the garden of allah-第39章
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he was going to refuse and wished she had not asked him； wished it
passionately。
〃Never mind；〃 she said； almost brutally in her vexation at what she
had done。
〃Batouch！〃
The poet was about to spring upon the horse when Androvsky caught him
by the arm。
〃I will go；〃 he said。
Batouch looked vicious。 〃But Monsieur told me he did not〃
He stopped。 The hand on his arm had given him a wrench that made him
feel as if his flesh were caught between steel pincers。 Androvsky came
up to the chestnut。
〃Oh； it's an Arab saddle；〃 said Domini。
〃It does not matter； Madame。〃
His face was stern。
〃Are you accustomed to them？〃
〃It makes no difference。〃
He took hold of the rein and put his foot in the high stirrup； but so
awkwardly that he kicked the horse in the side。 It plunged。
〃Take care！〃 said Domini。
Androvsky hung on； and climbed somehow into the saddle； coming down in
it heavily； with a thud。 The horse； now thoroughly startled； plunged
furiously and lashed out with its hind legs。 Androvsky was thrown
forward against the high red peak of the saddle with his hands on the
animal's neck。 There was a struggle。 He tugged at the rein violently。
The horse jumped back； reared； plunged sideways as if about to bolt。
Androvsky was shot off and fell on his right shoulder heavily。 Batouch
caught the horse while Androvsky got up。 He was white with dust。 There
was even dust on his face and in his short hair。 He looked passionate。
〃You see；〃 Batouch began； speaking to Domini； 〃that Monsieur cannot〃
〃Give me the rein！〃 said Androvsky。
There was a sound in his deep voice that was terrible。 He was looking
not at Domini； but at the priest； who stood a little aside with an
expression of concern on his face。 Bous…Bous barked with excitement at
the conflict。 Androvsky took the rein； and； with a sort of furious
determination； sprang into the saddle and pressed his legs against the
horse's flanks。 It reared up。 The priest moved back under the palm
trees； the Arab boys scattered。 Batouch sought the shelter of the
arcade； and the horse； with a short； whining neigh that was like a cry
of temper； bolted between the trunks of the trees； heading for the
desert； and disappeared in a flash。
〃He will be killed；〃 said the priest。
Bous…Bous barked frantically。
〃It is his own fault；〃 said the poet。 〃He told me himself just now
that he did not know how to ride。〃
〃Why didn't you tell me so？〃 Domini exclaimed。
〃Madame〃
But she was gone； following Androvsky at a slow canter lest she should
frighten his horse by coming up behind it。 She came out from the shade
of the palms into the sun。 The desert lay before her。 She searched it
eagerly with her eyes and saw Androvsky's horse far off in the river
bed； still going at a gallop towards the south； towards that region in
which she had told him on the tower she thought that peace must dwell。
It was as if he had believed her words blindly and was frantically in
chase of peace。 And she pursued him through the blazing sunlight。 She
was out in the desert at length； beyond the last belt of verdure；
beyond the last line of palms。 The desert wind was on her cheek and in
her hair。 The desert spaces stretched around her。 Under her horse's
hoofs lay the sparkling crystals on the wrinkled； sun…dried earth。 The
red rocks； seamed with many shades of colour that all suggested
primeval fires and the relentless action of heat； were heaped about
her。 But her eyes were fixed on the far…off moving speck that was the
horse carrying Androvsky madly towards the south。 The light and fire；
the great airs； the sense of the chase intoxicated her。 She struck her
horse with the whip。 It leaped； as if clearing an immense obstacle；
came down lightly and strained forward into the shining mysteries at a
furious gallop。 The black speck grew larger。 She was gaining。 The
crumbling； cliff…like bank on her left showed a rent in which a faint
track rose sharply to the flatness beyond。 She put her horse at it and
came out among the tiny humps on which grew the halfa grass and the
tamarisk bushes。 A pale sand flew up here about the horse's feet。
Androvsky was still below her in the difficult ground where the water
came in the floods。 She gained and gained till she was parallel with
him and could see his bent figure； his arms clinging to the peak of
his red saddle； his legs set forward almost on to his horse's withers
by the short stirrups with their metal toecaps。 The animal's temper
was nearly spent。 She could see that。 The terror had gone out of his
pace。 As she looked she saw Androvsky raise his arms from the saddle
peak； catch at the flying rein； draw it up； lean against the saddle
back and pull with all his force。 The horse stopped dead。
〃His strength must be enormous；〃 Domini thought with a startled
admiration。
She pulled up too on the bank above him and gave a halloo。 He turned
his head； saw her； and put his horse at the bank； which was steep here
and without any gap。 〃You can't do it；〃 she called。
In reply he dug the heels of his heavy boots into the horse's flanks
and came on recklessly。 She thought the horse would either refuse or
try to get up and roll back on its rider。 It sprang at the bank and
mounted like a wild cat。 There was a noise of falling stones； a shower
of scattered earth…clods dropping downward； and he was beside her；
white with dust； streaming with sweat； panting as if the labouring
breath would rip his chest open； with the horse's foam on his
forehead； and a savage and yet exultant gleam in his eyes。
They looked at each other in silence； while their horses； standing
quietly； lowered their narrow； graceful heads and touched noses with
delicate inquiry。 Then she said：
〃I almost thought〃
She stopped。
〃Yes？〃 he said； on a great gasping breath that was like a sob。
〃that you were off to the centre of the earth； orI don't know what
I thought。 You aren't hurt？〃
〃No。〃
He could only speak in monosyllables as yet。 She looked his horse
over。
〃He won't give much more trouble just now。 Shall we ride back？〃
As she spoke she threw a longing glance at the far desert； at the
verge of which was a dull green line betokening the distant palms of
an oasis。
Androvsky shook his head。
〃But you〃 She hesitated。 〃Perhaps you aren't accustomed to horses；
and with that saddle〃
He shook his head again； drew a tremendous breath and said
〃I don't care； I'll go on； I won't go back。〃
He put up one hand； brushed the foam from his streaming forehead； and
said again fiercely：
〃I won't go back。〃
His face was extraordinary with its dogged； passionate expression
showing through the dust and the sweat； like the face of a man in a
fight to the death； she thought； a fight with fists。 She was glad at
his last words and liked the iron sound in his voice。
〃Come on then。〃
And they began to ride towards the dull green line of the oasis；
slowly on the sandy waste among the little round humps where the dusty
cluster of bushes grew。
〃You weren't hurt by the fall？〃 she said。 〃It looked a bad one。〃
〃I don't know whether I was。 I don't care whether I was。〃
He spoke almost roughly。
〃You asked me to ride with you；〃 he added。 〃I'll ride with you。〃
She remembered what Batouch had said。 There was pluck in this man；
pluck that surged up in the blundering awkwardness； the hesitation；
the incompetence and rudeness of him like a black rock out of the sea。
She did not answer。 They rode on； always slowly。 His horse； having had
its will； and having known his strength at the end of his
incompetence； went quietly； though always with that feathery； light；
tripping action peculiar to purebred Arabs； an action that suggests
the treading of a spring board rather than of the solid earth。 And
Androvsky seemed a little more at home on it； although he sat
awkwardly on the chair…like saddle； and grasped the rein too much as
the drowning man seizes the straw。 Domini rode without looking at him；
lest he might think she was criticising his performance。 When he had
rolled in the dust she had been conscious of a sharp sensation of
contempt。 The men she had been accustomed to meet all her life rode；
shot； pl
