salammbo-第23章

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〃Take　care　that　you　do　not　end　on　the　cross！〃



〃And　you　that　you　are　not　torn　to　pieces　in　the　streets！〃



As　soon　as　they　were　on　the　threshold　of　the　court　they　again　assumed

a　calm　demeanour。



Their　runners　and　coachmen　were　waiting　for　them　at　the　door。　Most　of

them　departed　on　white　mules。　The　Suffet　leaped　into　his　chariot　and

took　the　reins；　the　two　animals；　curving　their　necks；　and　rhythmically

beating　the　resounding　pebbles；　went　up　the　whole　of　the　Mappalian　Way

at　full　gallop；　and　the　silver　vulture　at　the　extremity　of　the　pole

seemed　to　fly；　so　quickly　did　the　chariot　pass　along。



The　road　crossed　a　field　planted　with　slabs　of　stone；　which　were

painted　on　the　top　like　pyramids；　and　had　open　hands　carved　out　in　the

centre　as　if　all　the　dead　men　lying　beneath　had　stretched　them　out

towards　heaven　to　demand　something。　Next　there　came　scattered　cabins

built　of　earth；　branches；　and　bulrush…hurdles；　and　all　of　a　conical

shape。　These　dwellings；　which　became　constantly　denser　as　the　road

ascended　towards　the　Suffet's　gardens；　were　irregularly　separated　from

one　another　by　little　pebble　walls；　trenches　of　spring　water；　ropes　of

esparto…grass；　and　nopal　hedges。　But　Hamilcar's　eyes　were　fastened　on

a　great　tower；　the　three　storys　of　which　formed　three　monster

cylindersthe　first　being　built　of　stone；　the　second　of　brick；　and

the　third　all　of　cedarsupporting　a　copper　cupola　upon　twenty…four

pillars　of　juniper；　from　which　slender　interlacing　chains　of　brass

hung　down　after　the　manner　of　garlands。　This　lofty　edifice　overlooked

the　buildingsthe　emporiums　and　mercantile　houseswhich　stretched　to

the　right；　while　the　women's　palace　rose　at　the　end　of　the　cypress

trees；　which　were　ranged　in　line　like　two　walls　of　bronze。



When　the　echoing　chariot　had　entered　through　the　narrow　gateway　it

stopped　beneath　a　broad　shed　in　which　there　were　shackled　horses

eating　from　heaps　of　chopped　grass。



All　the　servants　hastened　up。　They　formed　quite　a　multitude；　those　who

worked　on　the　country　estates　having　been　brought　to　Carthage　through

fear　of　the　soldiers。　The　labourers；　who　were　clad　in　animals'　skins；

had　chains　riveted　to　their　ankles　and　trailing　after　them；　the

workers　in　the　purple　factories　had　arms　as　red　as　those　of

executioners；　the　sailors　wore　green　caps；　the　fishermen　coral

necklaces；　the　huntsmen　carried　nets　on　their　shoulders；　and　the

people　belonging　to　Megara　wore　black　or　white　tunics；　leathern

drawers；　and　caps　of　straw；　felt　or　linen；　according　to　their　service

or　their　different　occupations。



Behind　pressed　a　tattered　populace。　They　lived　without　employment

remote　from　the　apartments；　slept　at　night　in　the　gardens；　ate　the

refuse　from　the　kitchens；a　human　mouldiness　vegetating　in　the　shadow

of　the　palace。　Hamilcar　tolerated　them　from　foresight　even　more　than

from　scorn。　They　had　all　put　a　flower　in　the　ear　in　token　of　their

joy；　and　many　of　them　had　never　seen　him。



But　men　with　head…dresses　like　the　Sphinx's；　and　furnished　with　great

sticks；　dashed　into　the　crowd；　striking　right　and　left。　This　was　to

drive　back　the　slaves；　who　were　curious　to　see　their　master；　so　that

he　might　not　be　assailed　by　their　numbers　or　inconvenienced　by　their

smell。



Then　they　all　threw　themselves　flat　on　the　ground；　crying：



〃Eye　of　Baal；　may　your　house　flourish！〃　And　through　these　people　as

they　lay　thus　on　the　ground　in　the　avenue　of　cypress　trees；　Abdalonim；

the　Steward　of　the　stewards；　waving　a　white　miter；　advanced　towards

Hamilcar　with　a　censer　in　his　hand。



Salammbo　was　then　coming　down　the　galley　staircases。　All　her　slave

