the garden of allah-第19章
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and she had caught the spark of his enthusiasm。 But now another fire
seemed lit within her； and she found herself marvelling at such
austerity。 Was it not a fanatical defiance flung into the face of the
sun？ She shrank from her own thought； like one startled； and walked on
softly in the green darkness。
Larbi's flute became more distant。 Again and again it repeated the
same queer little melody； changing the ornamentation at the fantasy of
the player。 She looked for him among the trees but saw no one。 He must
be in some very secret place。 Smain touched her。
〃Look！〃 he said； and his voice was very low。
He parted the branches of some palms with his delicate hands； and
Domini； peering between them； saw in a place of deep shadows an
isolated square room； whose white walls were almost entirely concealed
by masses of purple bougainvillea。 It had a flat roof。 In three of its
sides were large arched window…spaces without windows。 In the fourth
was a narrow doorway without a door。 Immense fig trees and palms and
thickets of bamboo towered around it and leaned above it。 And it was
circled by a narrow riband of finely…raked sand。
〃That is the smoking…room of Monsieur the Count；〃 said Smain。 〃He
spends many hours there。 Come and I will show the inside to Madame。〃
They turned to the left and went towards the room。 The flute was close
to them now。 〃Larbi must be in there；〃 Domini whispered to Smain； as a
person whispers in a church。
〃No； he is among the trees beyond。〃
〃But someone is there。〃
She pointed to the arched window…space nearest to them。 A thin spiral
of blue…grey smoke curled through it and evaporated into the shadows
of the trees。 After a moment it was followed gently and deliberately
by another。
〃It is not Larbi。 He would not go in there。 It must be〃
He paused。 A tall； middle…aged man had come to the doorway of the
little room and looked out into the garden with bright eyes。
CHAPTER VI
Domini drew back and glanced at Smain。 She was not accustomed to
feeling intrusive； and the sudden sensation rendered her uneasy。
〃It is Monsieur the Count；〃 Smain said calmly and quite aloud。
The man in the doorway took off his soft hat； as if the words effected
an introduction between Domini and him。
〃You were coming to see my little room； Madame？〃 he said in French。
〃If I may show it to you I shall feel honoured。〃
The timbre of his voice was harsh and grating； yet it was a very
interesting； even a seductive； voice； and； Domini thought； peculiarly
full of vivid life； though not of energy。 His manner at once banished
her momentary discomfort。 There is a freemasonry between people born
in the same social world。 By the way in which Count Anteoni took off
his hat and spoke she knew at once that all was right。
〃Thank you； Monsieur；〃 she answered。 〃I was told at the gate you gave
permission to travellers to visit your garden。〃
〃Certainly。〃
He spoke a few words in fluent Arabic to Smain； who turned away and
disappeared among the trees。
〃I hope you will allow me to accompany you through the rest of the
garden；〃 he said； turning again to Domini。 〃It will give me great
pleasure。〃
〃It is very kind of you。〃
The way in which the change of companion had been effected made it
seem a pleasant； inevitable courtesy； which neither implied nor
demanded anything。
〃This is my little retreat；〃 Count Anteoni continued； standing aside
from the doorway that Domini might enter。
She drew a long breath when she was within。
The floor was of fine sand； beaten flat and hard； and strewn with
Eastern rugs of faint and delicate hues； dim greens and faded rose
colours； grey…blues and misty topaz yellows。 Round the white walls ran
broad divans； also white； covered with prayer rugs from Bagdad； and
large cushions； elaborately worked in dull gold and silver thread；
with patterns of ibises and flamingoes in flight。 In the four angles
of the room stood four tiny smoking…tables of rough palm wood； holding
hammered ash…trays of bronze； green bronze torches for the lighting of
cigarettes； and vases of Chinese dragon china filled with velvety red
roses； gardenias and sprigs of orange blossom。 Leather footstools；
covered with Tunisian thread…work； lay beside them。 From the arches of
the window…spaces hung old Moorish lamps of copper； fitted with small
panes of dull jewelled glass； such as may be seen in venerable church
windows。 In a round copper brazier； set on one of the window…seats；
incense twigs were drowsily burning and giving out thin； dwarf columns
of scented smoke。 Through the archways and the narrow doorway the
dense walls of leafage were visible standing on guard about this airy
hermitage； and the hot purple blossoms of the bougainvillea shed a
cloud of colour through the bosky dimness。
And still the flute of Larbi showered soft； clear； whimsical music
from some hidden place close by。
Domini looked at her host； who was standing by the doorway； leaning
one arm against the ivory…white wall。
〃This is my first day in Africa；〃 she said simply。 〃You may imagine
what I think of your garden； what I feel in it。 I needn't tell you。
Indeed； I am sure the travellers you so kindly let in must often have
worried you with their raptures。〃
〃No；〃 he answered； with a still gravity which yet suggested kindness；
〃for I leave nearly always before the travellers come。 That sounds a
little rude？ But you would not be in Beni…Mora at this season； Madame；
if it could include you。〃
〃I have come here for peace；〃 Domini replied simply。
She said it because she felt as if it was already understood by her
companion。
Count Anteoni took down his arm from the white wall and pulled a
branch of the purple flowers slowly towards him through the doorway。
〃There is peacewhat is generally called so； at leastin Beni…Mora；〃
he answered rather slowly and meditatively。 〃That is to say； there is
similarity of day with day； night with night。 The sun shines
untiringly over the desert； and the desert always hints at peace。〃
He let the flowers go； and they sprang softly back； and hung quivering
in the space beyond his thin figure。 Then he added：
〃Perhaps one should not say more than that。〃
〃No。〃
Domini sat down for a moment。 She looked up at him with her direct
eyes and at the shaking flowers。 The sound of Larbi's flute was always
in her ears。
〃But may not one think； feel a little more？〃 she asked。
〃Oh； why not？ If one can； if one must？ But how？ Africa is as fierce
and full of meaning as a furnace； you know。〃
〃Yes； I knowalready；〃 she replied。
His words expressed what she had already felt here in Beni…Mora；
surreptitiously and yet powerfully。 He said it； and last night the
African hautboy had said it。 Peace and a flame。 Could they exist
together； blended； married？
〃Africa seems to me to agree through contradiction；〃 she added；
smiling a little； and touching the snowy wall with her right hand。
〃But then； this is my first day。〃
〃Mine was when I was a boy of sixteen。〃
〃This garden wasn't here then？〃
〃No。 I had it made。 I came here with my mother。 She spoilt me。 She let
me have my whim。〃
〃This garden is your boy's whim？〃
〃It was。 Now it is a man's〃
He seemed to hesitate。
〃Paradise；〃 suggested Domini。
〃I think I was going to say hiding…place。〃
There was no bitterness in his odd； ugly voice； yet surely the words
implied bitterness。 The wounded； the fearful； the disappointed； the
condemned hide。 Perhaps he remembered this； for he added rather
quickly：
〃I come here to be foolish； Madame； for I come here to think。 This is
my special thinking place。〃
〃How strange！〃 Domini exclaimed impulsively； and leaning forward on
the divan。
〃Is it？〃
〃I only mean that already Beni…Mora has seemed to me the ideal place
for that。〃
〃For thought？〃
〃For finding out interior truth。〃
Count Anteoni looked at her rather swiftly and searchingly。 His eyes
were not large； but they were bright； and held none of the languor so
often seen in the eyes of his countrymen。 His face was expressive
through its mobility rather than through its contours。 The features
were small and refined； not noble； but unmistakably aristo
