salammbo-第58章

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drenched　with　sweat。　Matho　appeared　insensible；　suddenly　he　started

off　and　began　to　run　at　random；　making　a　noise　with　his　lips　like　one

shivering　with　severe　cold。　He　threaded　the　street　of　Boudes；　and　the

street　of　Soepo；　crossed　the　Green　Market；　and　reached　the　square　of

Khamon。



He　now　belonged　to　the　priests；　the　slaves　had　just　dispersed　the

crowd；　and　there　was　more　room。　Matho　gazed　round　him　and　his　eyes

encountered　Salammbo。



At　the　first　step　that　he　had　taken　she　had　risen；　then；　as　he

approached；　she　had　involuntarily　advanced　by　degrees　to　the　edge　of

the　terrace；　and　soon　all　external　things　were　blotted　out；　and　she

saw　only　Matho。　Silence　fell　in　her　soul；one　of　those　abysses

wherein　the　whole　world　disappears　beneath　the　pressure　of　a　single

thought；　a　memory；　a　look。　This　man　who　was　walking　towards　her

attracted　her。



Excepting　his　eyes　he　had　no　appearance　of　humanity　left；　he　was　a

long；　perfectly　red　shape；　his　broken　bonds　hung　down　his　thighs；　but

they　could　not　be　distinguished　from　the　tendons　of　his　wrists；　which

were　laid　quite　bare；　his　mouth　remained　wide　open；　from　his　eye…

sockets　there　darted　flames　which　seemed　to　rise　up　to　his　hair；and

the　wretch　still　walked　on！



He　reached　the　foot　of　the　terrace。　Salammbo　was　leaning　over　the

balustrade；　those　frightful　eyeballs　were　scanning　her；　and　there　rose

within　her　a　consciousness　of　all　that　he　had　suffered　for　her。

Although　he　was　in　his　death　agony　she　could　see　him　once　more

kneeling　in　his　tent；　encircling　her　waist　with　his　arms；　and

stammering　out　gentle　words；　she　thirsted　to　feel　them　and　hear　them

again；　she　did　not　want　him　to　die！　At　this　moment　Matho　gave　a　great

start；　she　was　on　the　point　of　shrieking　aloud。　He　fell　backwards　and

did　not　stir　again。



Salammbo　was　borne　back；　nearly　swooning；　to　her　throne　by　the　priests

who　flocked　about　her。　They　congratulated　her；　it　was　her　work。　All

clapped　their　hands　and　stamped　their　feet；　howling　her　name。



A　man　darted　upon　the　corpse。　Although　he　had　no　beard　he　had　the

cloak　of　a　priest　of　Moloch　on　his　shoulder；　and　in　his　belt　that

species　of　knife　which　they　employed　for　cutting　up　the　sacred　meat；

and　which　terminated；　at　the　end　of　the　handle；　in　a　golden　spatula。

He　cleft　Matho's　breast　with　a　single　blow；　then　snatched　out　the

heart　and　laid　it　upon　the　spoon；　and　Schahabarim；　uplifting　his　arm；

offered　it　to　the　sun。



The　sun　sank　behind　the　waves；　his　rays　fell　like　long　arrows　upon　the

red　heart。　As　the　beatings　diminished　the　planet　sank　into　the　sea；

and　at　the　last　palpitation　it　disappeared。



Then　from　the　gulf　to　the　lagoon；　and　from　the　isthmus　to　the　pharos；

in　all　the　streets；　on　all　the　houses；　and　on　all　the　temples；　there

was　a　single　shout；　sometimes　it　paused；　to　be　again　renewed；　the

buildings　shook　with　it；　Carthage　was　convulsed；　as　it　were；　in　the

spasm　of　Titanic　joy　and　boundless　hope。



Narr'　Havas；　drunk　with　pride；　passed　his　left　arm　beneath　Salammbo's

waist　in　token　of　possession；　and　taking　a　gold　patera　in　his　right

hand；　he　drank　to　the　Genius　of　Carthage。



Salammbo　rose　like　her　husband；　with　a　cup　in　her　hand；　to　drink　also。

She　fell　down　again　with　her　head　lying　over　the　back　of　the　throne；

pale；　stiff；　with　parted　lips；and　her　loosened　hair　hung　to　the

ground。



Thus　died　Hamilcar's　daughter　for　having　touched　the　mantle　of　Tanith。











End