women　followed　her；　and；　at　each　of　her　steps；　they　also　descended。

The　heads　of　the　Negresses　formed　big　black　spots　on　the　line　of　the

bands　of　the　golden　plates　clasping　the　foreheads　of　the　Roman　women。

Others　had　silver　arrows；　emerald　butterflies；　or　long　bodkins　set

like　suns　in　their　hair。　Rings；　clasps；　necklaces；　fringes；　and

bracelets　shone　amid　the　confusion　of　white；　yellow；　and　blue

garments；　a　rustling　of　light　material　became　audible；　the　pattering

of　sandals　might　be　heard　together　with　the　dull　sound　of　naked　feet

as　they　were　set　down　on　the　wood；and　here　and　there　a　tall　eunuch；

head　and　shoulders　above　them；　smiled　with　his　face　in　air。　When　the

shouting　of　the　men　had　subsided　they　hid　their　faces　in　their

sleeves；　and　together　uttered　a　strange　cry　like　the　howling　of　a　she…

wolf；　and　so　frenzied　and　strident　was　it　that　it　seemed　to　make　the

great　ebony　staircase；　with　its　thronging　women；　vibrate　from　top　to

bottom　like　a　lyre。



The　wind　lifted　their　veils；　and　the　slender　stems　of　the　papyrus

plant　rocked　gently。　It　was　the　month　of　Schebaz　and　the　depth　of

winter。　The　flowering　pomegranates　swelled　against　the　azure　of　the

sky；　and　the　sea　disappeared　through　the　branches　with　an　island　in

the　distance　half　lost　in　the　mist。



Hamilcar　stopped　on　perceiving　Salammbo。　She　had　come　to　him　after　the

death　of　several　male　children。　Moreover；　the　birth　of　daughters　was

considered　a　calamity　in　the　religions　of　the　Sun。　The　gods　had

afterwards　sent　him　a　son；　but　he　still　felt　something　of　the　betrayal

of　his　hope；　and　the　shock；　as　it　were；　of　the　curse　which　he　had

uttered　against　her。　Salammbo；　however；　continued　to　advance。



Long　bunches　of　various…coloured　pearls　fell　from　her　ears　to　her

shoulders；　and　as　far　as　her　elbows。　Her　hair　was　crisped　so　as　to

simulate　a　cloud。　Round　her　neck　she　wore　little　quadrangular　plates

of　gold；　representing　a　woman　between　two　rampant　lions；　and　her

costume　was　a　complete　reproduction　of　the　equipment　of　the　goddess。

Her　broad…sleeved　hyacinth　robe　fitted　close　to　her　figure；　widening

out　below。　The　vermilion　on　her　lips　gave　additional　whiteness　to　her

teeth；　and　the　antimony　on　her　eyelids　greater　length　to　her　eyes。　Her

sandals；　which　were　cut　out　in　bird's　plumage；　had　very　high　heels；

and　she　was　extraordinarily　pale；　doubtless　on　account　of　the　cold。



At　last　she　came　close　to　Hamilcar；　and　without　looking　at　him；

without　raising　her　head　to　him：



〃Greeting；　eye　of　Baalim；　eternal　glory！　triumph！　leisure！

satisfaction！　riches！　Long　has　my　heart　been　sad　and　the　house

drooping。　But　the　returning　master　is　like　reviving　Tammouz；　and

beneath　your　gaze；　O　father；　joyfulness　and　a　new　existence　will

everywhere　prevail！〃



And　taking　from　Taanach's　hands　a　little　oblong　vase　wherein　smoked　a

mixture　of　meal；　butter；　cardamom；　and　wine：　〃Drink　freely；〃　said　she；

〃of　the　returning　cup；　which　your　servant　has　prepared！〃



He　replied：　〃A　blessing　upon　you！〃　and　he　mechanically　grasped　the

golden　vase　which　she　held　out　to　him。



He　scanned　her；　however；　with　such　harsh　attention；　that　Salammbo　was

troubled　and　stammered　out：



〃They　have　told　you；　O　Master！〃



〃Yes！　I　know！〃　said　Hamilcar　in　a　low　voice。



Was　this　a　confession；　or　was　she　speaking　of　the　Barbarians？　And　he

added　a　few　vague　words　upon　the　public　embarrassments　which　he　hoped

by　his　sole　efforts　to　clear　away。



〃O　father！〃　exclaimed　Salammbo；　〃you　will　not　obliterate　what　is

irreparable！〃



Then　he　drew　back　and　Salammbo　was　astonished　at　his　amazement；　for

she　was　not　thinking　of　Carthage　but　of　the　sacrilege　in　which　she

