salammbo-第35章

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〃Beat　away　at　the　swords！　I　shall　want　them。〃　And　he　drew　the

antelope's　skin　that　had　been　steeped　in　poisons　from　his　bosom　to

have　it　cut　into　a　cuirass　more　solid　than　one　of　brass　and

unassailable　by　steel　or　flame。



As　soon　as　he　approached　the　workmen；　Abdalonim；　to　give　his　wrath

another　direction；　tried　to　anger　him　against　them　by　murmured

disparagement　of　their　work。　〃What　a　performance！　It　is　a　shame！　The

Master　is　indeed　too　good。〃　Hamilcar　moved　away　without　listening　to

him。



He　slackened　his　pace；　for　the　paths　were　barred　by　great　trees

calcined　from　one　end　to　the　other；　such　as　may　be　met　with　in　woods

where　shepherds　have　encamped；　and　the　palings　were　broken；　the　water

in　the　trenches　was　disappearing；　while　fragments　of　glass　and　the

bones　of　apes　were　to　be　seen　amid　the　miry　puddles。　A　scrap　of　cloth

hung　here　and　there　from　the　bushes；　and　the　rotten　flowers　formed　a

yellow　muck…heap　beneath　the　citron　trees。　In　fact；　the　servants　had

neglected　everything；　thinking　that　the　master　would　never　return。



At　every　step　he　discovered　some　new　disaster；　some　further　proof　of

the　thing　which　he　had　forbidden　himself　to　learn。　Here　he　was　soiling

his　purple　boots　as　he　crushed　the　filth　under…foot；　and　he　had　not

all　these　men　before　him　at　the　end　of　a　catapult　to　make　them　fly

into　fragments！　He　felt　humiliated　at　having　defended　them；　it　was　a

delusion　and　a　piece　of　treachery；　and　as　he　could　not　revenge　himself

upon　the　soldiers；　or　the　Ancients；　or　Salammbo；　or　anybody；　and　his

wrath　required　some　victim；　he　condemned　all　the　slaves　of　the　gardens

to　the　mines　at　a　single　stroke。



Abdalonim　shuddered　each　time　that　he　saw　him　approaching　the　parks。

But　Hamilcar　took　the　path　towards　the　mill；　from　which　there　might　be

heard　issuing　a　mournful　melopoeia。



The　heavy　mill…stones　were　turning　amid　the　dust。　They　consisted　of

two　cones　of　porphyry　laid　the　one　upon　the　otherthe　upper　one　of

the　two；　which　carried　a　funnel；　being　made　to　revolve　upon　the　second

by　means　of　strong　bars。　Some　men　were　pushing　these　with　their

breasts　and　arms；　while　others　were　yoked　to　them　and　were　pulling

them。　The　friction　of　the　straps　had　formed　purulent　scabs　round　about

their　armpits　such　as　are　seen　on　asses'　withers；　and　the　end　of　the

limp　black　rag；　which　scarcely　covered　their　loins；　hung　down　and

flapped　against　their　hams　like　a　long　tail。　Their　eyes　were　red；　the

irons　on　their　feet　clanked；　and　all　their　breasts　panted

rhythmically。　On　their　mouths　they　had　muzzles　fastened　by　two　little

bronze　chains　to　render　it　impossible　for　them　to　eat　the　flour；　and

their　hands　were　enclosed　in　gauntlets　without　fingers；　so　as　to

prevent　them　from　taking　any。



At　the　master's　entrance　the　wooden　bars　creaked　still　more　loudly。

The　grain　grated　as　it　was　being　crushed。　Several　fell　upon　their

knees；　the　others；　continuing　their　work；　stepped　across　them。



He　asked　for　Giddenem；　the　governor　of　the　slaved；　and　that　personage

appeared；　his　rank　being　displayed　in　the　richness　of　his　dress。　His

tunic；　which　was　slit　up　the　sides；　was　of　fine　purple；　his　ears　were

weighted　with　heavy　rings；　and　the　strips　of　cloth　enfolding　his　legs

were　joined　together　with　a　lacing　of　gold　which　extended　from　his

ankles　to　his　hips；　like　a　serpent　winding　about　a　tree。　In　his

fingers；　which　were　laden　with　rings；　he　held　a　necklace　of　jet　beads；

so　as　to　recognise　the　men　who　were　subject　to　the　sacred　disease。



Hamilcar　signed　to　him　to　unfasten　the　muzzles。　Then　with　the　cries　of

famished　animals　they　all　rushed　upon　the　flour；　burying　their　faces

in　the　heaps　of　it　and　devouring　it。



〃You　are　weakening　them！〃　said　the　Suffet。



Giddenem　replied　that　such　treatment　was　necessary　in　order　to　subdue

them。



〃It　was　scarcely　worth　while　sending　you　to　the　slaves'　school　at

Syracuse。　Fetch　the　others！〃



