the garden of allah-第88章

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confined　within　it　shook　it。　In　the　night　the　breeze　slightly
increased；　making　the　flame　of　the　lamp　behind　them　in　the　tent
flicker。　And　the　breeze　was　like　a　message；　brought　to　them　from　the
desert　by　some　envoy　in　the　darkness；　telling　them　not　to　be　afraid　of
their　wonderful　gift　of　freedom　with　each　other；　but　to　take　it　open…
handed；　open…hearted；　with　the　great　courage　of　joy。

〃Domini；　did　you　feel　that　gust　of　the　wind？　It　carried　away　a　cloud
of　sparks　from　the　fire　and　brought　them　a　little　way　towards　us。　Did
you　see？　Fire　wandering　on　the　wind　through　the　night　calling　to　the
fire　that　is　in　us。　Wasn't　it　beautiful？　Everything　is　beautiful
to…night。　There　were　never　such　stars　before。〃

She　looked　up　at　them。　Often　she　had　watched　the　stars；　and　known　the
vague　longings；　the　almost　terrible　aspirations　they　wake　in　their
watchers。　But　to　her　also　they　looked　different　to…night；　nearer　to
the　earth；　she　thought；　brighter；　more　living　than　ever　before；　like
strange　tenderness　made　visible；　peopling　the　night　with　an
unconquerable　sympathy。　The　vast　firmament　was　surely　intent　upon
their　happiness。　Again　the　breeze　came　to　them　across　the　waste；　cool
and　breathing　of　the　dryness　of　the　sands。　Not　far　away　a　jackal
laughed。　After　a　pause　it　was　answered　by　another　jackal　at　a
distance。　The　voices　of　these　desert　beasts　brought　home　to　Domini
with　an　intimacy　not　felt　by　her　before　the　exquisite　remoteness　of
their　situation；　and　the　shrill；　discordant　noise；　rising　and　falling
with　a　sort　of　melancholy　and　sneering　mirth；　mingled　with　bitterness；
was　like　a　delicate　music　in　her　ears。

〃Hark！〃　Androvsky　whispered。

The　first　jackal　laughed　once　more；　was　answered　again。　A　third　beast；
evidently　much　farther　off；　lifted　up　a　faint　voice　like　a　dismal
echo。　Then　there　was　silence。

〃You　loved　that；　Domini。　It　was　like　the　calling　of　freedom　to　you
and　to　me。　We've　found　freedom；　we've　found　it。　Let　us　feel　it。　Let　us
take　hold　of　it。　It　is　the　only　thing；　the　only　thing。　But　you　can't
know　that　as　I　do；　Domini。〃

Again　she　was　conscious　that　his　intensity　surpassed　hers；　and　the
consciousness；　instead　of　saddening　or　vexing；　made　her　thrill　with
joy。

〃I　am　maddened　by　this　freedom；〃　he　said；　〃maddened　by　it；　Domini。　I
can't　helpI　can't〃

He　laid　his　lips　upon　hers　in　a　desperate　caress　that　almost
suffocated　her。　Then　he　took　his　lips　away　from　her　lips　and　kissed
her　throat；　holding　her　head　back　against　his　shoulder。　She　shut　her
eyes。　He　was　indeed　teaching　her　to　forget。　Even　the　memory　of　the　day
in　the　garden　when　she　heard　the　church　bell　chime　and　the　sound　of
Larbi's　flute　went　from　her。　She　remembered　nothing　any　more。　The　past
was　lost　or　laid　in　sleep　by　the　spell　of　sensation。　Her　nature
galloped　like　an　Arab　horse　across　the　sands　towards　the　sun；　towards
the　fire　that　sheds　warmth　afar　but　that　devours　all　that　draws　near
to　it。　At　that　moment　she　connected　Androvsky　with　the　tremendous
fires　eternally　blazing　in　the　sun。　She　had　a　desire　that　he　should
hurt　her　in　the　passionate　intensity　of　his　love　for　her。　Her　nature；
which　till　now　had　been　ever　ready　to　spring　into　hostility　at　an
accidental　touch；　which　had　shrunk　instinctively　from　physical　contact
with　other　human　beings；　melted；　was　utterly　transformed。　She　felt
that　she　was　now　the　opposite　of　all　that　she　had　beenmore　woman
than　any　other　woman　who　had　ever　lived。　What　had　been　an　almost　cold
strength　in　her　went　to　increase　the　completeness　of　this　yielding　to
one　stronger　than　herself。　What　had　seemed　boyish　and　almost　hard　in
her　died　away　utterly　under　the　embrace　of　this　fierce　manhood。

〃Domini；〃　he　spoke；　whispering　while　he　kissed　her；　〃Domini；　the
fire's　gone　out。　It's　dark。〃

He　lifted　her　a　little　in　his　arms；　still　kissing　her。

〃Domini；　it's　dark；　it's　dark。〃

He　lifted　her　more。　She　stood　up；　with　his　arms　about　her；　looking
towards　where　the　fire　had　been。　She　put　her　hands　against　his　face
and　softly　pressed　it　back　from　hers；　but　with　a　touch　that　was　a
caress。　He　yielded　to　her　at　once。

