the garden of allah-第76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！


sound　she　had　heard　the　previous　night　in　the　desert；　when　he　turned
his　horse　and　rode　away　with　her。　And　now；　as　then；　he　turned　away
from　her　in　silence；　but　she　knew　that　this　time　he　was　leaving　her；
that　this　movement　was　his　final　good…bye。　With　his　head　bowed　down　he
took　a　few　steps。　He　was　near　to　a　turning　of　the　path。　She　watched
him；　knowing　that　within　less　than　a　moment　she　would　be　watching　only
the　trees　and　the　sand。　She　gazed　at　the　bent　figure；　calling　up　all
her　faculties；　crying　out　to　herself　passionately；　desperately；
〃Remember　itremember　it　as　it　istherebefore　youjust　as　it　is
for　ever。〃　As　it　reached　the　turning；　in　the　distance　of　the　garden
rose　the　twitter　of　the　flute　of　Larbi。　Androvsky　stopped；　stood　still
with　his　back　turned　towards　her。　And　Larbi；　hidden　and　far　off；
showered　out　his　little　notes　of　African　love；　of　love　in　the　desert
where　the　sun　is　everlasting；　and　the　passion　of　man　is　hot　as　the
sun；　where　Liberty　reigns；　lifting　her　cymbals　that　are　as　spheres　of
fire；　and　the　footsteps　of　Freedom　are　heard　upon　the　sand；　treading
towards　the　south。

Larbi　playedplayed　on　and　on；　untiring　as　the　love　that　blossomed
with　the　world；　but　that　will　not　die　when　the　world　dies。

Then　Androvsky　came　back　quickly　till　he　reached　the　place　where
Domini　was　standing。　He　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders。　Then　he　sank
down　on　the　sand；　letting　his　hands　slip　down　over　her　breast　and
along　her　whole　body　till　they　clasped　themselves　round　her　knees。　He
pressed　his　face　into　her　dress　against　her　knees。

〃I　love　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　love　you　but　don't　listen　to　meyou　mustn't
hear　ityou　mustn't。　But　I　must　say　it。　I　can'tI　can't　go　till　I
say　it。　I　love　youI　love　you。〃

She　heard　him　sobbing　against　her　knees；　and　the　sound　was　as　the
sound　of　strength　made　audible。　She　put　her　hands　against　his　temples。

〃I　am　listening；〃　she　said。　〃I　must　hear　it。〃

He　looked　up；　rose　to　his　feet；　put　his　hands　behind　her　shoulders；
held　her；　and　set　his　lips　on　hers；　pressing　his　whole　body　against
hers。

〃Hear　it！〃　he　said；　muttering　against　her　lips。　〃Hear　it。　I　love　you
I　love　you。〃

The　two　birds　they　had　seen　flew　back　beneath　the　trees；　turned　in　an
airy　circle；　rose　above　the　trees　into　the　blue　sky；　and；　side　by
side；　winged　their　way　out　of　the　garden　to　the　desert。




BOOK　IV。　THE　JOURNEY



CHAPTER　XVI

In　the　evening　before　the　day　of　Domini's　marriage　with　Androvsky
there　was　a　strange　sunset；　which　attracted　even　the　attention　and
roused　the　comment　of　the　Arabs。　The　day　had　been　calm　and　beautiful；
one　of　the　most　lovely　days　of　the　North　African　spring；　and　Batouch；
resting　from　the　triumphant　labour　of　superintending　the　final
preparations　for　a　long　desert　journey；　augured　a　morning　of　Paradise
for　the　departure　along　the　straight　road　that　led　at　last　to
Tombouctou。　But　as　the　radiant　afternoon　drew　to　its　end　there　came
into　the　blue　sky　a　whiteness　that　suggested　a　heaven　turning　pale　in
the　contemplation　of　some　act　that　was　piteous　and　terrible。　And　under
this　blanching　heaven　the　desert；　and　all　things　and　people　of　the
oasis　of　Beni…Mora；　assumed　an　aspect　of　apprehension；　as　if　they　felt
themselves　to　be　in　the　thrall　of　some　power　whose　omnipotence　they
could　not　question　and　whose　purpose　they　feared。　This　whiteness　was
shot；　at　the　hour　of　sunset；　with　streaks　of　sulphur　yellow　and
dappled　with　small；　ribbed　clouds　tinged　with　yellow…green；　a　bitter
and　cruel　shade　of　green　that　distressed　the　eyes　as　a　merciless　light
distresses　them；　but　these　colours　quickly　faded；　and　again　the
whiteness　prevailed　for　a　brief　space　of　time　before　the　heavy　falling
of　a　darkness　unpierced　by　stars。　With　this　darkness　came　a　faint
moaning　of　hollow　wind　from　the　desert；　a　lamentable　murmur　that
shuddered　over　the　great　spaces；　crept　among　the　palms　and　the　flat…
roofed　houses；　and　died　away　at　the　foot　of　the　brown　mountains　beyond
the　Hammam　Salahine。　The　succeeding　silence；　short　and　intense；　was
like　a　sound　of　fear；　like　the　cry　of　a　voice　lifted　up　in　protest
against　the　approach　of　an　unknown；　but　dreaded；　fate。　Then　the　wind
came　again　with　a　stronger　moaning　and　a　lengthened　life；　not　yet
forceful；　not　yet　with　all　its　powers；　but　more　tenacious；　more
acquainted　with　itself　and　the　deeds　that　it　might　do　when　the　night
was　black　among　the　vast　sands　which　were　its　birth…place；　among　the
crouching　plains　and　the　trembling　palm　groves　that　would　be　its
battle…ground。

