salammbo-第50章

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behind　him；　gaping；　almost　terrified。



She　felt　as　if　she　were　leaning　on　the　might　of　the　gods；　and　looking

at　him　face　to　face　she　asked　him　for　the　zaimph；　she　demanded　it　in

words　abundant　and　superb。



Matho　did　not　hear；　he　was　gazing　at　her；　and　in　his　eyes　her　garments

were　blended　with　her　body。　The　clouding　of　the　stuffs；　like　the

splendour　of　her　skin；　was　something　special　and　belonging　to　her

alone。　Her　eyes　and　her　diamonds　sparkled；　the　polish　of　her　nails

continued　the　delicacy　of　the　stones　which　loaded　her　fingers；　the　two

clasps　of　her　tunic　raised　her　breasts　somewhat　and　brought　them

closer　together；　and　he　in　thought　lost　himself　in　the　narrow　interval

between　them　whence　there　fell　a　thread　holding　a　plate　of　emeralds

which　could　be　seen　lower　down　beneath　the　violet　gauze。　She　had　as

earrings　two　little　sapphire　scales；　each　supporting　a　hollow　pearl

filled　with　liquid　scent。　A　little　drop　would　fall　every　moment

through　the　holes　in　the　pearl　and　moisten　her　naked　shoulder。　Matho

watched　it　fall。



He　was　carried　away　by　ungovernable　curiosity；　and；　like　a　child

laying　his　hand　upon　a　strange　fruit；　he　tremblingly　and　lightly

touched　the　top　of　her　chest　with　the　tip　of　his　finger：　the　flesh；

which　was　somewhat　cold；　yielded　with　an　elastic　resistance。



This　contact；　though　scarcely　a　sensible　one；　shook　Matho　to　the　very

depths　of　his　nature。　An　uprising　of　his　whole　being　urged　him　towards

her。　He　would　fain　have　enveloped　her；　absorbed　her；　drunk　her。　His

bosom　was　panting；　his　teeth　were　chattering。



Taking　her　by　the　wrists　he　drew　her　gently　to　him；　and　then　sat　down

upon　a　cuirass　beside　the　palm…tree　bed　which　was　covered　with　a

lion's　skin。　She　was　standing。　He　looked　up　at　her；　holding　her　thus

between　his　knees；　and　repeating：



〃How　beautiful　you　are！　how　beautiful　you　are！〃



His　eyes；　which　were　continually　fixed　upon　hers；　pained　her；　and　the

uncomfortableness；　the　repugnance　increased　in　so　acute　a　fashion　that

Salammbo　put　a　constraint　upon　herself　not　to　cry　out。　The　thought　of

Schahabarim　came　back　to　her；　and　she　resigned　herself。



Matho　still　kept　her　little　hands　in　his　own；　and　from　time　to　time；

in　spite　of　the　priest's　command；　she　turned　away　her　face　and　tried

to　thrust　him　off　by　jerking　her　arms。　He　opened　his　nostrils　the

better　to　breathe　in　the　perfume　which　exhaled　from　her　person。　It　was

a　fresh；　indefinable　emanation；　which　nevertheless　made　him　dizzy；

like　the　smoke　from　a　perfuming…pan。　She　smelt　of　honey；　pepper；

incense；　roses；　with　another　odour　still。



But　how　was　she　thus　with　him　in　his　tent；　and　at　his　disposal？　Some

one　no　doubt　had　urged　her。　She　had　not　come　for　the　zaimph。　His　arms

fell；　and　he　bent　his　head　whelmed　in　sudden　reverie。



To　soften　him　Salammbo　said　to　him　in　a　plaintive　voice：



〃What　have　I　done　to　you　that　you　should　desire　my　death？〃



〃Your　death！〃



She　resumed：



〃I　saw　you　one　evening　by　the　light　of　my　burning　gardens　amid　fuming

cups　and　my　slaughtered　slaves；　and　your　anger　was　so　strong　that　you

bounded　towards　me　and　I　was　obliged　to　fly！　Then　terror　entered　into

Carthage。　There　were　cries　of　the　devastation　of　the　towns；　the

burning　of　the　country…seats；　the　massacre　of　the　soldiery；　it　was　you

who　had　ruined　them；　it　was　you　who　had　murdered　them！　I　hate　you！

Your　very　name　gnaws　me　like　remorse！　You　are　execrated　more　than　the

plague；　and　the　Roman　war！　The　provinces　shudder　at　your　fury；　the

furrows　are　full　of　corpses！　I　have　followed　the　traces　of　your　fires

as　though　I　were　travelling　behind　Moloch！〃



Matho　leaped　up；　his　heart　was　swelling　with　colossal　pride；　he　was

raised　to　the　stature　of　a　god。



With　quivering　nostrils　and　clenched　teeth　she　went　on：



〃As　if　your　sacrilege　were　not　enough；　you　came　to　me　in　my　sleep

covered　with　the　zaimph！　Your　words　I　did　not　understand；　but　I　could

