salammbo-第3章

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〃Yet　you　had　bread；　and　meats　and　oil；　and　all　the　malobathrum　of　the

granaries　for　your　enjoyment！　I　had　brought　oxen　from　Hecatompylos；　I

had　sent　hunters　into　the　desert！〃　Her　voice　swelled；　her　cheeks

purpled。　She　added；　〃Where；　pray；　are　you　now？　In　a　conquered　town；　or

in　the　palace　of　a　master？　And　what　master？　Hamilcar　the　Suffet；　my

father；　the　servant　of　the　Baals！　It　was　he　who　withheld　from　Lutatius

those　arms　of　yours；　red　now　with　the　blood　of　his　slaves！　Know　you　of

any　in　your　own　lands　more　skilled　in　the　conduct　of　battles？　Look！

our　palace　steps　are　encumbered　with　our　victories！　Ah！　desist　not！

burn　it！　I　will　carry　away　with　me　the　genius　of　my　house；　my　black

serpent　slumbering　up　yonder　on　lotus　leaves！　I　will　whistle　and　he

will　follow　me；　and　if　I　embark　in　a　galley　he　will　speed　in　the　wake

of　my　ship　over　the　foam　of　the　waves。〃



Her　delicate　nostrils　were　quivering。　She　crushed　her　nails　against

the　gems　on　her　bosom。　Her　eyes　drooped；　and　she　resumed：



〃Ah！　poor　Carthage！　lamentable　city！　No　longer　hast　thou　for　thy

protection　the　strong　men　of　former　days　who　went　beyond　the　oceans　to

build　temples　on　their　shores。　All　the　lands　laboured　about　thee；　and

the　sea…plains；　ploughed　by　thine　oars；　rocked　with　thy　harvests。〃

Then　she　began　to　sing　the　adventures　of　Melkarth；　the　god　of　the

Sidonians；　and　the　father　of　her　family。



She　told　of　the　ascent　of　the　mountains　of　Ersiphonia；　the　journey　to

Tartessus；　and　the　war　against　Masisabal　to　avenge　the　queen　of　the

serpents：



〃He　pursued　the　female　monster；　whose　tail　undulated　over　the　dead

leaves　like　a　silver　brook；　into　the　forest；　and　came　to　a　plain　where

women　with　dragon…croups　were　round　a　great　fire；　standing　erect　on

the　points　of　their　tails。　The　blood…coloured　moon　was　shining　within

a　pale　circle；　and　their　scarlet　tongues；　cloven　like　the　harpoons　of

fishermen；　reached　curling　forth　to　the　very　edge　of　the　flame。〃



Then　Salammbo；　without　pausing；　related　how　Melkarth；　after

vanquishing　Masisabal；　placed　her　severed　head　on　the　prow　of　his

ship。　〃At　each　throb　of　the　waves　it　sank　beneath　the　foam；　but　the

sun　embalmed　it；　it　became　harder　than　gold；　nevertheless　the　eyes

ceased　not　to　weep；　and　the　tears　fell　into　the　water　continually。〃



She　sang　all　this　in　an　old　Chanaanite　idiom；　which　the　Barbarians　did

not　understand。　They　asked　one　another　what　she　could　be　saying　to

them　with　those　frightful　gestures　which　accompanied　her　speech；　and

mounted　round　about　her　on　the　tables；　beds；　and　sycamore　boughs；　they

strove　with　open　mouths　and　craned　necks　to　grasp　the　vague　stories

hovering　before　their　imaginations；　through　the　dimness　of　the

theogonies；　like　phantoms　wrapped　in　cloud。



Only　the　beardless　priests　understood　Salammbo；　their　wrinkled　hands；

which　hung　over　the　strings　of　their　lyres；　quivered；　and　from　time　to

time　they　would　draw　forth　a　mournful　chord；　for；　feebler　than　old

women；　they　trembled　at　once　with　mystic　emotion；　and　with　the　fear

inspired　by　men。　The　Barbarians　heeded　them　not；　but　listened

continually　to　the　maiden's　song。



None　gazed　at　her　like　a　young　Numidian　chief；　who　was　placed　at　the

captains'　tables　among　soldiers　of　his　own　nation。　His　girdle　so

bristled　with　darts　that　it　formed　a　swelling　in　his　ample　cloak；

which　was　fastened　on　his　temples　with　a　leather　lace。　The　cloth

parted　asunder　as　it　fell　upon　his　shoulders；　and　enveloped　his

countenance　in　shadow；　so　that　only　the　fires　of　his　two　fixed　eyes

could　be　seen。　It　was　by　chance　that　he　was　at　the　feast；　his　father

