salammbo-第29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！



boys　leaned　over　the　steps　of　the　basin　and　rubbed　his　legs。　But

attention　to　his　body　did　not　check　his　love　for　the　commonwealth；　for

he　was　dictating　a　letter　to　be　sent　to　the　Great　Council；　and　as　some

prisoners　had　just　been　taken　he　was　asking　himself　what　terrible

punishment　could　be　devised。



〃Stop！〃　said　he　to　a　slave　who　stood　writing　in　the　hollow　of　his

hand。　〃Let　some　of　them　be　brought　to　me！　I　wish　to　see　them！〃



And　from　the　bottom　of　the　hall；　full　of　a　whitish　vapour　on　which　the

torches　cast　red　spots；　three　Barbarians　were　thrust　forward：　a

Samnite；　a　Spartan；　and　a　Cappadocian。



〃Proceed！〃　said　Hanno。



〃Rejoice；　light　of　the　Baals！　your　Suffet　has　exterminated　the

ravenous　hounds！　Blessings　on　the　Republic！　Give　orders　for　prayers！〃

He　perceived　the　captives　and　burst　out　laughing：　〃Ah！　ha！　my　fine

fellows　of　Sicca！　You　are　not　shouting　so　loudly　to…day！　It　is　I！　Do

you　recognise　me？　And　where　are　your　swords？　What　really　terrible

fellows！〃　and　he　pretended　to　be　desirous　to　hide　himself　as　if　he

were　afraid　of　them。　〃You　demanded　horses；　women；　estates；

magistracies；　no　doubt；　and　priesthoods！　Why　not？　Well；　I　will　provide

you　with　the　estates；　and　such　as　you　will　never　come　out　of！　You

shall　be　married　to　gibbets　that　are　perfectly　new！　Your　pay？　it　shall

be　melted　in　your　mouths　in　leaden　ingots！　and　I　will　put　you　into

good　and　very　exalted　positions　among　the　clouds；　so　as　to　bring　you

close　to　the　eagles！〃



The　three　long…haired　and　ragged　Barbarians　looked　at　him　without

understanding　what　he　said。　Wounded　in　the　knees；　they　had　been　seized

by　having　ropes　thrown　over　them；　and　the　ends　of　the　great　chains　on

their　hands　trailed　upon　the　pavement。　Hanno　was　indignant　at　their

impassibility。



〃On　your　knees！　on　your　knees！　jackals！　dust！　vermin！　excrements！　And

they　make　no　reply！　Enough！　be　silent！　Let　them　be　flayed　alive！　No！

presently！〃



He　was　breathing　like　a　hippopotamus　and　rolling　his　eyes。　The

perfumed　oil　overflowed　beneath　the　mass　of　his　body；　and　clinging　to

the　scales　on　his　skin；　made　it　look　pink　in　the　light　of　the　torches。



He　resumed：



〃For　four　days　we　suffered　greatly　from　the　sun。　Some　mules　were　lost

in　crossing　the　Macaras。　In　spite　of　their　position；　the　extraordinary

courage　Ah！　Demonades！　how　I　suffer！　Have　the　bricks　reheated；　and

let　them　be　red…hot！〃



A　noise　of　rakes　and　furnaces　was　heard。　The　incense　smoked　more

strongly　in　the　large　perfuming　pans；　and　the　shampooers；　who　were

quite　naked　and　were　sweating　like　sponges；　crushed　a　paste　composed

of　wheat；　sulphur；　black　wine；　bitch's　milk；　myrrh；　galbanum　and

storax　upon　his　joints。　He　was　consumed　with　incessant　thirst；　but　the

yellow…robed　man　did　not　yield　to　this　inclination；　and　held　out　to

him　a　golden　cup　in　which　viper　broth　was　smoking。



〃Drink！〃　said　he；　〃that　strength　of　sun…born　serpents　may　penetrate

into　the　marrow　of　your　bones；　and　take　courage；　O　reflection　of　the

gods！　You　know；　moreover；　that　a　priest　of　Eschmoun　watches　those

cruel　stars　round　the　Dog　from　which　your　malady　is　derived。　They　are

growing　pale　like　the　spots　on　your　skin；　and　you　are　not　to　die　from

them。〃



〃Oh！　yes；　that　is　so；　is　it　not？〃　repeated　the　Suffet；　〃I　am　not　to

die　from　them！〃　And　his　violaceous　lips　gave　forth　a　breath　more

nauseous　than　the　exhalation　from　a　corpse。　Two　coals　seemed　to　burn

in　the　place　of　his　eyes；　which　had　lost　their　eyebrows；　a　mass　of

wrinkled　skin　hung　over　his　forehead；　both　his　ears　stood　out　from　his

head　and　were　beginning　to　increase　in　size；　and　the　deep　lines

forming　semicircles　round　his　nostrils　gave　him　a　strange　and

terrifying　appearance；　the　look　of　a　wild　beast。　His　unnatural　voice

was　like　a　roar；　he　said：



〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Demonades。　In　fact　there　are　many　ulcers　here

