salammbo-第21章

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

the　flagstones　were　paved。　He　pulled　it　off　abruptly　with　a　movement

of　his　shoulder　and　went　down　the　staircases。



Spendius；　bounding　from　terrace　to　terrace；　and　leaping　over　the

hedges　and　trenches；　had　escaped　from　the　gardens。　He　reached　the　foot

of　the　pharos。　The　wall　was　discontinued　at　this　spot；　so　inaccessible

was　the　cliff。　He　advanced　to　the　edge；　lay　down　on　his　back；　and　let

himself　slide；　feet　foremost；　down　the　whole　length　of　it　to　the

bottom；　then　by　swimming　he　reached　the　Cape　of　the　Tombs；　made　a　wide

circuit　of　the　salt　lagoon；　and　re…entered　the　camp　of　the　Barbarians

in　the　evening。



The　sun　had　risen；　and；　like　a　retreating　lion；　Matho　went　down　the

paths；　casting　terrible　glances　about　him。



A　vague　clamour　reached　his　ears。　It　had　started　from　the　palace；　and

it　was　beginning　afresh　in　the　distance；　towards　the　Acropolis。　Some

said　that　the　treasure　of　the　Republic　had　been　seized　in　the　temple

of　Moloch；　others　spoke　of　the　assassination　of　a　priest。　It　was

thought；　moreover；　that　the　Barbarians　had　entered　the　city。



Matho；　who　did　not　know　how　to　get　out　of　the　enclosures；　walked

straight　before　him。　He　was　seen；　and　an　outcry　was　raised。　Every　one

understood；　and　there　was　consternation；　then　immense　wrath。



From　the　bottom　of　the　Mappalian　quarter；　from　the　heights　of　the

Acropolis；　from　the　catacombs；　from　the　borders　of　the　lake；　the

multitude　came　in　haste。　The　patricians　left　their　palaces；　and　the

traders　left　their　shops；　the　women　forsook　their　children；　swords；

hatchets；　and　sticks　were　seized；　but　the　obstacle　which　had　stayed

Salammbo　stayed　them。　How　could　the　veil　be　taken　back？　The　mere　sight

of　it　was　a　crime；　it　was　of　the　nature　of　the　gods；　and　contact　with

it　was　death。



The　despairing　priests　wrung　their　hands　on　the　peristyles　of　the

temples。　The　guards　of　the　Legion　galloped　about　at　random；　the　people

climbed　upon　the　houses；　the　terraces；　the　shoulders　of　the

colossuses；　and　the　masts　of　the　ships。　He　went　on；　nevertheless；　and

the　rage；　and　the　terror　also；　increased　at　each　of　his　steps；　the

streets　cleared　at　his　approach；　and　the　torrent　of　flying　men

streamed　on　both　sides　up　to　the　tops　of　the　walls。　Everywhere　he

could　perceive　only　eyes　opened　widely　as　if　to　devour　him；　chattering

teeth　and　outstretched　fists；　and　Salammbo's　imprecations　resounded

many　times　renewed。



Suddenly　a　long　arrow　whizzed　past；　then　another；　and　stones　began　to

buzz　about　him；　but　the　missiles；　being　badly　aimed　（for　there　was　the

dread　of　hitting　the　zaimph）；　passed　over　his　head。　Moreover；　he　made

a　shield　of　the　veil；　holding　it　to　the　right；　to　the　left；　before　him

and　behind　him；　and　they　could　devise　no　expedient。　He　quickened　his

steps　more　and　more；　advancing　through　the　open　streets。　They　were

barred　with　cords；　chariots；　and　snares；　and　all　his　windings　brought

him　back　again。　At　last　he　entered　the　square　of　Khamon　where　the

Balearians　had　perished；　and　stopped；　growing　pale　as　one　about　to

die。　This　time　he　was　surely　lost；　and　the　multitude　clapped　their

hands。



He　ran　up　to　the　great　gate；　which　was　closed。　It　was　very　high；　made

throughout　of　heart　of　oak；　with　iron　nails　and　sheathed　with　brass。

Matho　flung　himself　against　it。　The　people　stamped　their　feet　with　joy

when　they　saw　the　impotence　of　his　fury；　then　he　took　his　sandal；　spit

upon　it；　and　beat　the　immovable　panels　with　it。　The　whole　city　howled。

The　veil　was　forgotten　now；　and　they　were　about　to　crush　him。　Matho

gazed　with　wide　vacant　eyes　upon　the　crowd。　His　temples　were　throbbing

with　violence　enough　to　stun　him；　and　he　felt　a　numbness　as　of

intoxication　creeping　over　him。　Suddenly　he　caught　sight　of　the　long

chain　used　in　working　the　swinging　of　the　gate。　With　a　bound　he

grasped　it；　stiffening　his　arms；　and　making　a　buttress　of　his　feet；

and　at　last　the　huge　leaves　partly　opened。