found　herself　implicated。　This　man；　who　made　legions　tremble　and　whom

she　hardly　knew；　terrified　her　like　a　god；　he　had　guessed；　he　knew

all；　something　awful　was　about　to　happen。　〃Pardon！〃　she　cried。



Hamilcar　slowly　bowed　his　head。



Although　she　wished　to　accuse　herself　she　dared　not　open　her　lips；　and

yet　she　felt　stifled　with　the　need　of　complaining　and　being　comforted。

Hamilcar　was　struggling　against　a　longing　to　break　his　oath。　He　kept

it　out　of　pride　or　from　the　dread　of　putting　an　end　to　his

uncertainty；　and　he　looked　into　her　face　with　all　his　might　so　as　to

lay　hold　on　what　she　kept　concealed　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart。



By　degrees　the　panting　Salammbo；　crushed　by　such　heavy　looks；　let　her

head　sink　below　her　shoulders。　He　was　now　sure　that　she　had　erred　in

the　embrace　of　a　Barbarian；　he　shuddered　and　raised　both　his　fists。

She　uttered　a　shriek　and　fell　down　among　her　women；　who　crowded　around

her。



Hamilcar　turned　on　his　heel。　All　the　stewards　followed　him。



The　door　of　the　emporiums　was　opened；　and　he　entered　a　vast　round　hall

form　which　long　passages　leading　to　other　halls　branched　off　like　the

spokes　from　the　nave　of　a　wheel。　A　stone　disc　stood　in　the　centre　with

balustrades　to　support　the　cushions　that　were　heaped　up　upon　carpets。



The　Suffet　walked　at　first　with　rapid　strides；　he　breathed　noisily；　he

struck　the　ground　with　his　heel；　and　drew　his　hand　across　his　forehead

like　a　man　annoyed　by　flies。　But　he　shook　his　head；　and　as　he

perceived　the　accumulation　of　his　riches　he　became　calm；　his　thoughts；

which　were　attracted　by　the　vistas　in　the　passages；　wandered　to　the

other　halls　that　were　full　of　still　rarer　treasures。　Bronze　plates；

silver　ingots；　and　iron　bars　alternated　with　pigs　of　tin　brought　from

the　Cassiterides　over　the　Dark　Sea；　gums　from　the　country　of　the

Blacks　were　running　over　their　bags　of　palm　bark；　and　gold　dust　heaped

up　in　leathern　bottles　was　insensibly　creeping　out　through　the　worn…

out　seams。　Delicate　filaments　drawn　from　marine　plants　hung　amid　flax

from　Egypt；　Greece；　Taprobane　and　Judaea；　mandrepores　bristled　like

large　bushes　at　the　foot　of　the　walls；　and　an　indefinable　odourthe

exhalation　from　perfumes；　leather；　spices；　and　ostrich　feathers；　the

latter　tied　in　great　bunches　at　the　very　top　of　the　vaultfloated

through　the　air。　An　arch　was　formed　above　the　door　before　each　passage

with　elephants'　teeth　placed　upright　and　meeting　together　at　the

points。



At　last　he　ascended　the　stone　disc。　All　the　stewards　stood　with　arms

folded　and　heads　bent　while　Abdalonim　reared　his　pointed　mitre　with　a

haughty　air。



Hamilcar　questioned　the　Chief　of　the　Ships。　He　was　an　old　pilot　with

eyelids　chafed　by　the　wind；　and　white　locks　fell　to　his　hips　as　if

dashing　foam　of　the　tempests　had　remained　on　his　beard。



He　replied　that　he　had　sent　a　fleet　by　Gades　and　Thymiamata　to　try　to

reach　Eziongaber　by　doubling　the　Southern　Horn　and　the　promontory　of

Aromata。



Others　had　advanced　continuously　towards　the　west　for　four　moons

without　meeting　with　any　shore；　but　the　ships　prows　became　entangled

in　weeds；　the　horizon　echoed　continually　with　the　noise　of　cataracts；

blood…coloured　mists　darkened　the　sun；　a　perfume…laden　breeze　lulled

the　crews　to　sleep；　and　their　memories　were　so　disturbed　that　they

were　now　unable　to　tell　anything。　However；　expeditions　had　ascended

the　rivers　of　the　Scythians；　had　made　their　way　into　Colchis；　and　into

the　countries　of　the　Jugrians　and　of　the　Estians；　had　carried　off

fifteen　hundred　maidens　in　the　Archipelago；　and　sunk　all　the　strange

vessels　sai