salammbo-第37章

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with　the　Clinabarians；　and　were　to　run　beside　the　stallions　with　one

hand　resting　on　the　manes。　All　was　ready；　and　yet　Hamilcar　did　not

start。



Often　at　night　he　would　go　out　of　Carthage　alone　and　make　his　way

beyond　the　lagoon　towards　the　mouths　of　the　Macaras。　Did　he　intend　to

join　the　Mercenaries？　The　Ligurians　encamped　in　the　Mappalian　district

surrounded　his　house。



The　apprehensions　of　the　rich　appeared　justified　when；　one　day；　three

hundred　Barbarians　were　seen　approaching　the　walls。　The　Suffet　opened

the　gates　to　them；　they　were　deserters；　drawn　by　fear　or　by　fidelity；

they　were　hastening　to　their　master。



Hamilcar's　return　had　not　surprised　the　Mercenaries；　according　to

their　ideas　the　man　could　not　die。　He　was　returning　to　fulfil　his

promise；a　hope　by　no　means　absurd；　so　deep　was　the　abyss　between

Country　and　Army。　Moreover　they　did　not　believe　themselves　culpable；

the　feast　was　forgotten。



The　spies　whom　they　surprised　undeceived　them。　It　was　a　triumph　for

the　bitter；　even　the　lukewarm　grew　furious。　Then　the　two　sieges

overwhelmed　then　with　weariness；　no　progress　was　being　made；　a　battle

would　be　better！　Thus　many　men　had　left　the　ranks　and　were　scouring

the　country。　But　at　news　of　the　arming　they　returned；　Matho　leaped　for

joy。　〃At　last！　at　last！〃　he　cried。



Then　the　resentment　which　he　cherished　against　Salammbo　was　turned

against　Hamilcar。　His　hate　could　now　perceive　a　definite　prey；　and　as

his　vengeance　grew　easier　of　conception　he　almost　believed　that　he　had

realised　it　and　he　revelled　in　it　already。　At　the　same　time　he　was

seized　with　a　loftier　tenderness；　and　consumed　by　more　acrid　desire。

He　saw　himself　alternately　in　the　midst　of　the　soldiers　brandishing

the　Suffet's　head　on　a　pike；　and　then　in　the　room　with　the　purple　bed；

clasping　the　maiden　in　his　arms；　covering　her　face　with　kisses；

passing　his　hands　over　her　long；　black　hair；　and　the　imagination　of

this；　which　he　knew　could　never　be　realised；　tortured　him。　He　swore　to

himself　that；　since　his　companions　had　appointed　him　schalishim；　he

would　conduct　the　war；　the　certainty　that　he　would　not　return　from　it

urged　him　to　render　it　a　pitiless　one。



He　came　to　Spendius　and　said　to　him：



〃You　will　go　and　get　your　men！　I　will　bring　mine！　Warn　Autaritus！　We

are　lost　if　Hamilcar　attacks　us！　Do　you　understand　me？　Rise！〃



Spendius　was　stupefied　before　such　an　air　of　authority。　Matho　usually

allowed　himself　to　be　led；　and　his　previous　transports　had　quickly

passed　away。　But　just　now　he　appeared　at　once　calmer　and　more

terrible；　a　superb　will　gleamed　in　his　eyes　like　the　flame　of

sacrifice。



The　Greek　did　not　listen　to　his　reasons。　He　was　living　in　one　of　the

Carthaginian　pearl…bordered　tents；　drinking　cool　beverages　from　silver

cups；　playing　at　the　cottabos；　letting　his　hair　grow；　and　conducting

the　siege　with　slackness。　Moreover；　he　had　entered　into　communications

with　some　in　the　town　and　would　not　leave；　being　sure　that　it　would

open　its　gates　before　many　days　were　over。



Narr'　Havas；　who　wandered　about　among　the　three　armies；　was　at　that

time　with　him。　He　supported　his　opinion；　and　even　blamed　the　Libyan

for　wishing　in　his　excess　of　courage　to　abandon　their　enterprise。



〃Go；　if　you　are　afraid！〃　exclaimed　Matho；　〃you　promised　us　pitch；

sulphur；　elephants；　foot…soldiers；　horses！　where　are　they？〃



Narr'　Havas　reminded　him　that　he　had　exterminated　Hanno's　last

cohorts；as　to　the　elephants；　they　were　being　hunted　in　the　woods；　he

was　arming　the　foot…soldiers；　the　horses　were　on　their　way；　and　the

Numidian　rolled　his　eyes　like　a　woman　and　smiled　in　an　irritating

manner　as　he　stroked　the　ostrich　feather　which　fell　upon　his　shoulder。

In　his　presence　Matho　was　at　a　loss　for　a　reply。



But　a　man　who　was　a　stranger　entered；　wet　with　perspiration；　scared；

and　with　bleeding　feet　and　loosened　girdle；　his　breathing　shook　his

lean　sides　enough　to　have　burst　them；　and　speaking　in　an

