salammbo-第15章

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straps；　while　above；　semi…circles　like　shells；　opened　in　the　thickness

of　the　wall；　suffered　a　garment　to　come　out　and　hang　down　to　the

ground。



There　was　an　oval　basin　with　a　step　of　onyx　round　it；　delicate

slippers　of　serpent　skin　were　standing　on　the　edge；　together　with　an

alabaster　flagon。　The　trace　of　a　wet　footstep　might　be　seen　beyond。

Exquisite　scents　were　evaporating。



Matho　glided　over　the　pavement；　which　was　encrusted　with　gold；　mother…

of…pearl；　and　glass；　and；　in　spite　of　the　polished　smoothness　of　the

ground；　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　feet　sank　as　though　he　were　walking

on　sand。



Behind　the　silver　lamp　he　had　perceived　a　large　square　of　azure　held

in　the　air　by　four　cords　from　above；　and　he　advanced　with　loins　bent

and　mouth　open。



Flamingoes'　wings；　fitted　on　branches　of　black　coral；　lay　about　among

purple　cushions；　tortoiseshell　strigils；　cedar　boxes；　and　ivory

spatulas。　There　were　antelopes'　horns　with　rings　and　bracelets　strung

upon　them；　and　clay　vases　were　cooling　in　the　wind　in　the　cleft　of　the

wall　with　a　lattice…work　of　reeds。　Several　times　he　struck　his　foot；

for　the　ground　had　various　levels　of　unequal　height；　which　formed　a

succession　of　apartments；　as　it　were；　in　the　room。　In　the　background

there　were　silver　balustrades　surrounding　a　carpet　strewn　with　painted

flowers。　At　last　he　came　to　the　hanging　bed　beside　an　ebony　stool

serving　to　get　into　it。



But　the　light　ceased　at　the　edge；and　the　shadow；　like　a　great

curtain；　revealed　only　a　corner　of　the　red　mattress　with　the　extremity

of　a　little　naked　foot　lying　upon　its　ankle。　Then　Matho　took　up　the

lamp　very　gently。



She　was　sleeping　with　her　cheek　in　one　hand　and　with　the　other　arm

extended。　Her　ringlets　were　spread　about　her　in　such　abundance　that

she　appeared　to　be　lying　on　black　feathers；　and　her　ample　white　tunic

wound　in　soft　draperies　to　her　feet　following　the　curves　of　her

person。　Her　eyes　were　just　visible　beneath　her　half…closed　eyelids。

The　curtains；　which　stretched　perpendicularly；　enveloped　her　in　a

bluish　atmosphere；　and　the　motion　of　her　breathing；　communicating

itself　to　the　cords；　seemed　to　rock　her　in　the　air。　A　long　mosquito

was　buzzing。



Matho　stood　motionless　holding　the　silver　lamp　at　arm's　length；　but　on

a　sudden　the　mosquito…net　caught　fire　and　disappeared；　and　Salammbo

awoke。



The　fire　had　gone　out　of　itself。　She　did　not　speak。　The　lamp　caused

great　luminous　moires　to　flicker　on　the　wainscots。



〃What　is　it？〃　she　said。



He　replied：



〃'Tis　the　veil　of　the　goddess！〃



〃The　veil　of　the　goddess！〃　cried　Salammbo；　and　supporting　herself　on

both　clenched　hands　she　leaned　shuddering　out。　He　resumed：



〃I　have　been　in　the　depths　of　the　sanctuary　to　seek　it　for　you！　Look！〃

The　Zaimph　shone　a　mass　of　rays。



〃Do　you　remember　it？〃　said　Matho。　〃You　appeared　at　night　in　my　dreams；

but　I　did　not　guess　the　mute　command　of　your　eyes！〃　She　put　out　one

foot　upon　the　ebony　stool。　〃Had　I　understood　I　should　have　hastened

hither；　I　should　have　forsaken　the　army；　I　should　not　have　left

Carthage。　To　obey　you　I　would　go　down　through　the　caverns　of

Hadrumetum　into　the　kingdom　of　the　shades！Forgive　me！　it　was　as

though　mountains　were　weighing　upon　my　days；　and　yet　something　drew　me

on！　I　tried　to　come　to　you！　Should　I　ever　have　dared　this　without　the

Gods！Let　us　go！　You　must　follow　me！　or；　if　you　do　not　wish　to　do　so；

I　will　remain。　What　matters　it　to　me！Drown　my　soul　in　your　breath！

Let　my　lips　be　crushed　with　kissing　your　hands！〃



〃Let　me　see　it！〃　she　said。　〃Nearer！　nearer！〃



