salammbo-第25章

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the　waist　to　a　long　chain　let　into　the　wall。　His　beard　and　nails　had

grown　to　an　immoderate　length；　and　he　swayed　himself　from　right　to

left　with　that　continual　oscillation　which　is　characteristic　of

captive　animals。　As　soon　as　he　recognised　Hamilcar　he　darted　towards

him；　crying：



〃Pardon；　Eye　of　Baal！　pity！　kill　me！　For　ten　years　I　have　not　seen　the

sun！　In　your　father's　name；　pardon！〃



Hamilcar；　without　answering　him；　clapped　his　hands　and　three　men

appeared；　and　all　four　simultaneously　stiffening　their　arms；　drew　back

from　its　rings　the　enormous　bar　which　closed　the　door。　Hamilcar　took　a

torch　and　disappeared　into　the　darkness。



This　was　believed　to　be　the　family　burying…place；　but　nothing　would

have　been　found　in　it　except　a　broad　well。　It　was　dug　out　merely　to

baffle　robbers；　and　it　concealed　nothing。　Hamilcar　passed　along　beside

it；　then　stooping　down　he　made　a　very　heavy　millstone　turn　upon　its

rollers；　and　through　this　aperture　entered　an　apartment　which　was

built　in　the　shape　of　a　cone。



The　walls　were　covered　with　scales　of　brass；　and　in　the　centre；　on　a

granite　pedestal；　stood　the　statue　of　one　of　the　Kabiri　called　Aletes；

the　discoverer　of　the　mines　in　Celtiberia。　On　the　ground；　at　its　base；

and　arranged　in　the　form　of　a　cross；　were　large　gold　shields　and

monster　close…necked　silver　vases；　of　extravagant　shape　and　unfitted

for　use；　it　was　customary　to　cast　quantities　of　metal　in　this　way；　so

that　dilapidation　and　even　removal　should　be　almost　impossible。



With　his　torch　he　lit　a　miner's　lamp　which　was　fastened　to　the　idol's

cap；　and　green；　yellow；　blue；　violet；　wine…coloured；　and　blood…

coloured　fires　suddenly　illuminated　the　hall。　It　was　filled　with　gems

which　were　either　in　gold　calabashes　fastened　like　sconces　upon　sheets

of　brass；　or　were　ranged　in　native　masses　at　the　foot　of　the　wall。

There　were　callaides　shot　away　from　the　mountains　with　slings；

carbuncles　formed　by　the　urine　of　the　lynx；　glossopetrae　which　had

fallen　from　the　moon；　tyanos；　diamonds；　sandastra；　beryls；　with　the

three　kinds　of　rubies；　the　four　kinds　of　sapphires；　and　the　twelve

kinds　of　emeralds。　They　gleamed　like　splashes　of　milk；　blue　icicles；

and　silver　dust；　and　shed　their　light　in　sheets；　rays；　and　stars。

Ceraunia；　engendered　by　the　thunder；　sparkled　by　the　side　of

chalcedonies；　which　are　a　cure　for　poison。　There　were　topazes　from

Mount　Zabarca　to　avert　terrors；　opals　from　Bactriana　to　prevent

abortions；　and　horns　of　Ammon；　which　are　placed　under　the　bed　to

induce　dreams。



The　fires　from　the　stones　and　the　flames　from　the　lamp　were　mirrored

in　the　great　golden　shields。　Hamilcar　stood　smiling　with　folded　arms；

and　was　less　delighted　by　the　sight　of　his　riches　than　by　the

consciousness　of　their　possession。　They　were　inaccessible；

exhaustless；　infinite。　His　ancestors　sleeping　beneath　his　feet

transmitted　something　of　their　eternity　to　his　heart。　He　felt　very

near　to　the　subterranean　deities。　It　was　as　the　joy　of　one　of　the

Kabiri；　and　the　great　luminous　rays　striking　upon　his　face　looked　like

the　extremity　of　an　invisible　net　linking　him　across　the　abysses　with

the　centre　of　the　world。



A　thought　came　which　made　him　shudder；　and　placing　himself　behind　the

idol　he　walked　straight　up　to　the　wall。　Then　among　the　tattooings　on

his　arm　he　scrutinised　a　horizontal　line　with　two　other　perpendicular

ones　which　in　Chanaanitish　figures　expressed　the　number　thirteen。　Then

he　counted　as　far　as　the　thirteenth　of　the　brass　plates　and　again

raised　his　ample　sleeve；　and　with　his　right　hand　stretched　out　he　read

