salammbo-第12章

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〃Hush！〃　cried　Salammbo。



〃What　ails　you；　mistress？　The　blowing　of　the　breeze；　the　passing　of　a

cloud；　everything　disquiets　you　just　now！〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　said。



〃You　are　wearied　with　too　long　prayers！〃



〃Oh！　Tanaach；　I　would　fain　be　dissolved　in　them　like　a　flower　in

wine！〃



〃Perhaps　it　is　the　smoke　of　your　perfumes？〃



〃No！〃　said　Salammbo；　〃the　spirit　of　the　gods　dwells　in　fragrant

odours。〃



Then　the　slave　spoke　to　her　of　her　father。　It　was　thought　that　he　had

gone　towards　the　amber　country；　behind　the　pillars　of　Melkarth。　〃But

if　he　does　not　return；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　nevertheless；　since　it　was

his　will；　choose　a　husband　among　the　sons　of　the　Ancients；　and　then

your　grief　will　pass　away　in　a　man's　arms。〃



〃Why？〃　asked　the　young　girl。　All　those　that　she　had　seen　had　horrified

her　with　their　fallow…deer　laughter　and　their　coarse　limbs。



〃Sometimes；　Tanaach；　from　the　depths　of　my　being　there　exhale　as　it

were　hot　fumes　heavier　than　the　vapours　from　a　volcano。　Voices　call

me；　a　globe　of　fire　rolls　and　mounts　within　my　bosom；　it　stifles　me；　I

am　at　the　point　of　death；　and　then；　something　sweet；　flowing　from　my

brow　to　my　feet；　passes　through　my　fleshit　is　a　caress　enfolding　me；

and　I　feel　myself　crushed　as　if　some　god　were　stretched　upon　me。　Oh！

would　that　I　could　lose　myself　in　the　mists　of　the　night；　the　waters

of　the　fountains；　the　sap　of　the　trees；　that　I　could　issue　from　my

body；　and　be　but　a　breath；　or　a　ray；　and　glide；　mount　up　to　thee；　O

Mother！〃



She　raised　her　arms　to　their　full　length；　arching　her　form；　which　in

its　long　garment　was　as　pale　and　light　as　the　moon。　Then　she　fell

back；　panting；　on　the　ivory　couch；　but　Taanach　passed　an　amber

necklace　with　dolphin's　teeth　about　her　neck　to　banish　terrors；　and

Salammbo　said　in　an　almost　stifled　voice：　〃Go　and　bring　me

Schahabarim。〃



Her　father　had　not　wished　her　to　enter　the　college　of　priestesses；　nor

even　to　be　made　at　all　acquainted　with　the　popular　Tanith。　He　was

reserving　her　for　some　alliance　that　might　serve　his　political　ends；

so　that　Salammbo　lived　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　palace。　Her　mother

