salammbo-第6章

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One　evening　when　they　were　passing　together　through　the　streets　in　the

camp　they　perceived　some　men　covered　with　white　cloaks；　among　them　was

Narr'　Havas；　the　prince　of　the　Numidians。　Matho　started。



〃Your　sword！〃　he　cried；　〃I　will　kill　him！〃



〃Not　yet！〃　said　Spendius；　restraining　him。　Narr'　Havas　was　already

advancing　towards　him。



He　kissed　both　thumbs　in　token　of　alliance；　showing　nothing　of　the

anger　which　he　had　experienced　at　the　drunkenness　of　the　feast；　then

he　spoke　at　length　against　Carthage；　but　did　not　say　what　brought　him

among　the　Barbarians。



〃Was　it　to　betray　them；　or　else　the　Republic？〃　Spendius　asked　himself；

and　as　he　expected　to　profit　by　every　disorder；　he　felt　grateful　to

Narr'　Havas　for　the　future　perfidies　of　which　he　suspected　him。



The　chief　of　the　Numidians　remained　amongst　the　Mercenaries。　He

appeared　desirous　of　attaching　Matho　to　himself。　He　sent　him　fat

goats；　gold　dust；　and　ostrich　feathers。　The　Libyan；　who　was　amazed　at

such　caresses；　was　in　doubt　whether　to　respond　to　them　or　to　become

exasperated　at　them。　But　Spendius　pacified　him；　and　Matho　allowed

himself　to　be　ruled　by　the　slave；　remaining　ever　irresolute　and　in　an

unconquerable　torpor；　like　those　who　have　once　taken　a　draught　of

which　they　are　to　die。



One　morning　when　all　three　went　out　lion…hunting；　Narr'　Havas

concealed　a　dagger　in　his　cloak。　Spendius　kept　continually　behind　him；

and　when　they　returned　the　dagger　had　not　been　drawn。



Another　time　Narr'　Havas　took　them　a　long　way　off；　as　far　as　the

boundaries　of　his　kingdom。　They　came　to　a　narrow　gorge；　and　Narr'

Havas　smiled　as　he　declared　that　he　had　forgotten　the　way。　Spendius

found　it　again。



But　most　frequently　Matho　would　go　off　at　sunrise；　as　melancholy　as　an

augur；　to　wander　about　the　country。　He　would　stretch　himself　on　the

sand；　and　remain　there　motionless　until　the　evening。



He　consulted　all　the　soothsayers　in　the　army　one　after　the　other；

those　who　watch　the　trail　of　serpents；　those　who　read　the　stars；　and

those　who　breathe　upon　the　ashes　of　the　dead。　He　swallowed　galbanum；

seseli；　and　viper's　venom　which　freezes　the　heart；　Negro　women；

singing　barbarous　words　in　the　moonlight；　pricked　the　skin　of　his

forehead　with　golden　stylets；　he　loaded　himself　with　necklaces　and

charms；　he　invoked　in　turn　Baal…Khamon；　Moloch；　the　seven　Kabiri；

Tanith；　and　the　Venus　of　the　Greeks。　He　engraved　a　name　upon　a　copper

plate；　and　buried　it　in　the　sand　at　the　threshold　of　his　tent。

Spendius　used　to　hear　him　groaning　and　talking　to　himself。



One　night　he　went　in。



Matho；　as　naked　as　a　corpse；　was　lying　on　a　lion's　skin　flat　on　his

stomach；　with　his　face　in　both　his　hands；　a　hanging　lamp　lit　up　his

armour；　which　was　hooked　on　to　the　tent…pole　above　his　head。



〃You　are　suffering？〃　said　the　slave　to　him。　〃What　is　the　matter　with

you？　Answer　me？〃　And　he　shook　him　by　the　shoulder　calling　him　several

times；　〃Master！　master！〃



At　last　Matho　lifted　large　troubled　eyes　towards　him。




〃Listen！〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　and　with　a　finger　on　his　lips。　〃It

