salammbo-第71章

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soldier　was　walking　along　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　the　Barbarians

gazed　at　him　from　below。



Spendius　picked　up　the　head　of　an　ox；　then　having　formed　a　diadem　with

two　belts；　he　fixed　it　on　the　horns　at　the　end　of　a　pole　in　token　of

pacific　intentions。　The　Carthaginian　disappeared。　They　waited。



At　last　in　the　evening　a　sword…belt　suddenly　fell　from　above　like　a

stone　loosened　from　the　cliff。　It　was　made　of　red　leather　covered　with

embroidery；　with　three　diamond　stars；　and　stamped　in　the　centre；　it

bore　the　mark　of　the　Great　Council：　a　horse　beneath　a　palm…tree。　This

was　Hamilcar's　reply；　the　safe…conduct　that　he　sent　them。



They　had　nothing　to　fear；　any　change　of　fortune　brought　with　it　the

end　of　their　woes。　They　were　moved　with　extravagant　joy；　they　embraced

one　another；　they　wept。　Spendius；　Autaritus；　and　Zarxas；　four

Italiotes；　a　Negro　and　two　Spartans　offered　themselves　as　envoys。　They

were　immediately　accepted。　They　did　not　know；　however；　by　what　means

they　should　get　away。



But　a　cracking　sounded　in　the　direction　of　the　rocks；　and　the　most

elevated　of　them；　after　rocking　to　and　fro；　rebounded　to　the　bottom。

In　fact；　if　they　were　immovable　on　the　side　of　the　Barbariansfor　it

would　have　been　necessary　to　urge　them　up　an　incline　plane；　and　they

were；　moreover；　heaped　together　owing　to　the　narrowness　of　the　gorge

on　the　others；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　sufficient　to　drive　against

them　with　violence　to　make　them　descend。　The　Carthaginians　pushed

them；　and　at　daybreak　they　projected　into　the　plain　like　the　steps　of

an　immense　ruined　staircase。



The　Barbarians　were　still　unable　to　climb　them。　Ladders　were　held　out

for　their　assistance；　all　rushed　upon　them。　The　discharge　of　a

catapult　drove　the　crowd　back；　only　the　Ten　were　taken　away。



They　walked　amid　the　Clinabarians；　leaning　their　hands　on　the　horses'