other　more　complicated　lines　on　his　arm；　at　the　same　time　moving　his

fingers　daintily　about　like　one　playing　on　a　lyre。　At　last　he　struck

seven　blows　with　his　thumb；　and　an　entire　section　of　the　wall　turned

about　in　a　single　block。



It　served　to　conceal　a　sort　of　cellar　containing　mysterious　things

which　had　no　name　and　were　of　incalculable　value。　Hamilcar　went　down

the　three　steps；　took　up　a　llama's　skin　which　was　floating　on　a　black

liquid　in　a　silver　vat；　and　then　re…ascended。



Abdalonim　again　began　to　walk　before　him。　He　struck　the　pavement　with

his　tall　cane；　the　pommel　of　which　was　adorned　with　bells；　and　before

every　apartment　cried　aloud　the　name　of　Hamilcar　amid　eulogies　and

benedictions。



Along　the　walls　of　the　circular　gallery；　from　which　the　passages

branched　off；　were　piled　little　beams　of　algummim；　bags　of　Lawsonia；

cakes　of　Lemnos…earth；　and　tortoise　carapaces　filled　with　pearls。　The

Suffet　brushed　them　with　his　robe　as　he　passed　without　even　looking　at

some　gigantic　pieces　of　amber；　an　almost　divine　material　formed　by　the

rays　of　the　sun。



A　cloud　of　odorous　vapour　burst　forth。



〃Push　open　the　door！〃



They　went　in。



Naked　men　were　kneading　pastes；　crushing　herbs；　stirring　coals；

pouring　oil　into　jars；　and　opening　and　shutting　the　little　ovoid　cells

which　were　hollowed　out　all　round　in　the　wall；　and　were　so　numerous

that　the　apartment　was　like　the　interior　of　a　hive。　They　were　brimful

of　myrobalan；　bdellium；　saffron；　and　violets。　Gums；　powders；　roots；

glass　phials；　branches　of　filipendula；　and　rose…petals　were　scattered

about　everywhere；　and　the　scents　were　stifling　in　spite　of　the　cloud…

wreaths　from　the　styrax　shrivelling　on　a　brazen　tripod　in　the　centre。



The　Chief　of　the　Sweet　Odours；　pale　and　long　as　a　waxen　torch；　came　up

to　Hamilcar　to　crush　a　roll　of　metopion　in　his　hands；　while　two　others

rubbed　his　heels　with　leaves　of　baccharis。　He　repelled　them；　they　were

Cyreneans　of　infamous　morals；　but　valued　on　account　of　the　secrets

which　they　possessed。



To　show　his　vigilance　the　Chief　of　the　Odours　offered　the　Suffet　a

little　malobathrum　to　taste　in　an　electrum　spoon；　then　he　pierced

three　Indian　bezoars　with　an　awl。　The　master；　who　knew　the　artifices

employed；　took　a　horn　full　of　balm；　and　after　holding　it　near　the

coals　inclined　it　over　his　robe。　A　brown　spot　appeared；　it　was　a

fraud。　Then　he　gazed　fixedly　at　the　Chief　of　the　Odours；　and　without

saying　anything　flung　the　gazelle's　horn　full　in　his　face。



However　indignant　he　might　be　at　adulterations　made　to　his　own

prejudice；　when　he　perceived　some　parcels　of　nard　which　were　being

packed　up　for　countries　beyond　the　sea；　he　ordered　antimony　to　be

mixed　with　it　so　as　to　make　it　heavier。



Then　he　asked　where　three　boxes　of　psagdas　designed　for　his　own　use

were　to　be　found。



The　Chief　of　the　Odours　confessed　that　he　did　not　know；　some　soldiers

had　come　howling　in　with　knives　and　he　had　opened　the　boxes　for　them。



〃So　you　are　more　afraid　of　them　then　of　me！〃　cried　the　Suffet；　and　his

eyeballs　flashed　like　torches　through　the　smoke　upon　the　tall；　pale

man　who　was　beginning　to　understand。　〃Abdalonim！　you　will　make　him　run

the　gauntlet　before　sunset：　tear　him！〃



This　loss；　which　was　less　than　the　others；　had　exasperated　him；　for　in

spite　of　his　efforts　to　banish　them　from　his　thoughts　he　was

continually　coming　again　across　the　Barbarians。　Their　excesses　were

blended　with　his　daughter's　shame；　and　he　was　angry　with　the　whole

household　for　knowing　of　the　latter　and　for　not　speaking　of　it　to　him。

But　something　impelled　him　to　bury　himself　in　his　misfortune；　and　in

