salammbo-第42章

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bark。



Finally；　as　though　Africa　had　not　been　sufficiently　emptied；　and　it

had　been　necessary　to　seek　further　fury　in　the　very　dregs　of　the

races；　men　might　be　seen　behind　the　rest；　with　beast…like　profiles　and

grinning　with　idiotic　laughterwretches　ravaged　by　hideous　diseases；

deformed　pigmies；　mulattoes　of　doubtful　sex；　albinos　whose　red　eyes

blinked　in　the　sun；　stammering　out　unintelligible　sounds；　they　put　a

finger　into　their　mouths　to　show　that　they　were　hungry。



The　confusion　of　weapons　was　as　great　as　that　of　garments　and　peoples。

There　was　not　a　deadly　invention　that　was　not　presentfrom　wooden

daggers；　stone　hatchets　and　ivory　tridents；　to　long　sabres　toothed

like　saws；　slender；　and　formed　of　a　yielding　copper　blade。　They

handled　cutlasses　which　were　forked　into　several　branches　like

antelopes'　horns；　bills　fastened　to　the　ends　of　ropes；　iron　triangles；

clubs　and　bodkins。　The　Ethiopians　from　the　Bambotus　had　little

poisoned　darts　hidden　in　their　hair。　Many　had　brought　pebbles　in　bags。

Others；　empty　handed；　chattered　with　their　teeth。



This　multitude　was　stirred　with　a　ceaseless　swell。　Dromedaries；

smeared　all　over　with　tar…like　streaks；　knocked　down　the　women；　who

carried　their　children　on　their　hips。　The　provisions　in　the　baskets

were　pouring　out；　in　walking；　pieces　of　salt；　parcels　of　gum；　rotten

dates；　and　gourou　nuts　were　crushed　underfoot；　and　sometimes　on

vermin…covered　bosoms　there　would　hang　a　slender　cord　supporting　a

diamond　that　the　Satraps　had　sought；　an　almost　fabulous　stone；

sufficient　to　purchase　an　empire。　Most　of　them　did　not　even　know　what

they　desired。　They　were　impelled　by　fascination　or　curiosity；　and

nomads　who　had　never　seen　a　town　were　frightened　by　the　shadows　of　the

walls。



The　isthmus　was　now　hidden　by　men；　and　this　long　surface；　whereon　the

tents　were　like　huts　amid　an　inundation；　stretched　as　far　as　the　first

lines　of　the　other　Barbarians；　which　were　streaming　with　steel　and

were　posted　symmetrically　upon　both　sides　of　the　aqueduct。



The　Carthaginians　had　not　recovered　from　the　terror　caused　by　their

arrival　when　they　perceived　the　siege…engines　sent　by　the　Tyrian　towns

coming　straight　towards　them　like　monsters　and　like　buildingswith

their　masts；　arms；　ropes；　articulations；　capitals　and　carapaces；　sixty

carroballistas；　eighty　onagers；　thirty　scorpions；　fifty　tollenos；

twelve　rams；　and　three　gigantic　catapults　which　hurled　pieces　of　rock

of　the　weight　of　fifteen　talents。　Masses　of　men　clinging　to　their

bases　pushed　them　on；　at　every　step　a　quivering　shook　them；　and　in

this　way　they　arrived　in　front　of　the　walls。



But　several　days　were　still　needed　to　finish　the　preparations　for　the

siege。　The　Mercenaries；　taught　by　their　defeats；　would　not　risk

themselves　in　useless　engagements；　and　on　both　sides　there　was　no

haste；　for　it　was　well　known　that　a　terrible　action　was　about　to　open；

and　that　the　result　of　it　would　be　complete　victory　or　complete

extermination。



Carthage　might　hold　out　for　a　long　time；　her　broad　walls　presented　a

series　of　re…entrant　and　projecting　angles；　an　advantageous

arrangement　for　repelling　assaults。



Nevertheless　a　portion　had　fallen　down　in　the　direction　of　the

Catacombs；　and　on　dark　nights　lights　could　be　seen　in　the　dens　of

Malqua　through　the　disjointed　blocks。　These　in　some　places　overlooked

the　top　of　the　ramparts。　It　was　here　that　the　Mercenaries'　wives；　who

had　been　driven　away　by　Matho；　were　living　with　their　new　husbands。　On

seeing　the　men　again　their　hearts　could　stand　it　no　longer。　They　waved

their　scarfs　at　a　distance；　then　they　came　and　chatted　in　the　darkness

with　the　soldiers　through　the　cleft　in　the　wall；　and　one　morning　the

Great　Council　learned　that　they　had　all　fled。　Some　had　passed　through

between　the　stones；　others　with　greater　intrepidity　had　let　themselves

down　with　ropes。



At　last　Spendius　resolved　to　accomplish　his　design。



The　war；　by　keeping　him　at　a　distance；　had　hitherto　prevented　him；　and

since　the　return　to　before　Carthage；　it　seemed　to　him　that　the

inhabitants　suspected　his　enterprise。　But　soon　they　diminished　the

sentries　on　the　aqueduct。　There　were　not　too　many　people　for　the

defence　of　the　walls。



The　former　slave　practised　himself　for　some　days　in　shooting　arrows　at

the　flamingoes　on　the　lake。　Then　one　moonlight　evening　he　begged　Matho

to　light　a　great　fire　of　straw　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　while　all

