salammbo-第26章

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And　less　from　greediness　than　from　ostentation；　and　the　desire　to

prove　to　himself　that　he　was　in　good　health；　he　cut　into　the

forcemeats　of　cheese　and　marjoram；　the　boned　fish；　gourds；　oysters

with　eggs；　horse…radishes；　truffles；　and　brochettes　of　small　birds。　As

he　looked　at　the　prisoners　he　revelled　in　the　imagination　of　their

tortures。　Nevertheless　he　remembered　Sicca；　and　the　rage　caused　by　all

his　woes　found　vent　in　the　abuse　of　these　three　men。



〃Ah！　traitors！　ah！　wretches！　infamous；　accursed　creatures！　And　you

outraged　me！me！　the　Suffet！　Their　services；　the　price　of　their

blood；　say　they！　Ah！　yes！　their　blood！　their　blood！〃　Then　speaking　to

himself：〃All　shall　perish！　not　one　shall　be　sold！　It　would　be　better

to　bring　them　to　Carthage！　I　should　be　seenbut　doubtless；　I　have　not

brought　chains　enough？　Write：　Send　meHow　many　of　them　are　there？　go

and　ask　Muthumbal！　Go！　no　pity！　and　let　all　their　hands　be　cut　off　and

brought　to　me　in　baskets！〃



But　strange　cries　at　once　hoarse　and　shrill　penetrated　into　the　hall

above　Hanno's　voice　and　the　rattling　of　the　dishes　that　were　being

placed　around　him。　They　increased；　and　suddenly　the　furious　trumpeting

of　the　elephants　burst　forth　as　if　the　battle　were　beginning　again。　A

great　tumult　was　going　on　around　the　town。



The　Carthaginians　had　not　attempted　to　pursue　the　Barbarians。　They　had

taken　up　their　quarters　at　the　foot　of　the　walls　with　their　baggage；

mules；　serving　men；　and　all　their　train　of　satraps；　and　they　made

merry　in　their　beautiful　pearl…bordered　tents；　while　the　camp　of　the

Mercenaries　was　now　nothing　but　a　heap　of　ruins　in　the　plain。　Spendius

had　recovered　his　courage。　He　dispatched　Zarxas　to　Matho；　scoured　the

woods；　rallied　his　men　（the　losses　had　been　inconsiderable）；and　they

were　re…forming　their　lines　enraged　at　having　been　conquered　without　a

fight；　when　they　discovered　a　vat　of　petroleum　which　had　no　doubt　been

abandoned　by　the　Carthaginians。　Then　Spendius　had　some　pigs　carried

off　from　the　farms；　smeared　them　with　bitumen；　set　them　on　fire；　and

drove　them　towards　Utica。



The　elephants　were　terrified　by　the　flames　and　fled。　The　ground　sloped

upwards；　javelins　were　thrown　at　them；　and　they　turned　back；and　with

great　blows　of　ivory　and　trampling　feet　they　ripped　up　the

Carthaginians；　stifled　them；　flattened　them。　The　Barbarians　descended

the　hill　behind　them；　the　Punic　camp；　which　was　without　entrenchments

was　sacked　at　the　first　rush；　and　the　Carthaginians　were　crushed

against　the　gates；　which　were　not　opened　through　fear　of　the

Mercenaries。



Day　broke；　and　Matho's　foot…soldiers　were　seen　coming　up　from　the

west。　At　the　same　time　horsemen　appeared；　they　were　Narr'　Havas　with

his　Numidians。　Leaping　ravines　and　bushes　they　ran　down　the　fugitives

like　greyhounds　pursuing　hares。　This　change　of　fortune　interrupted　the

Suffet。　He　called　out　to　be　assisted　to　leave　the　vapour　bath。



The　three　captives　were　still　before　him。　Then　a　Negro　（the　same　who

had　carried　his　parasol　in　the　battle）　leaned　over　to　his　ear。



〃Well？〃　replied　the　Suffet　slowly。　〃Ah！　kill　them！〃　he　added　in　an

abrupt　tone。



The　Ethiopian　drew　a　long　dagger　from　his　girdle　and　the　three　heads

fell。　One　of　them　rebounded　among　the　remains　of　the　feast；　and　leaped

into　the　basin；　where　it　floated　for　some　time　with　open　mouth　and

staring　eyes。　The　morning　light　entered　through　the　chinks　in　the

wall；　the　three　bodies　streamed　with　great　bubbles　like　three

fountains；　and　a　sheet　of　blood　flowed　over　the　mosaics　with　their

powdering　of　blue　dust。　The　Suffet　dipped　his　hand　into　this　hot　mire

and　rubbed　his　knees　with　it：　it　was　a　cure。



When　evening　had　come　he　stole　away　from　the　town　with　his　escort；　and

made　his　way　into　the　mountain　to　rejoin　his　army。



He　succeeded　in　finding　the　remains　of　it。



Four　days　afterward　he　was　on　the　top　of　a　defile　at　Gorza；　when　the

