the garden of allah-第98章

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followed　by　adoring　fanatics　who　sought　to　touch　their　garments　and
amulets；　and　demanded　importunately　miraculous　blessings　at　their
handsthe　hedgehog's　foot　to　protect　their　women　in　the　peril　of
childbirth；　the　scroll；　covered　with　verses　of　the　Koran　and　enclosed
in　a　sheaf　of　leather；　that　banishes　ill　dreams　at　night　and　stays　the
uncertain　feet　of　the　sleep…walker；　the　camel's　skull　that　brings
fruit　to　the　palm　trees；　the　red　coral　that　stops　the　flow　of　blood
from　a　knife…woundof　the　dancing…girls　glittering　in　an　armour　of
golden　pieces；　their　heads　tied　with　purple　and　red　and　yellow
handkerchiefs　of　silk；　crowned　with　great　bars　of　solid　gold　and
tufted　with　ostrich　feathers；　of　the　dwarfs　and　jugglers　who　by　night
perform　in　the　marketplace；　contending　for　custom　with　the　sorceresses
who　tell　the　fates　from　shells　gathered　by　mirage　seas；　with　the
snake…charmerswho　are　immune　from　the　poison　of　serpents　and　the
acrobats　who　come　from　far…off　Persia　and　Arabia　to　spread　their
carpets　in　the　shadow　of　the　Agha's　dwelling　and　delight　the　eyes　of
negro　and　Kabyle；　of　Soudanese　and　Touareg　with　their　feats　of
strength；　of　the　haschish　smokers　who；　assembled　by　night　in　an
underground　house　whose　ceiling　and　walls　were　black　as　ebony；　gave
themselves　up　to　day…dreams　of　shifting　glory；　in　which　the　things　of
earth　and　the　joys　and　passions　of　men　reappeared；　but　transformed　by
the　magic　influence　of　the　drug；　made　monstrous　or　fairylike；
intensified　or　turned　to　voluptuous　languors；　through　which　the　Ouled
Nail　floated　like　a　syren；　promising　ecstasies　unknown　even　in
Baghdad；　where　the　pale　Circassian　lifts　her　lustrous　eyes；　in　which
the　palms　were　heavy　with　dates　of　solid　gold；　and　the　streams　were
gliding　silver。

Often　they　had　smiled　over　Batouch's　opulent　descriptions　of　the
marvels　of　Ain…Amara；　which　they　suspected　to　be　very　far　away　from
the　reality；　and　yet；　nevertheless；　when　they　saw　the　minarets　soaring
above　the　sands　to　the　brassy　heaven；　it　seemed　to　them　both　as　if；
perhaps；　they　might　be　true。　The　place　looked　intensely　barbaric。　The
approach　to　it　was　grandiose。

Wide　as　the　sands　had　been；　they　seemed　to　widen　out　into　a　greater
immensity　of　arid　pallor　before　the　city　gates　as　yet　unseen。　The
stretch　of　blue　above　looked　vaster　here；　the　horizons　more　remote；
the　radiance　of　the　sun　more　vivid；　more　inexorable。　Nature　surely
expanded　as　if　in　an　effort　to　hold　her　arm　against　some　tremendous
spectacle　set　in　its　bosom　by　the　activity　of　men；　who　were　strong　and
ardent　as　the　giants　of　old；　who　had　powers　and　a　passion　for
employing　them　persistently　not　known　in　any　other　region　of　the
earth。　The　immensity　of　Mogar　brought　sadness　to　the　mind。　The
immensity　of　Ain…Amara　brought　excitement。　Even　at　this　distance　from
it；　when　its　minarets　were　still　like　shadowy　fingers　of　an　unlifted
hand；　Androvsky　and　Domini　were　conscious　of　influences　streaming
forth　from　its　battlements　over　the　sloping　sands　like　a　procession
that　welcomed　them　to　a　new　phase　of　desert　life。

〃And　people　talk　of　the　monotony　of　the　Sahara！〃　Domini　said　speaking
out　of　their　mutual　thought。　〃Everything　is　here；　Boris；　you've　never
drawn　near　to　London。　Long　before　you　reach　the　first　suburbs　you　feel
London　like　a　great　influence　brooding　over　the　fields　and　the　woods。
Here　you　feel　Amara　in　the　same　way　brooding　over　the　sands。　It's　as
if　the　sands　were　full　of　voices。　Doesn't　it　excite　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃But〃and　he　turned　in　his　saddle　and　looked　back〃I
feel　as　if　the　solitudes　were　safer。〃

〃We　can　return　to　them。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃We　are　splendidly　free。　There's　nothing　to　prevent　us　leaving　Amara
tomorrow。〃

〃Isn't　there？〃　he　answered；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　the　minarets。

〃What　can　there　be？〃

〃Who　knows？〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Boris？　Are　you　superstitious？　But　you　reject　the
influence　of　place。　Don't　you　rememberat　Mogar？〃

