salammbo-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



as　Matho's　tent。　Two　voices　were　speaking　within　it。　He　had　listened

outside　and　had　heard　everything。



〃It　is　you！〃　she　said　at　last；　almost　terrified。



〃Yes；　it　is　I！〃　he　replied；　raising　himself　on　his　wrists。　〃They　think

me　dead；　do　they　not？〃



She　bent　her　head。　He　resumed：



〃Ah！　why　have　the　Baals　not　granted　me　this　mercy！〃　He　approached　so

close　he　was　touching　her。　〃They　would　have　spared　me　the　pain　of

cursing　you！〃



Salammbo　sprang　quickly　back；　so　much　afraid　was　she　of　this　unclean

being；　who　was　as　hideous　as　a　larva　and　nearly　as　terrible　as　a

phantom。



〃I　am　nearly　one　hundred　years　old；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　seen　Agathocles；

I　have　seen　Regulus　and　the　eagles　of　the　Romans　passing　over　the

harvests　of　the　Punic　fields！　I　have　seen　all　the　terrors　of　battles

and　the　sea　encumbered　with　the　wrecks　of　our　fleets！　Barbarians　whom

I　used　to　command　have　chained　my　four　limbs　like　a　slave　that　has

committed　murder。　My　companions　are　dying　around　me；　one　after　the

other；　the　odour　of　their　corpses　awakes　me　in　the　night；　I　drive　away

the　birds　that　come　to　peck　out　their　eyes；　and　yet　not　for　a　single

day　have　I　despaired　of　Carthage！　Though　I　had　seen　all　the　armies　of

the　earth　against　her；　and　the　flames　of　the　siege　overtop　the　height

of　the　temples；　I　should　have　still　believed　in　her　eternity！　But　now

all　is　over！　all　is　lost！　The　gods　execrate　her！　A　curse　upon　you　who

have　quickened　her　ruin　by　your　disgrace！〃



She　opened　her　lips。



〃Ah！　I　was　there！〃　he　cried。　〃I　heard　you　gurgling　with　love　like　a

prostitute；　then　he　told　you　of　his　desire；　and　you　allowed　him　to

kiss　your　hands！　But　if　the　frenzy　of　your　unchastity　urged　you　to　it；

you　should　at　least　have　done　as　do　the　fallow　deer；　which　hide

themselves　in　their　copulations；　and　not　have　displayed　your　shame

beneath　your　father's　very　eyes！〃



〃What？〃　she　said。



〃Ah！　you　did　not　know　that　the　two　entrenchments　are　sixty　cubits　from

each　other　and　that　your　Matho；　in　the　excess　of　his　pride；　has　posted

himself　just　in　front　of　Hamilcar。　Your　father　is　there　behind　you；

and　could　I　climb　the　path　which　leads　to　the　platform；　I　should　cry

to　him：　'Come　and　see　your　daughter　in　the　Barbarian's　arms！　She　has

put　on　the　garment　of　the　goddess　to　please　him；　and　in　yielding　her

body　to　him　she　surrenders　with　the　glory　of　your　name　the　majesty　of

the　gods；　the　vengeance　of　her　country；　even　the　safety　of　Carthage！'〃

The　motion　of　his　toothless　mouth　moved　his　beard　throughout　its

length；　his　eyes　were　riveted　upon　her　and　devoured　her；　panting　in

the　dust　he　repeated：



〃Ah！　sacrilegious　one！　May　you　be　accursed！　accursed！　accursed！〃



Salammbo　had　drawn　back　the　canvas；　she　held　it　raised　at　arm's

length；　and　without　answering　him　she　looked　in　the　direction　of

Hamilcar。



〃It　is　this　way；　is　it　not？〃　she　said。



〃What　matters　it　to　you？　Turn　away！　Begone！　Rather　crush　your　face

against　the　earth！　It　is　a　holy　spot　which　would　be　polluted　by　your

gaze！〃



She　threw　the　zaimph　about　her　waist；　and　quickly　picked　up　her　veils；

mantle；　and　scarf。　〃I　hasten　thither！〃　she　cried；　and　making　her

escape　Salammbo　disappeared。



At　first　she　walked　through　the　darkness　without　meeting　any　one；　for

all　were　betaking　themselves　to　the　fire；　the　uproar　was　increasing

and　great　flames　purpled　the　sky　behind；　a　long　terrace　stopped　her。



She　turned　round　to　right　and　left　at　random；　seeking　for　a　ladder；　a

rope；　a　stone；　something　in　short　to　assist　her。　She　was　afraid　of

Gisco；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　shouts　and　footsteps　were　pursuing

