the garden of allah-第96章

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Boris。　Coffee　is　coming　directly。〃

She　went　out　towards　the　camp　fire。　She　wanted　to　leave　the　men
together　to　seal　their　good　fellowship。　Her　husband's　change　from
taciturnity　to　cordiality　had　enchanted　her。　Happiness　was　dancing
within　her。　She　felt　gay　as　a　child。　Between　the　fire　and　the　tent　she
met　Ouardi　carrying　a　tray。　On　it　were　a　coffee…pot；　cups；　little
glasses　and　a　tall　bottle　of　a　peculiar　shape　with　a　very　thin　neck
and　bulging　sides。

〃What's　that；　Ouardi？〃　she　asked；　touching　it　with　her　finger。

〃That　is　an　African　liqueur；　Madame；　that　you　have　never　tasted。
Batouch　told　me　to　bring　it　in　honour　of　Monsieur　the　officer。　They
call　it〃

〃Another　surprise　of　Batouch's！〃　she　interrupted　gaily。　〃Take　it　in！
Monsieur　the　officer　will　think　we　have　quite　a　cellar　in　the　desert。〃

He　went　on；　and　she　stood　for　a　few　minutes　looking　at　the　blaze　of
the　fire；　and　at　the　faces　lit　up　by　it；　French　and　Arab。　The　happy
soldiers　were　singing　a　French　song　with　a　chorus　for　the　delectation
of　the　Arabs；　who　swayed　to　and　fro；　wagging　their　heads　and　smiling
in　an　effort　to　show　appreciation　of　the　barbarous　music　of　the
Roumis。　Dreary；　terrible　Mogar　and　its　influences　were　being　defied　by
the　wanderers　halting　in　it。　She　thought　of　Androvsky's　words　about
the　human　will　overcoming　the　influence　of　place；　and　a　sudden　desire
came　to　her　to　go　as　far　as　the　tower　where　she　had　felt　sad　and
apprehensive；　to　stand　in　its　shadow　for　an　instant　and　to　revel　in
her　happiness。

She　yielded　to　the　impulse；　walked　to　the　tower；　and　stood　there
facing　the　darkness　which　hid　the　dunes；　the　white　plains；　the　phantom
sea；　seeing　them　in　her　mind；　and　radiantly　defying　them。　Then　she
began　to　return　to　the　camp；　walking　lightly；　as　happy　people　walk。
When　she　had　gone　a　very　short　way　she　heard　someone　coming　towards
her。　It　was　too　dark　to　see　who　it　was。　She　could　only　hear　the　steps
among　the　stones。　They　were　hasty。　They　passed　her　and　stopped　behind
her　at　the　tower。　She　wondered　who　it　was；　and　supposed　it　must　be　one
of　the　soldiers　come　to　fetch　something；　or　perhaps　tired　and
hastening　to　bed。

As　she　drew　near　to　the　camp　she　saw　the　lamplight　shining　in　the
tent；　where　doubtless　De　Trevignac　and　Androvsky　were　smoking　and
talking　in　frank　good　fellowship。　It　was　like　a　bright　star；　she
thought；　that　gleam　of　light　that　shone　out　of　her　home；　the　brightest
of　all　the　stars　of　Africa。　She　went　towards　it。　As　she　drew　near　she
expected　to　hear　the　voices　of　the　two　men；　but　she　heard　nothing。　Nor
did　she　see　the　blackness　of　their　forms　in　the　circle　of　the　light。
Perhaps　they　had　gone　out　to　join　the　soldiers　and　the　Arabs　round　the
fire。　She　hastened　on；　came　to　the　tent；　entered　it；　and　was
confronted　by　her　husband；　who　was　standing　back　in　an　angle　formed　by
the　canvas；　in　the　shadow；　alone。　On　the　floor　near　him　lay　a　quantity
of　fragments　of　glass。

〃Boris！〃　she　said。　〃Where　is　Monsieur　de　Trevignac？〃

〃Gone；〃　replied　Androvsky　in　a　loud；　firm　voice。

She　looked　up　at　him。　His　face　was　grim　and　powerful；　hard　like　the
face　of　a　fighting　man。

〃Gone　already？　Why？〃

〃He's　tired　out。　He　told　me　to　make　his　excuses　to　you。〃

〃But〃

She　saw　in　the　table　the　coffee　cups。　Two　of　them　were　full　of　coffee。
The　third；　hers；　was　clean。

〃But　he　hasn't　drunk　his　coffee！〃　she　said。

She　was　astonished　and　showed　it。　She　could　not　understand　a　man　who
had　displayed　such　warm；　even　touching；　appreciation　of　her　kindness
leaving　her　without　a　word；　taking　the　opportunity　of　her　momentary
absence　to　disappear；　to　shirk　awayfor　she　put　it　like　that　to
herself。

〃Nohe　did　not　want　coffee。〃

〃But　was　anything　the　matter？〃

She　looked　down　at　the　broken　glass；　and　saw　stains　upon　the　ground
among　the　fragments。

〃What's　this？〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　the　African　liqueur！〃

