按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
it again； repeating the action with a regularity that seemed suggested
by some guidance。 She imagined him pressing her hand each time his
heart pulsed。 She did not want to return the pressure。 As she felt his
hand thus closing and unclosing over hers； she was conscious that she；
who in their intercourse had played a dominant part； who had even
deliberately brought about that intercourse by her action on the
tower； now longed to be passive and； forgetting her own power and the
strength and force of her nature； to lose herself in the greater
strength and force of this man to whom she had given herself。 Never
before had she wished to be anything but strong。 Nor did she desire
weakness now； but only that his nature should rise above hers with
eagle's wings； that when she looked up she should see him； never when
she looked down。 She thought that to see him below her would kill her；
and she opened her lips to say so。 But something in the windy darkness
kept her silent。 The heavy curtains of the palanquin shook
perpetually； and the tall wooden rods on which they were slung
creaked； making a small； incessant noise like a complaining； which
joined itself with the more distant but louder noise made by the
leaves of the thousands of palm trees dashed furiously together。 From
behind came the groaning of one of the camels； borne on the gusts of
the wind； and faint sounds of the calling voices of the Arabs who
accompanied them。 It was not a time to speak。
She wondered where they were； in what part of the oasis； whether they
had yet gained the beginning of the great route which had always
fascinated her； and which was now the road to the goal of all her
earthly desires。 But there was nothing to tell her。 She travelled in a
world of dimness and the roar of wind； and in this obscurity and
uproar； combined with perpetual though slight motion； she lost all
count of time。 She had no idea how long it was since she had come out
of the church door with Androvsky。 At first she thought it was only a
few minutes； and that the camels must be just coming to the statue of
the Cardinal。 Then she thought that it might be an hour； even more；
that Count Anteoni's garden was long since left behind； and that they
were passing； perhaps； along the narrow streets of the village of old
Beni…Mora； and nearing the edge of the oasis。 But even in this
confusion of mind she felt that something would tell her when the last
palms had vanished in the sand mist and the caravan came out into the
desert。 The sound of the wind would surely be different when they met
it on the immense flats； where there was nothing to break its fury。 Or
even if it were not different； she felt that she would know； that the
desert would surely speak to her in the moment when； at last； it took
her to itself。 It could not be that they would be taken by the desert
and she not know it。 But she wanted Androvsky to know it too。 For she
felt that the moment when the desert took them； man and wife； would be
a great moment in their lives； greater even than that in which they
met as they came into the blue country。 And she set herself to listen；
with a passionate expectation； with an attention so close and
determined that it thrilled her body； and even affected her muscles。
What she was listening for was a rising of the wind； a crescendo of
its voice。 She was anticipating a triumphant cry from the Sahara；
unlimited power made audible in a sound like the blowing of the
clarion of the sands。
Androvsky's hand was still on hers； but now it did not move as if
obeying the pulsations of his heart。 It held hers closely； warmly； and
sent his strength to her； and presently； for an instant； taking her
mind from the desert； she lost herself in the mystery and the wonder
of human companionship。 She realised that the touch of Androvsky's
hand on hers altered for her herself； and the whole universe as it was
presented to her； as she observed and felt it。 Nothing remained as it
was when he did not touch her。 There was something stupefying in the
thought； something almost terrible。 The wonder that is alive in the
tiny things of love； and that makes tremendously important their
presence in； or absence from； a woman's life； took hold on her
completely for the first time； and set her forever in a changed world；
a world in which a great knowledge ruled instead of a great ignorance。
With the consciousness of exactly what Androvsky's touch meant to her
came a multiple consciousness of a thousand other things； all
connected with him and her consecrated relation to him。 She quivered
with understanding。 All the gates of her soul were being opened； and
the white light of comprehension of those things which make life
splendid and fruitful was pouring in upon her。 Within the dim；
contained space of the palanquin； that was slowly carried onward
through the passion of the storm； there was an effulgence of unseen
glory that grew in splendour moment by moment。 A woman was being born
of a woman； woman who knew herself of woman who did not know herself；
woman who henceforth would divinely love her womanhood of woman who
had often wondered why she had been created woman。
The words muttered by the man of the sand in Count Anteoni's garden
were coming true。 In the church of Beni…Mora the life of Domini had
begun more really than when her mother strove in the pains of
childbirth and her first faint cry answered the voice of the world's
light when it spoke to her。
Slowly the caravan moved on。 The camel…drivers sang low under the
folds of their haiks those mysterious songs of the East that seem the
songs of heat and solitude。 Batouch； smothered in his burnous； his
large head sunk upon his chest； slumbered like a potentate relieved
from cares of State。 Till Arba was reached his duty was accomplished。
Ali； perched behind him on the camel； stared into the dimness with
eyes steady and remote as those of a vulture of the desert。 The houses
of Beni…Mora faded in the mist of the sand； the statue of the Cardinal
holding the double cross； the tower of the hotel； the shuddering trees
of Count Anteoni's garden。 Along the white blue which was the road the
camels painfully advanced； urged by the cries and the sticks of the
running drivers。 Presently the brown buildings of old Beni…Mora came
partially into sight； peeping here and there through the flying sands
and the frantic palm leaves。 The desert was at hand。
Ali began to sing； breathing his song into the back of Batouch's hood。
〃The love of women is like the holiday song that the boy sings gaily
In the sunny garden
The love of women is like the little moon； the little happy moon
In the last night of Ramadan。
The love of women is like the great silence that steals at dusk
To kiss the scented blossoms of the orange tree。
Sit thee down beneath the orange tree； O loving man！
That thou mayst know the kiss that tells the love of women。
Janat！ Janat！ Janat！〃
Batouch stirred uneasily； pulled his hood from his eyes and looked
into the storm gravely。 Then he shifted on the camel's hump and said
to Ali：
〃How shall we get to Arba？ The wind is like all the Touaregs go