salammbo-第12部分

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he　had　wandered　about　through　the　country；　seeking　for　the　army　by　the

footprints　in　the　dust。　In　the　morning　he　hid　himself　in　caves；　in　the

evening　he　resumed　his　march　with　his　bleeding　wounds；　famished；　sick；

living　on　roots　and　carrion；　at　last　one　day　he　perceived　lances　on

the　horizon；　and　he　had　followed　them；　for　his　reason　was　disturbed

through　his　terrors　and　miseries。



The　indignation　of　the　soldiers；　restrained　so　long　as　he　was

speaking；　broke　forth　like　a　tempest；　they　were　going　to　massacre　the

guards　together　with　the　Suffet。　A　few　interposed；　saying　that　they

ought　to　hear　him　and　know　at　least　whether　they　should　be　paid。　Then

they　all　cried：　〃Our　money！〃　Hanno　replied　that　he　had　brought　it。



They　ran　to　the　outposts；　and　the　Suffet's　baggage　arrived　in　the

midst　of　the　tents；　pressed　forward　by　the　Barbarians。　Without　waiting

for　the　slaves；　they　very　quickly　unfastened　the　baskets；　in　them　they

found　hyacinth　robes；　sponges；　scrapers；　brushes；　perfumes；　and

antimony　pencils　for　painting　the　eyesall　belonging　to　the　guards；

who　were　rich　men　and　accustomed　to　such　refinements。　Next　they

uncovered　a　large　bronze　tub　on　a　camel：　it　belonged　to　the　Suffet　who

had　it　for　bathing　in　during　his　journey；　for　he　had　taken　all　manner

of　precautions；　even　going　so　far　as　to　bring　caged　weasels　from

Hecatompylos；　which　were　burnt　alive　to　make　his　ptisan。　But；　as　his

malady　gave　him　a　great　appetite；　there　were　also　many　comestibles　and

many　wines；　pickle；　meats　and　fishes　preserved　in　honey；　with　little

pots　of　Commagene；　or　melted　goose…fat　covered　with　snow　and　chopped

straw。　There　was　a　considerable　supply　of　it；　the　more　they　opened　the

baskets　the　more　they　found；　and　laughter　arose　like　conflicting

waves。



As　to　the　pay　of　the　Mercenaries　it　nearly　filled　two　esparto…grass

baskets；　there　were　even　visible　in　one　of　them　some　of　the　leathern

discs　which　the　Republic　used　to　economise　its　specie；　and　as　the

Barbarians　appeared　greatly　surprised；　Hanno　told　them　that；　their

accounts　being　very　difficult；　the　Ancients　had　not　had　leisure　to

examine　them。　Meanwhile　they　had　sent　them　this。



Then　everything　was　in　disorder　and　confusion：　mules；　serving　men；

litter；　provisions；　and　baggage。　The　soldiers　took　the　coin　in　the

bags　to　stone　Hanno。　With　great　difficulty　he　was　able　to　mount　an

ass；　and　he　fled；　clinging　to　its　hair；　howling；　weeping；　shaken；

bruised；　and　calling　down　the　curse　of　all　the　gods　upon　the　army。　His

broad　necklace　of　precious　stones　rebounded　up　to　his　ears。　His　cloak

which　was　too　long；　and　which　trailed　behind　him；　he　kept　on　with　his

teeth；　and　from　afar　the　Barbarians　shouted　at　him；　〃Begone　coward！

pig！　sink　of　Moloch！　sweat　your　gold　and　your　plague！　quicker！

quicker！〃　The　routed　escort　galloped　beside　him。



But　the　fury　of　the　Barbarians　did　not　abate。　They　remembered　that

several　of　them　who　had　set　out　for　Carthage　had　not　returned；　no

doubt　they　had　been　killed。　So　much　injustice　exasperated　them；　and

they　began　to　pull　up　the　stakes　of　their　tents；　to　roll　up　their

cloaks；　and　to　bridle　their　horses；　every　one　took　his　helmet　and

sword；　and　instantly　all　was　ready。　Those　who　had　no　arms　rushed　into

the　woods　to　cut　staves。



Day　dawned；　the　people　of　Sicca　were　roused；　and　stirring　in　the

streets。　〃They　are　going　to　Carthage；〃　said　they；　and　the　rumour　of

this　soon　spread　through　the　country。