having　domiciled　him　with　the　Barca　family；　according　to　the　custom　by

which　kings　used　to　send　their　children　into　the　households　of　the

great　in　order　to　pave　the　way　for　alliances；　but　Narr'　Havas　had

lodged　there　fox　six　months　without　having　hitherto　seen　Salammbo；　and

now；　seated　on　his　heels；　with　his　head　brushing　the　handles　of　his

javelins；　he　was　watching　her　with　dilated　nostrils；　like　a　leopard

crouching　among　the　bamboos。



On　the　other　side　of　the　tables　was　a　Libyan　of　colossal　stature；　and

with　short　black　curly　hair。　He　had　retained　only　his　military　jacket；

the　brass　plates　of　which　were　tearing　the　purple　of　the　couch。　A

necklace　of　silver　moons　was　tangled　in　his　hairy　breast。　His　face　was

stained　with　splashes　of　blood；　he　was　leaning　on　his　left　elbow　with

a　smile　on　his　large；　open　mouth。



Salammbo　had　abandoned　the　sacred　rhythm。　With　a　woman's　subtlety　she

was　simultaneously　employing　all　the　dialects　of　the　Barbarians　in

order　to　appease　their　anger。　To　the　Greeks　she　spoke　Greek；　then　she

turned　to　the　Ligurians；　the　Campanians；　the　Negroes；　and　listening　to

her　each　one　found　again　in　her　voice　the　sweetness　of　his　native

land。　She　now；　carried　away　by　the　memories　of　Carthage；　sang　of　the

ancient　battles　against　Rome；　they　applauded。　She　kindled　at　the

gleaming　of　the　naked　swords；　and　cried　aloud　with　outstretched　arms。

Her　lyre　fell；　she　was　silent；　and；　pressing　both　hands　upon　her

heart；　she　remained　for　some　minutes　with　closed　eyelids　enjoying　the

agitation　of　all　these　men。



Matho；　the　Libyan；　leaned　over　towards　her。　Involuntarily　she

approached　him；　and　impelled　by　grateful　pride；　poured　him　a　long

stream　of　wine　into　a　golden　cup　in　order　to　conciliate　the　army。



〃Drink！〃　she　said。



He　took　the　cup；　and　was　carrying　it　to　his　lips　when　a　Gaul；　the　same

that　had　been　hurt　by　Gisco；　struck　him　on　the　shoulder；　while　in　a

jovial　manner　he　gave　utterance　to　pleasantries　in　his　native　tongue。

Spendius　was　not　far　off；　and　he　volunteered　to　interpret　them。



〃Speak！〃　said　Matho。



〃The　gods　protect　you；　you　are　going　to　become　rich。　When　will　the

nuptials　be？〃



〃What　nuptials？〃



〃Yours！　for　with　us；〃　said　the　Gaul；　〃when　a　woman　gives　drink　to　a

soldier；　it　means　that　she　offers　him　her　couch。〃



He　had　not　finished　when　Narr'　Havas；　with　a　bound；　drew　a　javelin

from　his　girdle；　and；　leaning　his　right　foot　upon　the　edge　of　the

table；　hurled　it　against　Matho。



The　javelin　whistled　among　the　cups；　and　piercing　the　Lybian's　arm；

pinned　it　so　firmly　to　the　cloth；　that　the　shaft　quivered　in　the　air。



Matho　quickly　plucked　it　out；　but　he　was　weaponless　and　naked；　at　last

he　lifted　the　over…laden　table　with　both　arms；　and　flung　it　against

Narr'　Havas　into　the　very　centre　of　the　crowd　that　rushed　between

them。　The　soldiers　and　Numidians　pressed　together　so　closely　that　they

were　unable　to　draw　their　swords。　Matho　advanced　dealing　great　blows

with　his　head。　When　he　raised　it；　Narr'　Havas　had　disappeared。　He

sought　for　him　with　his　eyes。　Salammbo　also　was　gone。



Then　directing　his　looks　to　the　palace　he　perceived　the　red　door　with

the　black　cross　closing　far　above；　and　he　darted　away。



They　saw　him　run　between　the　prows　of　the　galleys；　and　then　reappear

along　the　three　staircases　until　he　reached　the　red　door　against　which

he　dashed　his　whole　body。　Panting；　he　leaned　against　the　wall　to　keep

himself　from　falling。



But　a　man　had　followed　him；　and　through　the　darkness；　for　the　lights

of　the　feast　were　hidden　by　the　corner　of　the　palace；　he　recognised

Spendius。



〃Begone！〃　said　he。



