salammbo-第13部分

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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！〃



She　swayed　her　whole　body　twice　or　thrice；　and　then　cast　herself　face

downwards　in　the　dust　with　both　arms　outstretched。



But　the　slave　nimbly　raised　her；　for　according　to　the　rites　someone

must　catch　the　suppliant　at　the　moment　of　his　prostration；　this　told

him　that　the　gods　accepted　him；　and　Salammbo's　nurse　never　failed　in

this　pious　duty。



Some　merchants　from　Darytian　Gaetulia　had　brought　her　to　Carthage　when

quite　young；　and　after　her　enfranchisement　she　would　not　forsake　her

old　masters；　as　was　shown　by　her　right　ear；　which　was　pierced　with　a

large　hole。　A　petticoat　of　many…coloured　stripes　fitted　closely　on　her

hips；　and　fell　to　her　ankles；　where　two　tin　rings　clashed　together。

Her　somewhat　flat　face　was　yellow　like　her　tunic。　Silver　bodkins　of

great　length　formed　a　sun　behind　her　head。　She　wore　a　coral　button　on

the　nostril；　and　she　stood　beside　the　bed　more　erect　than　a　Hermes；

and　with　her　eyelids　cast　down。



Salammbo　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　terrace；　her　eyes　swept　the　horizon

