salammbo-第65章

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〃What　do　you　want？〃　said　the　Suffet。



The　slave；　who　trembled　horribly；　stammered：



〃I　am　his　father！〃



Hamilcar　walked　on；　the　other　followed　him　with　stooping　loins；　bent

hams；　and　head　thrust　forward。　His　face　was　convulsed　with　unspeakable

anguish；　and　he　was　choking　with　suppressed　sobs；　so　eager　was　he　at

once　to　question　him；　and　to　cry：　〃Mercy！〃



At　last　he　ventured　to　touch　him　lightly　with　one　finger　on　the　elbow。



〃Are　you　going　to？〃　He　had　not　the　strength　to　finish；　and　Hamilcar

stopped　quite　amazed　at　such　grief。



He　had　never　thoughtso　immense　was　the　abyss　separating　them　from

each　otherthat　there　could　be　anything　in　common　between　them。　It

even　appeared　to　him　a　sort　of　outrage；　an　encroachment　upon　his　own

privileges。　He　replied　with　a　look　colder　and　heavier　than　an

executioner's　axe；　the　slave　swooned　and　fell　in　the　dust　at　his　feet。

Hamilcar　strode　across　him。



The　three　black…robed　men　were　waiting　in　the　great　hall；　and　standing

against　the　stone　disc。　Immediately　he　tore　his　garments；　and　rolled

upon　the　pavement　uttering　piercing　cries。



〃Ah！　poor　little　Hannibal！　Oh！　my　son！　my　consolation！　my　hope！　my

life！　Kill　me　also！　take　me　away！　Woe！　Woe！〃　He　ploughed　his　face　with

his　nails；　tore　out　his　hair；　and　shrieked　like　the　women　who　lament

at　funerals。　〃Take　him　away　then！　my　suffering　is　too　great！　begone！

kill　me　like　him！〃　The　servants　of　Moloch　were　astonished　that　the

great　Hamilcar　was　so　weak…spirited。　They　were　almost　moved　by　it。



A　noise　of　naked　feet　became　audible；　with　a　broken　throat…rattling

like　the　breathing　of　a　wild　beast　speeding　along；　and　a　man；　pale；

terrible；　and　with　outspread　arms　appeared　on　the　threshold　of　the

third　gallery；　between　the　ivory　pots；　he　exclaimed：



〃My　child！〃



Hamilcar　threw　himself　with　a　bound　upon　the　slave；　and　covering　the

man's　mouth　with　his　hand　exclaimed　still　more　loudly：



〃It　is　the　old　man　who　reared　him！　he　calls　him　'my　child！'　it　will

make　him　mad！　enough！　enough！〃　And　hustling　away　the　three　priests　and

their　victim　he　went　out　with　them　and　with　a　great　kick　shut　the　door

behind　him。



Hamilcar　strained　his　ears　for　some　minutes　in　constant　fear　of　seeing

them　return。　He　then　thought　of　getting　rid　of　the　slave　in　order　to

be　quite　sure　that　he　would　see　nothing；　but　the　peril　had　not　wholly

disappeared；　and；　if　the　gods　were　provoked　at　the　man's　death；　it

might　be　turned　against　his　son。　Then；　changing　his　intention；　he　sent

him　by　Taanach　the　best　from　his　kitchensa　quarter　of　a　goat；　beans；

and　preserved　pomegranates。　The　slave；　who　had　eaten　nothing　for　a

long　time；　rushed　upon　them；　his　tears　fell　into　the　dishes。



Hamilcar　at　last　returned　to　Salammbo；　and　unfastened　Hannibal's

cords。　The　child　in　exasperation　bit　his　hand　until　the　blood　came。　He

repelled　him　with　a　caress。



To　make　him　remain　quiet　Salammbo　tried　to　frighten　him　with　Lamia；　a

Cyrenian　ogress。



〃But　where　is　she？〃　he　asked。



He　was　told　that　brigands　were　coming　to　put　him　into　prison。　〃Let

them　come；〃　he　rejoined；　〃and　I　will　kill　them！〃



Then　Hamilcar　told　him　the　frightful　truth。　But　he　fell　into　a　passion

with　his　father；　contending　that　he　was　quite　able　to　annihilate　the

whole　people；　since　he　was　the　master　of　Carthage。



At　last；　exhausted　by　his　exertions　and　anger；　he　fell　into　a　wild

sleep。　He　spoke　in　his　dreams；　his　back　leaning　against　a　scarlet

cushion；　his　head　was　thrown　back　somewhat；　and　his　little　arm；

outstretched　from　his　body；　lay　quite　straight　in　an　attitude　of

command。



When　the　night　had　grown　dark　Hamilcar　lifted　him　up　gently；　and；

without　a　torch；　went　down　the　galley　staircase。　As　he　passed　through

the　mercantile　house　he　took　up　a　basket　of　grapes　and　a　flagon　of

pure　water；　the　child　awoke　before　the　statue　of　Aletes　in　the　vault

of　gems；　and　he　smiledlike　the　otheron　his　father's　arm　at　the

