A Passion in the Desert.docx

A Passion in the Desert.docx

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APassionintheDesert

APassionintheDesertbyHonoredeBalzacTranslatedbyErnestDowson"Thewholeshowisdreadful,"shecriedcomingoutofthemenagerieofM.Martin.Shehadjustbeenlookingatthatdaringspeculator"workingwithhishyena,"--tospeakinthestyleoftheprogramme.

"Bywhatmeans,"shecontinued,"canhehavetamedtheseanimalstosuchapointastobecertainoftheiraffectionfor----"

"Whatseemstoyouaproblem,"saidI,interrupting,"isreallyquitenatural."

"Oh!

"shecried,lettinganincreduloussmilewanderoverherlips.

"Youthinkthatbeastsarewhollywithoutpassions?

"Iaskedher.

"Quitethereverse;wecancommunicatetothemallthevicesarisinginourownstateofcivilization."

Shelookedatmewithanairofastonishment.

"But,"Icontinued,"thefirsttimeIsawM.Martin,Iadmit,likeyou,Ididgiveventtoanexclamationofsurprise.Ifoundmyselfnexttoanoldsoldierwiththerightlegamputated,whohadcomeinwithme.Hisfacehadstruckme.Hehadoneofthoseheroicheads,stampedwiththesealofwarfare,andonwhichthebattlesofNapoleonarewritten.Besides,hehadthatfrank,good-humoredexpressionwhichalwaysimpressesmefavorably.Hewaswithoutdoubtoneofthosetrooperswhoaresurprisedatnothing,whofindmatterforlaughterinthecontortionsofadyingcomrade,whoburyorplunderhimquitelight-heartedly,whostandintrepidlyinthewayofbullets;--infact,oneofthosemenwhowastenotimeindeliberation,andwouldnothesitatetomakefriendswiththedevilhimself.Afterlookingveryattentivelyattheproprietorofthemenageriegettingoutofhisbox,mycompanionpurseduphislipswithanairofmockeryandcontempt,withthatpeculiarandexpressivetwistwhichsuperiorpeopleassumetoshowtheyarenottakenin.Then,whenIwasexpatiatingonthecourageofM.Martin,hesmiled,shookhisheadknowingly,andsaid,'Wellknown.'

"'How"wellknown"?

'Isaid.'Ifyouwouldonlyexplainmethemystery,Ishouldbevastlyobliged.'

"Afterafewminutes,duringwhichwemadeacquaintance,wewenttodineatthefirstrestauranteur'swhoseshopcaughtoureye.Atdessertabottleofchampagnecompletelyrefreshedandbrightenedupthememoriesofthisoddoldsoldier.Hetoldmehisstory,andIsawthathewasrightwhenheexclaimed,'Wellknown.'"

Whenshegothome,sheteasedmetothatextent,wassocharming,andmadesomanypromises,thatIconsentedtocommunicatetohertheconfidencesoftheoldsoldier.Nextdayshereceivedthefollowingepisodeofanepicwhichonemightcall"TheFrenchinEgypt."

DuringtheexpeditioninUpperEgyptunderGeneralDesaix,aProvencalsoldierfellintothehandsoftheMaugrabins,andwastakenbytheseArabsintothedesertsbeyondthefallsoftheNile.

InordertoplaceasufficientdistancebetweenthemselvesandtheFrencharmy,theMaugrabinsmadeforcedmarches,andonlyhaltedwhennightwasuponthem.Theycampedroundawellovershadowedbypalmtreesunderwhichtheyhadpreviouslyconcealedastoreofprovisions.

Notsurmisingthatthenotionofflightwouldoccurtotheirprisoner,theycontentedthemselveswithbindinghishands,andaftereatingafewdates,andgivingprovendertotheirhorses,wenttosleep.

WhenthebraveProvencalsawthathisenemieswerenolongerwatchinghim,hemadeuseofhisteethtostealascimiter,fixedthebladebetweenhisknees,andcutthecordswhichpreventedhimfromusinghishands;inamomenthewasfree.Heatonceseizedarifleandadagger,thentakingtheprecautionstoprovidehimselfwithasackofdrieddates,oats,andpowderandshot,andtofastenascimitertohiswaist,heleapedontoahorse,andspurredonvigorouslyinthedirectionwherehethoughttofindtheFrencharmy.Soimpatientwashetoseeabivouacagainthathepressedonthealreadytiredcourseratsuchspeed,thatitsflankswerelaceratedwithhisspurs,andatlastthepooranimaldied,leavingtheFrenchmanaloneinthedesert.

Afterwalkingsometimeinthesandwithallthecourageofanescapedconvict,thesoldierwasobligedtostop,asthedayhadalreadyended.InspiteofthebeautyofanOrientalskyatnight,hefelthehadnotstrengthenoughtogoon.Fortunatelyhehadbeenabletofindasmallhill,onthesummitofwhichafewpalmtreesshotupintotheair;itwastheirverdureseenfromafarwhichhadbroughthopeandconsolationtohisheart.Hisfatiguewassogreatthathelaydownuponarockofgranite,capriciouslycutoutlikeacamp-bed;therehefellasleepwithouttakinganyprecautiontodefendhimselfwhileheslept.Hehadmadethesacrificeofhislife.Hislastthoughtwasoneofregret.HerepentedhavinglefttheMaugrabins,whosenomadiclifeseemedtosmileuponhimnowthathewasfarfromthemandwithouthelp.Hewasawakenedbythesun,whosepitilessraysfellwithalltheirforceonthegraniteandproducedanintolerableheat--forhehadhadthestupiditytoplacehimselfadverselytotheshadowthrownbytheverdantmajesticheadsofthepalmtrees.Helookedatthesolitarytreesandshuddered--theyremindedhimofthegracefulshaftscrownedwithfoliagewhichcharacterizetheSaracencolumnsinthecathedralofArles.

