the garden of allah-第68章

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whispered　Hadj；　dropping　his　chin　and　chuckling　low　in　his　throat。
〃This　way；　Madame。〃

He　led　her　quickly　across　the　gardens　to　the　Rue　Berthe；　and　down　a
number　of　small　streets；　till　they　reached　a　white　house　before　which；
on　a　hump；　three　palm　trees　grew　from　one　trunk。　Beyond　was　waste
ground；　and　further　away　a　stretch　of　sand　and　low　dunes　lost　in　the
darkness　of　the；　as　yet；　moonless　night。　Domini　looked　at　the　house
and　at　Hadj；　and　wondered　if　it　would　be　foolish　to　enter。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked　again。

But　he　only　replied；　〃Madame　will　see！〃　and　struck　his　flat　hand　upon
the　door。　It　was　opened　a　little　way；　and　a　broad　face　covered　with
little　humps　and　dents　showed；　the　thick　lips　parted　and　muttering
quickly。　Then　the　face　was　withdrawn；　the　door　opened　wider；　and　Hadj
beckoned　to　Domini　to　go　in。　After　a　moment's　hesitation　she　did　so；
and　found　herself　in　a　small　interior　court；　with　a　tiled　floor；
pillars；　and　high　up　a　gallery　of　carved　wood；　from　which；　doubtless；
dwelling…rooms　opened。　In　the　court；　upon　cushions；　were　seated　four
vacant…looking　men；　with　bare　arms　and　legs　and　long　matted　hair；
before　a　brazier；　from　which　rose　a　sharply　pungent　perfume。　Two　of
these　men　were　very　young；　with　pale；　ascetic　faces　and　weary　eyes。
They　looked　like　young　priests　of　the　Sahara。　At　a　short　distance；
upon　a　red　pillow；　sat　a　tiny　boy　of　about　three　years　old；　dressed　in
yellow　and　green。　When　Domini　and　Hadj　came　into　the　court　no　one
looked　at　them　except　the　child；　who　stared　with　slowly…rolling；
solemn　eyes；　slightly　shifting　on　the　pillow。　Hadj　beckoned　to　Domini
to　seat　herself　upon　some　rugs　between　the　pillars；　sat　down　beside
her　and　began　to　make　a　cigarette。　Complete　silence　prevailed。　The
four　men　stared　at　the　brazier；　holding　their　nostrils　over　the
incense　fumes　which　rose　from　it　in　airy　spirals。　The　child　continued
to　stare　at　Domini。　Hadj　lit　his　cigarette。　And　time　rolled　on。

Domini　had　desired　violence；　and　had　been　conveyed　into　a　dumbness　of
mystery；　that　fell　upon　her　turmoil　of　spirit　like　a　blow。　What　struck
her　as　especially　strange　and　unnatural　was　the　fact　that　the　men　with
whom　she　was　sitting　in　the　dim　court　of　this　lonely　house　had　not
looked　at　her；　did　not　appear　to　know　that　she　was　there。　Hadj　had
caught　the　aroma　of　their　meditations　with　the　perfume　of　the　incense；
for　his　eyes　had　lost　their　mischief　and　become　gloomily　profound；　as
if　they　stared　on　bygone　centuries　or　watched　a　far…off　future。　Even
the　child　began　to　look　elderly；　and　worn　as　with　fastings　and　with
watchings。　As　the　fumes　perpetually　ascended　from　the　red…hot　coals　of
the　brazier　the　sharp　smell　of　the　perfume　grew　stronger。　There　was　in
it　something　provocative　and　exciting　that　was　like　a　sound；　and
Domini　marvelled　that　the　four　men　who　crouched　over　it　and　drank　it
in　perpetually　could　be　unaffected　by　its　influence　when　she；　who　was
at　some　distance　from　it；　felt　dawning　on　her　desires　of　movement；　of
action；　almost　a　physical　necessity　to　get　up　and　do　something
extraordinary；　absurd　or　passionate；　such　as　she　had　never　done　or
dreamed　of　till　this　moment。

A　low　growl　like　that　of　a　wild　beast　broke　the　silence。　Domini　did
not　know　at　first　whence　it　came。　She　stared　at　the　four　men；　but　they
were　all　gazing　vacantly　into　the　brazier；　their　naked　arms　dropping
to　the　floor。　She　glanced　at　Hadj。　He　was　delicately　taking　a
cigarette　paper　from　a　little　case。　The　childno；　it　was　absurd　even
to　think　of　a　child　emitting　such　a　sound。