Batouch　looked　grave　as　he　listened　to　the　wind　and　the　creaking　of
the　palm　stems　one　against　another。　Sand　came　upon　his　face。　He　pulled
the　hood　of　his　burnous　over　his　turban　and　across　his　cheeks；　covered
his　mouth　with　a　fold　of　his　haik　and　stared　into　the　blackness；　like
an　animal　in　search　of　something　his　instinct　has　detected　approaching
from　a　distance。

Ali　was　beside　him　in　the　doorway　of　the　Cafe　Maure；　a　slim　Arab　boy；
bronze…coloured　and　serious　as　an　idol；　who　was　a　troubadour　of　the
Sahara；　singer　of　〃Janat〃　and　many　lovesongs；　player　of　the　guitar
backed　with　sand　tortoise　and　faced　with　stretched　goatskin。　Behind
them　swung　an　oil　lamp　fastened　to　a　beam　of　palm；　and　the　red　ashes
glowed　in　the　coffee　niche　and　shed　a　ray　upon　the　shelf　of　small
white　cups　with　faint　designs　of　gold。　In　a　corner；　his　black　face　and
arms　faintly　relieved　against　the　wall；　an　old　negro　crouched；　gazing
into　vacancy　with　bulging　eyes；　and　beating　with　a　curved　palm　stem
upon　an　oval　drum；　whose　murmur　was　deep　and　hollow　as　the　murmur　of
the　wind；　and　seemed　indeed　its　echo　prisoned　within　the　room　and
striving　to　escape。

〃There　is　sand　on　my　eyelids；〃　said　Batouch。　〃It　is　bad　for　to…morrow。
When　Allah　sends　the　sands　we　should　cover　the　face　and　play　the
ladies'　game　within　the　cafe；　we　should　not　travel　on　the　road　towards
the　south。〃

Ali　said　nothing；　but　drew　up　his　haik　over　his　mouth　and　nose；　and
looked　into　the　night；　folding　his　thin　hands　in　his　burnous。

〃Achmed　will　sleep　in　the　Bordj　of　Arba；〃　continued　Batouch　in　a　low；
murmuring　voice；　as　if　speaking　to　himself。　〃And　the　beasts　will　be　in
the　court。　Nothing　can　remain　outside；　for　there　will　be　a　greater
roaring　of　the　wind　at　Arba。　Can　it　be　the　will　of　Allah　that　we　rest
in　the　tents　to…morrow？〃

Ali　made　no　answer。　The　wind　had　suddenly　died　down。

The　sand　grains　came　no　more　against　their　eyelids　and　the　folds　of
their　haiks。　Behind　them　the　negro's　drum　gave　out　monotonously　its
echo　of　the　wind；　filling　the　silence　of　the　night。

〃Whatever　Allah　sends；〃　Batouch　went　on　softly　after　a　pause；　〃Madame
will　go。　She　is　brave　as　the　lion。　There　is　no　jackal　in　Madame。　Irena
is　not　more　brave　than　she　is。　But　Madame　will　never　wear　the　veil　for
a　man's　sake。　She　will　not　wear　the　veil；　but　she　could　give　a　knife…
thrust　if　he　were　to　look　at　another　woman　as　he　has　looked　at　her；　as
he　will　look　at　her　to…morrow。　She　is　proud　as　a　Touareg　and　there　is
fierceness　in　her。　But　he　will　never　look　at　another　woman　as　he　will
look　at　her　to…morrow。　The　Roumi　is　not　as　we　are。〃

The　wind　came　back　to　join　its　sound　with　the　drum；　imprisoning　the
two　Arabs　in　a　muttering　circle。

〃They　will　not　care；〃　said　Batouch。　〃They　will　go　out　into　the　storm
without　fear。〃

The　sand　pattered　more　sharply　on　his　eyelids。　He　drew　back　into　the
cafe。　Ali　followed　him；　and　they　squatted　down　side　by　side　upon　the
ground　and　looked　before　them　seriously。　The　noise　of　the　wind
increased　till　it　nearly　drowned　the　noise　of　the　negro's　drum。
Presently　the　one…eyed　owner　of　the　cafe　brought　them　two　cups　of
coffee；　setting　the　cups　near　their　stockinged　feet。　They　rolled　two
cigarettes　and　smoked　in　silence；　sipping　the　coffee　from　time　to
time。　Then　Ali　began　to　glance　towards　the　negro。　Half　shutting　his
eyes；　and　assuming　a　languid　expression　that　was　almost　sickly；　he
stretched　his　lips　in　a　smile；　gently　moving　his　head　from　side　to
side。　Batouch　watched　him。　Presently　he　opened　his　lips　and　began　to
sing：

　〃The　love　of　women　is　like　a　date　that　is　golden　in　the　sun；
　　　　That　is　golden
　　The　love　of　women　is　like　a　gazelle　that　comes　to　dri