Butwhen,aftercountingthepalmtrees,hecasthiseyesaroundhim,themosthorribledespairwasinfusedintohissoul.Beforehimstretchedanoceanwithoutlimit.Thedarksandofthedesertspreadfurtherthaneyecouldreachineverydirection,andglitteredlikesteelstruckwithbrightlight.Itmighthavebeenaseaoflooking-

glass,orlakesmeltedtogetherinamirror.Afieryvaporcarriedupinsurgingwavesmadeaperpetualwhirlwindoverthequiveringland.

TheskywaslitwithanOrientalsplendorofinsupportablepurity,leavingnaughtfortheimaginationtodesire.Heavenandearthwereonfire.

Thesilencewasawfulinitswildandterriblemajesty.Infinity,immensity,closedinuponthesoulfromeveryside.Notacloudinthesky,notabreathintheair,notaflawonthebosomofthesand,evermovingindiminutivewaves;thehorizonendedasatseaonaclearday,withonelineoflight,definiteasthecutofasword.

TheProvencalthrewhisarmsroundthetrunkofoneofthepalmtrees,asthoughitwerethebodyofafriend,andthen,intheshelterofthethin,straightshadowthatthepalmcastuponthegranite,hewept.Thensittingdownheremainedashewas,contemplatingwithprofoundsadnesstheimplacablescene,whichwasallhehadtolookupon.Hecriedaloud,tomeasurethesolitude.Hisvoice,lostinthehollowsofthehill,soundedfaintly,andarousednoecho--theechowasinhisownheart.TheProvencalwastwenty-twoyearsold:

--heloadedhiscarbine.

"There'llbetimeenough,"hesaidtohimself,layingonthegroundtheweaponwhichalonecouldbringhimdeliverance.

Viewingalternatelythedarkexpanseofthedesertandtheblueexpanseofthesky,thesoldierdreamedofFrance--hesmelledwithdelighttheguttersofParis--herememberedthetownsthroughwhichhehadpassed,thefacesofhiscomrades,themostminutedetailsofhislife.HisSouthernfancysoonshowedhimthestonesofhisbelovedProvence,intheplayoftheheatwhichundulatedabovethewideexpanseofthedesert.Realizingthedangerofthiscruelmirage,hewentdowntheoppositesideofthehilltothatbywhichhehadcomeupthedaybefore.Theremainsofarugshowedthatthisplaceofrefugehadatonetimebeeninhabited;atashortdistancehesawsomepalmtreesfullofdates.Thentheinstinctwhichbindsustolifeawokeagaininhisheart.HehopedtolivelongenoughtoawaitthepassingofsomeMaugrabins,orperhapshemighthearthesoundofcannon;foratthistimeBonapartewastraversingEgypt.

Thisthoughtgavehimnewlife.Thepalmtreeseemedtobendwiththeweightoftheripefruit.Heshooksomeofitdown.Whenhetastedthisunhoped-formanna,hefeltsurethatthepalmshadbeencultivatedbyaformerinhabitant--thesavory,freshmeatofthedateswereproofofthecareofhispredecessor.Hepassedsuddenlyfromdarkdespairtoanalmostinsanejoy.Hewentupagaintothetopofthehill,andspenttherestofthedayincuttingdownoneofthesterilepalmtrees,whichthenightbeforehadservedhimforshelter.

Avaguememorymadehimthinkoftheanimalsofthedesert;andincasetheymightcometodrinkatthespring,visiblefromthebaseoftherocksbutlostfurtherdown,heresolvedtoguardhimselffromtheirvisitsbyplacingabarrierattheentranceofhishermitage.

Inspiteofhisdiligence,andthestrengthwhichthefearofbeingdevouredasleepgavehim,hewasunabletocutthepalminpieces,thoughhesucceededincuttingitdown.Ateventidethekingofthedesertfell;thesoundofitsfallresoundedfarandwide,likeasighinthesolitude;thesoldiershudderedasthoughhehadheardsomevoicepredictingwoe.

Butlikeanheirwhodoesnotlongbewailadeceasedrelative,hetoreofffromthisbeautifultreethetallbroadgreenleaveswhichareitspoeticadornment,andusedthemtomendthematonwhichhewastosleep.

Fatiguedbytheheatandhiswork,hefellasleepundertheredcurtainsofhiswetcave.

Inthemiddleofthenighthissleepwastroubledbyanextraordinarynoise;hesatup,andthedeepsilencearoundallowedhimtodistinguishthealternativeaccentsofarespirationwhosesavageenergycouldnotbelongtoahumancreature.

Aprofoundterror,increasedstillfurtherbythedarkness,thesilence,andhiswakingimages,frozehisheartwithinhim.Healmostfelthishairstandonend,whenbystraininghiseyestotheirutmostheperceivedthroughtheshadowtwofaintyellowlights.Atfirstheattributedtheselightstothereflect