the garden of allah-第62章

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〃Yes？〃

〃An　almost　fanatical　belief。　Will　you　answer　me　a　question　at　once；
without　consideration；　without　any　time　for　thought？〃

〃If　you　ask　me　to。〃

〃I　do　ask　you。〃

〃Then？〃

〃Do　you　see　me　in　this　garden　any　more？〃

A　voice　answered：

〃No。〃

It　was　her　own；　yet　it　seemed　another's　voice；　with　which　she　had
nothing　to　do。

A　great　feeling　of　sorrow　swept　over　her　as　she　heard　it。

〃Do　come　back！〃　she　said。

The　Count　had　got　up。　The　brightness　of　his　eyes　was　obscured。

〃If　not　here；　we　shall　meet　again；〃　he　said　slowly。

〃Where？〃

〃In　the　desert。〃

〃Did　the　Diviner？　No；　don't　tell　me。〃

She　got　up　too。

〃It　is　time　for　you　to　start？〃

〃Nearly。〃

A　sort　of　constraint　had　settled　over　them。　She　felt　it　painfully　for
a　moment。　Did　it　proceed　from　something　in　his　mind　or　in　hers？　She
could　not　tell。　They　walked　slowly　down　one　of　the　little　paths　and
presently　found　themselves　before　the　room　in　which　sat　the　purple
dog。

〃If　I　am　never　to　come　back　I　must　say　good…bye　to　him；〃　the　Count
said。

〃But　you　will　come　back。〃

〃That　voice　said　'No。'〃

〃It　was　a　lying　voice。〃

〃Perhaps。〃

They　looked　in　at　the　window　and　met　the　ferocious　eyes　of　the　dog。

〃And　if　I　never　come　back　will　he　bay　the　moon　for　his　old　master？〃
said　the　Count　with　a　whimsical；　yet　sad；　smile。　〃I　put　him　here。　And
will　these　trees；　many　of　which　I　planted；　whisper　a　regret？　Absurd；
isn't　it；　Miss　Enfilden？　I　never　can　feel　that　the　growing　things　in
my　garden　do　not　know　me　as　I　know　them。〃

〃Someone　will　regret　you　if〃

〃Will　you？　Will　you　really？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　believe　it。〃

He　looked　at　her。　She　could　see；　by　the　expression　of　his　eyes；　that
he　was　on　the　point　of　saying　something；　but　was　held　back　by　some
fighting　sensation；　perhaps　by　some　reserve。

〃What　is　it？〃

〃May　I　speak　frankly　to　you　without　offence？〃　he　asked。　〃I　am　really
rather　old；　you　know。〃

〃Do　speak。〃

〃That　guest　of　mine　yesterday〃

〃Monsieur　Androvsky？〃

〃Yes。　He　interested　me　enormously；　profoundly。〃

〃Really！　Yet　he　was　at　his　worst　yesterday。〃

〃Perhaps　that　was　why。　At　any　rate；　he　interested　me　more　than　any　man
I　have　seen　for　years。　But〃　He　paused；　looking　in　at　the　little
chamber　where　the　dog　kept　guard。

〃But　my　interest　was　complicated　by　a　feeling　that　I　was　face　to　face
with　a　human　being　who　was　at　odds　with　life；　with　himself；　even　with
his　Creatora　man　who　had　done　what　the　Arabs　never　dodefied　Allah
in　Allah's　garden。〃

〃Oh！〃

She　uttered　a　little　exclamation　of　pain。　It　seemed　to　her　that　he　was
gathering　up　and　was　expressing　scattered；　half　formless　thoughts　of
hers。

〃You　know；〃　he　continued；　looking　more　steadily　into　the　room　of　the
dog；　〃that　in　Algeria　there　is　a　floating　population　composed　of　many
mixed　elements。　I　could　tell　you　strange　stories　of　tragedies　that
have　occurred　in　this　land；　even　here　in　Beni…Mora；　tragedies　of
violence；　of　greed；　oftragedies　that　were　not　brought　about　by
Arabs。〃

He　turned　suddenly　and　looked　right　into　her　eyes。

〃But　why　am　I　saying　all　this？〃　he　suddenly　exclaimed。　〃What　is
written　is　written；　and　such　women　as　you　are　guarded。〃

〃Guarded？　By　whom？〃

〃By　their　own　souls。〃

〃I　am　not　afraid；〃　she　said　quietly。

〃Need　you　tell　me　that？　Miss　Enfilden；　I　scarcely　know　why　I　have　said
even　as　little　as　I　have　said。　For　I　am；　as　you　know；　a　fatalist。　But
certain　people；　very　few；　so　awaken　our　regard　that　they　make　us
forget　our　own　convictions；　and　might　even　lead　us　to　try　to　tamper
with　the　designs　of　the　Almighty。　Whatever　is　to　be　for　you；　you　will
be　able　to　endure。　That　I　know。　Why　should　I；　or　anyone；　seek　to　know
more　for　you？　But　still　there　are　moments　in　which　the　bravest　want　a
human　hand　to　help　them；　a　human　voice　to　comfort　them。　In　the　desert；
wherever　I　may　beand　I　shall　tell　youI　am　at　your　service。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　simply。

She　gave　him　her　hand。　He　held　it　almost　as　a　father　or　a　guardian
might　have　held　it。

〃And　this　garden　is　yours　day　and　nightSmain　knows。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　again。