her。　Day　was　beginning　to　break。　She　perceived　a　path　in　the　thickness

of　the　entrenchment。　She　took　the　hem　of　her　robe；　which　impeded　her；

in　her　teeth；　and　in　three　bounds　she　was　on　the　platform。



A　sonorous　shout　burst　forth　beneath　her　in　the　shade；　the　same　which

she　had　heard　at　the　foot　of　the　galley　staircase；　and　leaning　over

she　recognised　Schahabarim's　man　with　his　coupled　horses。



He　had　wandered　all　night　between　the　two　entrenchments；　then

disquieted　by　the　fire；　he　had　gone　back　again　trying　to　see　what　was

passing　in　Matho's　camp；　and；　knowing　that　this　spot　was　nearest　to

his　tent；　he　had　not　stirred　from　it；　in　obedience　to　the　priest's

command。



He　stood　up　on　one　of　the　horses。　Salammbo　let　herself　slide　down　to

him；　and　they　fled　at　full　gallop；　circling　the　Punic　camp　in　search

of　a　gate。



Matho　had　re…entered　his　tent。　The　smoky　lamp　gave　but　little　light；

and　he　also　believed　that　Salammbo　was　asleep。　Then　he　delicately

touched　the　lion's　skin　on　the　palm…tree　bed。　He　called　but　she　did

not　answer；　he　quickly　tore　away　a　strip　of　the　canvas　to　let　in　some

light；　the　zaimph　was　gone。



The　earth　trembled　beneath　thronging　feet。　Shouts；　neighings；　and

clashing　of　armour　rose　in　the　air；　and　clarion　flourishes　sounded　the

charge。　It　was　as　though　a　hurricane　were　whirling　around　him。

Immoderate　frenzy　made　him　leap　upon　his　arms；　and　he　dashed　outside。



The　long　files　of　the　Barbarians　were　descending　the　mountain　at　a

run；　and　the　Punic　squares　were　advancing　against　them　with　a　heavy

and　regular　oscillation。　The　mist；　rent　by　the　rays　of　the　sun；　formed

little　rocking　clouds　which　as　they　rose　gradually　discovered

standards；　helmets；　and　points　of　pikes。　Beneath　the　rapid　evolutions

portions　of　the　earth　which　were　still　in　the　shadow　seemed　to　be

displaced　bodily；　in　other　places　it　looked　as　if　huge　torrents　were

crossing　one　another；　while　thorny　masses　stood　motionless　between

them。　Matho　could　distinguish　the　captains；　soldiers；　heralds；　and

even　the　serving…men；　who　were　mounted　on　asses　in　the　rear。　But

instead　of　maintaining　his　position　in　order　to　cover　the　foot…

soldiers；　Narr'　Havas　turned　abruptly　to　the　right；　as　though　he

wished　himself　to　be　crushed　by　Hamilcar。



His　horsemen　outstripped　the　elephants；　which　were　slackening　their

speed；　and　all　the　horses；　stretching　out　their　unbridled　heads；

galloped　at　so　furious　a　rate　that　their　bellies　seemed　to　graze　the

earth。　Then　suddenly　Narr'　Havas　went　resolutely　up　to　a　sentry。　He

threw　away　his　sword；　lance；　and　javelins；　and　disappeared　among　the

Carthaginians。



The　king　of　the　Numidians　reached　Hamilcar's　tent；　and　pointing　to　his

men；　who　were　standing　still　at　a　distance；　he　said：



〃Barca！　I　bring　them　to　you。　They　are　yours。〃



Then　he　prostrated　himself　in　token　of　bondage；　and　to　prove　his

fidelity　recalled　all　his　conduct　from　the　beginning　of　the　war。



First；　he　had　prevented　the　siege　of　Carthage　and　the　massacre　of　the

captives；　then　he　had　taken　no　advantage　of　the　victory　over　Hanno

after　the　defeat　at　Utica。　As　to　the　Tyrian　towns；　they　were　on　the

frontiers　of　his　kingdom。　Finally　he　had　not　taken　part　in　the　battle

of　the　Macaras；　and　he　had　even　expressly　absented　himself　in　order　to

evade　the　obligation　of　fighting　against　the　Suffet。



Narr'　Havas　had　in　fact　wished　to　aggrandise　himself　by　encroachments

upon　the　Punic　provinces；　and　had　alternately　assisted　and　forsaken

the　Mercenaries　according　to　the　chances　of　victory。　But　seeing　that

Hamilcar　would　ultimately　prove　the　stronger；　he　had　gone　over　to　him；