Day　was　breaking；　and　the　sheets　of　talc　in　the　walls　were　filled　with

a　vinous　colour。　Salammbo　leaned　fainting　against　the　cushions　of　the

bed。



〃I　love　you！〃　cried　Matho。



〃Give　it！〃　she　stammered　out；　and　they　drew　closer　together。



She　kept　advancing；　clothed　in　her　white　trailing　simar；　and　with　her

large　eyes　fastened　on　the　veil。　Matho　gazed　at　her；　dazzled　by　the

splendours　of　her　head；　and；　holding　out　the　zaimph　towards　her；　was

about　to　enfold　her　in　an　embrace。　She　was　stretching　out　her　arms。

Suddenly　she　stopped；　and　they　stood　looking　at　each　other；　open…

mouthed。



Then　without　understanding　the　meaning　of　his　solicitation　a　horror

seized　upon　her。　Her　delicate　eyebrows　rose；　her　lips　opened；　she

trembled。　At　last　she　struck　one　of　the　brass　pateras　which　hung　at

the　corners　of　the　red　mattress；　crying：



〃To　the　rescue！　to　the　rescue！　Back；　sacrilegious　man！　infamous　and

accursed！　Help；　Taanach；　Kroum；　Ewa；　Micipsa；　Schaoul！〃



And　the　scared　face　of　Spendius；　appearing　in　the　wall　between　the

clay　flagons；　cried　out　these　words：



〃Fly！　they　are　hastening　hither！〃



A　great　tumult　came　upwards　shaking　the　staircases；　and　a　flood　of

people；　women；　serving…men；　and　slaves；　rushed　into　the　room　with

stakes；　tomahawks；　cutlasses；　and　daggers。　They　were　nearly　paralysed

with　indignation　on　perceiving　a　man；　the　female　servants　uttered

funeral　wailings；　and　the　eunuchs　grew　pale　beneath　their　black　skins。



Matho　was　standing　behind　the　balustrades。　With　the　zaimph　which　was

wrapped　about　him；　he　looked　like　a　sidereal　god　surrounded　by　the

firmament。　The　slaves　were　going　to　fall　upon　him；　but　she　stopped

them：



〃Touch　it　not！　It　is　the　mantle　of　the　goddess！〃



She　had　drawn　back　into　a　corner；　but　she　took　a　step　towards　him；　and

stretched　forth　her　naked　arm：



〃A　curse　upon　you；　you　who　have　plundered　Tanith！　Hatred；　vengeance；

massacre；　and　grief！　May　Gurzil；　god　of　battles；　rend　you！　may

Mastiman；　god　of　the　dead；　stifle　you！　and　may　the　Otherhe　who　may

not　be　namedburn　you！〃



Matho　uttered　a　cry　as　though　he　had　received　a　sword…thrust。　She

repeated　several　times：　〃Begone！　begone！〃



The　crowd　of　servants　spread　out；　and　Matho；　with　hanging　head；　passed

slowly　through　the　midst　of　them；　but　at　the　door　he　stopped；　for　the

fringe　of　the　zaimph　had　caught　on　one　of　the　golden　stars　with　which

the　flagstones　were　paved。　He　pulled　it　off　abruptly　with　a　movement

of　his　shoulder　and　went　down　the　staircases。



Spendius；　bounding　from　terrace　to　terrace；　and　leaping　over　the

hedges　and　trenches；　had　escaped　from　the　gardens。　He　reached　the　foot

of　the　pharos。　The　wall　was　discontinued　at　this　spot；　so　inaccessible

was　the　cliff。　He　advanced　to　the　edge；　lay　down　on　his　back；　and　let

himself　slide；　feet　foremost；　down　the　whole　length　of　it　to　the

bottom；　then　by　swimming　he　reached　the　Cape　of　the　Tombs；　made　a　wide

circuit　of　the　salt　lagoon；　and　re…entered　the　camp　of　the　Barbarians

in　the　evening。



The　sun　had　risen；　and；　like　a　retreating　lion；　Matho　went　down　the

paths；　casting　terrible　glances　about　him。



A　vague　clamour　reached　his　ears。　It　had　started　from　the　palace；　and

it　was　beginning　afresh　in　the　distance；　towards　the　Acropolis。　Some

said　that　the　treasure　of　the　Republic　had　been　seized　in　the　temple

of　Moloch；　others　spoke　of　the　assassination　of　a　priest。　It　was

thought；　moreover；　that　the　Barbarians　had　entered　the　city。



Matho；　who　did　not　know　how　to　get　out　of　the　enclosures；　walked

straight　before　him。　He　was　seen；　and　an　outcry　was　raised。　Every　one

understood；　and　there　was　consternation；　then　immense　wrath。