The　shrill　whinnying　of　a　horse　came　to　them　from　a　distance。　Their
hands　fell　apart。　Count　Anteoni　looked　round　him　slowly　at　the　great
cocoanut　tree；　at　the　shaggy　grass　of　the　lawn；　at　the　tall　bamboos
and　the　drooping　mulberry　trees。　She　saw　that　he　was　taking　a　silent
farewell　of　them。

〃This　was　a　waste；〃　he　said　at　last　with　a　half…stifled　sigh。　〃I
turned　it　into　a　little　Eden　and　now　I　am　leaving　it。〃

〃For　a　time。〃

〃And　if　it　were　for　ever？　Well；　the　great　thing　is　to　let　the　waste
within　one　be　turned　into　an　Eden；　if　that　is　possible。　And　yet　how
many　human　beings　strive　against　the　great　Gardener。　At　any　rate　I
will　not　be　one　of　them。〃

〃And　I　will　not　be　one。〃

〃Shall　we　say　good…bye　here？〃

〃No。　Let　us　say　it　from　the　wall；　and　let　me　see　you　ride　away　into
the　desert。〃

She　had　forgotten　for　the　moment　that　his　route　was　the　road　through
the　oasis。　He　did　not　remind　her　of　it。　It　was　easy　to　ride　across　the
desert　and　join　the　route　where　it　came　out　from　the　last　palms。

〃So　be　it。　Will　you　go　to　the　wall　then？〃

He　touched　her　hand　again　and　walked　away　towards　the　villa；　slowly　on
the　pale　silver　of　the　sand。　When　his　figure　was　hidden　by　the　trunks
of　the　trees　Domini　made　her　way　to　the　wide　parapet。　She　sat　down　on
one　of　the　tiny　seats　cut　in　it；　leaned　her　cheek　in　her　hand　and
waited。　The　sun　was　gathering　strength；　but　the　air　was　still
deliciously　cool；　almost　cold；　and　the　desert　had　not　yet　put　on　its
aspect　of　fiery　desolation。　It　looked　dreamlike　and　romantic；　not　only
in　its　distances；　but　near　at　hand。　There　must　surely　be　dew；　she
fancied；　in　the　Garden　of　Allah。　She　could　see　no　one　travelling　in
it；　only　some　far　away　camels　grazing。　In　the　dawn　the　desert　was　the
home　of　the　breeze；　of　gentle　sunbeams　and　of　liberty。　Presently　she
heard　the　noise　of　horses　cantering　near　at　hand；　and　Count　Anteoni；
followed　by　two　Arab　attendants；　came　round　the　bend　of　the　wall　and
drew　up　beneath　her。　He　rode　on　a　high　red　Arab　saddle；　and　a　richly…
ornamented　gun　was　slung　in　an　embroidered　case　behind　him　on　the
right…hand　side。　A　broad　and　soft　brown　hat　kept　the　sun　from　his
forehead。　The　two　attendants　rode　on　a　few　paces　and　waited　in　the
shadow　of　the　wall。

〃Don't　you　wish　you　were　going　out？〃　he　said。　〃Out　into　that？〃　And　he
pointed　with　his　whip　towards　the　dreamlike　blue　of　the　far　horizon。
She　leaned　over；　looking　down　at　him　and　at　his　horse；　which　fidgeted
and　arched　his　white　neck　and　dropped　foam　from　his　black　flexible
lips。

〃No；〃　she　answered　after　a　moment　of　thought。　〃I　must　speak　the　truth；
you　know。〃

〃To　me；　always。〃

〃I　feel　that　you　were　right；　that　my　summons　has　not　yet　come　to　me。〃

〃And　when　it　comes？〃

〃I　shall　obey　it　without　fear；　even　if　I　go　in　the　storm　and　the
darkness。〃

He　glanced　at　the　radiant　sky；　at　the　golden　beams　slanting　down　upon
the　palms。

〃The　Coran　says：　'The　fate　of　every　man　have　We　bound　about　his　neck。'
May　yours　be　as　serene；　as　beautiful；　as　a　string　of　pearls。〃

〃But　I　have　never　cared　to　wear　pearls；〃　she　answered。

〃No？　What　are　your　stones？〃

〃Rubies。〃

〃Blood！　No　others？〃

〃Sapphires。〃

〃The　sky　at　night。〃

〃And　opals。〃

〃Fires　gleaming　across　the　white　of　moonlit　dunes。　Do　you　remember？〃

〃I　remember。〃

〃And　you　do　not　ask　me　for　the　end　of　the　Diviner's　vision　even　now？〃

〃No。〃

She　hesitated　for　an　instant。　Then　she　added：

〃I　will　tell　you　why。　It　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　another's　fate　in
it　as　well　as　my　own；　and　that　to　hear　would　be　to　intrude；　perhaps；
upon　another's　secrets。〃

〃That　was　your　reason？〃

〃My　only　reason。〃　And　then　she　added；　repeating　consciously
Androvsky's　words：　〃I　think　there　are　things　that　should　be　let
alone。〃

〃Perhaps　you　are　right。〃

A　stronger　breath　of　the　cool　wind　came　over　the　flats；　and　all　the
palm　trees　rustled。　Through　the　garden　there　was　a　delicate　stir　of
life。

〃My　children　are　murmuring　farewell；〃　said　the　Count。　〃I　hear　them。　It
is　time！　Good…bye；　Miss　Enfildenmy　friend；　if　I　may　call　you　so。　May
Allah　have　you　in　his　keeping；　a