an　inquisitorial　fit　he　visited　the　sheds　behind　the　mercantile　house

to　see　the　supplies　of　bitumen；　wood；　anchors　and　cordage；　honey　and

wax；　the　cloth　warehouse；　the　stores　of　food；　the　marble　yard　and　the

silphium　barn。



He　went　to　the　other　side　of　the　gardens　to　make　an　inspection　in

their　cottages；　of　the　domestic　artisans　whose　productions　were　sold。

There　were　tailors　embroidering　cloaks；　others　making　nets；　others

painting　cushions　or　cutting　out　sandals；　and　Egyptian　workmen

polished　papyrus　with　a　shell；　while　the　weavers'　shuttles　rattled　and

the　armourers'　anvils　rang。



Hamilcar　said　to　them：



〃Beat　away　at　the　swords！　I　shall　want　them。〃　And　he　drew　the

antelope's　skin　that　had　been　steeped　in　poisons　from　his　bosom　to

have　it　cut　into　a　cuirass　more　solid　than　one　of　brass　and

unassailable　by　steel　or　flame。



As　soon　as　he　approached　the　workmen；　Abdalonim；　to　give　his　wrath

another　direction；　tried　to　anger　him　against　them　by　murmured

disparagement　of　their　work。　〃What　a　performance！　It　is　a　shame！　The

Master　is　indeed　too　good。〃　Hamilcar　moved　away　without　listening　to

him。



He　slackened　his　pace；　for　the　paths　were　barred　by　great　trees

calcined　from　one　end　to　the　other；　such　as　may　be　met　with　in　woods

where　shepherds　have　encamped；　and　the　palings　were　broken；　the　water

in　the　trenches　was　disappearing；　while　fragments　of　glass　and　the

bones　of　apes　were　to　be　seen　amid　the　miry　puddles。　A　scrap　of　cloth

hung　here　and　there　from　the　bushes；　and　the　rotten　flowers　formed　a

yellow　muck…heap　beneath　the　citron　trees。　In　fact；　the　servants　had

neglected　everything；　thinking　that　the　master　would　never　return。



At　every　step　he　discovered　some　new　disaster；　some　further　proof　of

the　thing　which　he　had　forbidden　himself　to　learn。　Here　he　was　soiling

his　purple　boots　as　he　crushed　the　filth　under…foot；　and　he　had　not

all　these　men　before　him　at　the　end　of　a　catapult　to　make　them　fly

into　fragments！　He　felt　humiliated　at　having　defended　them；　it　was　a

delusion　and　a　piece　of　treachery；　and　as　he　could　not　revenge　himself

upon　the　soldiers；　or　the　Ancients；　or　Salammbo；　or　anybody；　and　his

wrath　required　some　victim；　he　condemned　all　the　slaves　of　the　gardens

to　the　mines　at　a　single　stroke。



Abdalonim　shuddered　each　time　that　he　saw　him　approaching　the　parks。

But　Hamilcar　took　the　path　towards　the　mill；　from　which　there　might　be

heard　issuing　a　mournful　melopoeia。



The　heavy　mill…stones　were　turning　amid　the　dust。　They　consisted　of

two　cones　of　porphyry　laid　the　one　upon　the　otherthe　upper　one　of

the　two；　which　carried　a　funnel；　being　made　to　revolve　upon　the　second

by　means　of　strong　bars。　Some　men　were　pushing　these　with　their

breasts　and　arms；　while　others　were　yoked　to　them　and　were　pulling

them。　The　friction　of　the　straps　had　formed　purulent　scabs　round　about

their　armpits　such　as　are　seen　on　asses'　withers；　and　the　end　of　the

limp　black　rag；　which　scarcely　covered　their　loins；　hung　down　and

flapped　against　their　hams　like　a　long　tail。　Their　eyes　were　red；　the

irons　on　their　feet　clanked；　and　all　their　breasts　panted

rhythmically。　On　their　mouths　they　had　muzzles　fastened　by　two　little

bronze　chains　to　render　it　impossible　for　them　to　eat　the　flour；　and

their　hands　were　enclosed　in　gauntlets　without　fingers；　so　as　to

prevent　them　from　taking　any。



At　the　master's　entrance　the　wooden　bars　creaked　still　more　loudly。

The　grain　grated　as　it　was　being　crushed。　Several　fell　upon　their

knees；　the　others；　continuing　their　work；　stepped　across　them。



He　asked　for　Giddenem；　the　governor　of　the　slaved；　and　that　personage

appeared；　his　ran