salammbo-第20章

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They　reached　thus　the　galley　staircase。　Matho　raised　his　head；　and

thought　that　he　could　perceive　far　above　a　vague　brightness；　radiant

and　soft。　Spendius　sought　to　restrain　him；　but　he　dashed　up　the　steps。



As　he　found　himself　again　in　places　where　he　had　already　seen　her；　the

interval　of　the　days　that　had　passed　was　obliterated　from　his　memory。

But　now　had　she　been　singing　among　the　tables；　she　had　disappeared；

and　he　had　since　been　continually　ascending　this　staircase。　The　sky

above　his　head　was　covered　with　fires；　the　sea　filled　the　horizon；　at

each　step　he　was　surrounded　by　a　still　greater　immensity；　and　he

continued　to　climb　upward　with　that　strange　facility　which　we

experience　in　dreams。



The　rustling　of　the　veil　as　it　brushed　against　the　stones　recalled　his

new　power　to　him；　but　in　the　excess　of　his　hope　he　could　no　longer

tell　what　he　was　to　do；　this　uncertainty　alarmed　him。



From　time　to　time　he　would　press　his　face　against　the　quadrangular

openings　in　the　closed　apartments；　and　he　thought　that　in　several　of

the　latter　he　could　see　persons　asleep。



The　last　story；　which　was　narrower；　formed　a　sort　of　dado　on　the

summit　of　the　terraces。　Matho　walked　round　it　slowly。



A　milky　light　filled　the　sheets　of　talc　which　closed　the　little

apertures　in　the　wall；　and　in　their　symmetrical　arrangement　they

looked　in　the　darkness　like　rows　of　delicate　pearls。　He　recognised　the

red　door　with　the　black　cross。　The　throbbing　of　his　heart　increased。

He　would　fain　have　fled。　He　pushed　the　door　and　it　opened。



A　galley…shaped　lamp　hung　burning　in　the　back　part　of　the　room；　and

three　rays；　emitted　from　its　silver　keel；　trembled　on　the　lofty

wainscots；　which　were　painted　red　with　black　bands。　The　ceiling　was　an

assemblage　of　small　beams；　with　amethysts　and　topazes　amid　their

gilding　in　the　knots　of　the　wood。　On　both　the　great　sides　of　the

apartment　there　stretched　a　very　low　bed　made　with　white　leathern

straps；　while　above；　semi…circles　like　shells；　opened　in　the　thickness

of　the　wall；　suffered　a　garment　to　come　out　and　hang　down　to　the

ground。



There　was　an　oval　basin　with　a　step　of　onyx　round　it；　delicate

slippers　of　serpent　skin　were　standing　on　the　edge；　together　with　an

alabaster　flagon。　The　trace　of　a　wet　footstep　might　be　seen　beyond。

Exquisite　scents　were　evaporating。



Matho　glided　over　the　pavement；　which　was　encrusted　with　gold；　mother…

of…pearl；　and　glass；　and；　in　spite　of　the　polished　smoothness　of　the

ground；　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　feet　sank　as　though　he　were　walking