brilliant　lights　which　surrounded　him。



Hamilcar　felt　quite　sure　that　his　son　could　not　be　taken　from　him。　It

was　an　impenetrable　spot　communicating　with　the　beach　by　a

subterranean　passage　which　he　alone　knew；　and　casting　his　eyes　around

he　inhaled　a　great　draught　of　air。　Then　he　set　him　down　upon　a　stool

beside　some　golden　shields。　No　one　at　present　could　see　him；　he　had　no

further　need　for　watching；　and　he　relieved　his　feelings。　Like　a　mother

finding　her　first…born　that　was　lost；　he　threw　himself　upon　his　son；

he　clasped　him　to　his　breast；　he　laughed　and　wept　at　the　same　time；　he

called　him　by　the　fondest　names　and　covered　him　with　kisses；　little

Hannibal　was　frightened　by　this　terrible　tenderness　and　was　silent

now。



Hamilcar　returned　with　silent　steps；　feeling　the　walls　around　him；　and

came　into　the　great　hall　where　the　moonlight　entered　through　one　of

the　apertures　in　the　dome；　in　the　centre　the　slave　lay　sleeping　after

his　repast；　stretched　at　full　length　upon　the　marble　pavement。　He

looked　at　him　and　was　moved　with　a　sort　of　pity。　With　the　tip　of　his

cothurn　he　pushed　forward　a　carpet　beneath　his　head。　Then　he　raised

his　eyes　and　gazed　at　Tanith；　whose　slender　crescent　was　shining　in

the　sky；　and　felt　himself　stronger　than　the　Baals　and　full　of　contempt

for　them。



The　arrangements　for　the　sacrifice　were　already　begun。



Part　of　a　wall　in　the　temple　of　Moloch　was　thrown　down　in　order　to

draw　out　the　brazen　god　without　touching　the　ashes　of　the　altar。　Then

as　soon　as　the　sun　appeared　the　hierodules　pushed　it　towards　the

square　of　Khamon。



It　moved　backwards　sliding　upon　cylinders；　its　shoulders　overlapped

the　walls。　No　sooner　did　the　Carthaginians　perceive　it　in　the　distance

than　they　speedily　took　to　flight；　for　the　Baal　could　be　looked　upon

with　impunity　only　when　exercising　his　wrath。



A　smell　of　aromatics　spread　through　the　streets。　All　the　temples　had

just　been　opened　simultaneously；　and　from　them　there　came　forth

tabernacles　borne　upon　chariots；　or　upon　litters　carried　by　the

pontiffs。　Great　plumes　swayed　at　the　corners　of　them；　and　rays　were

emitted　from　their　slender　pinnacles　which　terminated　in　balls　of

crystal；　gold；　silver　or　copper。



These　were　the　Chanaanitish　Baalim；　offshoots　of　the　supreme　Baal；　who

were　returning　to　their　first　cause　to　humble　themselves　before　his

might　and　annihilate　themselves　in　his　splendour。



Melkarth's　pavilion；　which　was　of　fine　purple；　sheltered　a　petroleum

flare；　on　Khamon's；　which　was　of　hyacinth　colour；　there　rose　an　ivory

phallus　bordered　with　a　circle　of　gems；　between　Eschmoun's　curtains；

which　were　as　blue　as　the　ether；　a　sleeping　python　formed　a　circle

with　his　tail；　and　the　Pataec　gods；　held　in　the　arms　of　their　priests；

looked　like　great　infants　in　swaddling　clothes　with　their　heels

touching　the　ground。



Then　came　all　the　inferior　forms　of　the　Divinity：　Baal…Samin；　god　of

celestial　space；　Baal…Peor；　god　of　the　sacred　mountains；　Baal…Zeboub；

god　of　corruption；　with　those　of　the　neighbouring　countries　and

congenerous　races：　the　Iarbal　of　Libya；　the　Adramelech　of　Chaldaea；

the　Kijun　of　the　Syrians；　Derceto；　with　her　virgin's　face；　crept　on

her　fins；　and　the　corpse　of　Tammouz　was　drawn　along　in　the　midst　of　a

catafalque　among　torches　and　heads　of　hair。　In　order　to　subdue　the

kings　of　the　firmament　to　the　Sun；　and　prevent　their　particular

influences　from　disturbing　his；　diversely　coloured　metal　stars　were

brandished　at　the　end　of　long　poles；　and　all　were　there；　from　the　dark

Neblo；　the　genius　of　Mercury；　to　the　hideous　Rahab；　which　is　the

constellation　of　the　Crocodile。　The　Abbadirs；　stones　which　had　fallen

from　the　moon；　were　whirling　in　slings　of　silver　thread；　little

loaves；　representing　the　female　form；　were　born　on　baskets　by　the

priests　of　Ceres；　others　brought　their　fetishes　and　amulets；　forgotten

idols　reappeared；　while　the　mystic　symbols　had　been　taken　from　the

very　ships　as　though　Carthage　wished　to　concentrate　herself　wholly