The　slave　without　replying　began　to　tear　his　tunic　with　his　teeth；

then　kneeling　beside　Matho　he　tenderly　took　his　arm；　and　felt　it　in

the　shadow　to　discover　the　wound。



By　a　ray　of　the　moon　which　was　then　gliding　between　the　clouds；

Spendius　perceived　a　gaping　wound　in　the　middle　of　the　arm。　He　rolled

the　piece　of　stuff　about　it；　but　the　other　said　irritably；　〃Leave　me！

leave　me！〃



〃Oh　no！〃　replied　the　slave。　〃You　released　me　from　the　ergastulum。　I　am

yours！　you　are　my　master！　command　me！〃



Matho　walked　round　the　terrace　brushing　against　the　walls。　He　strained

his　ears　at　every　step；　glancing　down　into　the　silent　apartments

through　the　spaces　between　the　gilded　reeds。　At　last　he　stopped　with　a

look　of　despair。



〃Listen！〃　said　the　slave　to　him。　〃Oh！　do　not　despise　me　for　my

feebleness！　I　have　lived　in　the　palace。　I　can　wind　like　a　viper

through　the　walls。　Come！　in　the　Ancestor's　Chamber　there　is　an　ingot

of　gold　beneath　every　flagstone；　an　underground　path　leads　to　their

tombs。〃



〃Well！　what　matters　it？〃　said　Matho。



Spendius　was　silent。



They　were　on　the　terrace。　A　huge　mass　of　shadow　stretched　before　them；

appearing　as　if　it　contained　vague　accumulations；　like　the　gigantic

billows　of　a　black　and　petrified　ocean。



But　a　luminous　bar　rose　towards　the　East；　far　below；　on　the　left；　the

canals　of　Megara　were　beginning　to　stripe　the　verdure　of　the　gardens

with　their　windings　of　white。　The　conical　roofs　of　the　heptagonal

temples；　the　staircases；　terraces；　and　ramparts　were　being　carved　by

degrees　upon　the　paleness　of　the　dawn；　and　a　girdle　of　white　foam

rocked　around　the　Carthaginian　peninsula；　while　the　emerald　sea

appeared　as　if　it　were　curdled　in　the　freshness　of　the　morning。　Then

as　the　rosy　sky　grew　larger；　the　lofty　houses；　bending　over　the

sloping　soil；　reared　and　massed　themselves　like　a　herd　of　black　goats

coming　down　from　the　mountains。　The　deserted　streets　lengthened；　the

palm…trees　that　topped　the　walls　here　and　there　were　motionless；　the

brimming　cisterns　seemed　like　silver　bucklers　lost　in　the　courts；　the

beacon　on　the　promontory　of　Hermaeum　was　beginning　to　grow　pale。　The

horses　of　Eschmoun；　on　the　very　summit　of　the　Acropolis　in　the　cypress

wood；　feeling　that　the　light　was　coming；　placed　their　hoofs　on　the

marble　parapet；　and　neighed　towards　the　sun。



It　appeared；　and　Spendius　raised　his　arms　with　a　cry。



Everything　stirred　in　a　diffusion　of　red；　for　the　god；　as　if　he　were

rending　himself；　now　poured　full…rayed　upon　Carthage　the　golden　rain

of　his　veins。　The　beaks　of　the　galleys　sparkled；　the　roof　of　Khamon

appeared　to　be　all　in　flames；　while　far　within　the　temples；　whose

doors　were　opening；　glimmerings　of　light　could　be　seen。　Large

chariots；　arriving　from　the　country；　rolled　their　wheels　over　the

flagstones　in　the　streets。　Dromedaries；　baggage…laden；　came　down　the

ramps。　Money…changers　raised　the　pent…houses　of　their　shops　at　the

cross　ways；　storks　took　to　flight；　white　sails　fluttered。　In　the　wood

of　Tanith　might　be　heard　the　tabourines　of　the　sacred　courtesans；　and

the　furnaces　for　baking　the　clay　coffins　were　beginning　to　smoke　on

the　Mappalian　point。



Spendius　leaned　over　the　terrace；　his　teeth　chattered　and　he　repeated：



〃Ah！　yesyesmaster！　I　understand　why　you　scorned　the　pillage　of　the

house　just　now。〃



Matho　was　as　if　he　had　just　been　awaked　by　the　hissing　of　his　voice；

and　did　not　seem　to　understand。　Spendius　resumed：



〃Ah！　what　riches！　and　the　men　who　possess　them　have　not　even　the　steel

to　defend　them！〃



Then；　pointing　with　his　right　arm　outstretched　to　some　of　the　populace

who　were　crawling　on　the　sa