salammbo-第20部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！





Then　Matho　turned　in　silence　towards　the　Acropolis。



They　crept　along　the　nopal　hedges　which　bordered　the　paths。　The　water

trickled　from　their　limbs　upon　the　dust。　Their　damp　sandals　made　no

noise；　Spendius；　with　eyes　that　flamed　more　than　torches；　searched　the

bushes　at　every　step；and　he　walked　behind　Matho　with　his　hands

resting　on　the　two　daggers　which　he　carried　on　his　arms；　and　which

hung　from　below　the　armpit　by　a　leathern　band。







CHAPTER　V



TANITH



After　leaving　the　gardens　Matho　and　Spendius　found　themselves　checked

by　the　rampart　of　Megara。　But　they　discovered　a　breach　in　the　great

wall　and　passed　through。



The　ground　sloped　downwards；　forming　a　kind　of　very　broad　valley。　It

was　an　exposed　place。



〃Listen；〃　said　Spendius；　〃and　first　of　all　fear　nothing！　I　shall

fulfil　my　promise〃



He　stopped　abruptly；　and　seemed　to　reflect　as　though　searching　for

words；〃Do　you　remember　that　time　at　sunrise　when　I　showed　Carthage

to　you　on　Salammbo's　terrace？　We　were　strong　that　day；　but　you　would

listen　to　nothing！〃　Then　in　a　grave　voice：　〃Master；　in　the　sanctuary

of　Tanith　there　is　a　mysterious　veil；　which　fell　from　heaven　and　which

covers　the　goddess。〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Matho。



Spendius　resumed：　〃It　is　itself　divine；　for　it　forms　part　of　her。　The

gods　reside　where　their　images　are。　It　is　because　Carthage　possesses

it　that　Carthage　is　powerful。〃　Then　leaning　over　to　his　ear：　〃I　have

brought　you　with　me　to　carry　it　off！〃



Matho　recoiled　in　horror。　〃Begone！　look　for　some　one　else！　I　will　not

help　you　in　this　execrable　crime！〃



〃But　Tanith　is　your　enemy；〃　retorted　Spendius；　〃she　is　persecuting　you

and　you　are　dying　through　her　wrath。　You　will　be　revenged　upon　her。

She　will　obey　you；　and　you　will　become　almost　immortal　and

invincible。〃



Matho　bent　his　head。　Spendius　continued：



〃We　should　succumb；　the　army　would　be　annihilated　of　itself。　We　have

neither　flight；　nor　succour；　nor　pardon　to　hope　for！　What　chastisement

from　the　gods　can　you　be　afraid　of　since　you　will　have　their　power　in

your　own　hands？　Would　you　rather　die　on　the　evening　of　a　defeat；　in

misery　beneath　the　shelter　of　a　bush；　or　amid　the　outrages　of　the

populace　and　the　flames　of　funeral　piles？　Master；　one　day　you　will

enter　Carthage　among　the　colleges　of　the　pontiffs；　who　will　kiss　your

sandals；　and　if　the　veil　of　Tanith　weighs　upon　you　still；　you　will

reinstate　it　in　its　temple。　Follow　me！　come　and　take　it。〃



Matho　was　consumed　by　a　terrible　longing。　He　would　have　liked　to

possess　the　veil　while　refraining　from　the　sacrilege。　He　said　to

himself　that　perhaps　it　would　not　be　necessary　to　take　it　in　order　to

monopolise　its　virtue。　He　did　not　go　to　the　bottom　of　his　thought　but

stopped　at　the　boundary；　where　it　terrified　him。



〃Come　on！〃　he　said；　and　they　went　off　with　rapid　strides；　side　by

side；　and　without　speaking。



The　ground　rose　again；　and　the　dwellings　were　near。　They　turned　again

into　the　narrow　streets　amid　the　darkness。　The　strips　of　esparto…grass

with　which　the　doors　were　closed；　beat　against　the　walls。　Some　camels

were　ruminating　in　a　square　before　heaps　of　cut　grass。　Then　they

passed　beneath　a　gallery　covered　with　foliage。　A　pack　of　dogs　were

barking。　But　suddenly　the　space　grew　wider　and　they　recognised　the

western　face　of　the　Acropolis。　At　the　foot　of　Byrsa　there　stretched　a

long　black　mass：　it　was　the　temple　of　Tanith；　a　whole　made　up　of

