the garden of allah-第86章

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against　her　heart；　then　drew　them　back　again　to　his。

〃Then　let　us　realise　it。　Let　us　forget　our　prison。　Let　us　forget
everything；　everything　that　we　ever　knew　before　Beni…Mora；　Domini。
It's　dead；　absolutely　dead；　unless　we　make　it　live　by　thinking。　And
that's　mad；　crazy。　Thought's　the　great　madness。　Domini；　have　you
forgotten　everything　before　we　knew　each　other？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃Nowbut　only　now。　You've　made　me　forget　it　all。〃

There　was　a　deep　breathing　under　her　voice。　He　held　up　her　hands　to
his　shoulders　and　looked　closely　into　her　eyes；　as　if　he　were　trying
to　send　all　himself　into　her　through　those　doors　of　the　soul　opened　to
seeing　him。　And　now；　in　this　moment；　she　felt　that　her　fierce　desire
was　realised；　that　he　was　rising　above　her　on　eagle's　wings。　And　as　on
the　night　before　the　wedding　she　had　blessed　all　the　sorrows　of　her
life；　now　she　blessed　silently　all　the　long　silence　of　Androvsky；　all
his　strange　reticence；　his　uncouthness；　his　avoidance　of　her　in　the
beginning　of　their　acquaintance。　That　which　had　made　her　pain　by
being；　now　made　her　joy　by　having　been　and　being　no　more。　The　hidden
man　was　rushing　forth　to　her　at　last　in　his　love。　She　seemed　to　hear
in　the　night　the　crash　of　a　great　obstacle；　and　the　voice　of　the　flood
of　waters　that　had　broken　it　down　at　length　and　were　escaping　into
liberty。　His　silence　of　the　past　now　made　his　speech　intensely
beautiful　and　wonderful　to　her。　She　wanted　to　hear　the　waters　more
intensely；　more　intensely。

〃Speak　to　me；〃　she　said。　〃You've　spoken　so　little。　Do　you　know　how
little？　Tell　me　all　you　are。　Till　now　I've　only　felt　all　you　are。　And
that's　so　much；　but　not　enough　for　a　womannot　enough。　I've　taken
you；　but　nowgive　me　all　I've　taken。　Givekeep　on　giving　and　giving。
From　to…night　to　receive　will　be　my　life。　Long　ago　I've　given　all　I
had　to　you。　Give　to　me；　give　me　everything。　You　know　I've　given　all。〃

〃All？〃　he　said；　and　there　was　a　throb　in　his　deep　voice；　as　if　some
intense　feeling　rose　from　the　depths　of　him　and　shook　it。

〃Yes；　all；〃　she　whispered。　〃Alreadyand　long　agothat　day　in　the
garden。　When　Iwhen　I　put　my　hands　against　your　foreheaddo　you
remember？　I　gave　you　all；　for　ever。〃

And　as　she　spoke　she　bent　down　her　face　with　a　sort　of　proud
submission　and　put　her　forehead　against　his　heart。

The　purity　in　her　voice　and　in　her　quiet；　simple　action　dazzled　him
like　a　flame　shining　suddenly　in　his　eyes　out　of　blackness。　And　he；
too；　in　that　moment　saw　far　up　above　him　the　beating　of　an　eagle's
wings。　To　each　one　the　other　seemed　to　be　on　high；　and　as　both　looked
up　that　was　their　true　marriage。

〃I　felt　it；〃　he　said；　touching　her　hair　with　his　lips。　〃I　felt　it　in
your　hands。　When　you　touched　me　that　day　it　was　as　if　you　were　giving
me　the　world　and　the　stars。　It　frightened　me　to　receive　so　much。　I
felt　as　if　I　had　no　place　to　put　my　gift　in。〃

〃Did　your　heart　seem　so　small？〃　she　said。

〃You　make　everything　I　have　and　am　seem　smalland　yet　great。　What
does　it　mean？〃

〃That　you　are　great；　as　I　am；　because　we　love。　No　one　is　small　who
loves。　No　one　is　poor；　no　one　is　bad；　who　loves。　Love　burns　up　evil。
It's　the　angel　that　destroys。〃

Her　words　seemed　to　send　through　his　whole　body　a　quivering　joy。　He
took　her　face　between　his　hands　and　lifted　it　from　his　heart。

〃Is　that　true？　Is　that　true？〃　he　said。　〃I'veI've　tried　to　think
that。　If　you　know　how　I've　tried。〃

〃And　don't　you　know　it　is　true？〃

〃I　don't　feel　as　if　I　knew　anything　that　you　do　not　tell　me　to…night。
I　don't　feel　as　if　I　have；　or　am；　anything　but　what　you　give　me；　make
me　to…night。　Can　you　understand　that？　Can　you　understand　what　you　are
to　me？　That　you　are　everything；　that　I　have　nothing　else；　that　I　have
never　had　anything　else　in　all　these　years　that　I　have　lived　and　that
I　have　forgotten？　Can　you　understand　it？　You　said　just　now　'Speak　to
me；　tell　me　all　you　are。'　That's　what　I　am；　all　I　am；　a　man　you　have
made　a　man。　You；　Dominiyou　have　made　me　a　man；　you　have　created　me。〃

She　was　silent。　The　intensity　with　which　he　spoke；　the　intensity　of
his　eyes　while　he　was　speaking；　made　her　hear　those　rushing　waters　as
if　she　were　being　swept　away　by　them。

