salammbo-第40章

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sprung　up；　Spendius　reappeared。



The　former　slave　had　fastened　two　fragments　of　a　lance　against　his

thigh；　he　limped　with　a　piteous　look；　breathing　forth　complaints　the

while。



〃Remove　that；〃　said　Matho　to　him。　〃I　know　that　you　are　a　brave

fellow！〃　For　he　was　so　crushed　by　the　injustice　of　the　gods　that　he

had　not　strength　enough　to　be　indignant　with　men。



Spendius　beckoned　to　him　and　led　him　to　a　hollow　of　the　mountain；

where　Zarxas　and　Autaritus　were　lying　concealed。



They　had　fled　like　the　slave；　the　one　although　he　was　cruel；　and　the

other　in　spite　of　his　bravery。　But　who；　said　they；　could　have　expected

the　treachery　of　Narr'　Havas；　the　burning　of　the　camp　of　the　Libyans；

the　loss　of　the　zaimph；　the　sudden　attack　by　Hamilcar；　and；　above　all；

his　manoeuvres　which　forced　them　to　return　to　the　bottom　of　the

mountain　beneath　the　instant　blows　of　the　Carthaginians？　Spendius　made

no　acknowledgement　of　his　terror；　and　persisted　in　maintaining　that

his　leg　was　broken。



At　last　the　three　chiefs　and　the　schalischim　asked　one　another　what

decision　should　now　be　adopted。



Hamilcar　closed　the　road　to　Carthage　against　them；　they　were　caught

between　his　soldiers　and　the　provinces　belonging　to　Narr'　Havas；　the

Tyrian　towns　would　join　the　conquerors；　the　Barbarians　would　find

themselves　driven　to　the　edge　of　the　sea；　and　all　those　united　forces

would　crush　them。　This　would　infallibly　happen。



Thus　no　means　presented　themselves　of　avoiding　the　war。　Accordingly

they　must　prosecute　it　to　the　bitter　end。　But　how　were　they　to　make

the　necessity　of　an　interminable　battle　understood　by　all　these

disheartened　people；　who　were　still　bleeding　from　their　wounds。



〃I　will　undertake　that！〃　said　Spendius。



Two　hours　afterwards　a　man　who　came　from　the　direction　of　Hippo…

Zarytus　climbed　the　mountain　at　a　run。　He　waved　some　tablets　at　arm's

length；　and　as　he　shouted　very　loudly　the　Barbarians　surrounded　him。



The　tablets　had　been　despatched　by　the　Greek　soldiers　in　Sardinia。

They　recommended　their　African　comrades　to　watch　over　Gisco　and　the

other　captives。　A　Samian　trader；　one　Hipponax；　coming　from　Carthage；

had　informed　them　that　a　plot　was　being　organised　to　promote　their

escape；　and　the　Barbarians　were　urged　to　take　every　precaution；　the

Republic　was　powerful。



Spendius's　stratagem　did　not　succeed　at　first　as　he　had　hoped。　This

assurance　of　the　new　peril；　so　far　from　exciting　frenzy；　raised　fears；

and　remembering　Hamilcar's　warning；　lately　thrown　into　their　midst；

they　expected　something　unlooked　for　and　terrible。　The　night　was　spent

in　great　distress；　several　even　got　rid　of　their　weapons；　so　as　to

soften　the　Suffet　when　he　presented　himself。



But　on　the　following　day；　at　the　third　watch；　a　second　runner

appeared；　still　more　breathless；　and　blackened　with　dust。　The　Greek

snatched　from　his　hand　a　roll　of　papyrus　covered　with　Phoenician

writing。　The　Mercenaries　were　entreated　not　to　be　disheartened；　the

brave　men　of　Tunis　were　coming　with　large　reinforcements。



Spendius　first　read　the　letter　three　times　in　succession；　and　held　up

by　two　Cappadocians；　who　bore　him　seated　on　their　shoulders；　he　had

himself　conveyed　from　place　to　place　and　re…read　it。　For　seven　hours

he　harangued。



He　reminded　the　Mercenaries　of　the　promises　of　the　Great　Council；　the

Africans　of　the　cruelties　of　the　stewards；　and　all　the　Barbarians　of

the　injustice　of　Carthage。　The　Suffet's　mildness　was　only　a　bait　to

capture　them；　those　who　surrendered　would　be　sold　as　slaves；　and　the

vanquished　would　perish　under　torture。　As　to　flight；　what　routes　could