At　the　mention　of　the　name　his　face　clouded　and　she　was　sorry　she　had
spoken　it。　Since　they　had　left　the　hill　above　the　mirage　sea　they　had
scarcely　ever　alluded　to　their　night　there。　They　had　never　once　talked
of　the　dinner　in　camp　with　De　Trevignac　and　his　men；　or　renewed　their
conversation　in　the　tent　on　the　subject　of　religion。　But　since　that
day；　since　her　words　about　Androvsky's　lack　of　perfect　happiness　even
with　her　far　out　in　the　freedom　of　the　desert；　Domini　had　been
conscious　that；　despite　their　great　love　for　each　other；　their　mutual
passion　for　the　solitude　in　which　it　grew　each　day　more　deep　and　more
engrossing；　wrapping　their　lives　in　fire　and　leading　them　on　to　the
inner　abodes　of　sacred　understanding；　there　was　at　moments　a　barrier
between　them。

At　first　she　had　striven　not　to　recognise　its　existence。　She　had
striven　to　be　blind。　But　she　was　essentially　a　brave　woman　and　an
almost　fanatical　lover　of　truth　for　its　own　sake；　thinking　that　what
is　called　an　ugly　truth　is　less　ugly　than　the　loveliest　lie。　To　deny
truth　is　to　play　the　coward。　She　could　not　long　do　that。　And　so　she
quickly　learned　to　face　this　truth　with　steady　eyes　and　an　unflinching
heart。

At　moments　Androvsky　retreated　from　her；　his　mind　became　remotemore；
his　heart　was　far　from　her；　and；　in　its　distant　place；　was　suffering。
Of　that　she　was　assured。

But　she　was　assured；　too；　that　she　stood　to　him　for　perfection　in
human　companionship。　A　woman's　love　is；　perhaps；　the　only　true
divining　rod。　Domini　knew　instinctively　where　lay　the　troubled　waters；
what　troubled　them　in　their　subterranean　dwelling。　She　was　certain
that　Androvsky　was　at　peace　with　her　but　not　with　himself。　She　had
said　to　him　in　the　tent　that　she　thought　he　sometimes　felt　far　away
from　God。　The　conviction　grew　in　her　that　even　the　satisfaction　of　his
great　human　love　was　not　enough　for　his　nature。　He　demanded；　sometimes
imperiously；　not　only　the　peace　that　can　be　understood　gloriously；　but
also　that　other　peace　which　passeth　understanding。　And　because　he　had
it　not　he　suffered。

In　the　Garden　of　Allah　he　felt　a　loneliness　even　though　she　was　with
him；　and　he　could　not　speak　with　her　of　this　loneliness。　That　was　the
barrier　between　them；　she　thought。

She　prayed　for　him：　in　the　tent　by　night；　in　the　desert　under　the
burning　sky　by　day。　When　the　muezzin　cried　from　the　minaret　of　some
tiny　village　lost　in　the　desolation　of　the　wastes；　turning　to　the
north；　south；　east　and　west；　and　the　Mussulmans　bowed　their　shaved
heads；　facing　towards　Mecca；　she　prayed　to　the　Catholics'　God；　whom
she　felt　to　be　the　God；　too；　of　all　the　devout；　of　all　the　religions
of　the　world；　and　to　the　Mother　of　God；　looking　towards　Africa。　She
prayed　that　this　man　whom　she　loved；　and　who　she　believed　was　seeking；
might　find。　And　she　felt　that　there　was　a　strength；　a　passion　in　her
prayers；　which　could　not　be　rejected。　She　felt　that　some　day　Allah
would　show　himself　in　his　garden　to　the　wanderer　there。　She　dared　to
feel　that　because　she　dared　to　believe　in　the　endless　mercy　of　God。
And　when　that　moment　came　she　felt；　too；　that　their　lovehers　and　his
for　each　other　would　be　crowned。　Beautiful　and　intense　as　it　was　it
still　lacked　something。　It　needed　to　be　encircled　by　the　protecting
love　of　a　God　in　whom　they　both　believed　in　the　same　way；　and　to　whom
they　both　were　equally　near。　While　she　felt　close　to　this　love　and　he
far　from　it　they　were　not　quite　together。

There　were　moments　in　which　she　was　troubled；　even　sad；　but　they
passed。　For　she　had　a　great　courage；　a　great　confidence。　The　hope　that
dwells　like　a　flame　in　the　purity　of　prayer　comforted　her。

〃I　love　the　solitudes；〃　he　said。　〃I　love　to　have　you　to　myself。〃

〃If　we　lived　always　in　the　greatest　city　of　the　world　it　would　make　no
difference；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃You　know　that；　Boris。〃

He　bent　over　from　his　saddle　and　clasped　her　hand　in　his；　and　they
rode　thus　up　the　great　slope　of　the　sands；　with　their　horses　close
together。

The　minarets　of　the　city　grew　more　distinct。　They　dominated　the　waste
as　the　thought　of　Allah　dominates　the　Mohammedan　world。　Presently；　far
away　on　the　left；　Domini　and　Androvsky　saw　hills　of　sand；　clearly
defined　like　small　mountains　delicately　shaped。　On　the　summi