his　men　were　to　shout　at　the　same　time；　and　taking　Zarxas　with　him；　he

went　away　along　the　edge　of　the　gulf　in　the　direction　of　Tunis。



When　on　a　level　with　the　last　arches　they　returned　straight　towards

the　aqueduct；　the　place　was　unprotected：　they　crawled　to　the　base　of

the　pillars。



The　sentries　on　the　platform　were　walking　quietly　up　and　down。



Towering　flames　appeared；　clarions　rang；　and　the　soldiers　on　vedette；

believing　that　there　was　an　assault；　rushed　away　in　the　direction　of

Carthage。



One　man　had　remained。　He　showed　black　against　the　background　of　the

sky。　The　moon　was　shining　behind　him；　and　his　shadow；　which　was　of

extravagant　size；　looked　in　the　distance　like　an　obelisk　proceeding

across　the　plain。



They　waited　until　he　was　in　position　just　before　them。　Zarxas　seized

his　sling；　but　whether　from　prudence　or　from　ferocity　Spendius　stopped

him。　〃No；　the　whiz　of　the　bullet　would　make　a　noise！　Let　me！〃



Then　he　bent　his　bow　with　all　his　strength；　resting　the　lower　end　of

it　against　the　great　toe　of　his　left　foot；　he　took　aim；　and　the　arrow

went　off。



The　man　did　not　fall。　He　disappeared。



〃If　he　were　wounded　we　should　hear　him！〃　said　Spendius；　and　he　mounted

quickly　from　story　to　story　as　he　had　done　the　first　time；　with　the

assistance　of　a　rope　and　a　harpoon。　Then　when　he　had　reached　the　top

and　was　beside　the　corpse；　he　let　it　fall　again。　The　Balearian

fastened　a　pick　and　a　mallet　to　it　and　turned　back。



The　trumpets　sounded　no　longer。　All　was　now　quiet。　Spendius　had　raised

one　of　the　flag…stones　and；　entering　the　water；　had　closed　it　behind

him。



Calculating　the　distance　by　the　number　of　his　steps；　he　arrived　at　the

exact　spot　where　he　had　noticed　an　oblique　fissure；　and　for　three

hours　until　morning　he　worked　in　continuous　and　furious　fashion；

breathing　with　difficulty　through　the　interstices　in　the　upper　flag…

tones；　assailed　with　anguish；　and　twenty　times　believing　that　he　was

going　to　die。　At　last　a　crack　was　heard；　and　a　huge　stone　ricocheting

on　the　lower　arches　rolled　to　the　ground；and　suddenly　a　cataract；　an

entire　river；　fell　from　the　skies　onto　the　plain。　The　aqueduct；　being

cut　through　in　the　centre；　was　emptying　itself。　It　was　death　to

Carthage　and　victory　for　the　Barbarians。



In　an　instant　the　awakened　Carthaginians　appeared　on　the　walls；　the

houses；　and　the　temples。　The　Barbarians　pressed　forward　with　shouts。

They　danced　in　delirium　around　the　great　waterfall；　and　came　up　and

wet　their　heads　in　it　in　the　extravagance　of　their　joy。



A　man　in　a　torn；　brown　tunic　was　perceived　on　the　summit　of　the

aqueduct。　He　stood　leaning　over　the　very　edge　with　both　hands　on　his

hips；　and　was　looking　down　below　him　as　though　astonished　at　his　work。



Then　he　drew　himself　up。　He　surveyed　the　horizon　with　a　haughty　air

which　seemed　to　say：　〃All　that　is　now　mine！〃　The　applause　of　the

Barbarians　burst　forth；　while　the　Carthaginians；　comprehending　their

disaster　at　last；　shrieked　with　despair。　Then　he　began　to　run　about

the　platform　from　one　end　to　the　other；and　like　a　chariot…driver

triumphant　at　the　Olympic　Games；　Spendius；　distraught　with　pride；

raised　his　arms　aloft。







CHAPTER　XIII



MOLOCH



