the garden of allah-第58章

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Anteoni's　commands　were　forgotten。　Urged　by　the　pressure　from　behind
those　in　the　front　scrambled　or　fell　over　the　sacred　threshold。　The
garden　was　invaded　by　a　shrieking　mob。　Smain　ran　forward；　and　the
autocrat　that　dwelt　in　the　Count　side　by　side　with　the　benefactor
suddenly　emerged。　He　blew　his　whistle　four　times。　At　each　call　a
stalwart　Arab　appeared。

〃Shut　the　gate！〃　he　commanded　sternly。

The　attendants　furiously　repulsed　the　mob；　using　their　fists　and　feet
without　mercy。　In　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　the　sand　was　cleared　and
Smain　had　his　hand　upon　the　door　to　shut　it。　But　the　Diviner　stopped
him　with　a　gesture；　and　in　a　fawning　yet　imperious　voice　called　out
something　to　the　Count。

The　Count　turned　to　Domini。

〃This　is　an　interesting　fellow。　Would　you　like　to　know　him？〃

Her　mind　said　no；　yet　her　body　assented。　For　she　bowed　her　head。　The
Count　beckoned。　The　Diviner　stepped　stealthily　on　to　the　sand　with　an
air　of　subtle　triumph；　and　Smain　swung　forward　the　great　leaf　of　palm
wood。

〃Wait！〃　the　Count　cried；　as　if　suddenly　recollecting　something。　〃Where
is　Monsieur　Androvsky？〃

〃Isn't　he？〃　Domini　glanced　round。　〃I　don't　know。〃

He　went　quickly　to　the　door　and　looked　out。　The　Arabs；　silent　now　and
respectful；　crowded　about　him；　salaaming。　He　smiled　at　them　kindly；
and　spoke　to　one　or　two。　They　answered　gravely。　An　old　man　with　one
eye　lifted　his　hand；　in　which　was　a　tomtom　of　stretched　goatskin；　and
pointed　towards　the　oasis；　rapidly　moving　his　toothless　jaws。　The
Count　stepped　back　into　the　garden；　dismissed　his　pensioners　with　a
masterful　wave　of　the　hand；　and　himself　shut　the　door。

〃Monsieur　Androvsky　has　gonewithout　saying　good…bye；〃　he　said。

Again　Domini　felt　ashamed　for　Androvsky。

〃I　don't　think　he　likes　my　pensioners；〃　the　Count　added；　in　amused
voice；　〃or　me。〃

〃I　am　sure〃　Domini　began。

But　he　stopped　her。

〃Miss　Enfilden；　in　a　world　of　lies　I　look　to　you　for　truth。〃

His　manner　chafed　her；　but　his　voice　had　a　ring　of　earnestness。　She
said　nothing。　All　this　time　the　Diviner　was　standing　on　the　sand；
still　smiling；　but　with　downcast　eyes。　His　thin　body　looked　satirical
and　Domini　felt　a　strong　aversion　from　him；　yet　a　strong　interest　in
him　too。　Something　in　his　appearance　and　manner　suggested　power　and
mystery　as　well　as　cunning。　The　Count　said　some　words　to　him　in
Arabic；　and　at　once　he　walked　forward　and　disappeared　among　the　trees；
going　so　silently　and　smoothly　that　she　seemed　to　watch　a　panther
gliding　into　the　depths　of　a　jungle　where　its　prey　lay　hid。　She　looked
at　the　Count　interrogatively。

〃He　will　wait　in　the　/fumoir/。〃

〃Where　we　first　met？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃For　us；　if　you　choose。〃

〃Tell　me　about　him。　I　have　seen　him　twice。　He　followed　me　with　a　bag
of　sand。〃

〃He　is　a　desert　man。　I　don't　know　his　tribe；　but　before　he　settled
here　he　was　a　nomad；　one　of　the　wanderers　who　dwell　in　tents；　a　man　of
the　sand；　as　much　of　the　sand　as　a　viper　or　a　scorpion。　One　would
suppose　such　beings　were　bred　by　the　marriage　of　the　sand…grains。　The
sand　tells　him　secrets。〃

〃He　says。　Do　you　believe　it？〃

〃Would　you　like　to　test　it？〃

〃How？〃

〃By　coming　with　me　to　the　/fumoir/？〃

She　hesitated　obviously。

〃Mind；〃　he　added；　〃I　do　not　press　it。　A　word　from　me　and　he　is　gone。
But　you　are　fearless；　and　you　have　spoken　already；　will　speak　much
more　intimately　in　the　future；　with　the　desert　spirits。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃The　'much　more　intimately'？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　do　not　know　it；　butwhich　is　much　moreI　feel　it。〃

She　was　silent；　looking　towards　the　trees　where　the　Diviner　had
disappeared。　Count　Anteoni's　boyish　merriment　had　faded　away。　He
looked　grave；　almost　sad。

〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃No；　butI　will　confess　it
there　is　something　horrible　about　that　man　to　me。　I　felt　it　the　first
time　I　saw　him。　His　eyes　are　too　intelligent。　They　look　diseased　with
intelligence。〃

〃Let　me　send　him　away。　Smain！〃

But　she　stopped　him。　Directly　he　made　the　suggestion　she　felt　that　she
must　know　more　of　this　man。