monuments　and　galleries；　courts　and　fore…courts；　and　bounded　by　a　low

wall　of　dry　stones。　Spendius　and　Matho　leaped　over　it。



This　first　barrier　enclosed　a　wood　of　plane…trees　as　a　precaution

against　plague　and　infection　in　the　air。　Tents　were　scattered　here　and

there；　in　which；　during　the　daytime；　depilatory　pastes；　perfumes；

garments；　moon…shaped　cakes；　and　images　of　the　goddess　with

representations　of　the　temple　hollowed　out　in　blocks　of　alabaster；

were　on　sale。



They　had　nothing　to　fear；　for　on　nights　when　the　planet　did　not

appear；　all　rites　were　suspended；　nevertheless　Matho　slackened　his

speed；　and　stopped　before　the　three　ebony　steps　leading　to　the　second

enclosure。



〃Forward！〃　said　Spendius。



Pomegranate；　almond　trees；　cypresses　and　myrtles　alternated　in　regular

succession；　the　path；　which　was　paved　with　blue　pebbles；　creaked

beneath　their　footsteps；　and　full…blown　roses　formed　a　hanging　bower

over　the　whole　length　of　the　avenue。　They　arrived　before　an　oval　hole

protected　by　a　grating。　Then　Matho；　who　was　frightened　by　the　silence；

said　to　Spendius：



〃It　is　here　that　they　mix　the　fresh　water　and　the　bitter。〃



〃I　have　seen　all　that；〃　returned　the　former　slave；　〃in　Syria；　in　the

town　of　Maphug〃；　and　they　ascended　into　the　third　enclosure　by　a

staircase　of　six　silver　steps。



A　huge　cedar　occupied　the　centre。　Its　lowest　branches　were　hidden

beneath　scraps　of　material　and　necklaces　hung　upon　them　by　the

faithful。　They　walked　a　few　steps　further　on；　and　the　front　of　the

temple　was　displayed　before　them。



Two　long　porticoes；　with　their　architraves　resting　on　dumpy　pillars；

flanked　a　quadrangular　tower；　the　platform　of　which　was　adorned　with

the　crescent　of　a　moon。　On　the　angles　of　the　porticoes　and　at　the　four

corners　of　the　tower　stood　vases　filled　with　kindled　aromatics。　The

capitals　were　laden　with　pomegranates　and　coloquintidas。　Twining

knots；　lozenges；　and　rows　of　pearls　alternated　on　the　walls；　and　a

hedge　of　silver　filigree　formed　a　wide　semicircle　in　front　of　the

brass　staircase　which　led　down　from　the　vestibule。



There　was　a　cone　of　stone　at　the　entrance　between　a　stela　of　gold　and

one　of　emerald；　and　Matho　kissed　his　right　hand　as　he　passed　beside

it。



The　first　room　was　very　lofty；　its　vaulted　roof　was　pierced　by

numberless　apertures；　and　if　the　head　were　raised　the　stars　might　be

seen。　All　round　the　wall　rush　baskets　were　heaped　up　with　the　first

fruits　of　adolescence　in　the　shape　of　beards　and　curls　of　hair；　and　in

the　centre　of　the　circular　apartment　the　body　of　a　woman　issued　from　a

sheath　which　was　covered　with　breasts。　Fat；　bearded；　and　with　eyelids

downcast；　she　looked　as　though　she　were　smiling；　while　her　hands　were

crossed　upon　the　lower　part　of　her　big　body；　which　was　polished　by　the

kisses　of　the　crowd。



Then　they　found　themselves　again　in　the　open　air　in　a　transverse

corridor；　wherein　there　was　an　altar　of　small　dimensions　leaning

against　an　ivory　door。　There　was　no　further　passage；　the　priests　alone

could　open　it；　for　the　temple　was　not　a　place　of　meeting　for　the

multitude；　but　the　private　abode　of　a　divinity。



〃The　enterprise　is　impossible；〃　said　Matho。　〃You　had　not　thought　of

this！　Let　us　go　back！〃　Spendius　was　examining　the　walls。



He　wanted　the　veil；　not　because　he　had　confidence　in　its　virtue

（Spendius　believed　only　in　the　Oracle）；　but　because　he　was　persuaded

that　the　Carthaginians　would　be　greatly　dismayed　on　seeing　themselves

deprived　of　it。　They　walked　all　round