salammbo-第18章

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into　the　narrow　streets　amid　the　darkness。　The　strips　of　esparto…grass

with　which　the　doors　were　closed；　beat　against　the　walls。　Some　camels

were　ruminating　in　a　square　before　heaps　of　cut　grass。　Then　they

passed　beneath　a　gallery　covered　with　foliage。　A　pack　of　dogs　were

barking。　But　suddenly　the　space　grew　wider　and　they　recognised　the

western　face　of　the　Acropolis。　At　the　foot　of　Byrsa　there　stretched　a

long　black　mass：　it　was　the　temple　of　Tanith；　a　whole　made　up　of

monuments　and　galleries；　courts　and　fore…courts；　and　bounded　by　a　low

wall　of　dry　stones。　Spendius　and　Matho　leaped　over　it。



This　first　barrier　enclosed　a　wood　of　plane…trees　as　a　precaution

against　plague　and　infection　in　the　air。　Tents　were　scattered　here　and

there；　in　which；　during　the　daytime；　depilatory　pastes；　perfumes；

garments；　moon…shaped　cakes；　and　images　of　the　goddess　with

representations　of　the　temple　hollowed　out　in　blocks　of　alabaster；

were　on　sale。



They　had　nothing　to　fear；　for　on　nights　when　the　planet　did　not

appear；　all　rites　were　suspended；　nevertheless　Matho　slackened　his

speed；　and　stopped　before　the　three　ebony　steps　leading　to　the　second

enclosure。



〃Forward！〃　said　Spendius。



Pomegranate；　almond　trees；　cypresses　and　myrtles　alternated　in　regular

succession；　the　path；　which　was　paved　with　blue　pebbles；　creaked

beneath　their　footsteps；　and　full…blown　roses　formed　a　hanging　bower

over　the　whole　length　of　the　avenue。　They　arrived　before　an　oval　hole

protected　by　a　grating。　Then　Matho；　who　was　frightened　by　the　silence；

said　to　Spendius：



〃It　is　here　that　they　mix　the　fresh　water　and　the　bitter。〃



〃I　have　seen　all　that；〃　returned　the　former　slave；　〃in　Syria；　in　the

town　of　Maphug〃；　and　they　ascended　into　the　third　enclosure　by　a

staircase　of　six　silver　steps。



A　huge　cedar　occupied　the　centre。　Its　lowest　branches　were　hidden

beneath　scraps　of　material　and　necklaces　hung　upon　them　by　the

faithful。　They　walked　a　few　steps　further　on；　and　the　front　of　the

temple　was　displayed　before　them。



Two　long　porticoes；　with　their　architraves　resting　on　dumpy　pillars；

flanked　a　quadrangular　tower；　the　platform　of　which　was　adorned　with

the　crescent　of　a　moon。　On　the　angles　of　the　porticoes　and　at　the　four

corners　of　the　tower　stood　vases　filled　with　kindled　aromatics。　The

capitals　were　laden　with　pomegranates　and　coloquintidas。　Twining

knots；　lozenges；　and　rows　of　pearls　alternated　on　the　walls；　and　a

hedge　of　silver　filigree　formed　a　wide　semicircle　in　front　of　the

brass　staircase　which　led　down　from　the　vestibule。



There　was　a　cone　of　stone　at　the　entrance　between　a　stela　of　gold　and

one　of　emerald；　and　Matho　kissed　his　right　hand　as　he　passed　beside

it。



The　first　room　was　very　lofty；　its　vaulted　roof　was　pierced　by

numberless　apertures；　and　if　the　head　were　raised　the　stars　might　be

seen。　All　round　the　wall　rush　baskets　were　heaped　up　with　the　first

fruits　of　adolescence　in　the　shape　of　beards　and　curls　of　hair；　and　in

the　centre　of　the　circular　apartment　the　body　of　a　woman　issued　from　a

sheath　which　was　covered　with　breasts。　Fat；　bearded；　and　with　eyelids

downcast；　she　looked　as　though　she　were　smiling；　while　her　hands　were

crossed　upon　the　lower　part　of　her　big　body；　which　was　polished　by　the

kisses　of　the　crowd。



Then　they　found　themselves　again　in　the　open　air　in　a　transverse

corridor；　wherein　there　was　an　altar　of　small　dimensions　leaning

against　an　ivory　door。　There　was　no　further　passage；　the　priests　alone

could　open　it；　for　the　temple　was　not　a　place　of　meeting　for　the

multitude；　but　the　private　abode　of　a　divinity。



〃The　enterprise　is　impossible；〃　said　Matho。　〃You　had　not　thought　of

this！　Let　us　go　back！〃　Spendius　was　examining　the　walls。



He　wanted　the　veil；　not　because　he　had　confidence　in　its　virtue

（Spendius　believed　only　in　the　Oracle）；　but　because　he　was　persuaded

that　the　Carthaginians　would　be　greatly　dismayed　on　seeing　themselves

