the garden of allah-第42章
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absinthe bottle was a tarnished mirror； and she saw him glance
quickly； almost guiltily into it； put up his hands and try to brush
the dust from his hair； his shoulders。
〃Let me do it；〃 she said abruptly。 〃Turn round。〃
He obeyed without a word； turning his back to her。 With her two hands；
which were covered with soft； loose suede gloves； she beat and brushed
the dust from his coat。 He stood quite still while she did it。 When
she had finished she said：
〃There； that's better。〃
Her voice was practical。 He did not move； but stood there。
〃I've done what I can； Monsieur Androvsky。〃
Then he turned slowly； and she saw； with amazement； that there were
tears in his eyes。 He did not thank her or say a word。
A small and scrubby…looking Frenchman； with red eyelids and moustaches
that drooped over a pendulous underlip； now begged Madame to follow
him through a small doorway beyond which could be seen three just shot
gazelles lying in a patch of sunlight by a wired…in fowl…run。 Domini
went after him； and Androvsky and honest Mustaphastill vigorously
proclaiming his own virtuesbrought up the rear。 They came into the
most curious garden she had ever seen。
It was long and narrow and dishevelled； without grass or flowers。 The
uneven ground of it was bare； sun…baked earth； hard as parquet； rising
here into a hump； falling there into a depression。 Immediately behind
the cabaret； where the dead gazelles with their large glazed eyes lay
by the fowl…run； was a rough wooden trellis with vines trained over
it； making an arbour。 Beyond was a rummage of orange trees； palms；
gums and fig trees growing at their own sweet will； and casting
patterns of deep shade upon the earth in sharp contrast with the
intense yellow sunlight which fringed them where the leafage ceased。
An attempt had been made to create formal garden paths and garden beds
by sticking rushes into little holes drilled in the ground； but the
paths were zig…zag as a drunkard's walk； and the round and oblong beds
contained no trace of plants。 On either hand rose steep walls of
earth； higher than a man； and crowned with prickly thorn bushes。 Over
them looked palm trees。 At the end of the garden ran a slow stream of
muddy water in a channel with crumbling banks trodden by many naked
feet。 Beyond it was yet another lower wall of earth； yet another maze
of palms。 Heat and silence brooded here like reptiles on the warm mud
of a tropic river in a jungle。 Lizards ran in and out of the
innumerable holes in the walls； and flies buzzed beneath the ragged
leaves of the fig trees and crawled in the hot cracks of the earth。
The landlord wished to put a table under the vine close to the cabaret
wall； but Domini begged him to bring it to the end of the garden near
the stream。 With the furious assistance of honest Mustapha he carried
it there and quickly laid it in the shadow of a fig tree； while Domini
and Androvsky waited in silence on two straw…bottomed chairs。
The atmosphere of the garden was hostile to conversation。 The sluggish
muddy stream； the almost motionless trees； the imprisoned heat between
the surrounding walls； the faint buzz of the flies caused drowsiness
to creep upon the spirit。 The long ride； too； and the ardent desert
air； made this repose a luxury。 Androvsky's face lost its emotional
expression as he gazed almost vacantly at the brown water shifting
slowly by between the brown banks and the brown walls above which the
palm trees peered。 His aching limbs relaxed。 His hands hung loose
between his knees。 And Domini half closed her eyes。 A curious peace
descended upon her。 Lapped in the heat and silence for the moment she
wanted nothing。 The faint buzz of the flies sounded in her ears and
seemed more silent than even the silence to which it drew attention。
Never before； not in Count Anteoni's garden； had she felt more utterly
withdrawn from the world。 The feathery tops of the palms were like the
heads of sentinels guarding her from contact with all that she had
known。 And beyond them lay the desert； the empty； sunlit waste。 She
shut her eyes； and murmured to herself； 〃I am in far away。 I am in far
away。〃 And the flies said it in her ears monotonously。 And the lizards
whispered it as they slipped in and out of the little dark holes in
the walls。 She heard Androvsky stir； and she moved her lips slowly。
And the flies and the lizards continued the refrain。 But she said now；
〃We are in far away。〃
Honest Mustapha strode forward。 He had a Bashi…Bazouk tread to wake up
a world。 /Dejeuner/ was ready。 Domini sighed。 They took their places
under the fig tree on either side of the deal table covered with a
rough white cloth； and Mustapha； with tremendous gestures； and
gigantic postures suggesting the untamed descendant of legions of
freeborn； sun…suckled men； served them with red fish； omelette；
gazelle steaks； cheese； oranges and dates； with white wine and Vals
water。
Androvsky scarcely spoke。 Now that he was sitting at a meal with
Domini he was obviously embarrassed。 All his movements were self…
conscious。 He seemed afraid to eat and refused the gazelle。 Mustapha
broke out into turbulent surprise and prolonged explanations of the
delicious flavour of this desert food。 But Androvsky still refused；
looking desperately disconcerted。
〃It really is delicious；〃 said Domini； who was eating it。 〃But perhaps
you don't care about meat。〃
She spoke quite carelessly and was surprised to see him look at her as
if with sudden suspicion and immediately help himself to the gazelle。
This man was perpetually giving a touch of the whip to her curiosity
to keep it alert。 Yet she felt oddly at ease with him。 He seemed
somehow part of her impression of the desert； and now； as they sat
under the fig tree between the high earth walls； and at their /al
fresco/ meal in unbroken silencefor since her last remark Androvsky
had kept his eyes down and had not uttered a wordshe tried to
imagine the desert without him。
She thought of the gorge of El…Akbara； the cold； the darkness； and
then the sun and the blue country。 They had framed his face。 She
thought of the silent night when the voice of the African hautboy had
died away。 His step had broken its silence。 She thought of the garden
of Count Anteoni； and of herself kneeling on the hot sand with her
arms on the white parapet and gazing out over the regions of the sun；
of her dream upon the tower； of her vision when Irena danced。 He was
there； part of the noon； part of the twilight； chief surely of the
worshippers who swept on in the pale procession that received gifts
from the desert's hands。 She could no longer imagine the desert
without him。 The almost painful feeling that had come to her in the
gardenof the human power to distract her attention from the desert
powerwas dying； perhaps had completely died away。 Another feeling
was surely coming to replace it； that Androvsky belonged to the desert
more even than the Arabs did； that the desert spirits were close about
him； clasping his hands； whispering in his ears； and laying their
unseen hands about his heart。 But
They had finished their meal。 Domini set her chair once more in front
of the sluggish stream； while honest Mustapha bounded； with motions
suggestive of an ostentatious panther； to get the coffee。 Androvsky
followed her after an instant of hesitation。
〃Do smoke；〃 she said。
He lit a small cigar with difficulty。 She did not wish to watch him；
but she could not help glancing at him once or twice； and the
conviction came to her that he was unaccustomed to smoking。 She lit a
cigarette； and saw him look at her with a sort of horrified surprise
which changed to staring interest。 There was more boy； more child in
this man than in any man she had ever known。 Yet at moments she felt
as if he had penetrated more profoundly into the dark and winding
valleys of experience than all the men of her acquaintance。
〃Monsieur Androvsky；〃 she said； looking at the slow waters of the
stream slipping by towards the hidden gardens； 〃is the desert new to
you？〃
She longed to know。
〃Yes； Madame。〃
〃I thought perhapsI wondered a little whether you had travelled in
it already。〃
〃No； Mada
