the garden of allah-第95章
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off。
〃Not of coming misfortune； I hope； Madame？〃 said De Trevignac in a
voice that was now irresistibly cheerful。
He was helping himself to some gazelle； which sent forth an appetising
odour； and Ouardi was proudly pouring out for him the first glass of
blithely winking champagne。
〃I hardly know； but everything looked sad and strange； I began to
think about the uncertainties of life。〃
Domini and De Trevignac were sipping their champagne。 Ouardi came
behind Androvsky to fill his glass。
〃Non！ non！〃 he said； putting his hand over it and shaking his head。
De Trevignac started。
Ouardi looked at Domini and made a distressed grimace； pointing with a
brown finger at the glass。
〃Oh； Boris！ you must drink champagne to…night！〃 she exclaimed。
〃I would rather not；〃 he answered。 〃I am not accustomed to it。〃
〃But to drink our guest's health after his escape from death！〃
Androvsky took his hand from the glass and Ouardi filled it with wine。
Then Domini raised her glass and drank to De Trevignac。 Androvsky
followed her example； but without geniality； and when he put his lips
to the wine he scarcely tasted it。 Then he put the glass down and told
Ouardi to give him red wine。 And during the rest of the evening he
drank no more champagne。 He also ate very little； much less than
usual； for in the desert they both had the appetites of hunters。
After thanking them cordially for drinking his health； De Trevignac
said：
〃I was nearly experiencing the certainty of death。 But was it Mogar
that turned you to such thoughts； Madame？〃
〃I think so。 There is something sad； even portentous about it。〃
She looked towards the tent door； imagining the immense desolation
that was hidden in the darkness outside； the white plains； the mirage
sea； the sand dunes like monsters； the bleached bones of the dead
camels with the eagles hovering above them。
〃Don't you think so； Boris？ Don't you think it looks like a place in
whichlike a tragic place； a place in which tragedies ought to
occur？〃
〃It is not places that make tragedies；〃 he said； 〃or at least they
make tragedies far more seldom than the people in them。〃
He stopped； seemed to make an effort to throw off his taciturnity； and
suddenly to be able to throw it off； at least partially。 For he
continued speaking with greater naturalness and ease； even with a
certain dominating force。
〃If people would use their wills they need not be influenced by place；
they need not be governed by a thousand things； by memories； by fears；
by fanciesyes； even by fancies that are the merest shadows； but out
of which they make phantoms。 Half the terrors and miseries of life lie
only in the minds of men。 They even cause the very tragedies they
would avoid by expecting them。〃
He said the last words with a sort of strong contemptthen； more
quietly； he added：
〃You； Domini； why should you feel the uncertainty of life； especially
at Mogar？ You need not。 You can choose not to。 Life is the same in its
chances here as everywhere？〃
〃But you；〃 she answered〃did you not feel a tragic influence when we
arrived here？ Do you remember how you looked at the tower？〃
〃The tower！〃 he said； with a quick glance at De Trevignac。 〃Iwhy
should I look at the tower？〃
〃I don't know； but you did； almost as if you were afraid of it。〃
〃My tower！〃 said De Trevignac。
Another roar of laughter reached them from the camp fire。 It made
Domini smile in sympathy； but De Trevignac and Androvsky looked at
each other for a moment； the one with a sort of earnest inquiry； the
other with hostility； or what seemed hostility； across the circle of
lamplight that lay between them。
〃A tower rising in the desert emphasises the desolation。 I suppose
that was it；〃 Androvsky said； as the laugh died down into Batouch's
throaty chuckle。 〃it suggests lonely people watching。〃
〃For something that never comes； or something terrible that comes；〃 De
Trevignac said。
As he spoke the last words Androvsky moved uneasily in his chair； and
looked out towards the camp； as if he longed to get up and go into the
open air； as if the tent roof above his head oppressed him。
Trevignac turned to Domini。
〃In this case； Madame； you were the lonely watcher； and I was the
something terrible that came。〃
She laughed。 While she laughed De Trevignac noticed that Androvsky
looked at her with a sort of sad intentness； not reproachful or
wondering； as an older person might look at a child playing at the
edge of some great gulf into which a false step would precipitate it。
He strove to interpret this strange look； so obviously born in the
face of his host in connection with himself。 It seemed to him that he
must have met Androvsky； and that Androvsky knew it； knewwhat he did
not yet knowwhere it was and when。 It seemed to him； too； that
Androvsky thought of him as the 〃something terrible〃 that had come to
this woman who sat between them out of the desert。
But how could it be？
A profound curiosity was roused in him and he mentally cursed his
treacherous memoryif it were treacherous。 For possibly he might be
mistaken。 He had perhaps never met his host before； and this strange
manner of his might be due to some inexplicable cause； or perhaps to
some cause explicable and even commonplace。 This Monsieur Androvsky
might be a very jealous man； who had taken this woman away into the
desert to monopolise her； and who resented even the chance intrusion
of a stranger。 De Trevignac knew life and the strange passions of men；
knew that there are Europeans with the Arab temperament； who secretly
long that their women should wear the veil and live secluded in the
harem。 Androvsky might be one of these。
When she had laughed Domini said：
〃On the contrary； Monsieur； you have turned my thoughts into a happier
current by your coming。〃
〃How so？〃
〃You made me think of what are called the little things of life that
are more to us women than to you men； I suppose。〃
〃Ah；〃 he said。 〃This food； this wine； this chair with a cushion； this
gay lightMadame； they are not little things I have to be grateful
for。 When I think of the dunes they seem to methey seem〃
Suddenly he stopped。 His gay voice was choked。 She saw that there were
tears in his blue eyes； which were fixed on her with an expression of
ardent gratitude。 He cleared his throat。
〃Monsieur；〃 he said to Androvsky； 〃you will not think me presuming on
an acquaintance formed in the desert if I say that till the end of my
life Iand my mencan only think of Madame as of the good Goddess of
the desolate Sahara！〃
He did not know how Androvsky would take this remark； he did not care。
For the moment in his impulsive nature there was room only for
admiration of the woman and； gratitude for her frank kindness。
Androvsky said：
〃Thank you； Monsieur。〃
He spoke with an intensity； even a fervour； that were startling。 For
the first time since they had been together his voice was absolutely
natural； his manner was absolutely unconstrained； he showed himself as
he was； a man on fire with love for the woman who had given herself to
him； and who received a warm word of praise of her as a gift made to
himself。 De Trevignac no longer wondered that Domini was his wife。
Those three words； and the way they were spoken； gave him the man and
what he might be in a woman's life。 Domini looked at her husband
silently。 It seemed to her as if her heart were flooded with light； as
if desolate Mogar were the Garden of Eden before the angel came。 When
they spoke again it was on some indifferent topic。 But from that
moment the meal went more merrily。 Androvsky seemed to lose his
strange uneasiness。 De Trevignac met him more than half…way。 Something
of the gaiety round the camp fire had entered into the tent。 A chain
of sympathy had been forged between these three people。 Possibly； a
touch might break it； but for the moment it seemed strong。
At the end of the dinner Domini got up。
〃We have no formalities in the desert；〃 she said。 〃But I'm going to
leave you together for a moment。 Give Monsieur de Trevignac a cigar；
Boris。 Coffee is coming directly。〃
She went out towards the camp fire。 She wanted to leave the men
toge
