the garden of allah- 第54部分

〃It　impressed　you　as　it　impresses　me。　Well；　for　both　of　us　the　desert
has　gifts。　Let　us　accept　them　fearlessly。　It　is　the　will　of　Allah。〃

She　remembered　her　vision　of　the　pale　procession。　Would　she　walk　in　it
at　last？

〃You　are　as　fatalistic　as　an　Arab；〃　she　said。

〃And　you？〃

〃I！〃　she　answered　simply。　〃I　believe　that　I　am　in　the　hands　of　God；
and　I　know　that　perfect　love　can　never　harm　me。〃

After　a　moment　he　said；　gently：

〃Miss　Enfilden；　I　want　to　ask　something　of　you。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃Will　you　make　a　sacrifice？　To…morrow　I　start　at　dawn。　Will　you　be
here　to　wish　me　God　speed　on　my　journey？〃

〃Of　course　I　will。〃

〃It　will　be　good　of　you。　I　shall　value　it　from　you。　Andand　whenif
you　ever　make　your　long　journey　on　that　roadthe　route　to　the　south
I　will　wish　you　Allah's　blessing　in　the　Garden　of　Allah。〃

He　spoke　with　solemnity；　almost　with　passion；　and　she　felt　the　tears
very　near　her　eyes。　Then　they　sat　in　silence；　looking　out　over　the
desert。

And　she　heard　its　voices　calling。



CHAPTER　XIII

On　the　following　morning；　before　dawn；　Domini　awoke；　stirred　from
sleep　by　her　anxiety；　persistent　even　in　what　seemed　unconsciousness；
to　speed　Count　Anteoni　upon　his　desert　journey。　She　did　not　know　why
he　was　going；　but　she　felt　that　some　great　issue　in　his　life　hung　upon
the　accomplishment　of　the　purpose　with　which　he　set　out；　and　without
affectation　she　ardently　desired　that　accomplishment。　As　soon　as　she
awoke　she　lit　a　candle　and　glanced　at　her　watch。　She　knew　by　the　hour
that　the　dawn　was　near；　and　she　got　up　at　once　and　made　her　toilet。
She　had　told　Batouch　to　be　at　the　hotel　door　before　sunrise　to
accompany　her　to　the　garden；　and　she　wondered　if　he　were　below。　A
stillness　as　of　deep　night　prevailed　in　the　house；　making　her
movements；　while　she　dressed；　seem　unnaturally　loud。　When　she　put　on
her　hat；　and　looked　into　the　glass　to　see　if　it　were　just　at　the　right
angle；　she　thought　her　face；　always　white；　was　haggard。　This　departure
made　her　a　little　sad。　It　suggested　to　her　the　instability　of
circumstance；　the　perpetual　change　that　occurs　in　life。　The　going　of
her　kind　host　made　her　own　going　more　possible　than　before；　even　more
likely。　Some　words　from　the　Bible　kept　on　running　through　her　brain
〃Here　have　we　no　continuing　city。〃　In　the　silent　darkness　their
cadence　held　an　ineffable　melancholy。　Her　mind　heard　them　as　the　ear；
in　a　pathetic　moment；　hears　sometimes　a　distant　strain　of　music
wailing　like　a　phantom　through　the　invisible。　And　the　everlasting
journeying　of　all　created　things　oppressed　her　heart。

When　she　had　buttoned　her　jacket　and　drawn　on　her　gloves　she　went　to
the　French　window　and　pushed　back　the　shutters。　A　wan　semi…darkness
looked　in　upon　her。　Again　she　wondered　whether　Batouch　had　come。　It
seemed　to　her　unlikely。　She　could　not　imagine　that　anyone　in　all　the
world　was　up　and　purposeful　but　herself。　This　hour　seemed　created　as　a
curtain　for　unconsciousness。　Very　softly　she　stepped　out　upon　the
verandah　and　looked　over　the　parapet。　She　could　see　the　white　road；
mysteriously　white；　below。　It　was　deserted。　She　leaned　down。