Then　when　he　was　outside　he　took　the　great　zaimph　from　his　neck；　and

raised　it　as　high　as　possible　above　his　head。　The　material；　upborne　by

the　sea　breeze；　shone　in　the　sunlight　with　its　colours；　its　gems；　and

the　figures　of　its　gods。　Matho　bore　it　thus　across　the　whole　plain　as

far　as　the　soldiers'　tents；　and　the　people　on　the　walls　watched　the

fortune　of　Carthage　depart。







CHAPTER　VI



HANNO



〃I　ought　to　have　carried　her　off！〃　Matho　said　in　the　evening　to

Spendius。　〃I　should　have　seized　her；　and　torn　her　from　her　house！　No

one　would　have　dared　to　touch　me！〃



Spendius　was　not　listening　to　him。　Stretched　on　his　back　he　was　taking

delicious　rest　beside　a　large　jar　filled　with　honey…coloured　water；

into　which　he　would　dip　his　head　from　time　to　time　in　order　to　drink

more　copiously。



Matho　resumed：



〃What　is　to　be　done？　How　can　we　re…enter　Carthage？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Spendius。



Such　impassibility　exasperated　Matho　and　he　exclaimed：



〃Why！　the　fault　is　yours！　You　carry　me　away；　and　then　you　forsake　me；

coward　that　you　are！　Why；　pray；　should　I　obey　you？　Do　you　think　that

you　are　my　master？　Ah！　you　prostituter；　you　slave；　you　son　of　a

slave！〃　He　ground　his　teeth　and　raised　his　broad　hand　above　Spendius。



The　Greek　did　not　reply。　An　earthen　lamp　was　burning　gently　against

the　tent…pole；　where　the　zaimph　shone　amid　the　hanging　panoply。

Suddenly　Matho　put　on　his　cothurni；　buckled　on　his　brazen　jacket　of

mail；　and　took　his　helmet。



〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Spendius。



〃I　am　returning！　Let　me　alone！　I　will　bring　her　back！　And　if　they　show

themselves　I　will　crush　them　like　vipers！　I　will　put　her　to　death；

Spendius！　Yes；〃　he　repeated；　〃I　will　kill　her！　You　shall　see；　I　will

kill　her！〃



But　Spendius；　who　was　listening　eagerly；　snatched　up　the　zaimph

abruptly　and　threw　it　into　a　corner；　heaping　up　fleeces　above　it。　A

murmuring　of　voices　was　heard；　torches　gleamed；　and　Narr'　Havas

entered；　followed　by　about　twenty　men。



They　wore　white　woollen　cloaks；　long　daggers；　copper　necklaces；　wooden

earrings；　and　boots　of　hyena　skin；　and　standing　on　the　threshold　they

leaned　upon　their　lances　like　herdsmen　resting　themselves。　Narr'　Havas

was　the　handsomest　of　all；　his　slender　arms　were　bound　with　straps

ornamented　with　pearls。　The　golden　circlet　which　fastened　his　ample

garment　about　his　head　held　an　ostrich　feather　which　hung　down　behind

his　shoulder；　his　teeth　were　displayed　in　a　continual　smile；　his　eyes

seemed　sharpened　like　arrows；　and　there　was　something　observant　and

airy　about　his　whole　demeanour。



He　declared　that　he　had　come　to　join　the　Mercenaries；　for　the　Republic

had　long　been　threatening　his　kingdom。　Accordingly　he　was　interested

in　assisting　the　Barbarians；　and　he　might　also　be　of　service　to　them。



〃I　will　provide　you　with　elephants　（my　forests　are　full　of　them）；

wine；　oil；　barley；　dates；　pitch　and　sulphur　for　sieges；　twenty

thousand　foot…soldiers　and　ten　thousand　horses。　If　I　address　myself　to

you；　Matho；　it　is　because　the　possession　of　the　zaimph　has　made　you

chief　man　in　the　army。　Moreover；〃　he　added；　〃we　are　old　friends。〃



Matho；　however；　was　looking　at　Spendius；　who；　seated　on　the　sheep…

skins；　was　listening；　and　giving　little　nods　of　assent　the　while。

Narr'　Havas　continued　speaking。　He　called　the　gods　to　witness　he

cursed　Carthage。　In　his　imprecations　he　broke　a　javelin。　All　his　men

uttered　simultaneously　a　loud　howl；　and　Matho；　carried　away　by　so　much

passion；　exclaimed　that　he　accepted　the　alliance。



A　white　bull　and　a　black　sheep；　the　symbols　of　day　and　night；　were

then　brought；　and　their　throats　were　cut　on　the　edge　of　a　ditch。　When

the　latter　was　full　of　blood　they　dipped　their　arms　into　it。　Then

Narr'　Havas　spread　out　his　hand　upon　Matho's　breast；　and　Matho　did　the

same　to　Narr'　Havas。　They　repeated　the　stain　upon　the　canvas　of　their

tents。　Afterwards　they　passed　the　night　in　eating；　and　the　remaining