〃And　you？〃　he　said。　〃You？〃

〃I？〃

〃This　afternoon　in　the　desert；　when　we　were　in　the　sand　looking　at
Beni…Mora；　you　began　to　tell　me　something　and　then　you　stopped。　And
you　said；　'I　can't　tell　you。　There's　too　much　light。'　Now　the　sun　has
gone。〃

〃Yes。　Butbut　I　want　to　listen　to　you。　I　want〃

She　stopped。　In　the　distance；　by　the　great　fire　where　the　Arabs　were
assembled；　there　rose　a　sound　of　music　which　arrested　her　attention。
Ali　was　singing；　holding　in　his　hand　a　brand　from　the　fire　like　a
torch。　She　had　heard　him　sing　before；　and　had　loved　the　timbre　of　his
voice；　but　only　now　did　she　realise　when　she　had　first　heard　him　and
who　he　was。　It　was　he　who；　hidden　from　her；　had　sung　the　song　of　the
freed　negroes　of　Touggourt　in　the　gardens　of　Count　Anteoni　that　day
when　she　had　been　angry　with　Androvsky　and　had　afterwards　been
reconciled　with　him。　And　she　knew　now　it　was　he；　because；　once　more
hidden　from　herfor　against　the　curtain　of　darkness　she　only　saw　the
flame　from　the　torch　he　held　and　moved　rhythmically　to　the　burden　of
his　songhe　was　singing　it　again。　Androvsky；　when　she　ceased　to
speak；　suddenly　put　his　arms　round　her；　as　if　he　were　afraid　of　her
escaping　from　him　in　her　silence；　and　they　stood　thus　at　the　tent　door
listening：

　〃The　gazelle　dies　in　the　water；
　　The　fish　dies　in　the　air；
　　And　I　die　in　the　dunes　of　the　desert　sand
　　For　my　love　that　is　deep　and　sad。〃

The　chorus　of　hidden　men　by　the　fire　rose　in　a　low　murmur　that　was
like　the　whisper　of　the　desert　in　the　night。　Then　the　contralto　voice
of　Ali　came　to　Domini　and　Androvsky　again；　but　very　faintly；　from　the
distance　where　the　flaming　torch　was　moving：

　〃No　one　but　God　and　I
　　Knows　what　is　in　my　heart。〃

When　the　voice　died　away　for　a　moment　Domini　whispered　the　refrain。
Then　she　said：

〃But　is　it　true？　Can　it　be　true　for　us　to…night？〃

Androvsky　did　not　reply。

〃I　don't　think　it　is　true；〃　she　added。　〃You　knowdon't　you？〃

The　voice　of　Ali　rose　again；　and　his　torch　flickered　on　the　soft　wind
of　the　night。　Its　movement　was　slow　and　eerie。　It　seemed　like　his
voice　made　visible；　a　voice　of　flame　in　the　blackness　of　the　world。
They　watched　it。　Presently　she　said　once　more：

〃You　know　what　is　in　my　heartdon't　you？〃

〃Do　I？〃　he　said。　〃All？〃

〃All。　My　heart　is　full　of　one　thingquite　full。〃

〃Then　I　know。〃

〃And；〃　she　hesitated；　then　added；　〃and　yours？〃

〃Mine　too。〃

〃I　know　all　that　is　in　it　then？〃

She　still　spoke　questioningly。　He　did　not　reply；　but　held　her　more
closely；　with　a　grasp　that　was　feverish　in　its　intensity。

〃Do　you　remember；〃　she　went　on；　〃in　the　garden　what　you　said　about
that　song？〃

〃No。〃

〃You　have　forgotten？〃

〃I　told　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　mean　to　forget　everything。〃

〃Everything　before　we　came　to　Beni…Mora？〃

〃And　more。　Everything　before　you　put　your　hands　against　my　forehead；
Domini。　Your　touch　blotted　out　the　past。〃

〃Even　the　past　at　Beni…Mora？〃

〃Yes；　even　that。　There　are　many　things　I　did　and　left　undone；　many
things　I　said　and　never　said　thatI　have　forgottenI　have　forgotten
for　ever。〃

There　was　a　sternness　in　his　voice　now；　a　fiery　intention。

〃I　understand；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　forgotten　them　too；　but　not　some
things。〃

〃Which？〃

〃Not　that　night　when　you　took　me　out　of　the　dancing…house；　not　our
ride　to　Sidi…Zerzour；　notthere　are　things　I　shall　remember。　When　I
am　dying；　after　I　am　dead；　I　shall　remember　them。〃

The　song　faded　away。　The　torch　was　still；　then　fell　downwards　and
became　one　with　the　fire。　Then　Androvsky　drew　Domini　down　beside　him
on　to　the　warm　earth　before　the　tent　door；　and　held　her　hand　in　his
against　the　earth。

〃Feel　it；〃　he　said。　〃It's　our　home；　it's　our　liberty。　Does　it　feel
alive　to　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃As　if　it　had　pulses；　like　the　pulses　in　our　hearts；　and　knew　what　we
know？〃

〃Yes。　Mother　EarthI　never　understood　what　that　meant　till　to…night。〃

〃We　are　beginning　to　understand　together。　Who　can　understand　anything
alone？〃

He　kept　her　hand　always　in　his　p