〃No。　Let　us　go　to　the　/fumoir/。〃

〃Very　well。　Go；　Smain！〃

Smain　went　into　the　little　tent　by　the　gate；　sat　down　on　his　haunches
and　began　to　smell　at　a　sprig　of　orange　blossoms。　Domini　and　the　Count
walked　into　the　darkness　of　the　trees。

〃What　is　his　name？〃　she　asked。

〃Aloui。〃

〃Aloui。〃

She　repeated　the　word　slowly。　There　was　a　reluctant　and　yet　fascinated
sound　in　her　voice。

〃There　is　melody　in　the　name；〃　he　said。

〃Yes。　Has　hehas　he　ever　looked　in　the　sand　for　you？〃

〃Oncea　long　time　ago。〃

〃May　Idare　I　ask　if　he　found　truth　there？〃

〃He　found　nothing　for　all　the　years　that　have　passed　since　then。〃

〃Nothing！〃

There　was　a　sound　of　relief　in　her　voice。

〃For　those　years。〃

She　glanced　at　him　and　saw　that　once　again　his　face　had　lit　up　into
ardour。

〃He　found　what　is　still　to　come？〃　she　said。

And　he　repeated：

〃He　found　what　is　still　to　come。〃

Then　they　walked　on　in　silence　till　they　saw　the　purple　blossoms　of
the　bougainvillea　clinging　to　the　white　walls　of　the　/fumoir/。　Domini
stopped　on　the　narrow　path。

〃Is　he　in　there？〃　she　asked　almost　in　a　whisper。

〃No　doubt。〃

〃Larbi　was　playing　the　first　day　I　came　here。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　wish　he　was　playing　now。〃

The　silence　seemed　to　her　unnaturally　intense。

〃Even　his　love　must　have　repose。〃

She　went　on　a　step　or　two　till；　but　still　from　a　distance；　she　could
look　over　the　low　plaster　wall　beneath　the　nearest　window　space　into
the　little　room。

〃Yes；　there　he　is；〃　she　whispered。

The　Diviner　was　crouching　on　the　floor　with　his　back　towards　them　and
his　head　bent　down。　Only　his　shoulders　could　be　seen；　covered　with　a
white　gandoura。　They　moved　perpetually　but　slightly。

〃What　is　he　doing？〃

〃Speaking　with　his　ancestor。〃

〃His　ancestor？〃

〃The　sand。　Aloui！〃

He　called　softly。　The　figure　rose；　without　sound　and　instantly；　and
the　face　of　the　Diviner　smiled　at　them　through　the　purple　flowers。
Again　Domini　had　the　sensation　that　her　body　was　a　glass　box　in　which
her　thoughts；　feelings　and　desires　were　ranged　for　this　man's
inspection；　but　she　walked　resolutely　through　the　narrow　doorway　and
sat　down　on　one　of　the　divans。　Count　Anteoni　followed。

She　now　saw　that　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　on　the　ground；　there　was　a
symmetrical　pyramid　of　sand；　and　that　the　Diviner　was　gently　folding
together　a　bag　in　his　long　and　flexible　fingers。

〃You　see！〃　said　the　Count。

She　nodded；　without　speaking。　The　little　sand　heap　held　her　eyes。　She
strove　to　think　it　absurd　and　the　man　who　had　shaken　it　out　a
charlatan　of　the　desert；　but　she　was　really　gripped　by　an　odd　feeling
of　awe；　as　if　she　were　secretly　expectant　of　some　magical
demonstration。

The　Diviner　squatted　down　once　more　on　his　haunches；　stretched　out　his
fingers　above　the　sand　heap；　looked　at　her　and　smiled。

〃La　vie　de　MadameI　see　it　in　the　sablela　vie　de　Madame　dans　le
grand　desert　du　Sahara。〃

His　eyes　seemed　to　rout　out　the　secrets　from　every　corner　of　her
being；　and　to　scatter　them　upon　the　ground　as　the　sand　was　scattered。

〃Dans　le　grand　desert　du　Sahara；〃　Count　Anteoni　repeated；　as　if　he
loved　the　music　of　the　words。　〃Then　there　is　a　desert　life　for
Madame？〃

The　Diviner　dropped　his　fingers　on　to　the　pyramid；　lightly　pressing
the　sand　down　and　outward。　He　no　longer　looked　at　Domini。　The
searching　and　the　satire　slipped　away　from　his　eyes　and　body。　He
seemed　to　have　forgotten　the　two　watchers　and　to　be　concentrated　upon
the　grains　of　sand。　Domini　noticed　that　the　tortured　expression；　which
had　come　into　his　face　when　she　met　him　in　the　street　and　he　stared
into　the　bag；　had　returned　to　it。　After　pressing　down　the　sand　he
spread　the　bag　which　had　held　it　at　Domini's　feet；　and　deftly
transferred　the　sand　to　it；　scattering　the　grains　loosely　over　the
sacking；　in　a　sort　of　pattern。　Then；　bending　closely　over　them；　he
stared　at　them　in　silence　for　a　long　time。　His　pock…marked　face　was
set　like　stone。　His　emaciated　hands；　stretched　out；　rested　above　the
grains　like　carven　things。　His　body　seemed　entirely　breathless　in　its
absolute　immobility。

The　Count　stood　in　the　doorway；　still　as　he　w