salammbo-第38章

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

town　was　silent　as　a　great　tomb。　The　soldiers　as　they　leaned　on　their

lances　were　thinking；　and　the　others　in　the　houses　were　sighing。



At　sunset　the　army　went　out　by　the　western　gate；　but　instead　of　taking

the　road　to　Tunis　or　making　for　the　mountains　in　the　direction　of

Utica；　they　continued　their　march　along　the　edge　of　the　sea；　and　they

soon　reached　the　Lagoon；　where　round　spaces　quite　whitened　with　salt

glittered　like　gigantic　silver　dishes　forgotten　on　the　shore。



Then　the　pools　of　water　multiplied。　The　ground　gradually　became

softer；　and　the　feet　sank　in　it。　Hamilcar　did　not　turn　back。　He　went

on　still　at　their　head；　and　his　horse；　which　was　yellow…spotted　like　a

dragon；　advanced　into　the　mire　flinging　froth　around　him；　and　with

great　straining　of　the　loins。　Nighta　moonless　lightfell。　A　few

cried　out　that　they　were　about　to　perish；　he　snatched　their　arms　from

them；　and　gave　them　to　the　serving…men。　Nevertheless　the　mud　became

deeper　and　deeper。　Some　had　to　mount　the　beasts　of　burden；　others

clung　to　the　horses'　tails；　the　sturdy　pulled　the　weak；　and　the

Ligurian　corps　drove　on　the　infantry　with　the　points　of　their　pikes。

The　darkness　increased。　They　had　lost　their　way。　All　stopped。



Then　some　of　the　Suffet's　slaves　went　on　ahead　to　look　for　the　buoys

which　had　been　placed　at　intervals　by　his　order。　They　shouted　through

the　darkness；　and　the　army　followed　them　at　a　distance。



At　last　they　felt　the　resistance　of　the　ground。　Then　a　whitish　curve

became　dimly　visible；　and　they　found　themselves　on　the　bank　of　the

Macaras。　In　spite　of　the　cold　no　fires　were　lighted。



In　the　middle　of　the　night　squalls　of　wind　arose。　Hamilcar　had　the

soldiers　roused；　but　not　a　trumpet　was　sounded：　their　captain　tapped

them　softly　on　the　shoulder。



A　man　of　lofty　stature　went　down　into　the　water。　It　did　not　come　up　to

his　girdle；　it　was　possible　to　cross。



The　Suffet　ordered　thirty…two　of　the　elephants　to　be　posted　in　the

river　a　hundred　paces　further　on；　while　the　others；　lower　down；　would

check　the　lines　of　men　that　were　carried　away　by　the　current；　and

holding　their　weapons　above　their　heads　they　all　crossed　the　Macaras

as　though　between　two　walls。　He　had　noticed　that　the　western　wind　had

driven　the　sand　so　as　to　obstruct　the　river　and　form　a　natural

causeway　across　it。



He　was　now　on　the　left　bank　in　front　of　Utica；　and　in　a　vast　plain；

the　latter　being　advantageous　for　his　elephants；　which　formed　the

strength　of　his　army。



This　feat　of　genius　filled　the　soldiers　with　enthusiasm。　They

recovered　extraordinary　confidence。　They　wished　to　hasten　immediately

against　the　Barbarians；　but　the　Suffet　bade　them　rest　for　two　hours。

As　soon　as　the　sun　appeared　they　moved　into　the　plain　in　three　lines

first　came　the　elephants；　and　then　the　light　infantry　with　the　cavalry

behind　it；　the　phalanx　marching　next。



The　Barbarians　encamped　at　Utica；　and　the　fifteen　thousand　about　the

bridge　were　surprised　to　see　the　ground　undulating　in　the　distance。

The　wind；　which　was　blowing　very　hard；　was　driving　tornadoes　of　sand

before　it；　they　rose　as　though　snatched　from　the　soil；　ascended　in

great　light…coloured　strips；　then　parted　asunder　and　began　again；

hiding　the　Punic　army　the　while　from　the　Mercenaries。　Owing　to　the

horns；　which　stood　up　on　the　edge　of　the　helmets；　some　thought　that

they　could　perceive　a　herd　of　oxen；　others；　deceived　by　the　motion　of

the　cloaks；　pretended　that　they　could　distinguish　wings；　and　those　who

had　travelled　a　good　deal　shrugged　their　shoulders　and　explained

everything　by　the　illusions　of　the　mirage。　Nevertheless　something　of

enormous　size　continued　to　advance。　Little　vapours；　as　subtle　as　the

breath；　ran　across　the　surface　of　the　desert；　the　sun；　which　was

higher　now；　shone　more　strongly：　a　harsh　light；　which　seemed　to

vibrate；　threw　back　the　depths　of　the　sky；　and　permeating　objects；