croups　for　support。



Now　that　their　first　joy　was　over　they　began　to　harbour　anxieties。

Hamilcar's　demands　would　be　cruel。　But　Spendius　reassured　them。



〃I　will　speak！〃　And　he　boasted　that　he　knew　excellent　things　to　say

for　the　safety　of　the　army。



Behind　all　the　bushes　they　met　with　ambushed　sentries；　who　prostrated

themselves　before　the　sword…belt　which　Spendius　had　placed　over　his

shoulder。



When　they　reached　the　Punic　camp　the　crowd　flocked　around　them；　and

they　thought　that　they　could　hear　whisperings　and　laughter。　The　door

of　a　tent　opened。



Hamilcar　was　at　the　very　back　of　it　seated　on　a　stool　beside　a　table

on　which　there　shone　a　naked　sword。　He　was　surrounded　by　captains；　who

were　standing。



He　started　back　on　perceiving　these　men；　and　then　bent　over　to　examine

them。



Their　pupils　were　strangely　dilated；　and　there　was　a　great　black

circle　round　their　eyes；　which　extended　to　the　lower　parts　of　their

ears；　their　bluish　noses　stood　out　between　their　hollow　cheeks；　which

were　chinked　with　deep　wrinkles；　the　skin　of　their　bodies　was　too

large　for　their　muscles；　and　was　hidden　beneath　a　slate…coloured　dust；

their　lips　were　glued　to　their　yellow　teeth；　they　exhaled　an

infectious　odour；　they　might　have　been　taken　for　half…opened　tombs；

for　living　sepulchres。



In　the　centre　of　the　tent；　on　a　mat　on　which　the　captains　were　about

to　sit　down；　there　was　a　dish　of　smoking　gourds。　The　Barbarians

fastened　their　eyes　upon　it　with　a　shivering　in　all　their　limbs；　and

tears　came　to　their　eyelids；　nevertheless　they　restrained　themselves。



Hamilcar　turned　away　to　speak　to　some　one。　Then　they　all　flung

themselves　upon　it；　flat　on　the　ground。　Their　faces　were　soaked　in　the

fat；　and　the　noise　of　their　deglutition　was　mingled　with　the　sobs　of

joy　which　they　uttered。　Through　astonishment；　doubtless；　rather　than

pity；　they　were　allowed　to　finish　the　mess。　Then　when　they　had　risen

Hamilcar　with　a　sign　commanded　the　man　who　bore　the　sword…belt　to

speak。　Spendius　was　afraid；　he　stammered。



Hamilcar；　while　listening　to　him；　kept　turning　round　on　his　finger　a

big　gold　ring；　the　same　which　had　stamped　the　seal　of　Carthage　upon

the　sword…belt。　He　let　it　fall　to　the　ground；　Spendius　immediately

picked　it　up；　his　servile　habits　came　back　to　him　in　the　presence　of

his　master。　The　others　quivered　with　indignation　at　such　baseness。



But　the　Greek　raised　his　voice　and　spoke　for　a　long　time　in　rapid；

insidious；　and　even　violent　fashion；　setting　forth　the　crimes　of

Hanno；　whom　he　knew　to　be　Barca's　enemy；　and　striving　to　move

Hamilcar's　pity　by　the　details　of　their　miseries　and　the　recollection

of　their　devotion；　in　the　end　he　became　forgetful　of　himself；　being

carried　away　by　the　warmth　of　his　temper。



Hamilcar　replied　that　he　accepted　their　excuses。　Peace；　then；　was

about　to　be　concluded；　and　now　it　would　be　a　definitive　one！　But　he

required　that　ten　Mercenaries；　chosen　by　himself；　should　be　delivered

up　to　him　without　weapons　or　tunics。



They　had　not　expected　such　clemency；　Spendius　exclaimed：　〃Ah！　twenty

if　you　wish；　master！〃



〃No！　ten　will　suffice；〃　replied　Hamilcar　quietly。



They　were　sent　out　of　the　tent　to　deliberate。　As　soon　as　they　were

alone；　Autaritus　protested　against　the　sacrifice　of　their　companions；

and　Zarxas　said　to　Spendius：



〃Why　did　you　not　kill　him？　his　sword　was　there　beside　you！〃



〃Him！〃　said　Spendius。　〃Him！　him！〃　he　repeated　several　times；　as　though

the　thing　had　been　impossible；　and　Hamilcar　were　an　immortal。



They　were　so　overwhelmed　with　weariness　that　they　stretched　themselves

on　their　backs　on　the　ground；　not　knowing　at　what　resolution　to

arrive。



Spendius　urged　them　to　yield。　At　last　they　consented；　and　went　in

again。



Then　the　Suffet　put　his　hand　into　the　hands　of　the　ten　Barbarians　in

turn；　and　pressed　their　thumbs；　then　he　rubbed　it　on　his　garment；　for

their　viscous　skin　gave　a　rude；　soft　impression　to　the　touch；　a　greasy

tingling　which　induced　horripilation。　Afterwards　he　said　to　them：



〃You　are　really　all　the　chiefs　of　the　Barbarians；　and　you　have　sworn

for　them？〃



〃Yes！〃　they　replied。



〃Without　constraint；　from　the　bottom　of　your　souls；　with　the　intention

of　fulfilling　your　promises？〃



They　assured　him　that　they　were　returning　to　the　rest　in　order　to

fulfil　them。



〃Well！〃　rejoined　the　Suffet；　〃in　accordance　with　the　convention

concluded　between　myself；　Barca；　and　the　ambassadors　of　the

Mercenaries；　it　is　you　whom　I　choose　and　shall　keep！〃



Spendius　fell　swooning　upon　the　mat。　The　Barbarians；　as　though

abandoning　him；　pressed　close　together；　and　there　was　not　a　word；　not

a　complaint。



Their　companions；　who　were　waiting　for　them；　not　seeing　them　return；

believed　themselves　betrayed。　The　envoys　had　no　doubt　given　themselves

up　to　the　Suffet。



They　waited　for　two　days　longer；　then　on　the　morning　of　the　third；

their　resolution　was　taken。　With　ropes；　picks；　and　arrows；　arranged

like　rungs　between　strips　of　canvas；　they　succeeded　in　scaling　the

rocks；　and　leaving　the　weakest；　about　three　thousand　in　number；　behind

them；　they　began　their　march　to　rejoin　the　army　at　Tunis。



Above　the　gorge　there　stretched　a　meadow　thinly　sown　with　shrubs；　the

Barbarians　devoured　the　buds。　Afterwards　they　found　a　field　of　beans；

and　everything　disappeared　as　though　a　cloud　of　grasshoppers　had

passed　that　way。　Three　hours　later　they　reached　a　second　plateau

bordered　by　a　belt　of　green　hills。



Among　the　undulations　of　these　hillocks；　silvery　sheaves　shone　at

intervals　from　one　another；　the　Barbarians；　who　were　dazzled　by　the

sun；　could　perceive　confusedly　below　great　black　masses　supporting

them；　these　rose；　as　though　they　were　expanding。　They　were　lances　in

towers　on　elephants　terribly　armed。



Besides　the　spears　on　their　breasts；　the　bodkin　tusks；　the　brass

plates　which　covered　their　sides；　and　the　daggers　fastened　to　their

knee…caps；　they　had　at　the　extremity　of　their　tusks　a　leathern

bracelet；　in　which　the　handle　of　a　broad　cutlass　was　inserted；　they

had