which　have　closed。　I　feel　robust。　Here！　look　how　I　am　eating！〃



And　less　from　greediness　than　from　ostentation；　and　the　desire　to

prove　to　himself　that　he　was　in　good　health；　he　cut　into　the

forcemeats　of　cheese　and　marjoram；　the　boned　fish；　gourds；　oysters

with　eggs；　horse…radishes；　truffles；　and　brochettes　of　small　birds。　As

he　looked　at　the　prisoners　he　revelled　in　the　imagination　of　their

tortures。　Nevertheless　he　remembered　Sicca；　and　the　rage　caused　by　all

his　woes　found　vent　in　the　abuse　of　these　three　men。



〃Ah！　traitors！　ah！　wretches！　infamous；　accursed　creatures！　And　you

outraged　me！me！　the　Suffet！　Their　services；　the　price　of　their

blood；　say　they！　Ah！　yes！　their　blood！　their　blood！〃　Then　speaking　to

himself：〃All　shall　perish！　not　one　shall　be　sold！　It　would　be　better

to　bring　them　to　Carthage！　I　should　be　seenbut　doubtless；　I　have　not

brought　chains　enough？　Write：　Send　meHow　many　of　them　are　there？　go

and　ask　Muthumbal！　Go！　no　pity！　and　let　all　their　hands　be　cut　off　and

brought　to　me　in　baskets！〃



But　strange　cries　at　once　hoarse　and　shrill　penetrated　into　the　hall

above　Hanno's　voice　and　the　rattling　of　the　dishes　that　were　being

placed　around　him。　They　increased；　and　suddenly　the　furious　trumpeting

of　the　elephants　burst　forth　as　if　the　battle　were　beginning　again。　A

great　tumult　was　going　on　around　the　town。



The　Carthaginians　had　not　attempted　to　pursue　the　Barbarians。　They　had

taken　up　their　quarters　at　the　foot　of　the　walls　with　their　baggage；

mules；　serving　men；　and　all　their　train　of　satraps；　and　they　made

merry　in　their　beautiful　pearl…bordered　tents；　while　the　camp　of　the

Mercenaries　was　now　nothing　but　a　heap　of　ruins　in　the　plain。　Spendius

had　recovered　his　courage。　He　dispatched　Zarxas　to　Matho；　scoured　the

woods；　rallied　his　men　（the　losses　had　been　inconsiderable）；and　they

were　re…forming　their　lines　enraged　at　having　been　conquered　without　a

fight；　when　they　discovered　a　vat　of　petroleum　which　had　no　doubt　been

abandoned　by　the　Carthaginians。　Then　Spendius　had　some　pigs　carried

off　from　the　farms；　smeared　them　with　bitumen；　set　them　on　fire；　and

drove　them　towards　Utica。



The　elephants　were　terrified　by　the　flames　and　fled。　The　ground　sloped

upwards；　javelins　were　thrown　at　them；　and　they　turned　back；and　with

great　blows　of　ivory　and　trampling　feet　they　ripped　up　the

Carthaginians；　stifled　them；　flattened　them。　The　Barbarians　descended

the　hill　behind　them；　the　Punic　camp；　which　was　without　entrenchments

was　sacked　at　the　first　rush；　and　the　Carthaginians　were　crushed

against　the　gates；　which　were　not　opened　through　fear　of　the

Mercenaries。



Day　broke；　and　Matho's　foot…soldiers　were　seen　coming　up　from　the

west。　At　the　same　time　horsemen　appeared；　they　were　Narr'　Havas　with

his　Numidians。　Leaping　ravines　and　bushes　they　ran　down　the　fugitives

like　greyhounds　pursuing　hares。　This　change　of　fortune　interrupted　the

Suffet。　He　called　out　to　be　assisted　to　leave　the　vapour　bath。



The　three　captives　were　still　before　him。　Then　a　Negro　（the　same　who

had　carried　his　parasol　in　the　battle）　leaned　over　to　his