for　an　instant；　and　then　were　lowered　upon　the　sleeping　town；　while

the　sigh　that　she　heaved　swelled　her　bosom；　and　gave　an　undulating

movement　to　the　whole　length　of　the　long　white　simar　which　hung

without　clasp　or　girdle　about　her。　Her　curved　and　painted　sandals　were

hidden　beneath　a　heap　of　emeralds；　and　a　net　of　purple　thread　was

filled　with　her　disordered　hair。



But　she　raised　her　head　to　gaze　upon　the　moon；　and　murmured；　mingling

her　speech　with　fragments　of　hymns：



〃How　lightly　turnest　thou；　supported　by　the　impalpable　ether！　It

brightens　about　thee；　and　'tis　the　stir　of　thine　agitation　that

distributes　the　winds　and　fruitful　dews。　According　as　thou　dost　wax

and　wane　the　eyes　of　cats　and　spots　of　panthers　lengthen　or　grow

short。　Wives　shriek　thy　name　in　the　pangs　of　childbirth！　Thou　makest

the　shells　to　swell；　the　wine　to　bubble；　and　the　corpse　to　putrefy！

Thou　formest　the　pearls　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea！



〃And　every　germ；　O　goddess！　ferments　in　the　dark　depths　of　thy

moisture。



〃When　thou　appearest；　quietness　is　spread　abroad　upon　the　earth；　the

flowers　close；　the　waves　are　soothed；　wearied　man　stretches　his　breast

toward　thee；　and　the　world　with　its　oceans　and　mountains　looks　at

itself　in　thy　face　as　in　a　mirror。　Thou　art　white；　gentle；　luminous；

immaculate；　helping；　purifying；　serene！〃



The　crescent　of　the　moon　was　then　over　the　mountain　of　the　Hot

Springs；　in　the　hollow　formed　by　its　two　summits；　on　the　other　side　of

the　gulf。　Below　it　there　was　a　little　star；　and　all　around　it　a　pale

circle。　Salammbo　went　on：



〃But　thou　art　a　terrible　mistress！Monsters；　terrifying　phantoms；　and

lying　dreams　come　from　thee；　thine　eyes　devour　the　stones　of

buildings；　and　the　apes　are　ever　ill　each　time　thou　growest　young

again。



〃Whither　goest　thou？　Why　dost　thou　change　thy　forms　continually？　Now；

slender　and　curved　thou　glidest　through　space　like　a　mastless　galley；

and　then；　amid　the　stars；　thou　art　like　a　shepherd　keeping　his　flock。

Shining　and　round；　thou　dost　graze　the　mountain…tops　like　the　wheel　of

a　chariot。



〃O　Tanith！　thou　dost　love　me？　I　have　looked　so　much　on　thee！　But　no！

thou　sailest　through　thine　azure；　and　II　remain　on　the　motionless

earth。



〃Taanach；　take　your　nebal　and　play　softly　on　the　silver　string；　for　my

heart　is　sad！〃



The　slave　lifted　a　sort　of　harp　of　ebony　wood；　taller　than　herself；

and　triangular　in　shape　like　a　delta；　she　fixed　the　point　in　a　crystal

globe；　and　with　both　hands　began　to　play。



The　sounds　followed　one　another　hurried　and　deep；　like　the　buzzing　of

bees；　and　with　increasing　sonorousness　floated　away　into　the　night

with　the　complaining　of　the　waves；　and　the　rustling　of　the　great　trees

on　the　summit　of　the　Acropolis。



〃Hush！〃　cried　Salammbo。



〃What　ails　you；　mistress？　The　blowing　of　the　breeze；　the　passing　of　a

cloud；　everything　disquiets　you　just　now！〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　said。



〃You　are　wearied　with　too　long　prayers！〃



〃Oh！　Tanaach；　I　would　fain　be　dissolved　in　them　like　a　flower　in

wine！〃



〃Perhaps　it　is　the　smoke　of　your　perfumes？〃



〃No！〃　said　Salammbo；　〃the　spirit　of　the　gods　dwells　in　fragrant

odours。〃



Then　the　slave　spoke　to　her　of　her　father。　It　was　thought　that　he　had

gone　towards　the　amber　country；　behind　the　pillars　of　Melkarth。　〃But

if　he　does　not　return；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　nevertheless；　since　it　was

his　will；　choose　a　husband　among　the　sons　of　the　Ancients；　and　then

your　grief　will　pass　away　in　a　man's　arms。〃



〃Why？〃　asked　the　young　girl。　All　those　that　she　had　seen　had　horrified

her　with　their　fallow…deer　laughter　and　their　coarse　limbs。



〃Sometimes；　Tanaach；　from　the　depths　of　my　being　there　exhale　as　it

were　hot　fumes　heavier　than　the　vapours　from　a　volcano。　Voices　call

me；　a　globe　of　fire　rolls　and　mounts　within　my　bosom；　it　stifles　me；　I

am　at　the　point　of　death；　and　then；　something　sweet；　flowing　from　my

brow　to　my　feet；　passes　through　my　fleshit　is　a　caress　enfolding　me；

and　I　feel　myself　crushed　as　if　some　god　were　stretched　upon　me。　Oh！

would　that　I　could　lose　myself　in　the　mists　of　the　night；　the　waters

of　the　fountains；　the　sap　of　the　trees；　that　I　could　issue　from　my

body；　and　be　but　a　breath；　or　a　ray；　and　glide；　mount　up　to　thee；　O

Mother！〃



She　raised　her　arms　to　their　full　length；　arching　her　form；　which　in

its　long　garment　was　as　pale　and　light　as　the　moon。　Then　she　fell

back；　panting；　on　the　ivory　couch；　but　Taanach　passed　an　amber

necklace　with　dolphin's　teeth　about　her　neck　to　banish　terrors；　and

Salammbo　said　in　an　almost　stifled　voice：　〃Go　and　bring　me

Schahabarim。〃



Her　father　had　not　wished　her　to　enter　the　college　of　priestesses；　nor

even　to　be　made　at　all　acquainted　with　the　popular　Tanith。　He　was

reserving　her　for　some　alliance　that　might　serve　his　political　ends；

so　that　Salammbo　lived　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　palace。　Her　mother

was　long　since　dead。



She　had　grown　up　with　abstinences；　fastings　and　purifications；　always

surrounded　by　grave　and　exquisite　things；　her　body　saturated　with

perfumes；　and　her　soul　filled　with　prayers。　She　had　never　tasted　wine；

nor　eaten　meat；　nor　touched　an　unclean　animal；　nor　set　her　heels　in

the　house　of　death。



She　knew　nothing　of　obscene　images；　for　as　each　god　was　manifested　in

different　forms；　the　same　principle　often　received　the　witness　of

contradictory　cults；　and　Salammbo　worshipped　the　goddess　in　her

sidereal　presentation。　An　influence　had　descended　upon　the　maiden　from

the　moon；　when　the　planet　passed　diminishing　away；　Salammbo　grew　weak。

She　languished　the　whole　day　long；　and　revived　at　evening。　During　an

eclipse　she　nearly　died。



But　Rabetna；　in　jealousy；　revenged　herself　for　the　virginity　withdrawn

from　her　sacrifices；　and　she　tormented　Salammbo　with　p