〃Batouch！〃　she　called　softly。　〃Batouch！〃

He　might　be　hidden　under　the　arcade；　sleeping　in　his　burnous。

〃Batouch！　Batouch！〃

No　answer　came。　She　stood　by　the　parapet；　waiting　and　looking　down　the
road。

All　the　stars　had　faded；　yet　there　was　no　suggestion　of　the　sun。　She
faced　an　unrelenting　austerity。　For　a　moment　she　thought　of　this
atmosphere；　this　dense　stillness；　this　gravity　of　vague　and　shadowy
trees；　as　the　environment　of　those　who　had　erred；　of　the　lost　spirits
of　men　who　had　died　in　mortal　sin。

Almost　she　expected　to　see　the　desperate　shade　of　her　dead　father　pass
between　the　black　stems　of　the　palm　trees；　vanish　into　the　grey　mantle
that　wrapped　the　hidden　world。

〃Batouch！　Batouch！〃

He　was　not　there。　That　was　certain。　She　resolved　to　set　out　alone　and
went　back　into　her　bedroom　to　get　her　revolver。　When　she　came　out
again　with　it　in　her　hand　Androvsky　was　standing　on　the　verandah　just
outside　her　window。　He　took　off　his　hat　and　looked　from　her　face　to
the　revolver。　She　was　startled　by　his　appearance；　for　she　had　not
heard　his　step；　and　had　been　companioned　by　a　sense　of　irreparable
solitude。　This　was　the　first　time　she　had　seen　him　since　he　vanished
from　the　garden　on　the　previous　day。

〃You　are　going　out；　Madame？〃　he　said。

〃Yes。〃

〃Not　alone？〃

〃I　believe　so。　Unless　I　find　Batouch　below。〃

She　slipped　the　revolver　into　the　pocket　of　the　loose　coat　she　wore。

〃But　it　is　dark。〃

〃It　will　be　day　very　soon。　Look！〃

She　pointed　towards　the　east；　where　a　light；　delicate　and　mysterious
as　the　distant　lights　in　the　opal；　was　gently　pushing　in　the　sky。

〃You　ought　not　to　go　alone。〃

〃Unless　Batouch　is　there　I　must。　I　have　given　a　promise　and　I　must
keep　it。　There　is　no　danger。〃

He　hesitated；　looking　at　her　with　an　anxious；　almost　a　suspicious；
expression。

〃Good…bye；　Monsieur　Androvsky。〃

She　went　towards　the　staircase。　He　followed　her　quickly　to　the　head　of
it。

〃Don't　trouble　to　come　down　with　me。〃

〃Ifif　Batouch　is　not　theremight　not　I　guard　you；　Madame？〃　She
remembered　the　Count's　words　and　answered：

〃Let　me　tell　you　where　I　am　going。　I　am　going　to　say　good…bye　to　Count
Anteoni　before　he　starts　for　his　desert　journey。〃

Androvsky　stood　there　without　a　word。

〃Now；　do　you　care　to　come　if　I　don't　find　Batouch？　Mind；　I'm　not　the
least　afraid。〃

〃Perhaps　he　is　thereif　you　told　him。〃　He　muttered　the　words。　His
whole　manner　had　changed。　Now　he　looked　more　than　suspiciouscloudy
and　fierce。

〃Possibly。〃

She　began　to　descend　the　stairs。　He　did　not　follow　her；　but　stood
looking　after　her。　When　she　reached　the　arcade　it　was　deserted。
Batouch　had　forgotten　or　had　overslept　himself。　She　could　have　walked
on　under　the　roof　that　was　the　floor　of　the　verandah；　but　instead　she
stepped　out　into　the　road。　Androvsky　was　above　her　by　the　parapet。　She
glanced　up　and　said：

〃He　is　not　here；　but　it　is　of　no　consequence。　Dawn　is　breaking。　/Au
revoir/！〃

Slowly　he　took　off　his　hat。　As　she　went　away　down　the　road　he　was
holding　it　in　his　hand；　looking　after　her。

