the garden of allah-第32章

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unceremoniously　away。

Domini　did　not　answer。　Her　eyes　were　fixed　on　a　man　who　was　sitting　in
a　corner　far　up　the　room；　bending　forward　and　staring　intently　at　a
woman　who　was　in　the　act　of　stepping　down　from　a　raised　platform
decorated　with　lamps　and　small　bunches　of　flowers　in　earthen　pots。

〃I　wish　to　sit　quite　near　the　door；〃　she　whispered　to　Batouch　as　they
went　in。

〃But　it　is　much　better〃

〃Do　what　I　tell　you；〃　she　said。　〃The　left　side　of　the　room。〃

Hadj　looked　a　little　happier。　Suzanne　was　clinging　to　his　arm。　He
smiled　at　her　with　something　of　mischief；　but　he　took　care；　when　a
place　was　cleared　on　a　bench　for　their　party；　to　sit　down　at　the　end
next　the　door；　and　he　cast　an　anxious　glance　towards　the　platform
where　the　dancing…girls　attached　to　the　cafe　sat　in　a　row；　hunched　up
against　the　bare　wall；　waiting　their　turn　to　perform。　Then　suddenly　he
shook　his　head；　tucked　in　his　chin　and　laughed。　His　whole　face　was
transformed　from　craven　fear　to　vivacious　rascality。　While　he　laughed
he　looked　at　Batouch；　who　was　ordering　four　cups　of　coffee　from　the
negro　attendant。　The　poet　took　no　notice。　For　the　moment　he　was　intent
upon　his　professional　duties。　But　when　the　coffee　was　brought；　and　set
upon　a　round　wooden　stool　between　two　bunches　of　roses；　he　had　time　to
note　Hadj's　sudden　gaiety　and　to　realise　its　meaning。　Instantly　he
spoke　to　the　negro　in　a　low　voice。　Hadj　stopped　laughing。　The　negro
sped　away　and　returned　with　the　proprietor　of　the　cafe；　a　stout　Kabyle
with　a　fair　skin　and　blue　eyes。

Batouch　lowered　his　voice　to　a　guttural　whisper　and　spoke　in　Arabic；
while　Hadj；　shifting　uneasily　on　the　end　seat；　glanced　at　him　sideways
out　of　his　almond…shaped　eyes。　Domini　heard　the　name　〃Irena；〃　and
guessed　that　Batouch　was　asking　the　Kabyle　to　send　for　her　and　make
her　dance。　She　could　not　help　being　amused　for　a　moment　by　the　comedy
of　intrigue；　complacently　malignant　on　both　sides；　that　was　being
played　by　the　two　cousins；　but　the　moment　passed　and　left　her
engrossed；　absorbed；　and　not　merely　by　the　novelty　of　the
surroundings；　by　the　strangeness　of　the　women；　of　their　costumes；　and
of　their　movements。　She　watched　them；　but　she　watched　more　closely；
more　eagerly；　rather　as　a　spy　than　as　a　spectator；　one　who　was
watching　them　with　an　intentness；　a　still　passion；　a　fierce　curiosity
and　a　sort　of　almost　helpless　wonder　such　as　she　had　never　seen
before；　and　could　never　have　found　within　herself　to　put　at　the
service　of　any　human　marvel。

Close　to　the　top　of　the　room　on　the　right　the　stranger　was　sitting　in
the　midst　of　a　mob　of　Arabs；　whose　flowing　draperies　almost　concealed
his　ugly　European　clothes。　On　the　wall　immediately　behind　him　was　a
brilliantly…coloured　drawing　of　a　fat　Ouled　Nail　leering　at　a　French
soldier；　which　made　an　unconventional　background　to　his　leaning　figure
and　sunburnt　face；　in　which　there　seemed　now　to　be　both　asceticism　and
something　so　different　and　so　powerful　that　it　was　likely；　from　moment
to　moment；　to　drive　out　the　asceticism　and　to　achieve　the　loneliness
of　all　conquering　things。　This　fighting　expression　made　Domini　think
of　a　picture　she　had　once　seen　representing　a　pilgrim　going　through　a
dark　forest　attended　by　his　angel　and　his　devil。　The　angel　of　the
pilgrim　was　a　weak　and　almost　childish　figure；　frail；　bloodless；
scarcely　even　radiant；　while　the　devil　was　lusty　and　bold；　with　a
muscular　body　and　a　sensual；　aquiline　face；　which　smiled　craftily；
looking　at　the　pilgrim。　There　was　surely　a　devil　in　the　watching
traveller　which　was　pushing　the　angel　out　of　him。　Domini　had　never
before　seemed　to　see　clearly　the　legendary　battle　of　the　human　heart。
But　it　had　never　before　been　manifested　to　her　audaciously　in　the
human　face。

All　around　the　Arabs　sat；　motionless　and　at　ease；　gazing　on　the
curious　dance　of　which　they　never　tirea　dance　which　has　some
ingenuity；　much　sensuality　and　provocation；　but　little　beauty　and
little　mystery；　unlessas　happens　now　and　thenan　idol…like　woman　of
the　South；　with　all　the　enigma　of　the　distant　desert　in　her　kohl…
tinted　eyes；　dances　it　with　the　sultry　gloom　of　a　half…awakened
sphinx；　and　makes　of　it　a　barbarous　manifestation　of　the　nature　that
lies　hidden　in　the　heart　of　the　sun；　a　silent　cry　uttered　by　a　savage
body　born　in　a　savage　land。