Someone　growled　again　more　fiercely；　and　this　time　Domini　saw　that　it
was　the　palest　of　the　ascetic…looking　youths。　He　shook　back　his　long
hair；　rose　to　his　feet　with　a　bound；　and　moving　into　the　centre　of　the
court　gazed　ferociously　at　his　companions。　As　if　in　obedience　to　the
glance；　two　of　them　stretched　their　arms　backwards；　found　two　tomtoms；
and　began　to　beat　them　loudly　and　monotonously。　The　young　ascetic
bowed　to　the　tomtoms；　dropping　his　lower　jaw　and　jumping　on　his　bare
feet。　He　bowed　again　as　if　saluting　a　fetish；　and　again　and　again。
Ceaselessly　he　bowed　to　the　tomtoms；　always　jumping　softly　from　the
pavement。　His　long　hair　fell　over　his　face　and　back　upon　his　shoulders
with　a　monotonous　regularity　that　imitated　the　tomtoms；　as　if　he
strove　to　mould　his　life　in　accord　with　the　fetish　to　which　he　offered
adoration。　Flecks　of　foam　appeared　upon　his　lips；　and　the　asceticism
in　his　eyes　changed　to　a　bestial　glare。　His　whole　body　was　involved　in
a　long　and　snake…like　undulation；　above　which　his　hair　flew　to　and
fro。　Presently　the　second　youth；　moving　reverently　like　a　priest　about
the　altar；　stole　to　a　corner　and　returned　with　a　large　and　curved
sheet　of　glass。　Without　looking　at　Domini　he　came　to　her　and　placed　it
in　her　hands。　When　the　dancer　saw　the　glass　he　stood　still；　growled
again　long　and　furiously；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　before　Domini；
licked　his　lips；　then；　abruptly　thrusting　forward　his　face；　set　his
teeth　in　the　sheet　of　glass；　bit　a　large　piece　off；　crunched　it　up
with　a　loud　noise；　swallowed　it　with　a　gulp；　and　growled　for　more。　She
fed　him　again；　while　the　tomtoms　went　on　roaring；　and　the　child　in　its
red　pillow　watched　with　its　weary　eyes。　And　when　he　was　full　fed；　only
a　fragment　of　glass　remained　between　her　fingers；　he　fell　upon　the
ground　and　lay　like　one　in　a　trance。

Then　the　second　youth　bowed　to　the　tomtoms；　leaping　gently　on　the
pavement；　foamed　at　the　mouth；　growled；　snuffed　up　the　incense　fumes；
shook　his　long　mane；　and　placed　his　naked　feet　in　the　red…hot　coals　of
the　brazier。　He　plucked　out　a　coal　and　rolled　his　tongue　round　it。　He
placed　red　coals　under　his　bare　armpits　and　kept　them　there；　pressing
his　arms　against　his　sides。　He　held　a　coal；　like　a　monocle；　in　his　eye
socket　against　his　eye。　And　all　the　time　he　leaped　and　bowed　and
foamed；　undulating　his　body　like　a　snake。　The　child　looked　on　with　a
still　gravity；　and　the　tomtoms　never　ceased。　From　the　gallery　above
painted　faces　peered　down；　but　Domini　did　not　see　them。　Her　attention
was　taken　captive　by　the　young　priests　of　the　Sahara。　For　so　she
called　them　in　her　mind；　realising　that　there　were　religious　fanatics
whose　half…crazy　devotion　seemed　to　lift　them　above　the　ordinary
dangers　to　the　body。　One　of　the　musicians　now　took　his　turn；　throwing
his　tomtom　to　the　eater　of　glass；　who　had　wakened　from　his　trance。　He
bowed　and　leaped；　thrust　spikes　behind　his　eyes；　through　his　cheeks；
his　lips；　his　arms；　drove　a　long　nail　into　his　head　with　a　wooden
hammer；　stood　upon　the　sharp　edge　of　an　upturned　sword　blade。　With　the
spikes　protruding　from　his　face　in　all　directions；　and　his　eyes
bulging　out　from　them　like　balls；　he　spun　in　a　maze　of　hair；　barking
like　a　dog。　The　child　regarded　him　with　a　still　attention；　and　the
incense　fumes　were　cloudy　in　the　court。　Then　the　last　of　the　four　men
sprang　up　in　the　midst　of　a　more　passionate　uproar　from　the　tomtoms。
He　wore　a　filthy　burnous；　and；　with　a　shriek；　he　plunged　his　hand　into
its　hood　and　threw　some　squirming　things　upon　the　floor。　They　began　to
run；　rearing　stiff　tails　into　the　air。　He　sank　down；　blew　upon　them；
caught　them；　letting　them　set　their　tail　weapons　in　his　fingers；　and
lifting　them　thus；　imbedded；　high　above　the　floor。　Then　again　he　put
them　down；　breathed　upon　each　one；　drew　a　circle　round　each　with　his
forefinger。　His　face　had　suddenly　become　intense；　hypnotic。　The
scorpions；　as　if　mesmerised；　remained　utterly　still；　each　in　its　place
within　its　imaginary　circle；　that　had　become　a　cage；　and　their　master
bowed　to　the　fetish　of　the　tomtoms；　leaped；　grinned；　and　bowed　again；
undulating　his　body　in　a　maze　of　hair。

Domini　felt　as　if　she；　like　the　scorpions；　had　been　mesmerised。　She；
too；　was　surely　bound　in　a　circle；　breathed　upon　by　some　arrogant
breath　of　fanaticism；　commanded　by　some　horrid　power。　She　looked　at
the　scorpions　and　felt　a　sort　of　pity　for　them。　From　time　to　time　the
bowing　fanatic　glanced　at　them　through　his　hair　out　of　the　corners　of
his　eyes；　licked　his　lips；　shook　his　shoulders；　and　uttered　a　long
howl；　thrilling　with　the　note　of　greed。　The　tomtoms　pulsed　faster　and
faster；　louder　a