〃He　does　not　like　the　Count；〃　she　thought。

At　the　corner　she　turned　into　the　street　where　the　sand…diviner　had
his　bazaar；　and　as　she　neared　his　door　she　was　aware　of　a　certain
trepidation。　She　did　not　want　to　see　those　piercing　eyes　looking　at
her　in　the　semi…darkness；　and　she　hurried　her　steps。　But　her　anxiety
was　needless。　All　the　doors　were　shut；　all　the　inhabitants　doubtless
wrapped　in　sleep。　Yet；　when　she　had　gained　the　end　of　the　street；　she
looked　back；　half　expecting　to　see　an　apparition　of　a　thin　figure；　a
tortured　face；　to　hear　a　voice；　like　a　goblin's　voice；　calling　after
her。　Midway　down　the　street　there　was　a　man　coming　slowly　behind　her。
For　a　moment　she　thought　it　was　the　Diviner　in　pursuit；　but　something
in　the　gait　soon　showed　her　her　mistake。　There　was　a　heaviness　in　the
movement　of　this　man　quite　unlike　the　lithe　and　serpentine　agility　of
Aloui。　Although　she　could　not　see　the　face；　or　even　distinguish　the
costume　in　the　morning　twilight；　she　knew　it　for　Androvsky。　From　a
distance　he　was　watching　over　her。　She　did　not　hesitate；　but　walked　on
quickly　again。　She　did　not　wish　him　to　know　that　she　had　seen　him。
When　she　came　to　the　long　road　that　skirted　the　desert　she　met　the
breeze　of　dawn　that　blows　out　of　the　east　across　the　flats；　and　drank
in　its　celestial　purity。　Between　the　palms；　far　away　towards　Sidi…
Zerzour；　above　the　long　indigo　line　of　the　Sahara；　there　rose　a　curve
of　deep　red　gold。　The　sun　was　coming　up　to　take　possession　of　his
waiting　world。　She　longed　to　ride　out　to　meet　him；　to　give　him　a
passionate　welcome　in　the　sand；　and　the　opening　words　of　the　Egyptian
〃Adoration　of　the　Sun　by　the　Perfect　Souls〃　came　to　her　lips：

〃Hommage　a　Toi。　Dieu　Soleil。　Seigneur　du　Ciel；　Roi　sur　la　Terre！　Lion
du　Soir！　Grande　Ame　divine；　vivante　a　toujours。〃

Why　had　she　not　ordered　her　horse　to　ride　a　little　way　with　Count
Anteoni？　She　might　have　pretended　that　she　was　starting　on　her　great
journey。

The　red　gold　curve　became　a　semi…circle　of　burnished　glory　resting
upon　the　deep　blue；　then　a　full　circle　that　detached　itself
majestically　and　mounted　calmly　up　the　cloudless　sky。　A　stream　of
light　poured　into　the　oasis；　and　Domini；　who　had　paused　for　a　moment
in　silent　worship；　went　on　swiftly　through　the　negro　village　which　was
all　astir；　and　down　the　track　to　the　white　villa。

She　did　not　glance　round　again　to　see　whether　Androvsky　was　still
following　her；　for；　since　the　sun　had　come；　she　had　the　confident
sensation　that　he　was　no　longer　near。

He　had　surely　given　her　into　the　guardianship　of　the　sun。

The　door　of　the　garden　stood　wide　open；　and；　as　she　entered；　she　saw
three　magnificent　horses　prancing　upon　the　sweep　of　sand　in　the　midst
of　a　little　group　of　Arabs。　Smain　greeted　her　with　graceful　warmth　and
begged　her　to　follow　him　to　the　/fumoir/；　where　the　Count　was　waiting
for　her。

〃It　is　good　of　you！〃　the　Count　said；　meeting　her　in　the　doorway。　〃I
relied　on　you；　you　see！〃

Breakfast　for　two　was　scattered　upon　the　little　smoki