salammbo-第60章

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hanging　to　ropes　would　descend　at　night　from　the　top　of　the　wall　with

torches　in　their　hands；　burn　the　works　of　the　Mercenaries；　and　then

mount　up　again。



Matho　was　exasperated；　every　obstacle　strengthened　his　wrath；　which

led　him　into　terrible　extravagances。　He　mentally　summoned　Salammbo　to

an　interview；　then　he　waited。　She　did　not　come；　this　seemed　to　him

like　a　fresh　piece　of　treachery；and　henceforth　he　execrated　her。　If

he　had　seen　her　corpse　he　would　perhaps　have　gone　away。　He　doubled　the

outposts；　he　planted　forks　at　the　foot　of　the　rampart；　he　drove

caltrops　into　the　ground；　and　he　commanded　the　Libyans　to　bring　him　a

whole　forest　that　he　might　set　it　on　fire　and　burn　Carthage　like　a　den

of　foxes。



Spendius　went　on　obstinately　with　the　siege。　He　sought　to　invent

terrible　machines　such　as　had　never　before　been　constructed。



The　other　Barbarians；　encamped　at　a　distance　on　the　isthmus；　were

amazed　at　these　delays；　they　murmured；　and　they　were　let　loose。



Then　they　rushed　with　their　cutlasses　and　javelins；　and　beat　against

the　gates　with　them。　But　the　nakedness　of　their　bodies　facilitating

the　infliction　of　wounds；　the　Carthaginians　massacred　them　freely；　and

the　Mercenaries　rejoiced　at　it；　no　doubt　through　jealousy　about　the

plunder。　Hence　there　resulted　quarrels　and　combats　between　them。　Then；

the　country　having　been　ravaged；　provisions　were　soon　scarce。　They

grew　disheartened。　Numerous　hordes　went　away；　but　the　crowd　was　so

great　that　the　loss　was　not　apparent。



The　best　of　them　tried　to　dig　mines；　but　the　earth；　being　badly

supported；　fell　in。　They　began　again　in　other　places；　but　Hamilcar

always　guessed　the　direction　that　they　were　taking　by　holding　his　ear

against　a　bronze　shield。　He　bored　counter…mines　beneath　the　path　along

which　the　wooden　towers　were　to　move；　and　when　they　were　pushed

forward　they　sank　into　the　holes。



At　last　all　recognised　that　the　town　was　impregnable；　unless　a　long

terrace　was　raised　to　the　same　height　as　the　walls；　so　as　to　enable

them　to　fight　on　the　same　level。　The　top　of　it　should　be　paved　so　that

the　machines　might　be　rolled　along。　Then　Carthage　would　find　it　quite

impossible　to　resist。



The　town　was　beginning　to　suffer　from　thirst。　The　water　which　was

worth　two　kesitahs　the　bath　at　the　opening　of　the　siege　was　now　sold

for　a　shekel　of　silver；　the　stores　of　meat　and　corn　were　also　becoming

exhausted；　there　was　a　dread　of　famine；　and　some　even　began　to　speak

of　useless　mouths；　which　terrified　every　one。



From　the　square　of　Khamon　to　the　temple　of　Melkarth　the　streets　were

cumbered　with　corpses；　and；　as　it　was　the　end　of　the　summer；　the

combatants　were　annoyed　by　great　black　flies。　Old　men　carried　off　the

wounded；　and　the　devout　continued　the　fictitious　funerals　for　their

relatives　and　friends　who　had　died　far　away　during　the　war。　Waxen

statues　with　clothes　and　hair　were　displayed　across　the　gates。　They

melted　in　the　heat　of　the　tapers　burning　beside　them；　the　paint　flowed

down　upon　their　shoulders；　and　tears　streamed　over　the　faces　of　the

living；　as　they　chanted　mournful　songs　beside　them。　The　crowd

meanwhile　ran　to　and　fro；　armed　bands　passed；　captains　shouted　orders；

while　the　shock　of　the　rams　beating　against　the　rampart　was　constantly

heard。



The　temperature　became　so　heavy　that　the　bodies　swelled　and　would　no

longer　fit　into　the　coffins。　They　were　burned　in　the　centre　of　the

courts。　But　the　fires；　being　too　much　confined；　kindled　the

neighbouring　walls；　and　long　flames　suddenly　burst　from　the　houses

like　blood　spurting　from　an　artery。　Thus　Moloch　was　in　possession　of

Carthage；　he　clasped　the　ramparts；　he　rolled　through　the　streets；　he

devoured　the　very　corpses。



Men　wearing　cloaks　made　of　collected　rags　in　token　of　despair；

stationed　themselves　at　the　corners　of　the　cross…ways。　They　declaimed

against　the　Ancients　and　against　Hamilcar；　predicted　complete　ruin　to