see　that　you　wished　to　drag　me　to　some　terrible　thing　at　the　bottom　of

an　abyss。〃



Matho；　writhing　his　arms；　exclaimed：




〃No！　no！　it　was　to　give　it　to　you！　to　restore　it　to　you！　It　seemed　to

me　that　the　goddess　had　left　her　garment　for　you；　and　that　it　belonged

to　you！　In　her　temple　or　in　your　house；　what　does　it　matter？　are　you

not　all…powerful；　immaculate；　radiant　and　beautiful　even　as　Tanith？〃

And　with　a　look　of　boundless　adoration　he　added：



〃Unless　perhaps　you　are　Tanith？〃



〃I；　Tanith！〃　said　Salammbo　to　herself。



They　left　off　speaking。　The　thunder　rolled　in　the　distance。　Some　sheep

bleated；　frightened　by　the　storm。



〃Oh！　come　near！〃　he　went　on；　〃come　near！　fear　nothing！



〃Formerly　I　was　only　a　soldier　mingled　with　the　common　herd　of　the

Mercenaries；　ay；　and　so　meek　that　I　used　to　carry　wood　on　my　back　for

the　others。　Do　I　trouble　myself　about　Carthage！　The　crowd　of　its

people　move　as　though　lost　in　the　dust　of　your　sandals；　and　all　its

treasures；　with　the　provinces；　fleets；　and　islands；　do　not　raise　my

envy　like　the　freshness　of　your　lips　and　the　turn　of　your　shoulders。

But　I　wanted　to　throw　down　its　walls　that　I　might　reach　you　to　possess

you！　Moreover；　I　was　revenging　myself　in　the　meantime！　At　present　I

crush　men　like　shells；　and　I　throw　myself　upon　phalanxes；　I　put　aside

the　sarissae　with　my　hands；　I　check　the　stallions　by　the　nostrils；　a

catapult　would　not　kill　me！　Oh！　if　you　knew　how　I　think　of　you　in　the

midst　of　war！　Sometimes　the　memory　of　a　gesture　or　of　a　fold　of　your

garment　suddenly　seizes　me　and　entwines　me　like　a　net！　I　perceive　your

eyes　in　the　flames　of　the　phalaricas　and　on　the　gilding　of　the

shields！　I　hear　your　voice　in　the　sounding　of　the　cymbals。　I　turn

aside；　but　you　are　not　there！　and　I　plunge　again　into　the　battle！〃



He　raised　his　arms　whereon　his　veins　crossed　one　another　like　ivy　on

the　branches　of　a　tree。　Sweat　flowed　down　his　breast　between　his

square　muscles；　and　his　breathing　shook　his　sides　with　his　bronze

girdle　all　garnished　with　thongs　hanging　down　to　his　knees；　which　were

firmer　than　marble。　Salammbo；　who　was　accustomed　to　eunuchs；　yielded

to　amazement　at　the　strength　of　this　man。　It　was　the　chastisement　of

the　goddess　or　the　influence　of　Moloch　in　motion　around　her　in　the

five　armies。　She　was　overwhelmed　with　lassitude；　and　she　listened　in　a

state　of　stupor　to　the　intermittent　shouts　of　the　sentinels　as　they

answered　one　another。



The　flames　of　the　lamp　kindled　in　the　squalls　of　hot　air。　There　came

at　times　broad　lightning　flashes；　then　the　darkness　increased；　and　she

could　only　see　Matho's　eyeballs　like　two　coals　in　the　night。　However；

she　felt　that　a　fatality　was　surrounding　her；　that　she　had　reached　a

supreme　and　irrevocable　moment；　and　making　an　effort　she　went　up　again

towards　the　zaimph　and　raised　her　hands　to　seize　it。



〃What　are　you　doing？〃　exclaimed　Matho。



〃I　am　going　back　to　Carthage；〃　she　placidly　replied。



He　advanced　folding　his　arms　and　with　so　terrible　a　look　that　her

heels　were　immediately　nailed；　as　it　were；　to　the　spot。



〃Going　back　to　Carthage！〃　He　stammered；　and；　grinding　his　teeth；

repeated：



〃Going　back　to　Carthage！　Ah！　you　came　to　take　the　zaimph；　to　conquer

me；　and　then　disappear！　No；　no！　you　belong　to　me！　and　no　one　now　shall

tear　you　from　here！　Oh！　I　have　not　forgotten　the　insolence　of　your

large　tranquil　eyes；　and　how　you　crushed　me　with　the　haughtiness　of

your　beauty！　'Tis　my　turn　now！　You　are　my　captive；　my　slave；　my

servant！　Call；　if　you　like；　on　your　father　and　his　army；　the　Ancients；

the　rich；　and　your　whole　accursed　people！　I　am　the　master　of　three

hundred　thousand　soldiers！　I　will　go　and　seek　them　in　Lusitania；　in

the　Gauls；　and　in　the　depths　of　the　desert；　and　I　will　overthrow　your

town　and　burn　all　its　temples；　the　triremes　shall　float　on　the　waves

of　blood！　I　will　not　have　a　house；　a　stone；　or　a　palm　tree　remaining！

And　if　men　fail　me　I　will　draw　the　bears　from　the　mountains　and　urge

on　the　lions！　Seek　not