The　Barbarians　had　no　need　of　a　circumvallation　on　the　side　of　Africa；

for　it　was　theirs。　But　to　facilitate　the　approach　to　the　walls；　the

entrenchments　bordering　the　ditch　were　thrown　down。　Matho　next　divided

the　army　into　great　semicircles　so　as　to　encompass　Carthage　the

better。　The　hoplites　of　the　Mercenaries　were　placed　in　the　first　rank；

and　behind　them　the　slingers　and　horsemen；　quite　at　the　back　were　the

baggage；　chariots；　and　horses；　and　the　engines　bristled　in　front　of

this　throng　at　a　distance　of　three　hundred　paces　from　the　towers。



Amid　the　infinite　variety　of　their　nomenclature　（which　changed　several

times　in　the　course　of　the　centuries）　these　machines　might　be　reduced

to　two　systems：　some　acted　like　slings；　and　the　rest　like　bows。



The　first；　which　were　the　catapults；　was　composed　of　a　square　frame

with　two　vertical　uprights　and　a　horizontal　bar。　In　its　anterior

portion　was　a　cylinder；　furnished　with　cables；　which　held　back　a　great

beam　bearing　a　spoon　for　the　reception　of　projectiles；　its　base　was

caught　in　a　skein　of　twisted　thread；　and　when　the　ropes　were　let　go　it

sprang　up　and　struck　against　the　bar；　which；　checking　it　with　a　shock；

multiplied　its　power。



The　second　presented　a　more　complicated　mechanism。　A　cross…bar　had　its

centre　fixed　on　a　little　pillar；　and　from　this　point　of　junction　there

branched　off　at　right　angles　a　short　of　channel；　two　caps　containing

twists　of　horse…hair　stood　at　the　extremities　of　the　cross…bar；　two

small　beams　were　fastened　to　them　to　hold　the　extremities　of　a　rope

which　was　brought　to　the　bottom　of　the　channel　upon　a　tablet　of

bronze。　This　metal　plate　was　released　by　a　spring；　and　sliding　in

grooves　impelled　the　arrows。



The　catapults　were　likewise　called　onagers；　after　the　wild　asses　which

fling　up　stones　with　their　feet；　and　the　ballistas　scorpions；　on

account　of　a　hook　which　stood　upon　the　tablet；　and　being　lowered　by　a

blow　of　the　fist；　released　the　spring。



Their　construction　required　learned　calculations；　the　wood　selected

had　to　be　of　the　hardest　substance；　and　their　gearing　all　of　brass；

they　were　stretched　with　levers；　tackle…blocks；　capstans　or　tympanums；

the　direction　of　the　shooting　was　changed　by　means　of　strong　pivots；

they　were　moved　forward　on　cylinders；　and　the　most　considerable　of

them；　which　were　brought　piece　by　piece；　were　set　up　in　front　of　the

enemy。



Spendius　arranged　three　great　catapults　opposite　the　three　principle

angles；　he　placed　a　ram　before　every　gate；　a　ballista　before　every

tower；　while　carroballistas　were　to　move　about　in　the　rear。　But　it　was

necessary　to　protect　them　against　the　fire　thrown　by　the　besieged；　and

first　of　all　to　fill　up　the　trench　which　separated　them　from　the

walls。



They　pushed　forward　galleries　formed　of　hurdles　of　green　reeds；　and

oaken　semicircles　like　enormous　shields　gliding　on　three　wheels；　the

workers　were　sheltered　in　little　huts　covered　with　raw　hides　and

stuffed　with　wrack；　the　catapults　and　ballistas　were　protected　by　rope

curtains　which　had　been　steeped　in　vinegar　to　render　them

incombustible。　The　women　and　children　went　to　procure　stones　on　the

strand；　and　gathered　earth　with　their　hands　and　brought　it　to　the

soldiers。



T