the garden of allah-第48章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ground； and to come down in the saddle as lightly as possible。 She
noted that all her hints were taken with infinite precaution。 Once on
the horse he tried to sit up straight； but found the effort too great
in his weary and bruised condition。 He leaned forward over the saddle
peak； and rode away in the luminous greyness towards the desert。 The
horse went quietly； as if affected by the mystery of the still hour。
Horse and rider disappeared。 The Arab boy wandered off in the
direction of the village。 But Domini remained looking after Androvsky。
She saw nothing but the grim palms and the spectral atmosphere in
which the desert lay。 Yet she did not move till a red spear was thrust
up out of the east towards the last waning star。
He had gone to learn his lesson in the desert。
Three days afterwards she rode with him again。 She did not let him
know of her presence on the verandah； and he said nothing of his
departure in the dawn。 He spoke very little and seemed much occupied
with his horse； and she saw that he was more than determinedthat he
was apt at acquiring control of a physical exercise new to him。 His
great strength stood him in good stead。 Only a man hard in the body
could have so rapidly recovered from the effects of that first day of
defeat and struggle。 His absolute reticence about his efforts and the
iron will that prompted them pleased Domini。 She found them worthy of
a man。
She rode with him on three occasions； twice in the oasis through the
brown villages； once out into the desert on the caravan road that
Batouch had told her led at last to Tombouctou。 They did not travel
far along it； but Domini knew at once that this route held more
fascination for her than the route to Sidi…Zerzour。 There was far more
sand in this region of the desert。 The little humps crowned with the
scrub the camels feed on were fewer； so that the flatness of the
ground was more definite。 Here and there large dunes of golden…
coloured sand rose； some straight as city walls； some curved like
seats in an amphitheatre； others indented； crenellated like
battlements； undulating in beastlike shapes。 The distant panorama of
desert was unbroken by any visible oasis and powerfully suggested
Eternity to Domini。
〃When I go out into the desert for my long journey I shall go by this
road；〃 she said to Androvsky。
〃You are going on a journey？〃 he said； looking at her as if startled。
〃Some day。〃
〃All alone？〃
〃I suppose I must take a caravan； two or three Arabs； some horses； a
tent or two。 It's easy to manage。 Batouch will arrange it for me。〃
Androvsky still looked startled； and half angry； she thought。
They had pulled up their horses among the sand dunes。 It was near
sunset； and the breath of evening was in the sir； making its coolness
even more ethereal； more thinly pure than in the daytime。 The
atmosphere was so clear that when they glanced back they could see the
flag fluttering upon the white of the great hotel of Beni…Mora； many
kilometres away among the palms； so still that they could hear the
bark of a Kabyle off near a nomad's tent pitched in the green land by
the water…springs of old Beni…Mora。 When they looked in front of them
they seemed to see thousands of leagues of flatness； stretching on and
on till the pale yellowish brown of it grew darker； merged into a
strange blueness； like the blue of a hot mist above a southern lake；
then into violet； then intothe thing they could not see； the
summoning thing whose voice Domini's imagination heard； like a remote
and thrilling echo； whenever she was in the desert。
〃I did not know you were going on a journey； Madame；〃 Androvsky said。
〃Don't you remember？〃 she rejoined laughingly； 〃that I told you on the
tower I thought peace must dwell out there。 Well； some day I shall set
out to find it。〃
〃That seems a long time ago； Madame；〃 he muttered。
Sometimes； when speaking to her； he dropped his voice till she could
scarcely hear him； and sounded like a man communing with himself。
A red light from the sinking sun fell upon the dunes。 As they rode
back over them their horses seemed to be wading through a silent sea
of blood。 The sky in the west looked like an enormous conflagration；
in which tortured things were struggling and lifting twisted arms。
Domini's acquaintance with Androvsky had not progressed as easily and
pleasantly as her intercourse with Count Anteoni。 She recognised that
he was what is called a 〃difficult man。〃 Now and then； as if under the
prompting influence of some secret and violent emotion； he spoke with
apparent naturalness； spoke perhaps out of his heart。 Each time he did
so she noticed that there was something of either doubt or amazement
in what he said。 She gathered that he was slow to rely； quick to
mistrust。 She gathered； too； that very many things surprised him； and
felt sure that he hid nearly all of them from her； and wouldhad not
his own will sometimes betrayed himhave hidden all。 His reserve was
as intense as everything about him。 There was a fierceness in it that
revealed its existence。 He always conveyed to her a feeling of
strength； physical and mental。 Yet he always conveyed； too； a feeling
of uneasiness。 To a woman of Domini's temperament uneasiness usually
implies a public or secret weakness。 In Androvsky's she seemed to be
aware of passion； as if it were one to dash obstacles aside； to break
through doors of iron； to rush out into the open。 And thenwhat then？
To tremble at the world before him？ At what he had done？ She did not
know。 But she did know that even in his uneasiness there seemed to be
fibre； muscle； sinew； nerveall which goes to make strength；
swiftness。
Speech was singularly difficult to him。 Silence seemed to be natural；
not irksome。 After a few words he fell into it and remained in it。 And
he was less self…conscious in silence than in speech。 He seemed； she
fancied； to feel himself safer； more a man when he was not speaking。
To him the use of words was surely like a yielding。
He had a peculiar faculty of making his presence felt when he was
silent； as if directly he ceased from speaking the flame in him was
fanned and leaped up at the outside world beyond its bars。
She did not know whether he was a gentleman or not。
If anyone had asked her； before she came to Beni…Mora； whether it
would be possible for her to take four solitary rides with a man； to
meet himif only for a few minutesevery day of ten days； to sit
opposite to him； and not far from him； at meals during the same space
of time； and to be unable to say to herself whether he was or was not
a gentleman by birth and educationfeeling set asideshe would have
answered without hesitation that it would be utterly impossible。 Yet
so it was。 She could not decide。 She could not place him。 She could
not imagine what his parentage； what his youth； his manhood had been。
She could not fancy him in any environmentsave that golden light；
that blue radiance； in which she had first consciously and fully met
him face to face。 She could not hear him in converse with any set of
men or women； or invent； in her mind； what he might be likely to say
to them。 She could not conceive him bound by any ties of home； or
family； mother； sister； wife； child。 When she looked at him； thought
about him； he presented himself to her alone； like a thing in the air。
Yet he was more male than other men； breathed humanityof some kind
as fire breathes heat。
The child there was in him almost confused her； made her wonder
whether long contact with the world had tarnished her own original
simplicity。 But she only saw the child in him now and then； and she
fancied that it； too； he was anxious to conceal。
This man had certainly a power to rouse feeling in others。 She knew it
by her own experience。 By turns he had made her feel motherly；
protecting； curious； constrained； passionate； energetic； timidyes；
almost timid and shy。 No other human being had ever； even at moments；
thus got the better of her natural audacity； lack of self…
consciousness； and inherent； almost boyish； boldness。 Nor was she
aware what it was in him which sometimes made her uncertain of
herself。
She wondered。 But he often w