was　long　since　dead。



She　had　grown　up　with　abstinences；　fastings　and　purifications；　always

surrounded　by　grave　and　exquisite　things；　her　body　saturated　with

perfumes；　and　her　soul　filled　with　prayers。　She　had　never　tasted　wine；

nor　eaten　meat；　nor　touched　an　unclean　animal；　nor　set　her　heels　in

the　house　of　death。



She　knew　nothing　of　obscene　images；　for　as　each　god　was　manifested　in

different　forms；　the　same　principle　often　received　the　witness　of

contradictory　cults；　and　Salammbo　worshipped　the　goddess　in　her

sidereal　presentation。　An　influence　had　descended　upon　the　maiden　from

the　moon；　when　the　planet　passed　diminishing　away；　Salammbo　grew　weak。

She　languished　the　whole　day　long；　and　revived　at　evening。　During　an

eclipse　she　nearly　died。



But　Rabetna；　in　jealousy；　revenged　herself　for　the　virginity　withdrawn

from　her　sacrifices；　and　she　tormented　Salammbo　with　possessions；　all

the　stronger　for　being　vague；　which　were　spread　through　this　belief

and　excited　by　it。



Unceasingly　was　Hamilcar's　daughter　disquieted　about　Tanith。　She　had

learned　her　adventures；　her　travels；　and　all　her　names；　which　she

would　repeat　without　their　having　any　distinct　signification　for　her。

In　order　to　penetrate　into　the　depths　of　her　dogma；　she　wished　to

become　acquainted；　in　the　most　secret　part　of　the　temple；　with　the　old

idol　in　the　magnificent　mantle；　whereon　depended　the　destinies　of

Carthage；　for　the　idea　of　a　god　did　not　stand　out　clearly　from　his

representation；　and　to　hold；　or　even　see　the　image　of　one；　was　to　take

away　part　of　his　virtue；　and　in　a　measure　to　rule　him。



But　Salammbo　turned　around。　She　had　recognised　the　sound　of　the　golden

bells　which　Schahabarim　wore　at　the　hem　of　his　garment。



He　ascended　the　staircases；　then　at　the　threshold　of　the　terrace　he

stopped　and　folded　his　arms。



His　sunken　eyes　shone　like　the　lamps　of　a　sepulchre；　his　long　thin

body　floated　in　its　linen　robe　which　was　weighted　by　the　bells；　the

latter　alternating　with　balls　of　emeralds　at　his　heels。　He　had　feeble

limbs；　an　oblique　skull　and　a　pointed　chin；　his　skin　seemed　cold　to

the　touch；　and　his　yellow　face；　which　was　deeply　furrowed　with

wrinkles；　was　as　if　it　contracted　in　a　longing；　in　an　everlasting

grief。



He　was　the　high　priest　of　Tanith；　and　it　was　he　who　had　educated

Salammbo。



〃Speak！〃　he　said。　〃What　will　you？〃



〃I　hopedyou　had　almost　promised　me〃　She　stammered　and　was

confused；　then　suddenly：　〃Why　do　you　despise　me？　what　have　I　forgotten

in　the　rites？　You　are　my　master；　and　you　told　me　that　no　one　was　so

accomplished　in　the　things　pertaining　to　the　goddess　as　I；　but　there

are　some　of　which　you　will　not　speak。　Is　it　so；　O　father？〃



Schahabarim　remembered　Hamilcar's　orders；　and　replied：



〃No；　I　have　nothing　more　to　teach　you！〃



〃A　genius；〃　she　resumed；　〃impels　me　to　this　love。　I　have　climbed　the

steps　of　Eschmoun；　god　of　the　planets　and　intelligences；　I　have　slept

beneath　the　golden　olive　of　Melkarth；　patron　of　the　Tyrian　colonies；　I

have　pushed　open　the　doors　of　Baal…Khamon；　the　enlightener　and

fertiliser；　I　have　sacrificed　to　the　subterranean　Kabiri；　to　the　gods

of　woods；　winds；　rivers　and　mountains；　but；　can　you　understand？　they

are　all　too　far　away；　too　high；　too　insensible；　while　sheI　feel　her

mingled　in　my　life；　she　fills　my　soul；　and　I　quiver　with　inward

startings；　as　though　she　were　leaping　in　order　to　escape。　Methinks　I

am　about　to　hear　her　voice；　and　see　her　face；　lightnings　dazzle　me　and

then　I　sink　back　again　into　the　darkness。〃



Schahabarim　was　silent。　She　entreated　him　with　suppliant　looks。　At

last　he　made　a　sign　for　the　dismissal　of　the　slave；　who　was　not　of

Chanaanitish　race。　Taanach　disappeared；　and　Schahabarim；　raising　one

arm　in　the　air；　began：



〃Before　the　gods　darkness　alone　was；　and　a　breathing　stirred　dull　and

indistinct　as　the　conscience　of　a　man　in　a　dream。　It　contracted；

creating　Desire　and　Cloud；　and　from　Desire　and　Cloud　there　issued

primitive　Matter。　This　was　a　water；　muddy；　black；　icy　and　deep。　It

contained　senseless　monsters；　incoherent　portions　of　the　forms　to　be

born；　which　are　painted　on　the　walls　of　the　sanctuaries。



〃Then　Matter　condensed。　It　became　an　egg。　It　burst。　One　half　formed

the　earth　and　the　other　the　firmament。　Sun；　moon；　winds　and　clouds

appeared；　and　at　the　crash　of　the　thunder　intelligent　creatures　awoke。

Then　Eschmoun　spread　himself　in　the　starry　sphere；　Khamon　beamed　in

the　sun；　Melkarth　thrust　him　with　his　arms　behind　Gades；　the　Kabiri

descended　beneath　the　volcanoes；　and　Rabetna　like　a　nurse　bent　over

the　world　pouring　out　her　light　like　milk；　and　her　night　like　a

mantle。〃



〃And　then？〃　she　said。



He　had　related　the　secret　of　the　origins　to　her；　to　divert　her　from

sublimer　prospects；　but　the　maiden's　desire　kindled　again　at　his　last

words；　and　Schahabarim；　half　yielding　resumed：



〃She　inspires　and　governs　the　loves　of　men。〃



〃The　loves　of　men！〃　repeated　Salammbo　dreamily。



〃She　is　the　soul　of　Carthage；〃　continued　the　priest；　〃and　although　she

is　everywhere　diffused；　it　is　here　that　she　dwells；　beneath　the　sacred

veil。〃



〃O　father！〃　cried　Salammbo；　〃I　shall　see　her；　shall　I　not？　you　will

bring　me　to　her！　I　had　long　been　hesitating；　I　am　devoured　with

curiosity　to　see　her　form。　Pity！　help　me！　let　us　go？〃



He　repulsed　her　with　a　vehement　gesture　that　was　full　of　pride。



〃Never！　Do　you　not　know　that　it　means　death？　The　hermaphrodite　Baals

are　unveiled　to　us　alone　who　are　men　in　understanding　and　women　in

weakness。　Your　desire　is　sacrilege；　be　satisfied　with　the　knowledge

that　you　possess！〃



She　fell　upon　her　knees　placing　two　fingers　against　her　ears　in　token

of　repentance；　and　crushed　by　the　priest's　words；　and　filled　at　once

with　anger　against　him；