the　people；　and　invited　them　to　universal　destruction　and　license。　The

most　dangerous　were　the　henbane…drinkers；　in　their　crisis　they

believed　themselves　wild　beasts；　and　leaped　upon　the　passers…by　to

rend　them。　Mobs　formed　around　them；　and　the　defence　of　Carthage　was

forgotten。　The　Suffet　devised　the　payment　of　others　to　support　his

policy。



In　order　to　retain　the　genius　of　the　gods　within　the　town　their　images

had　been　covered　with　chains。　Black　veils　were　placed　upon　the　Pataec

gods；　and　hair…cloths　around　the　altars；　and　attempts　were　made　to

excite　the　pride　and　jealousy　of　the　Baals　by　singing　in　their　ears：

〃Thou　art　about　to　suffer　thyself　to　be　vanquished！　Are　the　others

perchance　more　strong？　Show　thyself！　aid　us！　that　the　peoples　may　not

say：　'Where　are　now　their　gods？'〃



The　colleges　of　the　pontiffs　were　agitated　by　unceasing　anxiety。　Those

of　Rabbetna　were　especially　afraidthe　restoration　of　the　zaimph

having　been　of　no　avail。　They　kept　themselves　shut　up　in　the　third

enclosure　which　was　as　impregnable　as　a　fortress。　Only　one　among　them；

the　high　priest　Schahabarim；　ventured　to　go　out。



He　used　to　visit　Salammbo。　But　he　would　either　remain　perfectly

silent；　gazing　at　her　with　fixed　eyeballs；　or　else　would　be　lavish　of

words；　and　the　reproaches　that　he　uttered　were　harder　than　ever。



With　inconceivable　inconsistency　he　could　not　forgive　the　young　girl

for　carrying　out　his　commands；　Schahabarim　had　guessed　all；　and　this

haunting　thought　revived　the　jealousies　of　his　impotence。　He　accused

her　of　being　the　cause　of　the　war。　Matho；　according　to　him；　was

besieging　Carthage　to　recover　the　zaimph；　and　he　poured　out

imprecations　and　sarcasms　upon　this　Barbarian　who　pretended　to　the

possession　of　holy　things。　Yet　it　was　not　this　that　the　priest　wished

to　say。



But　just　now　Salammbo　felt　no　terror　of　him。　The　anguish　which　she

used　formerly　to　suffer　had　left　her。　A　strange　peacefulness　possessed

her。　Her　gaze　was　less　wandering；　and　shone　with　limpid　fire。



Meanwhile　the　python　had　become　ill　again；　and　as　Salammbo；　on　the

contrary；　appeared　to　be　recovering；　old　Taanach　rejoiced　in　the

conviction　that　by　its　decline　it　was　taking　away　the　languor　of　her

mistress。



One　morning　she　found　it　coiled　up　behind　the　bed　of　ox…hides；　colder

than　marble；　and　with　its　head　hidden　by　a　heap　of　worms。　Her　cries

brought　Salammbo　to　the　spot。　She　turned　it　over　for　a　while　with　the

tip　of　her　sandal；　and　the　slave　was　amazed　at　her　insensibility。



Hamilcar's　daughter　no　longer　prolonged　her　fasts　with　so　much

fervour。　She　passed　whole　days　on　the　top　of　her　terrace；　leaning　her

elbows　against　the　balustrade；　and　amusing　herself　by　looking　out

before　her。　The　summits　of　the　walls　at　the　end　of　the　town　cut　uneven

zigzags　upon　the　sky；　and　the　lances　of　the　sentries　formed　what　was

like　a　border　of　corn…ears　throughout　their　length。　Further　away　she

could　see　the　manoeuvres　of　the　Barbarians　between　the　towers；　on　days

when　the　siege　was　interrupted　she　could　even　distinguish　their

occupations。　They　mended　their　weapons；　greased　their　hair；　and　washed

their　bloodstained　arms　in　the　sea；　the　tents　were　closed；　the　beasts

of　burden　were　feeding；　and　in　the　distance　the　scythes　of　the

chariots；　which　were　all　ranged　in　a　semicircle；　looked　like　a　silver

scimitar　lying　at　the　base　of　the　mountains。　Schahabarim's　talk

recurred　to　her　memory。　She　was　waiting　for　Narr'　Havas；　her

betrothed。　In　spite　of　her　hatred　she　would　have　liked　to　see　Matho

again。　Of　all　the　Carthaginians　she　was　perhaps　the　only　one　who　would

have　spoken　to　him　without　fear。



Her　father　often　came　into　her　room。　He　would　sit　down　panting　on　the

cushions；　and　gaze　at　her　with　an　almost　tender　look；　as　if　he　found

some　rest　from　her　fatigues　in　the　sight　of　her。　He　sometimes

questioned　her　about　her　journey　to　the　camp　of　the　Mercenaries。　He

even　asked　her　whether　any　one　had　urged　her　to　it；　and　with　a　shake

of　the　head　she　answered；　No；so　proud　was　Salammbo