they　follow？　Not　a　nation　would　receive　them。　Whereas　by　continuing

their　efforts　they　would　obtain　at　once　freedom；　vengeance；　and　money！

And　they　would　not　have　long　to　wait；　since　the　people　of　Tunis；　the

whole　of　Libya；　was　rushing　to　relieve　them。　He　showed　the　unrolled

papyrus：　〃Look　at　it！　read！　see　their　promises！　I　do　not　lie。〃



Dogs　were　straying　about　with　their　black　muzzles　all　plastered　with

red。　The　men's　uncovered　heads　were　growing　hot　in　the　burning　sun。　A

nauseous　smell　exhaled　from　the　badly　buried　corpses。　Some　even

projected　from　the　earth　as　far　as　the　waist。　Spendius　called　them　to

witness　what　he　was　saying；　then　he　raised　his　fists　in　the　direction

of　Hamilcar。



Matho；　moreover；　was　watching　him；　and　to　cover　his　cowardice　he

displayed　an　anger　by　which　he　gradually　found　himself　carried　away。

Devoting　himself　to　the　gods　he　heaped　curses　upon　the　Carthaginians。

The　torture　of　the　captives　was　child's　play。　Why　spare　them；　and　be

ever　dragging　this　useless　cattle　after　one？　〃No！　we　must　put　an　end

to　it！　their　designs　are　known！　a　single　one　might　ruin　us！　no　pity！

Those　who　are　worthy　will　be　known　by　the　speed　of　their　legs　and　the

force　of　their　blows。〃



Then　they　turned　again　upon　the　captives。　Several　were　still　in　the

last　throes；　they　were　finished　by　the　thrust　of　a　heel　in　the　mouth

or　a　stab　with　the　point　of　a　javelin。



Then　they　thought　of　Gisco。　Nowhere　could　he　be　seen；　they　were

disturbed　with　anxiety。　They　wished　at　once　to　convince　themselves　of

his　death　and　to　participate　in　it。　At　last　three　Samnite　shepherds

discovered　him　at　a　distance　of　fifteen　paces　from　the　spot　where

Matho's　tent　lately　stood。　They　recognised　him　by　his　long　beard　and

they　called　the　rest。



Stretched　on　his　back；　his　arms　against　his　hips；　and　his　knees　close

together；　he　looked　like　a　dead　man　laid　out　for　the　tomb。

Nevertheless　his　wasted　sides　rose　and　fell；　and　his　eyes；　wide…opened

in　his　pallid　face；　gazed　in　a　continuous　and　intolerable　fashion。



The　Barbarians　looked　at　him　at　first　with　great　astonishment。　Since

he　had　been　living　in　the　pit　he　had　been　almost　forgotten；　rendered

uneasy　by　old　memories　they　stood　at　a　distance　and　did　not　venture　to

raise　their　hands　against　him。



But　those　who　were　behind　were　murmuring　and　pressed　forward　when　a

Garamantian　passed　through　the　crowd；　he　was　brandishing　a　sickle；　all

understood　his　thought；　their　faces　purpled；　and　smitten　with　shame

they　shrieked：



〃Yes！　yes！〃



The　man　with　the　curved　steel　approached　Gisco。　He　took　his　head；　and；

resting　it　upon　his　knee；　sawed　it　off　with　rapid　strokes；　it　fell；　to

great　jets　of　blood　made　a　hole　in　the　dust。　Zarxas　leaped　upon　it；

and　lighter　than　a　leopard　ran　towards　the　Carthaginians。



Then　when　he　had　covered　two　thirds　of　the　mountain　he　drew　Gisco's

head　from　his　breast　by　the　beard；　whirled　his　arm　rapidly　several

times；and　the　mass；　when　thrown　at　last；　described　a　long　parabola

and　disappeared　behind　the　Punic　entrenchments。



Soon　at　the　edge　of　the　palisades　there　rose　two　crossed　standards；

the　customary　sign　for　claiming　a　corpse。



Then　four　heralds；　chosen　for　their　width　of　chest；　went　out　with

great　clarions；　and　speaking　through　the　brass　tubes　declared　that

henceforth　there　would　be　between　Carthaginians　and　Barbarians　neither

faith；　pity；　nor　gods；　that　they　refused　all　overtures　beforehand；　and

that　envoys　would　be　sent　back　with　their　hands　cut　off。



Immediately　afterwards；　Spendius　was　sent　to　Hippo…Zarytus　to　procure

provisions；　the　Tyrian　city　sent　them　some　the　same　evening。　They　ate