troops　under　Spendius　appeared　below。　Twenty　stout　lances　might　easily

have　checked　them　by　attacking　the　head　of　their　column；　but　the

Carthaginians　watched　them　pass　by　in　a　state　of　stupefaction。　Hanno

recognised　the　king　of　the　Numidians　in　the　rearguard；　Narr'　Havas

bowed　to　him；　at　the　same　time　making　a　sign　which　he　did　not

understand。



The　return　to　Carthage　took　place　amid　all　kinds　of　terrors。　They

marched　only　at　night；　hiding　in　the　olive　woods　during　the　day。　There

were　deaths　at　every　halting…place；　several　times　they　believed

themselves　lost。　At　last　they　reached　Cape　Hermaeum；　where　vessels

came　to　receive　them。



Hanno　was　so　fatigued；　so　desperatethe　loss　of　the　elephants　in

particular　overwhelmed　himthat　he　demanded　poison　from　Demonades　in

order　to　put　an　end　to　it　all。　Moreover　he　could　already　feel　himself

stretched　upon　the　cross。



Carthage　had　not　strength　enough　to　be　indignant　with　him。　Its　losses

had　amounted　to　one　hundred　thousand　nine　hundred　and　seventy…two

shekels　of　silver；　fifteen　thousand　six　hundred　and　twenty…three

shekels　of　gold；　eighteen　elephants；　fourteen　members　of　the　Great

Council；　three　hundred　of　the　rich；　eight　thousand　citizens；　corn

enough　for　three　moons；　a　considerable　quantity　of　baggage；　and　all

the　engines　of　war！　The　defection　of　Narr'　Havas　was　certain；　and　both

sieges　were　beginning　again。　The　army　under　Autaritus　now　extended

from　Tunis　to　Rhades。　From　the　top　of　the　Acropolis　long　columns　of

smoke　might　be　seen　in　the　country　ascending　to　the　sky；　they　were　the

mansions　of　the　rich；　which　were　on　fire。



One　man　alone　could　have　saved　the　Republic。　People　repented　that　they

had　slighted　him；　and　the　peace　party　itself　voted　holocausts　for

Hamilcar's　return。



The　sight　of　the　zaimph　had　upset　Salammbo。　At　night　she　thought　that

she　could　hear　the　footsteps　of　the　goddess；　and　she　would　awake

terrified　and　shrieking。　Every　day　she　sent　food　to　the　temples。

Taanach　was　worn　out　with　executing　her　orders；　and　Schahabarim　never

left　her。







CHAPTER　VII



HAMILCAR　BARCA



The　Announcer　of　the　Moons；　who　watched　on　the　summit　of　the　temple　of

Eschmoun　every　night　in　order　to　signal　the　disturbances　of　the　planet

with　his　trumpet；　one　morning　perceived　towards　the　west　something

like　a　bird　skimming　the　surface　of　the　sea　with　its　long　wings。



It　was　a　ship　with　three　tiers　of　oars　and　with　a　horse　carved　on　the

prow。　The　sun　was　rising；　the　Announcer　of　the　Moons　put　up　his　hand

before　his　eyes；　and　then　grasping　his　clarion　with　outstretched　arms

sounded　a　loud　brazen　cry　over　Carthage。



People　came　out　of　every　house；　they　would　not　believe　what　was　said；

they　disputed　with　one　another；　the　mole　was　covered　with　people。　At

last　they　recognised　Hamilcar's　trireme。



It　advanced　in　fierce　and　haughty　fashion；　cleaving　the　foam　around

it；　the　lateen…yard　quite　square　and　the　sail　bulging　down　the　whole

length　of　the　mast；　its　gigantic　oars　kept　time　as　they　beat　the

water；　every　now　and　then　the　extremity　of　the　keel；　which　was　shaped

like　a　plough…share；　would　appear；　and　the　ivory…headed　horse；　rearing

both　its　feet　beneath　the　spur　which　terminated　the　prow；　would　seem

to　be　speeding　over　the　plains　of　the　sea。



As　it　rounded　the　promontory　the　wind　ceased；　the　sail　fell；　and　a　man

was　seen　standing　bareheaded　beside　the　pilot。　It　was　he；　Hamilcar；

the　Suffet！　About　his　sides　he　wore　gleaming　sheets　of　steel；　a　red

cloak；　fastened　to　his　shoulders；　left　his　arms　visible；　two　pearls　of

great　length　hung　from　his　ears；　and　his　black；　bushy　beard　rested　on

his　breast。



The　galley；　however；　tossing　amid　the　rocks；　was　proceeding　along　the

side　of　the　mole；　and　the　crowd　followed　it　on　the　flag…stones；

shouting：



〃Greeting！　blessing！　Eye　of　Khamon！　ah！　deliver　us！　'Tis　the　fault　of

the　rich！　they　want　to　put　you　to　death！　Take　care　of　yourself；

Barca！〃



He　made　no　reply；　as　if　the　loud　clamour　of　oceans　and　battles　had

completely　deafened