salammbo-第73章

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pillows　of　yellow　leather；　and　with　Taanach　beside　her。　Her　face　was

covered　with　a　white　scarf；　which；　passing　over　her　mouth　and

forehead；　allowed　only　her　eyes　to　be　seen；　but　her　lips　shone　in　the

transparency　of　the　tissue　like　the　gems　on　her　fingers；　for　Salammbo

had　both　her　hands　wrapped　up；　and　did　not　make　a　gesture　during　the

whole　conversation。



Narr'　Havas　announced　the　defeat　of　the　Barbarians　to　her。　She　thanked

him　with　a　blessing　for　the　services　which　he　had　rendered　to　her

father。　Then　he　began　to　tell　her　about　the　whole　campaign。



The　doves　on　the　palm　trees　around　them　cooed　softly；　and　other　birds

fluttered　amid　the　grass：　ring…necked　glareolas；　Tartessus　quails　and

Punic　guinea…fowl。　The　garden；　long　uncultivated；　had　multiplied　its

verdure；　coloquintidas　mounted　into　the　branches　of　cassias；　the

asclepias　was　scattered　over　fields　of　roses；　all　kinds　of　vegetation

formed　entwinings　and　bowers；　and　here　and　there；　as　in　the　woods；

sun…rays；　descending　obliquely；　marked　the　shadow　of　a　leaf　upon　the

ground。　Domestic　animals；　grown　wild　again；　fled　at　the　slightest

noise。　Sometimes　a　gazelle　might　be　seen　trailing　scattered　peacocks'