greedily。　Then　when　they　were　strengthened　they　speedily　collected　the

remains　of　their　baggage　and　their　broken　arms；　the　women　massed

themselves　in　the　centre；　and　heedless　of　the　wounded　left　weeping

behind　them；　they　set　out　along　the　edge　of　the　shore　like　a　herd　of

wolves　taking　its　departure。



They　were　marching　upon　Hippo…Zarytus；　resolved　to　take　it；　for　they

had　need　of　a　town。



Hamilcar；　as　he　perceived　them　at　a　distance；　had　a　feeling　of　despair

in　spite　of　the　pride　which　he　experienced　in　seeing　them　fly　before

him。　He　ought　to　have　attacked　them　immediately　with　fresh　troops。

Another　similar　day　and　the　war　was　over！　If　matters　were　protracted

they　would　return　with　greater　strength；　the　Tyrian　towns　would　join

them；　his　clemency　towards　the　vanquished　had　been　of　no　avail。　He

resolved　to　be　pitiless。



The　same　evening　he　sent　the　Great　Council　a　dromedary　laden　with

bracelets　collected　from　the　dead；　and　with　horrible　threats　ordered

another　army　to　be　despatched。



All　had　for　a　long　time　believed　him　lost；　so　that　on　learning　his

victory　they　felt　a　stupefaction　which　was　almost　terror。　The　vaguely

announced　return　of　the　zaimph　completed　the　wonder。　Thus　the　gods　and

the　might　of　Carthage　seemed　now　to　belong　to　him。



None　of　his　enemies　ventured　upon　complaint　or　recrimination。　Owing　to

the　enthusiasm　of　some　and　the　pusillanimity　of　the　rest；　an　army　of

five　thousand　men　was　ready　before　the　interval　prescribed　had

elapsed。



This　army　promptly　made　its　way　to　Utica　in　order　to　support　the

Suffet's　rear；　while　three　thousand　of　the　most　notable　citizens

embarked　in　vessels　which　were　to　land　them　at　Hippo…Zarytus；　whence

they　were　to　drive　back　the　Barbarians。



Hanno　had　accepted　the　command；　but　he　intrusted　the　army　to　his

lieutenant；　Magdassin；　so　as　to　lead　the　troops　which　were　to　be

disembarked　himself；　for　he　could　no　longer　endure　the　shaking　of　the

litter。　His　disease　had　eaten　away　his　lips　and　nostrils；　and　had

hollowed　out　a　large　hole　in　his　face；　the　back　of　his　throat　could　be

seen　at　a　distance　of　ten　paces；　and　he　knew　himself　to　be　so　hideous

that　he　wore　a　veil　over　his　head　like　a　woman。



Hippo…Zarytus　paid　no　attention　to　his　summonings　nor　yet　to　those　of

the　Barbarians；　but　every　morning　the　inhabitants　lowered　provisions

to　the　latter　in　baskets；　and　shouting　from　the　tops　of　the　towers

pleaded　the　exigencies　of　the　Republic　and　conjured　them　to　withdraw。

By　means　of　signs　they　addressed　the　same　protestations　to　the

Carthaginians；　who　were　stationed　on　the　sea。



Hanno　contented　himself　with　blockading　the　harbour　without　risking　an

attack。　However；　he　permitted　the　judges　of　Hippo…Zarytus　to　admit

three　hundred　soldiers。　Then　he　departed　to　the　Cape　Grapes；　and　made

a　long　circuit　so　as　to　hem　in　the　Barbarians；　an　inopportune　and　even

dangerous　operation。　His　jealousy　prevented　him　from　relieving　the

Suffet；　he　arrested　his　spies；　impeded　him　in　all　his　plans；　and

compromised　the　success　of　the　enterprise。　At　last　Hamilcar　wrote　to

the　Great　Council　to　rid　himself　of　Hanno；　and　the　latter　returned　to

Carthage　furious　at　the　baseness　of　the　Ancients　and　the　madness　of

his　colleague。　Hence；　after　so　many　hopes；　the　situation　was　now　still

more　deplorable；　but　there　was　an　effort　not　to　reflect　upon　it　and

even　not　to　talk　about　it。



As　if　all　this　were　not　sufficient　misfortune　at　one　time；　news　came

that　the　Sardinian　Mercenaries　had　crucified　their　general；　seized　the

strongholds；　and　everywhere　slaughtered　those　of　Chanaanitish　race。

The　Roman　people　threatened　the　Republic