the garden of allah-第29章
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〃It may be fanciful；〃 she replied。 〃But I think there must。 Surely
Nature has not a lying face。〃
He was still gazing towards the south； from which the night was slowly
emerging； a traveller through a mist of blue。 He seemed to be held
fascinated by the desert which was fading away gently； like a mystery
which had drawn near to the light of revelation； but which was now
slipping back into an underworld of magic。 He bent forward as one who
watches a departure in which he longs to share； and Domini felt sure
that he had forgotten her。 She felt； too； that this man was gripped by
the desert influence more fiercely even than she was； and that he must
have a stronger imagination； a greater force of projection even than
she had。 Where she bore a taper he lifted a blazing torch。
A roar of drums rose up immediately beneath them。 From the negro
village emerged a ragged procession of thick…lipped men； and singing；
capering women tricked out in scarlet and yellow shawls； headed by a
male dancer clad in the skins of jackals； and decorated with mirrors；
camels' skulls and chains of animals' teeth。 He shouted and leaped；
rolled his bulging eyes； and protruded a fluttering tongue。 The dust
curled up round his stamping； naked feet。
〃Yah…ah…la！ Yah…ah…la！〃
The howling chorus came up to the tower； with a clash of enormous
castanets； and of poles beaten rhythmically together。
〃Yi…yi…yi…yi！〃 went the shrill voices of the women。
The cloud of dust increased； enveloping the lower part of the
procession； till the black heads and waving arms emerged as if from a
maelstrom。 The thunder of the drums was like the thunder of a cataract
in which the singers； disappearing towards the village； seemed to be
swept away。
The man at Domini's side raised himself up with a jerk； and all the
former fierce timidity and consciousness came back to his face。 He
turned round； pulled open the door behind him； and took off his hat。
〃Excuse me； Madame；〃 he said。 〃Bon soir！〃
〃I am coming too；〃 Domini answered。
He looked uncomfortable and anxious； hesitated； then； as if driven to
do it in spite of himself； plunged downward through the narrow doorway
of the tower into the darkness。 Domini waited for a moment； listening
to the heavy sound of his tread on the wooden stairs。 She frowned till
her thick eyebrows nearly met and the corners of her lips turned down。
Then she followed slowly。 When she was on the stairs and the footsteps
died away below her she fully realised that for the first time in her
life a man had insulted her。 Her face felt suddenly very hot； and her
lips very dry； and she longed to use her physical strength in a way
not wholly feminine。 In the hall； among the shrouded furniture； she
met the smiling doorkeeper。 She stopped。
〃Did the gentleman who has just gone out give you his card？〃 she said
abruptly。
The Arab assumed a fawning； servile expression。
〃No； Madame； but he is a very good gentleman； and I know well that
Monsieur the Count〃
Domini cut him short。
〃Of what nationality is he？〃
〃Monsieur the Count； Madame？〃
〃No； no。〃
〃The gentleman？ I do not know。 But he can speak Arabic。 Oh； he is a
very nice〃
〃Bon soir；〃 said Domini； giving him a franc。
When she was out on the road in front of the hotel she saw the
stranger striding along in the distance at the tail of the negro
procession。 The dust stirred up by the dancers whirled about him。
Several small negroes skipped round him； doubtless making eager
demands upon his generosity。 He seemed to take no notice of them； and
as she watched him Domini was reminded of his retreat from the praying
Arab in the desert that morning。
〃Is he afraid of women as he is afraid of prayer？〃 she thought； and
suddenly the sense of humiliation and anger left her； and was
succeeded by a powerful curiosity such as she had never felt before
about anyone。 She realised that this curiosity had dawned in her
almost at the first moment when she saw the stranger； and had been
growing ever since。 One circumstance after another had increased it
till now it was definite； concrete。 She wondered that she did not feel
ashamed of such a feeling so unusual in her； and surely unworthy； like
a prying thing。 Of all her old indifference that side which confronted
people had always been the most sturdy； the most solidly built。
Without affectation she had been a profoundly incurious woman as to
the lives and the concerns of others； even of those whom she knew best
and was supposed to care for most。 Her nature had been essentially
languid in human intercourse。 The excitements； troubles； even the
passions of others had generally stirred her no more than a distant
puppet…show stirs an absent…minded passer in the street。
In Africa it seemed that her whole nature had been either violently
renewed； or even changed。 She could not tell which。 But this strong
stirring of curiosity would； she believed； have been impossible in the
woman she had been but a week ago； the woman who travelled to
Marseilles dulled； ignorant of herself； longing for change。 Perhaps
instead of being angry she ought to welcome it as a symptom of the
re…creation she longed for。
While she changed her gown for dinner that night she debated within
herself how she would treat her fellow…guest when she met him in the
/salle…a…manger/。 She ought to cut him after what had occurred； she
supposed。 Then it seemed to her that to do so would be undignified；
and would give him the impression that he had the power to offend her。
She resolved to bow to him if they met face to face。 Just before she
went downstairs she realised how vehement her internal debate had
been； and was astonished。 Suzanne was putting away something in a
drawer； bending down and stretching out her plump arms。
〃Suzanne！〃 Domini said。
〃Yes； Mam'zelle！〃
〃How long have you been with me？〃
〃Three years； Mam'zelle。〃
The maid shut the drawer and turned round； fixing her shallow； blue…
grey eyes on her mistress； and standing as if she were ready to be
photographed。
〃Would you say that I am the same sort of person to…day as I was three
years ago？〃
Suzanne looked like a cat that has been startled by a sudden noise。
〃The same； Mam'zelle？〃
〃Yes。 Do you think I have altered in that time？〃
Suzanne considered the question with her head slightly on one side。
〃Only here； Mam'zelle；〃 she replied at length。
〃Here！〃 said Domini； rather eagerly。 〃Why； I have only been here
twenty…six hours。〃
〃That is true。 But Mam'zelle looks as if she had a little life here； a
little emotion。 Mon Dieu！ Mam'zelle will pardon me； but what is a
woman who feels no emotion？ A packet。 Is it not so； Mam'zelle？〃
〃Well； but what is there to be emotional about here？〃
Suzanne looked vaguely crafty。
〃Who knows； Mam'zelle？ Who can say？ Mon Dieu！ This village is dull；
but it is odd。 No band plays。 There are no shops for a girl to look
into。 There is nothing chic except the costumes of the Zouaves。 But
one cannot deny that it is odd。 When Mam'zelle was away this afternoon
in the tower Monsieur Helmuth〃
〃Who is that？〃
〃The Monsieur who accompanies the omnibus to the station。 Monsieur
Helmuth was polite enough to escort me through the village。 Mon Dieu；
Mam'zelle； I said to myself； 'Anything might occur here。'〃
〃Anything！ What do you mean？〃
But Suzanne did not seem to know。 She only made her figure look more
tense than ever； tucked in her round little chin； which was dimpled
and unmeaning； and said：
〃Who knows； Mam'zelle？ This village is dull； that is true； but it is
odd。 One does not find oneself in such places every day。〃
Domini could not help laughing at these Delphic utterances； but she
went downstairs thoughtfully。 She knew Suzanne's practical spirit。
Till now the maid had never shown any capacity of imagination。 Beni…
Mora was certainly beginning to mould her nature into a slightly
different shape。 And Domini seemed to see an Eastern potter at work；
squatting in the sun and with long and delicate fingers changing the
outline of the statuette of a woman； modifying a curve here； an angle
there； till the clay began to show another woman； but with； as it
were； the shadow o