In　the　cafe　of　Tahar；　the　Kabyle；　there　was　at　present　no　such　woman。
His　beauties；　huddled　together　on　their　narrow　bench　before　a　table
decorated　with　glasses　of　water　and　sprigs　of　orange　blossom　in
earthen　vases；　looked　dull　and　cheerless　in　their　gaudy　clothes。　Their
bodies　were　well　formed；　but　somnolent。　Their　painted　hands　hung　down
like　the　hands　of　marionettes。　The　one　who　was　dancing　suggested　Duty
clad　in　Eastern　garb　and　laying　herself　out　carefully　to　be　wicked。
Her　jerks　and　wrigglings；　though　violent；　were　inhuman；　like　those　of
a　complicated　piece　of　mechanism　devised　by　a　morbid　engineer。　After　a
glance　or　two　at　her　Domini　felt　that　she　was　bored　by　her　own
agilities。　Domini's　wonder　increased　when　she　looked　again　at　the
traveller。

For　it　was　this　dance　of　the　/ennui/　of　the　East　which　raised　up　in
him　this　obvious　battle；　which　drove　his　secret　into　the　illumination
of　the　hanging　lamps　and　gave　it　to　a　woman；　who　felt　half　confused；
half　ashamed　at　possessing　it；　and　yet　could　not　cast　it　away。

If　they　both　lived　on；　without　speaking　or　meeting；　for　another　half
century；　Domini　could　never　know　the　shape　of　the　devil　in　this　man；
the　light　of　the　smile　upon　its　face。

The　dancing　woman　had　observed　him；　and　presently　she　began　slowly　to
wriggle　towards　him　between　the　rows　of　Arabs；　fixing　her　eyes　upon
him　and　parting　her　scarlet　lips　in　a　greedy　smile。　As　she　came　on　the
stranger　evidently　began　to　realise　that　he　was　her　bourne。　He　had
been　leaning　forward；　but　when　she　approached；　waving　her　red　hands；
shaking　her　prominent　breasts；　and　violently　jerking　her　stomach；　he
sat　straight　up；　and　then；　as　if　instinctively　trying　to　get　away　from
her；　pressed　back　against　the　wall；　hiding　the　painting　of　the　Ouled
Nail　and　the　French　soldier。　A　dark　flush　rose　on　his　face　and　even
flooded　his　forehead　to　his　low…growing　hair。　His　eyes　were　full　of　a
piteous　anxiety　and　discomfort；　and　he　glanced　almost　guiltily　to
right　and　left　of　him　as　if　he　expected　the　hooded　Arab　spectators　to
condemn　his　presence　there　now　that　the　dancer　drew　their　attention　to
it。　The　dancer　noticed　his　confusion　and　seemed　pleased　by　it；　and
moved　to　more　energetic　demonstrations　of　her　art。　She　lifted　her　arms
above　her　head；　half　closed　her　eyes；　assumed　an　expression　of　languid
ecstasy　and　slowly　shuddered。　Then；　bending　backward；　she　nearly
touched　the　floor；　swung　round；　still　bending；　and　showed　the　long
curve　of　her　bare　throat　to　the　stranger；　while　the　girls；　huddled　on
the　bench　by　the　musicians；　suddenly　roused　themselves　and　joined
their　voices　in　a　shrill　and　prolonged　twitter。　The　Arabs　did　not
smile；　but　the　deepness　of　their　attention　seemed　to　increase　like　a
cloud　growing　darker。　All　the　luminous　eyes　in　the　room　were　steadily
fixed　upon　the　man　leaning　back　against　the　hideous　picture　on　the
wall　and　the　gaudy　siren　curved　almost　into　an　arch　before　him。　The
musicians　blew　their　hautboys　and　beat　their　tomtoms　more　violently；
and　all　things；　Domini　thought；　were　filled　with　a　sense　of　climax。
She　felt　as　if　the　room；　all　the　inanimate　objects；　and　all　the
animate　figures　in　it；　were　instruments　of　an　orchestra；　and　as　if
each　individual　instrument　was　contributing　to　a　slow　and　great；　and
irresistible　crescendo。　The　stranger　took　his　part　with　the　rest；　but
against　his　will；　and　as　if　under　some　terrible　compulsion。

His　face　was　scarlet　now；　and　his　shining　eyes　looked　down　on　the
dancer's　throat　and　breast　with　a　mingling　of　eagerness　and　horror。
Slowly　she　raised　herself；　turned；　bent　forwards　quivering；　and
presented　her　face　to　him；　while　the　women　twittered　once　more　in
chorus。　He　still　stared　at　her　without　moving。　The　hautboy　players
prolonged　a　wailing　note；　and　the　tomtoms　gave　forth　a　fierce　and　dull
murmur　almost　like　a　death；　roll。

〃She　wants　him　to　give　her　money；〃