the garden of allah-第69章
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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 and louder； and all the men began to sing a fierce
chant； the song surely of desert souls driven crazy by religion。 One
of the scorpions moved slightly； reared its tail； began to run。
Instantly； as if at a signal； the dancer fell upon his knees； bent
down his head； seized it in his teeth； munched it and swallowed it。 At
the same moment with the uproar of the tomtoms there mingled a loud
knocking on the door。
Hadj's lips curled back from his pointed teeth and he looked
dangerous。
〃It is Batouch！〃 he snarled。
Domini got up。 Without a word； turning her back upon the court； she
made her way out； still hearing the howl of the scorpion…eater； the
roar of the tomtoms； and the knocking on the door。 Hadj followed her
quickly； protesting。 At the door was the man with the pitted white
face and the thick lips。 When he saw her he held out his hand。 She
gave him some money； he opened the door； and she came out into the
night by the triple palm tree。 Batouch stood there looking furious；
with the bridles of two horses across his arm。 He began to speak in
Arabic to Hadj； but she stopped him with an imperious gesture； gave
Hadj his fee； and in a moment was in the saddle and cantering away
into the dark。 She heard the gallop of Batouch's horse coming up
behind her and turned her head。
〃Batouch；〃 she said； 〃you are the smartest〃she used the word /chic/
〃Arab here。 Do you know what is the fashion in London when a lady
rides out with the attendant who guards herthe really smart thing to
do？〃
She was playing on his vanity。 He responded with a ready smile。
〃No； Madame。〃
〃The attendant rides at a short distance behind her； so that no one
can come up near her without his knowledge。〃
Batouch fell back； and Domini cantered on； congratulating herself on
the success of her expedient。
She passed through the village； full of strolling white figures；
lights and the sound of music； and was soon at the end of the long；
straight road that was significant to her as no other road had ever
been。 Each time she saw it； stretching on till it was lost in the
serried masses of the palms； her imagination was stirred by a longing
to wander through barbaric lands； by a nomad feeling that was almost
irresistible。 This road was a track of fate to her。 When she was on it
she had a strange sensation as if she changed； developed； drew near to
some ideal。 It influenced her as one person may influence another。 Now
for the first time she was on it in the night； riding on the crowded
shadows of its palms。 She drew rein and went more slowly。 She had a
desire to be noiseless。
In the obscurity the thickets of the palms looked more exotic than in
the light of day。 There was no motion in them。 Each tree stood like a
delicately carven thing； silhouetted against the remote purple of the
void。 In the profound firmament the stars burned with a tremulous
ardour they never show in northern skies。 The mystery of this African
night rose not from vaporous veils and the long movement of winds； but
was breathed out by clearness； brightness； stillness。 It was the
deepest of all mysterythe mystery of vastness and of peace。
No one was on the road。 The sound of the horse's feet were sharply
distinct in the night。 On all sides； but far off； the guard dogs were
barking by the hidden homes of men。 The air was warm as in a hothouse；
but light and faintly impregnated with perfume shed surely by the
mystical garments of night as she glided on with Domini towards the
desert。 From the blackness of the palms there came sometimes thin
notes of the birds of night； the whizzing noise of insects； the glassy
pipe of a frog in the reeds by a pool behind a hot brown wall。
She rode through one of the villages of old Beni…Mora； silent；
unlighted； with empty streets and closed cafes maures； touched her
horse with the whip； and cantered on at a quicker pace。 As she drew
near to the desert her desire to be in it increased。 There was some
coarse grass here。 The palm trees grew less thickly。 She heard more
clearly the barking of the Kabyle dogs； and knew that tents were not
far off。 Now； between the trunks of the trees； she saw the twinkling
of distant fires； and the sound of running water fell on her ears；
mingling with the persistent noise of the insects； and the faint cries
of the birds and frogs。 In front； where the road came out from the
shadows of the last trees； lay a vast dimness； not wholly unlike
another starless sky； stretched beneath the starry sky in which the
moon had not yet risen。 She set her horse at a gallop and came into
the desert； rushing through the dark。
〃Madame！ Madame！〃
Batouch's voice was calling her。 She galloped faster； like one in
flight。 Her horse's feet padded over sand almost as softly as a
camel's。 The vast dimness was surely coming to meet her； to take her
to itself in the night。 But suddenly Batouch rode furiously up beside
her； his burnous flying out behind him over his red saddle。
〃Madame； we must not go further； we must keep near the oasis。〃
〃Why？〃
〃It is not safe at night in the desert； and besides〃
His horse plunged and nearly rocketed against hers。 She pulled in。 His
company took away her desire to keep on。
〃Besides？〃
Leaning over his saddle peak he said； mysteriously：
〃Besides； Madame； someone has been following us all the way from Beni…
Mora。〃
〃Who？〃
〃A horseman。 I have heard the beat of the hoofs on the hard road。 Once
I stopped and turned； but I could see nothing； and then I could hear
nothing。 He； too； had stopped。 But when I rode on again soon I heard
him once more。 Someone found out we were going and has come after us。〃
She looked back into the violet night without speaking。 She heard no
sound of a horse； saw nothing but the dim track and the faint； shadowy
blackness where the palms began。 Then she put her hand into the pocket
of her saddle and silently held up a tiny revolver。
〃I know； but there might be more than one。 I am not afraid； but if
anything happens to Madame no one will ever take me as a guide any
more。〃
She smiled for a moment； but the smile died away； and again she looked
into the night。 She was not afraid physically； but she was conscious
of a certain uneasiness。 The day had been long and troubled； and had
left its mark upon her。 Restlessness had driven her forth into the
darkness； and behind the restlessness there was a hint of the terror
of which she had been aware when she was left alone in the /salle…a…
manger/。 Was it not that vague terror which； shaking the restlessness；
had sent her to the white house by the triple palm tree； had brought
her now to the desert？ she asked herself； while she listened； and the
hidden horseman of whom Batouch had spoken became in her imagination
one with the legendary victims of fate； with the Jew by the cross
roads； the mariner beating ever about the rock…bound shores of the
world； the climber in the witches' Sabbath； the phantom Arab in the
sand。 Still holding her revolver； she turned her horse and rode slowly
towards the distant fires； from which came the barking of the dogs。 At
some hundreds of yards from them she paused。
〃I shall stay here；〃 she said to Batouch。 〃Where does the moon rise？〃
He stretched his arm towards the desert； which sloped gently； almost
imperceptibly； towards the east。
〃Ride back a little way towards the oasis。 The horseman was behind us。
If he is still following you will meet him。 Don't go far。 Do as I tell
you； Batouch。〃
With obvious reluctance he obeyed her。 She saw him pull up his horse
at a distance where he had her just in sight。 Then she turned so that
she could not see him and looked towards the desert and the east。 The
revolver seemed unnaturally heavy in her hand。 She glanced at it for a
moment and listened with intensity for the beat of horse's hoofs； and
her wakeful imagination created a sound that was non…existent in her
ears。 With it she heard a gallop that was spectral as the gallop of
the black horses which carried Mephistopheles and Faust to the abyss。
I