on　sand。



Behind　the　silver　lamp　he　had　perceived　a　large　square　of　azure　held

in　the　air　by　four　cords　from　above；　and　he　advanced　with　loins　bent

and　mouth　open。



Flamingoes'　wings；　fitted　on　branches　of　black　coral；　lay　about　among

purple　cushions；　tortoiseshell　strigils；　cedar　boxes；　and　ivory

spatulas。　There　were　antelopes'　horns　with　rings　and　bracelets　strung

upon　them；　and　clay　vases　were　cooling　in　the　wind　in　the　cleft　of　the

wall　with　a　lattice…work　of　reeds。　Several　times　he　struck　his　foot；

for　the　ground　had　various　levels　of　unequal　height；　which　formed　a

succession　of　apartments；　as　it　were；　in　the　room。　In　the　background

there　were　silver　balustrades　surrounding　a　carpet　strewn　with　painted

flowers。　At　last　he　came　to　the　hanging　bed　beside　an　ebony　stool

serving　to　get　into　it。



But　the　light　ceased　at　the　edge；and　the　shadow；　like　a　great

curtain；　revealed　only　a　corner　of　the　red　mattress　with　the　extremity

of　a　little　naked　foot　lying　upon　its　ankle。　Then　Matho　took　up　the

lamp　very　gently。



She　was　sleeping　with　her　cheek　in　one　hand　and　with　the　other　arm

extended。　Her　ringlets　were　spread　about　her　in　such　abundance　that

she　appeared　to　be　lying　on　black　feathers；　and　her　ample　white　tunic

wound　in　soft　draperies　to　her　feet　following　the　curves　of　her

person。　Her　eyes　were　just　visible　beneath　her　half…closed　eyelids。

The　curtains；　which　stretched　perpendicularly；　enveloped　her　in　a

bluish　atmosphere；　and　the　motion　of　her　breathing；　communicating

itself　to　the　cords；　seemed　to　rock　her　in　the　air。　A　long　mosquito

was　buzzing。



Matho　stood　motionless　holding　the　silver　lamp　at　arm's　length；　but　on

a　sudden　the　mosquito…net　caught　fire　and　disappeared；　and　Salammbo

awoke。



The　fire　had　gone　out　of　itself。　She　did　not　speak。　The　lamp　caused

great　luminous　moires　to　flicker　on　the　wainscots。



〃What　is　it？〃　she　said。



He　replied：



〃'Tis　the　veil　of　the　goddess！〃



〃The　veil　of　the　goddess！〃　cried　Salammbo；　and　supporting　herself　on

both　clenched　hands　she　leaned　shuddering　out。　He　resumed：



〃I　have　been　in　the　depths　of　the　sanctuary　to　seek　it　for　you！　Look！〃

The　Zaimph　shone　a　mass　of　rays。



〃Do　you　remember　it？〃　said　Matho。　〃You　appeared　at　night　in　my　dreams；

but　I　did　not　guess　the　mute　command　of　your　eyes！〃　She　put　out　one

foot　upon　the　ebony　stool。　〃Had　I　understood　I　should　have　hastened

hither；　I　should　have　forsaken　the　army；　I　should　not　have　left

Carthage。　To　obey　you　I　would　go　down　through　the　caverns　of

Hadrumetum　into　the　kingdom　of　the　shades！Forgive　me！　it　was　as

though　mountains　were　weighing　upon　my　days；　and　yet　something　drew　me

on！　I　tried　to　come　to　you！　Should　I　ever　have　dared　this　without　the

Gods！Let　us　go！　You　must　follow　me！　or；　if　you　do　not　wish　to　do　so；

I　will　remain。　What　matters　it　to　me！Drown　my　soul　in　your　breath！

Let　my　lips　be　crushed　with　kissing　your　hands！〃



〃Let　me　see　it！〃　she　said。　〃Nearer！　nearer！〃



Day　was　breaking；　and　the　sheets　of　talc　in　the　walls　were　filled　with

a　vinous　colour。　Salammbo　leaned　fainting　against　the　cushions　of　the

bed。



〃I　love　you！〃　cried　Matho。



〃Give　it！〃　she　stammered　out；　and　they　drew　closer　together。



She　kept　advancing；　clothed　in　her　white　trailing　simar；　and　with　her

large　eyes　fastened　on　the　veil。　Matho　gazed　at　her；　dazzled　by　the

splendours　of　her　head；　and；　holding　out　the　zaimph　towards　her；　was

about　to　enfold　her　in　an　embrace。　She　was　stretching　out　her　arms。

Suddenly　she　stopped；　and　they　stood　looking　at　each　other；　open…

mouthed。



Then　without　understanding　the　meaning　of　his　solicitation　a　horror

seized　upon　her。　Her　delicate　eyebrows　rose；　her　lips　opened；　she

trembled。　At　last　she　struck　one　of　the　brass　pateras　which　hung　at

the　corners　of　the　red　mattress；　crying：



〃To　the　rescue！　to　the　rescue！　Back；　sacrilegious　man！　infamous　and

accursed！　Help；　Taanach；　Kroum；　Ewa；　Micipsa；　Schaoul！〃



And　the　scared　face　of　Spendius；　appearing　in　the　wall　between　the

clay　flagons；　cried　out　these　words：



〃Fly！　they　are　hastening　hither！〃



A　great　tumult　came　upwards　shaking　the　staircases；　and　a　flood　of

people；　women；　serving…men；　and　slaves；　rushed　into　the　room　with

stakes；　tomahawks；　cutlasses；　and　daggers。　They　were　nearly　paralysed

with　indignation　on　perceiving　a　man；　the　female　servants　uttered

funeral　wailings；　and　the　eunuchs　grew　pale　beneath　their　black　skins。



Matho　was　standing　behind　the　balustrades。　With　the　zaimph　which　was

wrapped　about　him；　he　looked　like　a　sidereal　god　surrounded　by　the

firmament。　The　slaves　were　going　to　fall　upon　him；　but　she　stopped

them：



〃Touch　it　not！　It　is　the　mantle　of　the　goddess！〃



She　had　drawn　back　into　a　corner；　but　she　took　a　step　towards　him；　and

stretched　forth　her　naked　arm：



〃A　curse　upon　you；　you　who　have　plundered　Tanith！　Hatred；　vengeance；

massacre；　and　grief！　May　Gurzil；　god　of　battles；　rend　you！　may

Mastiman；　god　of　the　dead；　stifle　you！　and　may　the　Otherhe　who　may

not　be　namedburn　you！〃



Matho　uttered　a　cry　as　though　he　had　received　a　sword…thrust。　She

repeated　several　times：　〃Begone！　begone！〃



The　crowd　of　servants　spread　out；　and　Matho；　with　hanging　head；　passed

slowly　through　the　midst　of　them；　but　at　the　door　he　stopped；　for　the

fringe　of　the　zaimph　had　caught　on　one　of　the　golden　stars　with　which

the