and　in　his　desertion　there　was　perhaps　something　of　a　grudge　against

Matho；　whether　on　account　of　the　command　or　of　his　former　love。



The　Suffet　listened　without　interrupting　him。　The　man　who　thus

presented　himself　with　an　army　where　vengeance　was　his　due　was　not　an

auxiliary　to　be　despised；　Hamilcar　at　once　divined　the　utility　of　such

an　alliance　in　his　great　projects。　With　the　Numidians　he　would　get　rid

of　the　Libyans。　Then　he　would　draw　off　the　West　to　the　conquest　of

Iberia；　and；　without　asking　Narr'　Havas　why　he　had　not　come　sooner；　or

noticing　any　of　his　lies；　he　kissed　him；　striking　his　breast　thrice

against　his　own。



It　was　to　bring　matters　to　an　end　and　in　despair　that　he　had　fired　the

camp　of　the　Libyans。　This　army　came　to　him　like　a　relief　from　the

gods；　dissembling　his　joy　he　replied：



〃May　the　Baals　favour　you！　I　do　not　know　what　the　Republic　will　do　for

you；　but　Hamilcar　is　not　ungrateful。〃



The　tumult　increased；　some　captains　entered。　He　was　arming　himself　as

he　spoke。



〃Come；　return！　You　will　use　your　horsemen　to　beat　down　their　infantry

between　your　elephants　and　mine。　Courage！　exterminate　them！〃



And　Narr'　Havas　was　rushing　away　when　Salammbo　appeared。



She　leaped　down　quickly　from　her　horse。　She　opened　her　ample　cloak　and

spreading　out　her　arms　displayed　the　zaimph。



The　leathern　tent；　which　was　raised　at　the　corners；　left　visible　the

entire　circuit　of　the　mountain　with　its　thronging　soldiers；　and　as　it

was　in　the　centre　Salammbo　could　be　seen　on　all　sides。　An　immense

shouting　burst　forth；　a　long　cry　of　triumph　and　hope。　Those　who　were

marching　stopped；　the　dying　leaned　on　their　elbows　and　turned　round　to

bless　her。　All　the　Barbarians　knew　now　that　she　had　recovered　the

zaimph；　they　saw　her　or　believed　that　they　saw　her　from　a　distance；

and　other　cries；　but　those　of　rage　and　vengeance；　resounded　in　spite

of　the　plaudits　of　the　Carthaginians。　Thus　did　the　five　armies　in

tiers　upon　the　mountain　stamp　and　shriek　around　Salammbo。



Hamilcar；　who　was　unable　to　speak；　nodded　her　his　thanks。　His　eyes

were　directed　alternately　upon　the　zaimph　and　upon　her；　and　he　noticed

that　her　chainlet　was　broken。　Then　he　shivered；　being　seized　with　a

terrible　suspicion。　But　soon　recovering　his　impassibility　he　looked

sideways　at　Narr'　Havas　without　turning　his　face。



The　king　of　the　Numidians　held　himself　apart　in　a　discreet　attitude；

on　his　forehead　he　bore　a　little　of　the　dust　which　he　had　touched　when

prostrating　himself。　At　last　the　Suffet　advanced　towards　him　with　a

look　full　of　gravity。



〃As　a　reward　for　the　services　which　you　have　rendered　me；　Narr'　Havas；

I　give　you　my　daughter。　Be　my　son；〃　he　added；　〃and　defend　your

father！〃



Narr'　Havas　gave　a　great　gesture　of　surprise；　then　he　threw　himself

upon　Hamilcar's　hands　and　covered　them　with　kisses。



Salammbo；　calm　as　a　statue；　did　not　seem　to　understand。　She　blushed　a

little　as　she　cast　down　her　eyelids；　and　her　long　curved　lashes　made

shadows　upon　her　cheeks。



Hamilcar　wished　to　unite　them　immediately　in　indissoluble　betrothal。　A

lance　was　placed　in　Salammbo's　hands　and　by　her　offered　to　Narr'

Havas；　their　thumbs　were　tied　together　with　a　thong　of　ox…leather；

then　corn　was　poured　upon　their　heads；　and　the　grains　that　fell　around

them　rang　like　rebounding　hail。







CHAPTER　XII



THE　AQUEDUCT



Twelve　hours　afterwards　all　that　remained　of　the　Mercenaries　was　a

heap　of　wounded；　dead；　and　dying。



Hamilcar　had　suddenly　emerged　from　the　bottom　of　the　gorge；　and　again

descended　the　western　slope　that　looked　towards　Hippo…Zarytus；　and　the

space　being　b