From　every　path　and　every　ravine　men　arose。　Shepherds　were　seen

running　down　from　the　mountains。



Then；　when　the　Barbarians　had　set　out；　Spendius　circled　the　plain；

riding　on　a　Punic　stallion；　and　attended　by　his　slave；　who　led　a　third

horse。



A　single　tent　remained。　Spendius　entered　it。



〃Up；　master！　rise！　we　are　departing！〃



〃And　where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Matho。



〃To　Carthage！〃　cried　Spendius。



Matho　bounded　upon　the　horse　which　the　slave　held　at　the　door。







CHAPTER　III



SALAMMBO



The　moon　was　rising　just　above　the　waves；　and　on　the　town　which　was

still　wrapped　in　darkness　there　glittered　white　and　luminous　specks：

the　pole　of　a　chariot；　a　dangling　rag　of　linen；　the　corner　of　a　wall；

or　a　golden　necklace　on　the　bosom　of　a　god。　The　glass　balls　on　the

roofs　of　the　temples　beamed　like　great　diamonds　here　and　there。　But

ill…defined　ruins；　piles　of　black　earth；　and　gardens　formed　deeper

masses　in　the　gloom；　and　below　Malqua　fishermen's　nets　stretched　from

one　house　to　another　like　gigantic　bats　spreading　their　wings。　The

grinding　of　the　hydraulic　wheels　which　conveyed　water　to　the　highest

storys　of　the　palaces；　was　no　longer　heard；　and　the　camels；　lying

ostrich　fashion　on　their　stomachs；　rested　peacefully　in　the　middle　of

the　terraces。　The　porters　were　asleep　in　the　streets　on　the　thresholds

of　the　houses；　the　shadows　of　the　colossuses　stretched　across　the

deserted　squares；　occasionally　in　the　distance　the　smoke　of　a　still

burning　sacrifice　would　escape　through　the　bronze　tiling；　and　the

heavy　breeze　would　waft　the　odours　of　aromatics　blended　with　the　scent

of　the　sea　and　the　exhalation　from　the　sun…heated　walls。　The

motionless　waves　shone　around　Carthage；　for　the　moon　was　spreading　her

light　at　once　upon　the　mountain…circled　gulf　and　upon　the　lake　of

Tunis；　where　flamingoes　formed　long　rose…coloured　lines　amid　the　banks

of　sand；　while　further　on　beneath　the　catacombs　the　great　salt　lagoon

shimmered　like　a　piece　of　silver。　The　blue　vault　of　heaven　sank　on　the

horizon　in　one　direction　into　the　dustiness　of　the　plains；　and　in　the

other　into　the　mists　of　the　sea；　and　on　the　summit　of　the　Acropolis；

the　pyramidal　cypress　trees；　fringing　the　temple　of　Eschmoun；　swayed

murmuring　like　the　regular　waves　that　beat　slowly　along　the　mole

beneath　the　ramparts。



Salammbo　ascended　to　the　terrace　of　her　palace；　supported　by　a　female

slave　who　carried　an　iron　dish　filled　with　live　coals。



In　the　middle　of　the　terrace　there　was　a　small　ivory　bed　covered　with

lynx　skins；　and　cushions　made　with　the　feathers　of　the　parrot；　a

fatidical　animal　consecrated　to　the　gods；　and　at　the　four　corners　rose

four　long　perfuming…pans　filled　with　nard；　incense；　cinnamomum；　and

myrrh。　The　slave　lit　the　perfumes。　Salammbo　looked　at　the　polar　star；

she　slowly　saluted　the　four　points　of　heaven；　and　knelt　down　on　the

ground　in　the　azure　dust　which　was　strewn　with　golden　stars　in

imitation　of　the　firmament。　Then　with　both　elbows　against　her　sides；

her　fore…arms　straight　and　her　hands　open；　she　threw　back　her　head

beneath　the　rays　of　the　moon；　and　said：



〃O　Rabetna！Baalet！Tanith！〃　and　her　voice　was　lengthened　in　a

plaintive　fashion　as　if　calling　to　some　one。　〃Anaitis！　Astarte！

Derceto！　Astoreth！　Mylitta！　Athara！　Elissa！　Tiratha！By　the　hidden

symbols；　by　the　resounding　sistra；by　the　furrows　of　the　earth；by

the　eternal　silence　and　by　the　eternal　fruitfulness；mistress　of　the

gloomy　sea　and　of　the　azure　shores；　O　Queen　of　the　watery　world；　all

hail！〃