the garden of allah-第21章

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〃Yes？　More　difficult；　perhaps；　when　you　see　what　lies　beside　my
thoughts　of　truth。〃

As　he　spoke　they　came　out　from　the　tunnel　and　were　seized　by　the
fierce　hands　of　the　sun。　It　was　within　half　an　hour　of　noon；　and　the
radiance　was　blinding。　Domini　put　up　her　parasol　sharply；　like　one
startled。　She　stopped。

〃But　how　tremendous！〃　she　exclaimed。

Count　Anteoni　laughed　again；　and　drew　down　the　brim　of　his　grey　hat
over　his　eyes。　The　hand　with　which　he　did　it　was　almost　as　burnt　as　an
Arab's。

〃You　are　afraid　of　it？〃

〃No；　no。　But　it　startled　me。　We　don't　know　the　sun　really　in　Europe。〃

〃No。　Not　even　in　Southern　Italy；　not　even　in　Sicily。　It　is　fierce
there　in　summer；　but　it　seems　further　away。　Here　it　insists　on　the
most　intense　intimacy。　If　you　can　bear　it　we　might　sit　down　for　a
moment？〃

〃Please。〃

All　along　the　edge　of　the　garden；　from　the　villa　to　the　boundary　of
Count　Anteoni's　domain；　ran　a　straight　high　wall　made　of　earth　bricks
hardened　by　the　sun　and　topped　by　a　coping　of　palm　wood　painted　white。
This　wall　was　some　eight　feet　high　on　the　side　next　to　the　desert；　but
the　garden　was　raised　in　such　a　way　that　the　inner　side　was　merely　a
low　parapet　running　along　the　sand　path。　In　this　parapet　were　cut
small　seats；　like　window…seats；　in　which　one　could　rest　and　look　full
upon　the　desert　as　from　a　little　cliff。　Domini　sat　down　on　one　of
them；　and　the　Count　stood　by　her；　resting　one　foot　on　the　top　of　the
wall　and　leaning　his　right　arm　on　his　knee。

〃There　is　the　world　on　which　I　look　for　my　hiding…place；〃　he　said。　〃A
vast　world；　isn't　it？〃

Domini　nodded　without　speaking。

Immediately　beneath　them；　in　the　narrow　shadow　of　the　wall；　was　a　path
of　earth　and　stones　which　turned　off　at　the　right　at　the　end　of　the
garden　into　the　oasis。　Beyond　lay　the　vast　river　bed；　a　chaos　of　hot
boulders　bounded　by　ragged　low　earth　cliffs；　interspersed　here　and
there　with　small　pools　of　gleaming　water。　These　cliffs　were　yellow。
From　their　edge　stretched　the　desert；　as　Eternity　stretches　from　the
edge　of　Time。　Only　to　the　left　was　the　immeasurable　expanse　intruded
upon　by　a　long　spur　of　mountains；　which　ran　out　boldly　for　some
distance　and　then　stopped　abruptly；　conquered　and　abashed　by　the
imperious　flats。　Beneath　the　mountains　were　low；　tent…like；　cinnamon…
coloured　undulations；　which　reminded　Domini　of　those　made　by　a　shaken…
out　sheet；　one　smaller　than　the　other　till　they　melted　into　the　level。
The　summits　of　the　most　distant　mountains；　which　leaned　away　as　if　in
fear　of　the　desert；　were　dark　and　mistily　purple。　Their　flanks　were
iron　grey　at　this　hour；　flecked　in　the　hollows　with　the　faint　mauve
and　pink　which　became　carnation　colour　when　the　sun　set。

Domini　scarcely　looked　at　them。　Till　now　she　had　always　thought　that
she　loved　mountains。　The　desert　suddenly　made　them　insignificant；
almost　mean　to　her。　She　turned　her　eyes　towards　the　flat　spaces。　It
was　in　them　that　majesty　lay；　mystery；　power；　and　all　deep　and
significant　things。　In　the　midst　of　the　river　bed；　and　quite　near；
rose　a　round　and　squat　white　tower　with　a　small　cupola。　Beyond　it；　on
the　little　cliff；　was　a　tangle　of　palms　where　a　tiny　oasis　sheltered　a
few　native　huts。　At　an　immense　distance；　here　and　there；　other　oases
showed　as　dark　stains　show　on　the　sea　where　there　are　hidden　rocks。
And　still　farther　away；　on　all　hands；　the　desert　seemed　to　curve　up
slightly　like　a　shallow　wine…hued　cup　to　the　misty　blue　horizon　line；
which　resembled　a　faintly　seen　and　mysterious　tropical　sea；　so　distant
that　its　sultry　murmur　was　lost　in　the　embrace　of　the　intervening
silence。

An　Arab　passed　on　the　path　below　the　wall。　He　did　not　see　them。　A
white　dog　with　curling　lips　ran　beside　him。　He　was　singing　to　himself
in　a　low；　inward　voice。　He　went　on　and　turned　towards　the　oasis；　still
singing　as　he　walked　slowly。

〃Do　you　know　what　he　is　singing？〃　the　Count　asked。

Domini　shook　her　head。　She　was　straining　her　ears　to　hear　the　melody
as　long　as　possible。

〃It　is　a　desert　song　of　the　freed　negroes　of　Touggourt'No　one　but
God　and　I　knows　what　is　in　my　heart。'〃

