salammbo-第19部分

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body　to　solid　stakes；　and　were　offered　food　at　the　point　of　the

javelin。



Autaritus　overwhelmed　them　with　invectives　as　he　inspected　them；　but

being　quite　ignorant　of　his　language　they　made　no　reply；　and　the　Gaul

from　time　to　time　threw　pebbles　at　their　faces　to　make　them　cry　out。



The　next　day　a　sort　of　languor　took　possession　of　the　army。　Now　that

their　anger　was　over　they　were　seized　with　anxiety。　Matho　was

suffering　from　vague　melancholy。　It　seemed　to　him　that　Salammbo　had

indirectly　been　insulted。　These　rich　men　were　a　kind　of　appendage　to

her　person。　He　sat　down　in　the　night　on　the　edge　of　the　pit；　and

recognised　in　their　groanings　something　of　the　voice　of　which　his

heart　was　full。



All；　however；　upbraided　the　Libyans；　who　alone　had　been　paid。　But

while　national　antipathies　revived；　together　with　personal　hatreds；　it

was　felt　that　it　would　be　perilous　to　give　way　to　them。　Reprisals

after　such　an　outrage　would　be　formidable。　It　was　necessary；

therefore；　to　anticipate　the　vengeance　of　Carthage。　Conventions　and

harangues　never　ceased。　Every　one　spoke；　no　one　was　listened　to；

Spendius；　usually　so　loquacious；　shook　his　head　at　every　proposal。



One　evening　he　asked　Matho　carelessly　whether　there　were　not　springs

in　the　interior　of　the　town。



〃Not　one！〃　replied　Matho。



The　next　day　Spendius　drew　him　aside　to　the　bank　of　the　lake。



〃Master！〃　said　the　former　slave；　〃If　your　heart　is　dauntless；　I　will

bring　you　into　Carthage。〃



〃How？〃　repeated　the　other；　panting。



〃Swear　to　execute　all　my　commands　and　to　follow　me　like　a　shadow！〃



Then　Matho；　raising　his　arm　towards　the　planet　of　Chabar；　exclaimed：



〃By　Tanith；　I　swear！〃



Spendius　resumed：



〃To…morrow　after　sunset　you　will　wait　for　me　at　the　foot　of　the

aqueduct　between　the　ninth　and　tenth　arcades。　Bring　with　you　an　iron

pick；　a　crestless　helmet；　and　leathern　sandals。〃



The　aqueduct　of　which　he　spoke　crossed　the　entire　isthmus　obliquely；

a　considerable　work；　afterwards　enlarged　by　the　Romans。　In　spite　of

her　disdain　of　other　nations；　Carthage　had　awkwardly　borrowed　this

novel　invention　from　them；　just　as　Rome　herself　had　built　Punic

galleys；　and　five　rows　of　superposed　arches；　of　a　dumpy　kind　of

architecture；　with　buttresses　at　their　foot　and　lions'　heads　at　the

top；　reached　to　the　western　part　of　the　Acropolis；　where　they　sank

beneath　the　town　to　incline　what　was　nearly　a　river　into　the　cisterns

of　Megara。



Spendius　met　Matho　here　at　the　hour　agreed　upon。　He　fastened　a　sort　of

harpoon　to　the　end　of　a　cord　and　whirled　it　rapidly　like　a　sling；　the

iron　instrument　caught　fast；　and　they　began　to　climb　up　the　wall；　the

one　after　the　other。



But　when　they　had　ascended　to　the　first　story　the　cramp　fell　back

every　time　that　they　threw　it；　and　in　order　to　discover　some　fissure

they　had　to　walk　along　the　edge　of　the　cornice。　At　every　row　of　arches

they　found　that　it　became　narrower。　Then　the　cord　relaxed。　Several

times　it　nearly　broke。



At　last　they　reached　the　upper　platform。　Spendius　stooped　down　from

time　to　time　to　feel　the　stones　with　his　hand。



〃Here　it　is；〃　he　said；　〃let　us　begin！〃　And　leaning　on　the　pick　which

Matho　had　brought　they　succeeded　in　dislodging　one　of　the　flagstones。



In　the　distance　they　perceived　a　troop　of　horse…men　galloping　on

horses　without　bridles。　Their　golden　bracelets　leaped　in　the　vague

drapings　of　their　cloaks。　A　man　could　be　seen　in　front　crowned　with