〃Look！〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　love　the　darkness？　Tell　metell　me　that　you
love　it。〃

She　let　her　hand　glide　over　his　cheek　in　answer。

〃Look　at　it。　Love　it。　All　the　desert　is　in　it；　and　our　love　in　the
desert。　Let　us　stay　in　the　desert；　let　us　stay　in　it　for　everfor
ever。　It　is　your　gardenyours。　It　has　brought　us　everything；　Domini。〃

He　took　her　hand　and　pressed　it　again　and　again　over　his　cheek
lingeringly。　Then；　abruptly；　he　dropped　it。

〃Come！〃　he　said。　〃Domini。〃

And　he　drew　her　in　through　the　tent　door　almost　violently。

A　stronger　gust　of　the　night　wind　followed　them。　Androvsky　took　his
arms　slowly　from　Domini　and　turned　to　let　down　the　flap　of　the　tent。
While　he　was　doing　this　she　stood　quite　still。　The　flame　of　the　lamp
flickered；　throwing　its　light　now　here；　now　there；　uneasily。　She　saw
the　crucifix　lit　up　for　an　instant　and　the　white　bed　beneath　it。　The
wind　stirred　her　dark　hair　and　was　cold　about　her　neck。　But　the　warmth
there　met　and　defied　it。　In　that　brief　moment；　while　Androvsky　was
fastening　the　tent；　she　seemed　to　live　through　centuries　of　intense
and　complicated　emotion。　When　the　light　flickered　over　the　crucifix
she　felt　as　if　she　could　spend　her　life　in　passionate　adoration　at　its
foot；　but　when　she　did　not　see　it；　and　the　wind；　coming　in　from　the
desert　through　the　tent　door；　where　she　heard　the　movement　of
Androvsky；　stirred　in　her　hair；　she　felt　reckless；　wayward；　savage
and　something　more。　A　cry　rose　in　her　that　was　like　the　cry　of　a
stranger；　who　yet　was　of　her　and　in　her；　and　from　whom　she　would　not
part。

Again　the　lamp　flame　flickered　upon　the　crucifix。　Quickly；　while　she
saw　the　crucifix　plainly；　she　went　forward　to　the　bed　and　fell　on　her
knees　by　it；　bending　down　her　face　upon　its　whiteness。

When　Androvsky　had　fastened　the　tent　door　he　turned　round　and　saw　her
kneeling。　He　stood　quite　still　as　if　petrified；　staring　at　her。　Then；
as　the　flame；　now　sheltered　from　the　wind；　burned　steadily；　he　saw　the
crucifix。　He　started　as　if　someone　had　struck　him；　hesitated；　then；
with　a　look　of　fierce　and　concentrated　resolution　on　his　face；　went
swiftly　to　the　crucifix　and　pulled　it　from　the　canvas　roughly。　He　held
it　in　his　hand　for　an　instant；　then　moved　to　the　tent　door　and　stooped
to　unfasten　the　cords　that　held　it　to　the　pegs；　evidently　with　the
intention　of　throwing　the　crucifix　out　into　the　night。　But　he　did　not
unfasten　the　cords。　Somethingsome　sudden　change　of　feeling；　some
secret　and　powerful　reluctancechecked　him。　He　thrust　the　crucifix
into　his　pocket。　Then；　returning　to　where　Domini　was　kneeling；　he　put
his　arms　round　her　and　drew　her　to　her　feet。

She　did　not　resist　him。　Still　holding　her　in　his　arms　he　blew　out　the
lamp。



CHAPTER　XIX

The　Arabs　have　a　saying；　〃In　the　desert　one　forgets　everything；　one
remembers　nothing　any　more。〃

To　Domini　it　sometimes　seemed　the　truest　of　all　the　true　and　beautiful
sayings　of　the　East。　Only　three　weeks　had　passed　away　since　the　first
halt　at　Arba；　yet　already　her　life　at　Beni…Mora　was　faint　in　her　mind
as　the　dream　of　a　distant　past。　Taken　by　the　vast　solitudes；
journeying　without　definite　aim　from　one　oasis　to　another　through
empty　regions　bathed　in　eternal　sunshine；　camping　often　in　the　midst
of　the　sand　by　one　of　the　wells　sunk　for　the　nomads　by　the　French
engineers；　strengthened　perpetually；　yet　perpetually　soothed；　by　airs
that　were　soft　and　cool；　as　if　mingled　of　silk　and　snow；　they　lived
surely　in　a　desert　dream　with　only　a　dream　behind　them。　They　had
become　as　one　with　the　nomads；　whose　home　is　the　moving　tent；　whose
hearthstone　is　the　yellow　sand　of　the　dunes；　whose　God　is　liberty。

Domini　loved　this　life　with　a　love　which　had　already　become　a　passion。
All　that　she　had　imagined　that　the　desert　might　be　to　her　she　found
that　it　was。　In　its　so…called　monotony　she　discovered　eternal
interest。　Of　old　she　had　thought　the　sea　the　most　wonderful　thing　in
Nature。　In　the　desert　she　seemed　to　possess　the　sea　with　something
added　to　it；　a　calm；　a　completeness；　a　mystical　tenderness；　a
passionate　serenity。　She　thought　of　the　sea