is　the　wrath　of　the　Gods！　Hamilcar's　daughter　pursues　me！　I　am　afraid

of　her；　Spendius！〃　He　pressed　himself　close　against　his　breast　like　a

child　terrified　by　a　phantom。　〃Speak　to　me！　I　am　sick！　I　want　to　get

well！　I　have　tried　everything！　But　you；　you　perhaps　know　some　stronger

gods；　or　some　resistless　invocation？〃



〃For　what　purpose？〃　asked　Spendius。



Striking　his　head　with　both　his　fists；　he　replied：



〃To　rid　me　of　her！〃



Then　speaking　to　himself　with　long　pauses　he　said：



〃I　am　no　doubt　the　victim　of　some　holocaust　which　she　has　promised　to

the　gods？She　holds　me　fast　by　a　chain　which　people　cannot　see。　If　I

walk；　it　is　she　that　is　advancing；　when　I　stop；　she　is　resting！　Her

eyes　burn　me；　I　hear　her　voice。　She　encompasses　me；　she　penetrates　me。

It　seems　to　me　that　she　has　become　my　soul！



〃And　yet　between　us　there　are；　as　it　were；　the　invisible　billows　of　a

boundless　ocean！　She　is　far　away　and　quite　inaccessible！　The　splendour

of　her　beauty　forms　a　cloud　of　light　around　her；　and　at　times　I　think

that　I　have　never　seen　herthat　she　does　not　existand　that　it　is

all　a　dream！〃



Matho　wept　thus　in　the　darkness；　the　Barbarians　were　sleeping。

Spendius；　as　he　looked　at　him；　recalled　the　young　men　who　once　used　to

entreat　him　with　golden　cases　in　their　hands；　when　he　led　his　herd　of

courtesans　through　the　towns；　a　feeling　of　pity　moved　him；　and　he

said



〃Be　strong；　my　master！　Summon　your　will；　and　beseech　the　gods　no　more；

for　they　turn　not　aside　at　the　cries　of　men！　Weeping　like　a　coward！

And　you　are　not　humiliated　that　a　woman　can　cause　you　so　much

suffering？〃



〃Am　I　a　child？〃　said　Matho。　〃Do　you　think　that　I　am　moved　by　their

faces　and　songs？　We　kept　them　at　Drepanum　to　sweep　out　our　stables。　I

have　embraced　them　amid　assaults；　beneath　falling　ceilings；　and　while

the　catapult　was　still　vibrating！But　she；　Spendius；　she！〃



The　slave　interrupted　him：



〃If　she　were　not　Hanno's　daughter〃



〃No！〃　cried　Matho。　〃She　has　nothing　in　common　with　the　daughters　of

other　men！　Have　you　seen　her　great　eyes　beneath　her　great　eyebrows；

like　suns　beneath　triumphal　arches？　Think：　when　she　appeared　all　the

torches　grew　pale。　Her　naked　breast　shone　here　and　there　through　the

diamonds　of　her　necklace；　behind　her　you　perceived　as　it　were　the

odour　of　a　temple；　and　her　whole　being　emitted　something　that　was

sweeter　than　wine　and　more　terrible　than　death。　She　walked；　however；

and　then　she　stopped。〃



He　remained　gaping　with　his　head　cast　down　and　his　eyeballs　fixed。



〃But　I　want　her！　I　need　her！　I　am　dying　for　her！　I　am　transported　with

frenzied　joy　at　the　thought　of　clasping　her　in　my　arms；　and　yet　I　hate

her；　Spendius！　I　should　like　to　beat　her！　What　is　to　be　done？　I　have　a

mind　to　sell　myself　and　become　her　slave！　YOU　have　been　that！　You　were

able　to　get　sight　of　her；　speak　to　me　of　her！　Every　night　she　ascends

to　the　terrace　of　her　palace；　does　she　not？　Ah！　the　stones　must　quiver

beneath　her　sandals；　and　the　stars　bend　down　to　see　her！〃



He　fell　back　in　a　perfect　frenzy；　with　a　rattling　in　his　throat　like　a

wounded　bull。



Then　Matho　sang：　〃He　pursued　into　the　forest　the　female　monster；　whose

tail　undulated　over　the　dead　leaves　like　a　silver　brook。〃　And　with

lingering　tones　he　imitated　Salammbo's　voice；　while　his　outspread

hands　were　held　like　two　light　hands　on　the　strings　of　a　lyre。



To　all　the　consolations　offered　by　Spendius；　he　repeated　the　same

words；　their　nights　were　spent　in　these　wailings　and　exhortations。



Matho　sought　to　drown　his　thoughts　in　wine。　After　his　fits　of

drunkenness　he　was　more　melancholy　still。　He　tried　to　divert　himself

at　huckle…bones；　and　lost　the　gold　plates　of　his　necklace　one　by　one。

He　had　himself　taken　to　the　servants　of　the　Goddess；　but　he　came　down

the　hill　sobbing；　like　one　returning　from　a　funeral。



Spendius；　on　the　contrary；　became　more　bold　and　gay。　He　was　to　be　seen