And　the　cooks；　butlers；　grooms；　runners；　and　litter…carriers；　the　men

belonging　to　the　vapour…baths；　and　the　women　with　their　children；　all

ranged　themselves　in　a　single　line　in　the　garden　from　the　mercantile

house　to　the　deer　park。　They　held　their　breath。　An　immense　silence

prevailed　in　Megara。　The　sun　was　lengthening　across　the　lagoon　at　the

foot　of　the　catacombs。　The　peacocks　were　screeching。　Hamilcar　walked

along　step　by　step。



〃What　am　I　to　do　with　these　old　creatures？〃　he　said。　〃Sell　them！　There

are　too　many　Gauls：　they　are　drunkards！　and　too　many　Cretans：　they　are

liars！　Buy　me　some　Cappadocians；　Asiatics；　and　Negroes。〃



He　was　astonished　that　the　children　were　so　few。　〃The　house　ought　to

have　births　every　year；　Giddenem。　You　will　leave　the　huts　open　every

night　to　let　them　mingle　freely。〃



He　then　had　the　thieves；　the　lazy；　and　the　mutinous　shown　to　him。　He

distributed　punishments；　with　reproaches　to　Giddenem；　and　Giddenem；

ox…like；　bent　his　low　forehead；　with　its　two　broad　intersecting

eyebrows。



〃See；　Eye　of　Baal；〃　he　said；　pointing　out　a　sturdy　Libyan；　〃here　is

one　who　was　caught　with　the　rope　round　his　neck。〃



〃Ah！　you　wish　to　die？〃　said　the　Suffet　scornfully。



〃Yes！〃　replied　the　slave　in　an　intrepid　tone。



Then；　without　heeding　the　precedent　or　the　pecuniary　loss；　Hamilcar

said　to　the　serving…men：



〃Away　with　him！〃



Perhaps　in　his　thoughts　he　intended　a　sacrifice。　It　was　a　misfortune

which　he　inflicted　upon　himself　in　order　to　avert　more　terrible　ones。



Giddenem　had　hidden　those　who　were　mutilated　behind　the　others。

Hamilcar　perceived　them。



〃Who　cut　off　your　arm？〃



〃The　soldiers；　Eye　of　Baal。〃



Then　to　a　Samnite　who　was　staggering　like　a　wounded　heron：



〃And　you；　who　did　that　to　you？〃



It　was　the　governor；　who　had　broken　his　leg　with　an　iron　bar。



This　silly　atrocity　made　the　Suffet　indignant；　he　snatched　the　jet

necklace　out　of　Giddenem's　hands。



〃Cursed　be　the　dog　that　injures　the　flock！　Gracious　Tanith；　to　cripple

slaves！　Ah！　you　ruin　your　master！　Let　him　be　smothered　in　the

dunghill。　And　those　that　are　missing？　Where　are　they？　Have　you　helped

the　soldiers　to　murder　them？〃



His　face　was　so　terrible　that　all　the　women　fled。　The　slaves　drew　back

and　formed　a　large　circle　around　them；　Giddenem　was　frantically

kissing　his　sandals；　Hamilcar　stood　upright　with　his　arms　raised　above

him。



But　with　his　understanding　as　clear　as　in　the　sternest　of　his　battles；

he　recalled　a　thousand　odious　things；　ignominies　from　which　he　had

turned　aside；　and　in　the　gleaming　of　his　wrath　he　could　once　more　see

all　his　disasters　simultaneously　as　in　the　lightnings　of　a　storm。　The

governors　of　the　country　estates　had　fled　through　terror　of　the

soldiers；　perhaps　through　collusion　with　them；　they　were　all　deceiving

him；　he　had　restrained　himself　too　long。



〃Bring　them　here！〃　he　cried；　〃and　brand　them　on　the　forehead　with　red…

hot　irons　as　cowards！〃



Then　they　brought　and　spread　out　in　the　middle　of　the　garden；　fetters；

carcanets；　knives；　chains　for　those　condemned　to　the　mines；　cippi　for

fastening　the　legs；　numellae　for　confining　the　shoulders；　and

scorpions　or　whips　with　triple　thongs　terminating　in　brass　claws。



All　were　placed　facing　the　sun；　in　the　direction　of　Moloch　the

Devourer；　and　were　stretched　on　the　ground　on　their　stomachs　or　on

their　backs；　those；　however；　who　were　sentenced　to　be　flogged　standing

upright　against　the　trees　with　two　men　beside　them；　one　counting　the

blows　and　the　other　striking。



In　striking　he　used　both　his　arms；　and　the　whistling　thongs　made　the

bark　of　the　plane…trees　fly。　The　blood　was　scattered　like　rain　upon

the　foliage；　and　red　masses　writhed　with　howls　at　the　foot　of　the

trees。　Those　who　were　under　the　iron　tore　their　faces　with　their

nails。　The　wooden　screws　could　be　heard　creaking；　dull　knockings

resounded；　sometimes　a　sharp　cry　would　suddenly　pierce　the　air。　In　the

direction　of　the　kitchens；　men　were　brisking　up　burning　coals　with

fans