From　the　bottom　of　the　Mappalian　quarter；　from　the　heights　of　the

Acropolis；　from　the　catacombs；　from　the　borders　of　the　lake；　the

multitude　came　in　haste。　The　patricians　left　their　palaces；　and　the

traders　left　their　shops；　the　women　forsook　their　children；　swords；

hatchets；　and　sticks　were　seized；　but　the　obstacle　which　had　stayed

Salammbo　stayed　them。　How　could　the　veil　be　taken　back？　The　mere　sight

of　it　was　a　crime；　it　was　of　the　nature　of　the　gods；　and　contact　with

it　was　death。



The　despairing　priests　wrung　their　hands　on　the　peristyles　of　the

temples。　The　guards　of　the　Legion　galloped　about　at　random；　the　people

climbed　upon　the　houses；　the　terraces；　the　shoulders　of　the

colossuses；　and　the　masts　of　the　ships。　He　went　on；　nevertheless；　and

the　rage；　and　the　terror　also；　increased　at　each　of　his　steps；　the

streets　cleared　at　his　approach；　and　the　torrent　of　flying　men

streamed　on　both　sides　up　to　the　tops　of　the　walls。　Everywhere　he

could　perceive　only　eyes　opened　widely　as　if　to　devour　him；　chattering

teeth　and　outstretched　fists；　and　Salammbo's　imprecations　resounded

many　times　renewed。



Suddenly　a　long　arrow　whizzed　past；　then　another；　and　stones　began　to

buzz　about　him；　but　the　missiles；　being　badly　aimed　（for　there　was　the

dread　of　hitting　the　zaimph）；　passed　over　his　head。　Moreover；　he　made

a　shield　of　the　veil；　holding　it　to　the　right；　to　the　left；　before　him

and　behind　him；　and　they　could　devise　no　expedient。　He　quickened　his

steps　more　and　more；　advancing　through　the　open　streets。　They　were

barred　with　cords；　chariots；　and　snares；　and　all　his　windings　brought

him　back　again。　At　last　he　entered　the　square　of　Khamon　where　the

Balearians　had　perished；　and　stopped；　growing　pale　as　one　about　to

die。　This　time　he　was　surely　lost；　and　the　multitude　clapped　their

hands。



He　ran　up　to　the　great　gate；　which　was　closed。　It　was　very　high；　made

throughout　of　heart　of　oak；　with　iron　nails　and　sheathed　with　brass。

Matho　flung　himself　against　it。　The　people　stamped　their　feet　with　joy

when　they　saw　the　impotence　of　his　fury；　then　he　took　his　sandal；　spit

upon　it；　and　beat　the　immovable　panels　with　it。　The　whole　city　howled。

The　veil　was　forgotten　now；　and　they　were　about　to　crush　him。　Matho

gazed　with　wide　vacant　eyes　upon　the　crowd。　His　temples　were　throbbing

with　violence　enough　to　stun　him；　and　he　felt　a　numbness　as　of

intoxication　creeping　over　him。　Suddenly　he　caught　sight　of　the　long

chain　used　in　working　the　swinging　of　the　gate。　With　a　bound　he

grasped　it；　stiffening　his　arms；　and　making　a　buttress　of　his　feet；

and　at　last　the　huge　leaves　partly　opened。



Then　when　he　was　outside　he　took　the　great　zaimph　from　his　neck；　and

raised　it　as　high　as　possible　above　his　head。　The　material；　upborne　by

the　sea　breeze；　shone　in　the　sunlight　with　its　colours；　its　gems；　and

the　figures　of　its　gods。　Matho　bore　it　thus　across　the　whole　plain　as

far　as　the　soldiers'　tents；　and　the　people　on　the　walls　watched　the

fortune　of　Carthage　depart。







CHAPTER　VI



HANNO



〃I　ought　to　have　carried　her　off！〃　Matho　said　in　the　evening　to

Spendius。　〃I　should　have　seized　her；　and　torn　her　from　her　house！　No

one　would　have　dared　to　touch　me！〃



Spendius　was　not　listening　to　him。　Stretched　on　his　back　he　was　taking

delicious　rest　beside　a　large　jar　filled　with　honey…coloured　water；

into　which　he　would　dip　his　head　from　time　to　time　in　order　to　drink

more　copiously。



Matho　resumed：



〃What　is　to　be　done？　How　can　we　re…enter　Carthage？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Spendius。



Such　impassibility　exasperated　Matho　and　he　exclaimed：