Suddenly　Androvsky　put　his　arm　round　her　with　an　iron　grip；　and　led
her　away　out　of　the　tent。　They　crossed　the　space　to　the　sleeping…tent
in　silence。　She　felt　governed；　and　as　if　she　must　yield　to　his　will；
but　she　also　felt　confused；　even　almost　alarmed　mentally。　The
sleeping…tent　was　dark。　When　they　reached　it　Androvsky　took　his　arm
from　her；　and　she　heard　him　searching　for　the　matches。　She　was　in　the
tent　door　and　could　see　that　there　was　a　light　in　the　tower。　De
Trevignac　must　be　there　already。　No　doubt　it　was　he　who　had　passed　her
in　the　night　when　she　was　returning　to　the　camp。　Androvsky　struck　a
match　and　lit　a　candle。　Then　he　came　to　the　tent　door　and　saw　her
looking　at　the　light　in　the　tower。

〃Come　in；　Domini；〃　he　said；　taking　her　by　the　hand；　and　speaking
gently；　but　still　with　a　firmness　that　hinted　at　command。

She　obeyed；　and　he　quickly　let　down　the　flap　of　canvas；　and　shut　out
the　night。

〃What　is　it；　Boris？〃　she　asked。

She　was　standing　by　one　of　the　beds。

〃What　has　happened？〃

〃Whyhappened？〃

〃I　don't　understand。　Why　did　Monsieur　de　Trevignac　go　away　so
suddenly？〃

〃Domini；　do　you　care　whether　he　is　here　or　gone？　Do　you　care？〃　He　sat
on　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　drew　her　down　beside　him。

〃Do　you　want　anyone　to　be　with　us；　to　break　in　upon　our　lives？　Aren't
we　happier　alone？〃

〃Boris！〃　she　said；　〃youdid　you　let　him　see　that　you　wanted　him　to
go？〃

It　occurred　to　her　suddenly　that　Androvsky；　in　his　lack　of　worldly
knowledge；　might　perhaps　have　shown　their　guest　that　he　secretly
resented　the　intrusion　of　a　stranger　upon　them　even　for　one　evening；
and　that　De　Trevignac；　being　a　sensitive　man；　had　been　hurt　and　had
abruptly　gone　away。　Her　social　sense　revolted　at　this　idea。

〃You　didn't　let　him　see　that；　Boris！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃After　his　escape
from　death！　It　would　have　been　inhuman。〃

〃Perhaps　my　love　for　you　might　even　make　me　that；　Domini。　And　if　it
didif　you　knew　why　I　was　inhumanwould　you　blame　me　for　it？　Would
you　hate　me　for　it？〃

There　was　a　strong　excitement　dawning　in　him。　It　recalled　to　her　the
first　night　in　the　desert　when　they　sat　together　on　the　ground　and
watched　the　waning　of　the　fire。

〃Could　youcould　you　hate　me　for　anything；　Domini？〃　he　said。　〃Tell　me
could　you？〃

His　face　was　close　to　hers。　She　looked　at　him　with　her　long；　steady
eyes；　that　had　truth　written　in　their　dark　fire。

〃No；〃　she　answered。　〃I　could　never　hate　younow。〃

〃Not　ifnot　if　I　had　done　you　harm？　Not　if　I　had　done　you　a　wrong？〃

〃Could　you　ever　do　me　a　wrong？〃　she　asked。

She　sat；　looking　at　him　as　if　in　deep　thought；　for　a　moment。

〃I　could　almost　as　easily　believe　that　God　could；〃　she　said　at　last
simply。

〃Then　youyou　have　perfect　trust　in　me？〃

〃Buthave　you　ever　thought　I　had　not？〃　she　asked。　There　was　wonder　in
her　voice。

〃But　I　have　given　my　life　to　you；〃　she　added　still　with　wonder。　〃I　am
here　in　the　desert　with　you。　What　more　can　I　give？　What　more　can　I
do？〃

He　put　his　arms　about　her　and　drew　her　head　down　on　his　shoulder。

〃Nothing；　nothing。　You　have　given；　you　have　done　everythingtoo　much；
too　much。　I　feel　myself　below　you；　I　know　myself　below　youfar；　far
down。〃

〃How　can　you　say　that？　I　couldn't　have　loved　you　if　it　were　so。〃　She
spoke　with　complete　conviction。

〃Perhaps；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃perhaps　women　never　realise　what
their　love　can　do。　It　mightit　might〃

〃What；　Boris？〃

〃It　might　do　what　Christ　didgo　down　into　hell　to　preach　to　theto
the　spirits　in　prison。〃

His　voice　had　dropped　almost　to　a　murmur。　With　one　hand　on　her　cheek
he　kept　her　face　pressed　down　upon　his　shoulder　so　that　she　could　not
see　his　face。

〃It　might　do　that；　Domini。〃

〃Boris；〃　she　said；　almost　whispering　too；　for　his　words　and　manner
filled　her　with　a　sort　of　awe；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　me　something。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Are　you　quite　happy　with　me　here　in　the　desert？　If　you　are　I　want　you
to　tell　me　that　you　are。　RememberI　shall　believe　you。〃

〃No　other　human　being　could　ever　give　me　the　happiness　you　give　me。〃

〃But〃

He　interrupted　her。

〃No　other　human　being　ever　has。　Till　I　met　you　I　had　no　conception　of
the　happiness　there　is　in　the　world　for　man　and　woman　who　love　each
other。〃

〃Then　you　are　happy？〃

〃Don't　I　seem　so？〃

She　did　not　reply。　She　was　searching　her　heart　for　the　answer