ All must
pass through that door。 It does not matter whether it is to…day or
to…morrow。〃
〃You have no fear of death； then？〃
〃Of course not。 Have you； Madame？〃 He gazed at Domini with genuine
astonishment。
〃I don't know；〃 she answered。
And she wondered and could not tell。
〃There is the Villa Anteoni。〃
Batouch lifted his hand and pointed。 They had turned aside from the
way to Tombouctou； left the village behind them； and come into a
narrow track which ran parallel to the desert。 The palm trees rustled
on their right； the green corn waved； the narrow cuttings in the earth
gleamed with shallow water。 But on their other side was limitless
sterility； the wide； stony expanse of the great river bed； the Oued…
Beni…Mora； then a low earth cliff； and then the immense airy flats
stretching away into the shining regions of the sun。 At some distance；
raised on a dazzling white wall above the desert in an unshaded place；
Domini saw a narrow； two…sided white house； with a flat roof and a few
tiny loopholes instead of windows。 One side looked full upon the
waterless river bed； the other； at right angles to it； ran back
towards a thicket of palms and ended in an arcade of six open Moorish
arches； through which the fierce blue of the cloudless sky stared；
making an almost theatrical effect。 Beyond； masses of trees were
visible； looking almost black against the intense； blinding pallor of
wall； villa and arcade； the intense blue above。
〃What a strange house！〃 Domini said。 〃There are no windows。〃
〃They are all on the other side； looking into the garden。〃
The villa fascinated Domini at once。 The white Moorish arcade framing
bare； quivering blue； blue from the inmost heart of heaven； intense as
a great vehement cry； was beautiful as the arcade of a Geni's home in
Fairyland。 Mystery hung about this dwelling； a mystery of light； not
darkness； secrets of flame and hidden things of golden meaning。 She
felt almost like a child who is about to penetrate into the red land
of the winter fire； and she hastened her steps till she reached a tall
white gate set in an arch of wood； and surmounted with a white coat of
arms and two lions。 Batouch struck on it with a white knocker and then
began to roll a cigarette。
〃I will wait here for Madame。〃
Domini nodded。 A leaf of wood was pulled back softly in the gate； and
she stepped into the garden and confronted a graceful young Arab
dressed in pale green； who saluted her respectfully and gently closed
the door。
〃May I walk about the garden a little？〃 she asked。
She did not look round her yet； for the Arab's face interested and
even charmed her。 It was aristocratic； enchantingly indolent； like the
face of a happy lotus…eater。 The great； lustrous eyes were tender as a
gazelle's and thoughtless as the eyes of a sleepy child。 His
perfectly…shaped feet were bare on the shining sand。 In one hand he
held a large red rose and in the other a half…smoked cigarette。
Domini could not kelp smiling at him as she put her question； and he
smiled contentedly back at her as he answered； in a low； level voice：
〃You can go where you will。 Shall I show you the paths？〃
He lifted his hand and calmly smelt his red rose； keeping his great
eyes fixed upon her。 Domini's wish to be alone had left her。 This was
surely the geni of the garden； and his company would add to its
mystery and fragrance。
〃You need not stay by the door？〃 she asked。
〃No one will come。 There is no one in Beni…Mora。 And Hassan will
stay。〃
He pointed with his rose to a little tent that was pitched close to
the gate beneath a pepper tree。 In it Domini saw a brown boy curled up
like a dog and fast asleep。 She began to feel as if she had eaten
hashish。 The world seemed made for dreaming。
〃Thank you； then。〃
And now for the first time she looked round to see whether Batouch had
implied the truth。 Must the European gardens give way to this Eastern
garden； take a lower place with all their roses？
She stood on a great expanse of newly…raked smooth sand； rising in a
very gentle slope to a gigantic hedge of carefully trimmed evergreens；
which projected at the top； forming a roof and casting a pleasant
shade upon the sand。 At intervals white benches were placed under this
hedge。 To the right was the villa。 She saw now that it was quite
small。 There were two lines of windowson the ground floor and the
upper story。 The lower windows opened on to the sand； those above on
to a verandah with a white railing； which was gained by a white
staircase outside the house built beneath the arches of the arcade。
The villa was most delicately simple； but in this riot of blue and
gold its ivory cleanliness； set there upon the shining sand which was
warm to the foot； made it look magical to Domini。 She thought she had
never known before what spotless purity was like。
〃Those are the bedrooms；〃 murmured the Arab at her side。
〃There are only bedrooms？〃 she asked in surprise。
〃The other rooms； the drawing…room of Monsieur the Count； the dining…
room； the smoking…room； the Moorish bath； the room of the little dog；
the kitchen and the rooms for the servants are in different parts of
the garden。 There is the dining…room。〃
He pointed with his rose to a large white building； whose dazzling
walls showed here and there through the masses of trees to the left；
where a little raised sand…path with flattened； sloping sides wound
away into a maze of shadows diapered with gold。
〃Let us go down that path；〃 Domini said almost in a whisper。
The spell of the place was descending upon her。 This was surely a home
of dreams； a haven where the sun came to lie down beneath the trees
and sleep。
〃What is your name？〃 she added。
〃Smain；〃 replied the Arab。 〃I was born in this garden。 My father；
Mohammed； was with Monsieur the Count。〃
He led the way over the sand； moving silently on his long； brown feet；
straight as a reed in a windless place。 Domini followed； holding her
breath。 Only sometimes she let her strong imagination play utterly at
its will。 She let it go now as she and Smain turned into the golden
diapered shadows of the little path and came into the swaying mystery
of the trees。 The longing for secrecy； for remoteness； for the beauty
of far away had sometimes haunted her； especially in the troubled
moments of her life。 Her heart； oppressed； had overleaped the horizon
line in answer to a calling from hidden things beyond。 Her emotions
had wandered； seeking the great distances in which the dim purple
twilight holds surely comfort for those who suffer。 But she had never
thought to find any garden of peace that realised her dreams。
Nevertheless； she was already conscious that Smain with his rose was
showing her the way to her ideal； that her feet were set upon its
pathway； that its legendary trees were closing round her。
Behind the evergreen hedge she heard the liquid bubbling of a hidden
waterfall； and when they had left the untempered sunlight behind them
this murmur grew louder。 It seemed as if the green gloom in which they
walked acted as a sounding…board to the delicious voice。 The little
path wound on and on between two running rills of water； which slipped
incessantly away under the broad and yellow…tipped leaves of dwarf
palms； making a music so faint that it was more like a remembered
sound in the mind than one which slid upon the ear。 On either hand
towered a jungle of trees brought to this home in the desert from all
parts of the world。
There were many unknown to Domini； but she recognised several
varieties of palms； acacias； gums； fig trees； chestnuts； poplars；
false pepper trees； the huge olive trees called Jamelons； white
laurels； indiarubber and cocoanut