feathers　after　its　little　black　hoofs。　The　clamours　of　the　distant

town　were　lost　in　the　murmuring　of　the　waves。　The　sky　was　quite　blue；

and　not　a　sail　was　visible　on　the　sea。



Narr'　Havas　had　ceased　speaking；　Salammbo　was　looking　at　him　without

replying。　He　wore　a　linen　robe　with　flowers　painted　on　it；　and　with

gold　fringes　at　the　hem；　two　silver　arrows　fastened　his　plaited　hair

at　the　tips　of　his　ears；　his　right　hand　rested　on　a　pike…staff　adorned

with　circles　of　electrum　and　tufts　of　hair。



As　she　watched　him　a　crowd　of　dim　thoughts　absorbed　her。　This　young

man；　with　his　gentle　voice　and　feminine　figure；　captivated　her　eyes　by

the　grace　of　his　person；　and　seemed　to　her　like　an　elder　sister　sent

by　the　Baals　to　protect　her。　The　recollection　of　Matho　came　upon　her；

nor　did　she　resist　the　desire　to　learn　what　had　become　of　him。



Narr'　Havas　replied　that　the　Carthaginians　were　advancing　towards

Tunis　to　take　it。　In　proportion　as　he　set　forth　their　chances　of

success　and　Matho's　weaknesses；　she　seemed　to　rejoice　in　extraordinary

hope。　Her　lips　trembled；　her　breast　panted。　When　he　finally　promised

to　kill　him　himself；　she　exclaimed：　〃Yes！　kill　him！　It　must　be　so！〃



The　Numidian　replied　that　he　desired　this　death　ardently；　since　he

would　be　her　husband　when　the　war　was　over。



Salammbo　started；　and　bent　her　head。



But　Narr'　Havas；　pursuing　the　subject；　compared　his　longings　to

flowers　languishing　for　rain；　or　to　lost　travellers　waiting　for　the

day。　He　told　her；　further；　that　she　was　more　beautiful　than　the　moon；

better　than　the　wind　of　morning　or　than　the　face　of　a　guest。　He　would

bring　for　her　from　the　country　of　the　Blacks　things　such　as　there　were

none　in　Carthage；　and　the　apartments　in　their　house　should　be　sanded

with　gold　dust。



Evening　fell；　and　odours　of　balsam　were　exhaled。　For　a　long　time　they

looked　at　each　other　in　silence；　and　Salammbo's　eyes；　in　the　depths　of

her　long　draperies；　resembled　two　stars　in　the　rift　of　a　cloud。　Before

the　sun　set　he　withdrew。



The　Ancients　felt　themselves　relieved　of　a　great　anxiety；　when　he　left

Carthage。　The　people　had　received　him　with　even　more　enthusiastic

acclamations　than　on　the　first　occasion。　If　Hamilcar　and　the　King　of

the　Numidians　triumphed　alone　over　the　Mercenaries　it　would　be

impossible　to　resist　them。　To　weaken　Barca　they　therefore　resolved　to

make　the　aged　Hanno；　him　whom　they　loved；　a　sharer　in　the　deliverance

of　Carthage。



He　proceeded　immediately　towards　the　western　provinces；　to　take　his

vengeance　in　the　very　places　which　had　witnessed　his　shame。　But　the

inhabitants　and　the　Barbarians　were　dead；　hidden；　or　fled。　Then　his

anger　was　vented　upon　the　country。　He　burnt　the　ruins　of　the　ruins；　he

did　not　leave　a　single　tree　nor　a　blade　of　grass；　the　children　and　the

infirm；　that　were　met　with；　were　tortured；　he　gave　the　women　to　his

soldiers　to　be　violated　before　they　were　slaughtered。



Often；　on　the　crests　of　the　hills；　black　tents　were　struck　as　though

overturned　by　the　wind；　and　broad；　brilliantly　bordered　discs；　which

were　recognised　as　being　chariot…wheels；　revolved　with　a　plaintive

sound　as　they　gradually　disappeared　in　the　valleys。　The　tribes；　which

had　abandoned　the　siege　of　Carthage；　were　wandering　in　this　way

through　the　provinces；　waiting　for　an　opportunity；　or　for　some　victory

to　be　gained　by　the　Mercenaries；　in　order　to　return。　But；　whether　from

terror　or　famine；　they　all　took　the　roads　to　their　native　lands；　and

disappeared。



Hamilcar　was　not　jealous　of　Hanno's　successes。　Nevertheless　he　was　in

a　hurry　to　end　matters；　he　commanded　him　to　fall　back　upon　Tunis；　and

Hanno；　who　loved　his　country；　was　under　the　walls　of　the　town　on　the

appointed　day。



For　its　protection　it　had　its　aboriginal　population；　twelve　thousand

Mercenaries；　and；　in　addition；　all　the　Eaters　of　Uncleanness；　for　like

Matho　they　were　riveted　to　the　horizon　of　Carthage；　and　plebs　and

schalischim　gazed　at　its　lofty　walls　from　afar；　looking　back　in

thought　to　boundless　enjoyments。　With　this　harmony　of　hatred；

resistance　was　briskly　organised。　Leathern　bottles　were　taken　to　make

helmets；　all　the　palm…trees　in　the　gardens　were　cut　down　for　lances；

cisterns　were　dug；　while　for　provisions　they　caught　on　the　shores　of

the　lake　big　white　fish；　fed　on　corpses　and　filth。　Their　ramparts；

kept　in　ruins　now　by　the　jealousy　of　Carthage；　were　so　weak　that　they

could　be　thrown　down　with　a　push　of　the　shoulder。　Matho　stopped　up　the

holes　in　them　with　the　stones　of　the　houses。　It　was　the　last　struggle；

he　hoped　for　nothing；　and　yet　he　told　himself　that　fortune　was　fickle。



As　the　Carthaginians　approached　they　noticed　a　man　on　the　rampart　who

towered　over　the　battlements　from　his　belt　upwards。　The　arrows　that

flew　about　him　seemed　to　frighten　him　no　more　than　a　swarm　of

swallows。　Extraordinary　to　say；　none　of　them　touched　him。



Hamilcar　pitched　his　camp　on　the　south　side；　Narr'　Havas；　to　his

right；　occupied　the　plain　of　Rhades；　and　Hanno　the　shore　of　the　lake；

and　the　three　generals　were　to　maintain　their　respective　positions；　so

as　all　to　attack　the　walls　simultaneously。



But　Hamilcar　wished　first　to　show　the　Mercenaries　that　he　would　punish

them　like　slaves。　He　had　the　ten　ambassadors　crucified　beside　one

another　on　a　hillock　in　front　of　the　town。



At　the　sight　of　this　the　besieged　forsook　the　rampart。



Matho　had　said　to　himself　that　if　he　could　pass　between　the　walls　and

Narr'　Havas's　tents　with　such　rapidity　that　the　Numidians　had　not　time

to　come　out；　he　could　fall　upon　the　rear　of　the　Carthaginian　infantry；

who　would　be　caught　between　his　division　and　those　inside。　He　dashed

out　with　his　veterans。



Narr'　Havas　perceived　him；　he　crossed　the　shore　of　the　lake；　and　came

to　warn　Hanno　to　dispatch　men　to　Hamilcar's　assistance。　Did　he　believe

Barca　too　weak　to　resist　the　Mercenaries？　Was　it　a　piece　of　treachery

or　folly？　No　one　could　ever　learn。



Hanno；　desiring　to　humiliate　his　rival；　did　not　hesitate。　He　shouted

orders　to　sound　the　trumpets；　and　his　whole　army　rushed　upon　the

Barbarians。　The　latter　returned；　and　ran　straight　against　the

Carthaginians；　they　knocked　them　down；　crushed　them　under　their　feet；

and；　driving　them　back　in　this　way；　reached　the　tent　of　Hanno；　who　was

then　surrounded　by　thirty　Carthaginians；　the　most　illustrious　of　the

Ancients。



He　appeared　stupefied　by　their　audacity；　he　called　for　his　captains。

Every　one　thrust　his　fist　under　his　throat；　vociferating　abuse。　The

crowd　pressed　on；　and　those　who　had　their　hands　on　him　could　scarce

retain　their　hold。　However；　he　tried　to　whisper　to　them：　〃I　will　gave

you　whatever　you　want！　I　am　rich！　Save　me！〃　They　dragged　him　along；

heavy　as　he　was　his　feet　did　not　touch　the　ground。　T