deprived　of　it。　They　walked　all　round　behind　in　order　to　find　some

outlet。



Aedicules　of　different　shapes　were　visible　beneath　clusters　of

turpentine　trees。　Here　and　there　rose　a　stone　phallus；　and　large　stags

roamed　peacefully　about；　spurning　the　fallen　fir…cones　with　their

cloven　hoofs。



But　they　retraced　their　steps　between　two　long　galleries　which　ran

parallel　to　each　other。　There　were　small　open　cells　along　their　sides；

and　tabourines　and　cymbals　hung　against　their　cedar　columns　from　top

to　bottom。　Women　were　sleeping　stretched　on　mats　outside　the　cells。

Their　bodies　were　greasy　with　unguents；　and　exhaled　an　odour　of　spices

and　extinguished　perfuming…pans；　while　they　were　so　covered　with

tattooings；　necklaces；　rings；　vermilion；　and　antimony　that；　but　for

the　motion　of　their　breasts；　they　might　have　been　taken　for　idols　as

they　lay　thus　on　the　ground。　There　were　lotus…trees　encircling　a

fountain　in　which　fish　like　Salammbo's　were　swimming；　and　then　in　the

background；　against　the　wall　of　the　temple；　spread　a　vine；　the

branches　of　which　were　of　glass　and　the　grape…bunches　of　emerald；　the

rays　from　the　precious　stones　making　a　play　of　light　through　the

painted　columns　upon　the　sleeping　faces。



Matho　felt　suffocated　in　the　warm　atmosphere　pressed　down　upon　him　by

the　cedar　partitions。　All　these　symbols　of　fecundation；　these

perfumes；　radiations；　and　breathings　overwhelmed　him。　Through　all　the

mystic　dazzling　he　kept　thinking　of　Salammbo。　She　became　confused　with

the　goddess　herself；　and　his　loved　unfolded　itself　all　the　more；　like

the　great　lotus…plants　blooming　upon　the　depths　of　the　waters。



Spendius　was　calculating　how　much　money　he　would　have　made　in　former

days　by　the　sale　of　these　women；　and　with　a　rapid　glance　he　estimated

the　weight　of　the　golden　necklaces　as　he　passed　by。



The　temple　was　impenetrable　on　this　side　as　on　the　other；　and　they

returned　behind　the　first　chamber。　While　Spendius　was　searching　and

ferreting；　Matho　was　prostrate　before　the　door　supplicating　Tanith。　He

besought　her　not　to　permit　the　sacrilege；　and　strove　to　soften　her

with　caressing　words；　such　as　are　used　to　an　angry　person。



Spendius　noticed　a　narrow　aperture　above　the　door。



〃Rise！〃　he　said　to　Matho；　and　he　made　him　stand　erect　with　his　back

against　the　wall。　Placing　one　foot　in　his　hands；　and　then　the　other

upon　his　head；　he　reached　up　to　the　air…hole；　made　his　way　into　it　and

disappeared。　Then　Matho　felt　a　knotted　cordthat　one　which　Spendius

had　rolled　around　his　body　before　entering　the　cisternsfall　upon　his

shoulders；　and　bearing　upon　it　with　both　hands　he　soon　found　himself

by　the　side　of　the　other　in　a　large　hall　filled　with　shadow。



Such　an　attempt　was　something　extraordinary。　The　inadequacy　of　the

means　for　preventing　it　was　a　sufficient　proof　that　it　was　considered

impossible。　The　sanctuaries　were　protected　by　terror　more　than　by

their　walls。　Matho　expected　to　die　at　every　step。



However　a　light　was　flickering　far　back　in　the　darkness；　and　they　went

up　to　it。　It　was　a　lamp　burning　in　a　shell　on　the　pedestal　of　a　statue

which　wore　the　cap　of　the　Kabiri。　Its　long　blue　robe　was　strewn　with

diamond　discs；　and　its　heels　were　fastened　to　the　ground　by　chains

which　sank　beneath　the　pavement。　Matho　suppressed　a　cry。　〃Ah！　there

she　is！　there　she　is！〃　he　stammered　out。　Spendius　took　up　the　lamp　in

order　to　light　himself。



〃What　an　impious　man　you　are！〃　murmured　Matho；　following　him

nevertheless。



The　apartment　which　they　entered　had　nothing　in　it　but　a　black

painting　representing　another　woman。　Her　legs　reached　to　the　top　of

the　wall；　and　her　body　filled　the　entire　ceiling；　a　huge　egg　hung　by　a

thread　from　her　navel；　and　she　fell　head　downwards　upon　the　other

wall；　reaching　as　far　as　the　level　of　the　pavement；　which　was　touched

by　her　pointed　fingers。



They　drew　a　hanging　aside；　in　order　to　go　on　further；　but　the　wind

blew　and　the　light　went　out。



Then　they　wandered　about；　lost