Domini　lowered　her　parasol　to　conceal　her　face。　In　the　distance　she
could　still　hear　the　song；　but　it　was　dying　away。

〃Oh！　what　is　going　to　happen　to　me　here？〃　she　thought。

Count　Anteoni　was　looking　away　from　her　now　across　the　desert。　A
strange　impulse　rose　up　in　her。　She　could　not　resist　it。　She　put　down
her　parasol；　exposing　herself　to　the　blinding　sunlight；　knelt　down　on
the　hot　sand；　leaned　her　arms　on　the　white　parapet；　put　her　chin　in
the　upturned　palms　of　her　hands　and　stared　into　the　desert　almost
fiercely。

〃No　one　but　God　and　I　knows　what　is　in　my　heart；〃　she　thought。　〃But
that's　not　true；　that's　not　true。　For　I　don't　know。〃

The　last　echo　of　the　Arab's　song　fainted　on　the　blazing　air。　Surely　it
had　changed　now。　Surely；　as　he　turned　into　the　shadows　of　the　palms；
he　was　singing；　〃No　one　but　God　knows　what　is　in　my　heart。〃　Yes；　he
was　singing　that。　〃No　one　but　Godno　one　but　God。〃

Count　Anteoni　looked　down　at　her。　She　did　not　notice　it；　and　he　kept
his　eyes　on　her　for　a　moment。　Then　he　turned　to　the　desert　again。

By　degrees；　as　she　watched；　Domini　became　aware　of　many　things
indicative　of　life；　and　of　many　lives　in　the　tremendous　expanse　that
at　first　had　seemed　empty　of　all　save　sun　and　mystery。　She　saw　low；
scattered　tents；　far…off　columns　of　smoke　rising。　She　saw　a　bird　pass
across　the　blue　and　vanish　towards　the　mountains。　Black　shapes
appeared　among　the　tiny　mounds　of　earth；　crowned　with　dusty　grass　and
dwarf　tamarisk　bushes。　She　saw　them　move；　like　objects　in　a　dream；
slowly　through　the　shimmering　gold。　They　were　feeding　camels；　guarded
by　nomads　whom　she　could　not　see。

At　first　she　persistently　explored　the　distances；　carried　forcibly　by
an　/elan/　of　her　whole　nature　to　the　remotest　points　her　eyes　could
reach。　Then　she　withdrew　her　gaze　gradually；　reluctantly；　from　the
hidden　summoning　lands；　whose　verges　she　had　with　difficulty　gained；
and　looked；　at　first　with　apprehension；　upon　the　nearer　regions。　But
her　apprehension　died　when　she　found　that　the　desert　transmutes　what
is　close　as　well　as　what　is　remote；　suffuses　even　that　which　the　hand
could　almost　touch　with　wonder；　beauty；　and　the　deepest；　most　strange
significance。

Quite　near　in　the　river　bed　she　saw　an　Arab　riding　towards　the　desert
upon　a　prancing　black　horse。　He　mounted　a　steep　bit　of　path　and　came
out　on　the　flat　ground　at　the　cliff　top。　Then　he　set　his　horse　at　a
gallop；　raising　his　bridle　hand　and　striking　his　heels　into　the　flanks
of　the　beast。　And　each　of　his　movements；　each　of　the　movements　of　his
horse；　was　profoundly　interesting；　and　held　the　attention　of　the
onlooker　in　a　vice；　as　if　the　fates　of　worlds　depended　upon　where　he
was　carried　and　how　soon　he　reached　his　goal。　A　string　of　camels　laden
with　wooden　bales　met　him　on　the　way；　and　this　chance　encounter　seemed
to　Domini　fraught　with　almost　terrible　possibilities。　Why？　She　did　not
ask　herself。　Again　she　sent　her　gaze　further；　to　the　black　shapes
moving　stealthily　among　the　little　mounds；　to　the　spirals　of　smoke
rising　into　the　glimmering　air。　Who　guarded　those　camels？　Who　fed
those　distant　fires？　Who　watched　beside　them？　It　seemed　of　vital
consequence　to　her　that　she　should　know。

Count　Anteoni　took　out　his　watch　and　glanced　at　it。

〃I　am　looking　to　see　if　it　is　nearly　the　hour　of　prayer；〃　he　said。
〃When　I　am　in　Beni…Mora　I　usually　come　here　then。〃

〃You　turn　to　the　desert　as　the　faithful　turn　towards　Mecca？〃

〃Yes。　I　like　to　see　men　praying　in　the　desert。〃

He　spoke　indifferently；　but　Domini　felt　suddenly　sure　that　within　him
there　were　depths　of　imagination；　of　tenderness；　even　perhaps　of
mysticism。

〃An　atheist　in　the　desert　is　unimaginable；〃　he　added。　〃In　cathedrals
they　may　exist　very　likely；　and　even　feel　at　home。　I　have　seen
cathedrals　in　which　I　could　believe　I　was　one；　buthow　many　human
beings　can　you　see　in　the　desert　at　this　moment；　Madame？〃

Domini；　still　with　her　round　chin　in　her　hands；　searched　the　blazing
region　with　her　eyes。　She　saw　three　running　figures　with　the　train　of
camels　which　was　now　descending　into　the　ri