rendered　distance　incalculable。　The　immense　plain　expanded　in　every

direction　beyond　the　limits　of　vision；　and　the　almost　insensible

undulations　of　the　soil　extended　to　the　extreme　horizon；　which　was

closed　by　a　great　blue　line　which　they　knew　to　be　the　sea。　The　two

armies；　having　left　their　tents；　stood　gazing；　the　people　of　Utica

were　massing　on　the　ramparts　to　have　a　better　view。



At　last　they　distinguished　several　transverse　bars　bristling　with

level　points。　They　became　thicker；　larger；　black　hillocks　swayed　to

and　fro；　square　thickets　suddenly　appeared；　they　were　elephants　and

lances。　A　single　shout　went　up：　〃The　Carthaginians！〃　and　without

signal　or　command　the　soldiers　at　Utica　and　those　at　the　bridge　ran

pell…mell　to　fall　in　a　body　upon　Hamilcar。



Spendius　shuddered　at　the　name。　〃Hamilcar！　Hamilcar！〃　he　repeated；

panting；　and　Matho　was　not　there！　What　was　to　be　done？　No　means　of

flight！　The　suddenness　of　the　event；　his　terror　of　the　Suffet；　and

above　all；　the　urgent　need　of　forming　an　immediate　resolution；

distracted　him；　he　could　see　himself　pierced　by　a　thousand　swords；

decapitated；　dead。　Meanwhile　he　was　being　called　for；　thirty　thousand

men　would　follow　him；　he　was　seized　with　fury　against　himself；　he　fell

back　upon　the　hope　of　victory；　it　was　full　of　bliss；　and　he　believed

himself　more　intrepid　than　Epaminondas。　He　smeared　his　cheeks　with

vermilion　in　order　to　conceal　his　paleness；　then　he　buckled　on　his

knemids　and　his　cuirass；　swallowed　a　patera　of　pure　wine；　and　ran

after　his　troops；　who　were　hastening　towards　those　from　Utica。



They　united　so　rapidly　that　the　Suffet　had　not　time　to　draw　up　his　men

in　battle　array。　By　degrees　he　slackened　his　speed。　The　elephants

stopped；　they　rocked　their　heavy　heads　with　their　chargings　of　ostrich

feathers；　striking　their　shoulders　the　while　with　their　trunks。



Behind　the　intervals　between　them　might　be　seen　the　cohorts　of　the

velites；　and　further　on　the　great　helmets　of　the　Clinabarians；　with

steel　heads　glancing　in　the　sun；　cuirasses；　plumes；　and　waving

standards。　But　the　Carthaginian　army；　which　amounted　to　eleven

thousand　three　hundred　and　ninety…six　men；　seemed　scarcely　to　contain

them；　for　it　formed　an　oblong；　narrow　at　the　sides　and　pressed　back

upon　itself。



Seeing　them　so　weak；　the　Barbarians；　who　were　thrice　as　numerous；　were

seized　with　extravagant　joy。　Hamilcar　was　not　to　be　seen。　Perhaps　he

had　remained　down　yonder？　Moreover　what　did　it　matter？　The　disdain

which　they　felt　for　these　traders　strengthened　their　courage；　and

before　Spendius　could　command　a　manoeuvre　they　had　all　understood　it；

and　already　executed　it。



They　were　deployed　in　a　long；　straight　line；　overlapping　the　wings　of

the　Punic　army　in　order　to　completely　encompass　it。　But　when　there　was

an　interval　of　only　three　hundred　paces　between　the　armies；　the

elephants　turned　round　instead　of　advancing；　then　the　Clinabarians

were　seen　to　face　about　and　follow　them；　and　the　surprise　of　the

Mercenaries　increased　when　they　saw　the　archers　running　to　join　them。

So　the　Carthaginians　were　afraid；　they　were　fleeing！　A　tremendous

hooting　broke　out　from　among　the　Barbarian　troops；　and　Spendius

exclaimed　from　the　top　of　his　dromedary：　〃Ah！　I　knew　it！　Forward！

forward！〃



Then　javelins；　darts；　and　sling…bullets　burst　forth　simultaneously。

The　elephants　feeling　their　croups　stung　by　the　arrows　began　to　gallop

more　quickly；　a　great　dust　enveloped　them；　and　they　vanished　like

shadows　in　a　cloud。



But　from　the　distance　there　came　a　loud　noise　of　footsteps　dominated

by　the　shrill　sound　of　the　trumpets；　which　were　being　blown　furiously。

The　space　which　the　Barbarians　had　in　front　of　them；　which　was　full　of

eddies　and　tumult；　attracted　like　a　whirlpool；　some　dashed　into　it。

Cohorts　of　infantry　appeared；　they　closed　up；　and　at　the　same　time　all

the　rest　saw　the　foot…soldiers　hastening　up　with　the　horseman　at　a

gallop。



Hamilcar　had；　in　fact；　ordered　the　phalanx　to　break　i