ostrich　feathers；　and　galloping　with　a　lance　in　each　hand。



〃Narr'　Havas！〃　exclaimed　Matho。



〃What　matter？〃　returned　Spendius；　and　he　leaped　into　the　hole　which

they　had　just　made　by　removing　the　flagstone。



Matho　at　his　command　tried　to　thrust　out　one　of　the　blocks。　But　he

could　not　move　his　elbows　for　want　of　room。



〃We　shall　return；〃　said　Spendius；　〃go　in　front。〃　Then　they　ventured

into　the　channel　of　water。



It　reached　to　their　waists。　Soon　they　staggered；　and　were　obliged　to

swim。　Their　limbs　knocked　against　the　walls　of　the　narrow　duct。　The

water　flowed　almost　immediately　beneath　the　stones　above；　and　their

faces　were　torn　by　them。　Then　the　current　carried　them　away。　Their

breasts　were　crushed　with　air　heavier　than　that　of　a　sepulchre；　and

stretching　themselves　out　as　much　as　possible　with　their　heads　between

their　arms　and　their　legs　close　together；　they　passed　like　arrows　into

the　darkness；　choking；　gurgling；　and　almost　dead。　Suddenly　all　became

black　before　them；　and　the　speed　of　the　waters　redoubled。　They　fell。



When　they　came　to　the　surface　again；　they　remained　for　a　few　minutes

extended　on　their　backs；　inhaling　the　air　delightfully。　Arcades；　one

behind　another；　opened　up　amid　large　walls　separating　the　various

basins。　All　were　filled；　and　the　water　stretched　in　a　single　sheet

throughout　the　length　of　the　cisterns。　Through　the　air…holes　in　the

cupolas　on　the　ceiling　there　fell　a　pale　brightness　which　spread　upon

the　waves　discs；　as　it　were；　of　light；　while　the　darkness　round　about

thickened　towards　the　walls　and　threw　them　back　to　an　indefinite

distance。　The　slightest　sound　made　a　great　echo。



Spendius　and　Matho　commenced　to　swim　again；　and　passing　through　the

opening　of　the　arches；　traversed　several　chambers　in　succession。　Two

other　rows　of　smaller　basins　extended　in　a　parallel　direction　on　each

side。　They　lost　themselves；　they　turned；　and　came　back　again。　At　last

something　offered　a　resistance　to　their　heels。　It　was　the　pavement　of

the　gallery　that　ran　along　the　cisterns。



Then；　advancing　with　great　precautions；　they　felt　along　the　wall　to

find　an　outlet。　But　their　feet　slipped；　and　they　fell　into　the　great

centre…basins。　They　had　to　climb　up　again；　and　there　they　fell　again。

They　experienced　terrible　fatigue；　which　made　them　feel　as　if　all

their　limbs　had　been　dissolved　in　the　water　while　swimming。　Their　eyes

closed；　they　were　in　the　agonies　of　death。



Spendius　struck　his　hand　against　the　bars　of　a　grating。　They　shook　it；

it　gave　way；　and　they　found　themselves　on　the　steps　of　a　staircase。　A

door　of　bronze　closed　it　above。　With　the　point　of　a　dagger　they　moved

the　bar；　which　was　opened　from　without；　and　suddenly　the　pure　open　air

surrounded　them。



The　night　was　filled　with　silence；　and　the　sky　seemed　at　an

extraordinary　height。　Clusters　of　trees　projected　over　the　long　lines

of　walls。　The　whole　town　was　asleep。　The　fires　of　the　outposts　shone

like　lost　stars。



Spendius；　who　had　spent　three　years　in　the　ergastulum；　was　but

imperfectly　acquainted　with　the　different　quarters。　Matho　conjectured

that　to　reach　Hamilcar's　palace　they　ought　to　strike　to　the　left　and

cross　the　Mappalian　district。



〃No；〃　said　Spendius；　〃take　me　to　the　temple　of　Tanith。〃



Matho　wished　to　speak。



〃Remember！〃　said　the　former　slave；　and　raising　his　arm　he　showed　him

the　glittering　planet　of　Chabar。



Then　Matho　turned　in　silence　towards　the　Acropolis。



They　crept　along　the　nopal　hedges　which