unintelligible　dialect　he　opened　his　eyes　wide　as　if　he　were　telling

of　some　battle。　The　king　sprang　outside　and　called　his　horsemen。



They　ranged　themselves　in　the　plain　before　him　in　the　form　of　a

circle。　Narr'　Havas；　who　was　mounted；　bent　his　head　and　bit　his　lips。

At　last　he　separated　his　men　into　two　equal　divisions；　and　told　the

first　to　wait；　then　with　an　imperious　gesture　he　carried　off　the

others　at　a　gallop　and　disappeared　on　the　horizon　in　the　direction　of

the　mountains。



〃Master！〃　murmured　Spendius；　〃I　do　not　like　these　extraordinary

chancesthe　Suffet　returning；　Narr'　Havas　going　away〃



〃Why！　what　does　it　matter？〃　said　Matho　disdainfully。



It　was　a　reason　the　more　for　anticipating　Hamilcar　by　uniting　with

Autaritus。　But　if　the　siege　of　the　towns　were　raised；　the　inhabitants

would　come　out　and　attack　them　in　the　rear；　while　they　would　have　the

Carthaginians　in　front。　After　much　talking　the　following　measures　were

resolved　upon　and　immediately　executed。



Spendius　proceeded　with　fifteen　thousand　men　as　far　as　the　bridge

built　across　the　Macaras；　three　miles　from　Utica；　the　corners　of　it

were　fortified　with　four　huge　towers　provided　with　catapults；　all　the

paths　and　gorges　in　the　mountains　were　stopped　up　with　trunks　of

trees；　pieces　of　rock；　interlacings　of　thorn；　and　stone　walls；　on　the

summits　heaps　of　grass　were　made　which　might　be　lighted　as　signals；

and　shepherds　who　were　able　to　see　at　a　distance　were　posted　at

intervals。



No　doubt　Hamilcar　would　not；　like　Hanno；　advance　by　the　mountain　of

the　Hot　Springs。　He　would　think　that　Autaritus；　being　master　of　the

interior；　would　close　the　route　against　him。　Moreover；　a　check　at　the

opening　of　the　campaign　would　ruin　him；　while　if　he　gained　a　victory

he　would　soon　have　to　make　a　fresh　beginning；　the　Mercenaries　being

further　off。　Again；　he　could　disembark　at　Cape　Grapes　and　march　thence

upon　one　of　the　towns。　But　he　would　then　find　himself　between　the　two

armies；　an　indiscretion　which　he　could　not　commit　with　his　scanty

forces。　Accordingly　he　must　proceed　along　the　base　of　Mount　Ariana；

then　turn　to　the　left　to　avoid　the　mouths　of　the　Macaras；　and　come

straight　to　the　bridge。　It　was　there　that　Matho　expected　him。



At　night　he　used　to　inspect　the　pioneers　by　torch…light。　He　would

hasten　to　Hippo…Zarytus　or　to　the　works　on　the　mountains；　would　come

back　again；　would　never　rest。　Spendius　envied　his　energy；　but　in　the

management　of　spies；　the　choice　of　sentries；　the　working　of　the

engines　and　all　means　of　defence；　Matho　listened　docilely　to　his

companion。　They　spoke　no　more　of　Salammbo；one　not　thinking　about

her；　and　the　other　being　prevented　by　a　feeling　of　shame。



Often　he　would　go　towards　Carthage；　striving　to　catch　sight　of

Hamilcar's　troops。　His　eyes　would　dart　along　the　horizon；　he　would　lie

flat　on　the　ground；　and　believe　that　he　could　hear　an　army　in　the

throbbing　of　his　arteries。



He　told　Spendius　that　if　Hamilcar　did　not　arrive　in　three　days　he

would　go　with　all　his　men　to　meet　him　and　offer　him　battle。　Two

further　days　elapsed。　Spendius　restrained　him；　but　on　the　morning　of

the　sixth　day　he　departed。



The　Carthaginians　were　no　less　impatient　for　war　than　the　Barbarians。

In　tents　and　in　houses　there　was　the　same　longing　and　the　same

distress；　all　were　asking　one　another　what　was　delaying　Hamilcar。



From　time　to　time　he　would　mount　to　the　cupola　of　the　temple　of

Eschmoun　beside　the　Announcer　of　the　Moons　and　take　note　of　the　wind。



One　dayit　was　the　third　of　the　month　of　Tibbythey　saw　him

descending　from　the　Acropolis　with　hurried　steps。　A　great　clamour

arose　in　the　Mappalian　district。　Soon　the　streets　were　astir；　and　the

soldiers　were　everywhere　beginning　to　arm　themselves　upon　their

breasts；　then　they　ran　quickly　to　the　square　of　Khamon　to　take　their

places　in　the　ranks。　No　one　was　allowed　to　follow　them　or　even　to

speak　to　them；　or　to　approach　the　ramparts；　for　some　minutes　the　whole

town　was　silent　as