in　the　leafy　taverns　discoursing　in　the　midst　of　the　soldiers。　He

mended　old　cuirasses。　He　juggled　with　daggers。　He　went　and　gathered

herbs　in　the　fields　for　the　sick。　He　was　facetious；　dexterous；　full　of

invention　and　talk；　the　Barbarians　grew　accustomed　to　his　services；

and　he　came　to　be　loved　by　them。



However；　they　were　awaiting　an　ambassador　from　Carthage　to　bring　them

mules　laden　with　baskets　of　gold；　and　ever　beginning　the　same

calculation　over　again；　they　would　trace　figures　with　their　fingers　in

the　sand。　Every　one　was　arranging　his　life　beforehand；　they　would　have

concubines；　slaves；　lands；　others　intended　to　bury　their　treasure；　or

risk　it　on　a　vessel。　But　their　tempers　were　provoked　by　want　of

employment；　there　were　constant　disputes　between　horse…soldiers　and

foot…soldiers；　Barbarians　and　Greeks；　while　there　was　a　never…ending

din　of　shrill　female　voices。



Every　day　men　came　flocking　in　nearly　naked；　and　with　grass　on　their

heads　to　protect　them　from　the　sun；　they　were　the　debtors　of　the　rich

Carthaginians　and　had　been　forced　to　till　the　lands　of　the　latter；　but

had　escaped。　Libyans　came　pouring　in　with　peasants　ruined　by　the

taxes；　outlaws；　and　malefactors。　Then　the　horde　of　traders；　all　the

dealers　in　wine　and　oil；　who　were　furious　at　not　being　paid；　laid　the

blame　upon　the　Republic。　Spendius　declaimed　against　it。　Soon　the

provisions　ran　low；　and　there　was　talk　of　advancing　in　a　body　upon

Carthage；　and　calling　in　the　Romans。



One　evening；　at　supper…time；　dull　cracked　sounds　were　heard

approaching；　and　something　red　appeared　in　the　distance　among　the

undulations　of　the　soil。



It　was　a　large　purple　litter；　adorned　with　ostrich　feathers　at　the

corners。　Chains　of　crystal　and　garlands　of　pearls　beat　against　the

closed　hangings。　It　was　followed　by　camels　sounding　the　great　bells

that　hung　at　their　breasts；　and　having　around　them　horsemen　clad　from

shoulder　to　heel　in　armour　of　golden　scales。



They　halted　three　hundred　paces　from　the　camp　to　take　their　round

bucklers；　broad　swords；　and　Boeotian　helmets　out　of　the　cases　which

they　carried　behind　their　saddles。　Some　remained　with　the　camels；

while　the　others　resumed　their　march。　At　last　the　ensigns　of　the

Republic　appeared；　that　is　to　say；　staves　of　blue　wood　terminated　in

horses'　heads　or　fir　cones。　The　Barbarians　all　rose　with　applause；　the

women　rushed　towards　the　guards　of　the　Legion　and　kissed　their　feet。



The　litter　advanced　on　the　shoulders　of　twelve　Negroes　who　walked　in

step　with　short；　rapid　strides；　they　went　at　random　to　right　or　left；

being　embarrassed　by　the　tent…ropes；　the　animals　that　were　straying

about；　or　the　tripods　where　food　was　being　cooked。　Sometimes　a　fat

hand；　laden　with　rings；　would　partially　open　the　litter；　and　a　hoarse

voice　would　utter　loud　reproaches；　then　the　bearers　would　stop　and

take　a　different　direction　through　the　camp。



But　the　purple　curtains　were　raised；　and　a　human　head；　impassible　and

bloated；　was　seen　resting　on　a　large　pillow；　the　eyebrows；　which　were

like　arches　of　ebony；　met　each　other　at　the　points；　golden　dust

sparkled　in　the　frizzled　hair；　and　the　face　was　so　wan　that　it　looked

as　if　it　had　been　powdered　with　marble　raspings。　The　rest　of　the　body

was　concealed　beneath　the　fleeces　which　filled　the　litter。



In　the　man　so　reclining　the　soldiers　recognised　the　Suffet　Hanno；　he

whose　slackness　had　assisted　to　lose　the　battle　of　the　Aegatian

islands；　and　as　to　his　victory　at　Hecatompylos　over　the　Libyans；　even

if　he　did　behave　with　clemency；　thought　the　Barbarians；　it　was　owing

to　cupidity；　for　he　had　sold　all　the　captives　on　his　own　account；

although　he　had　reported　their　deaths　to　the　Republic。



After　seeking　for　some　time　a　convenient　place　from　which　to　harangue

the　soldiers；　he　made　a　sign；　the　litter　stopped；　and　Hanno；　supported

by　two　slaves；　put　his　totter