salammbo-第30部分

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

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



〃Well？〃　replied　the　Suffet　slowly。　〃Ah！　kill　them！〃　he　added　in　an

abrupt　tone。



The　Ethiopian　drew　a　long　dagger　from　his　girdle　and　the　three　heads

fell。　One　of　them　rebounded　among　the　remains　of　the　feast；　and　leaped

into　the　basin；　where　it　floated　for　some　time　with　open　mouth　and

staring　eyes。　The　morning　light　entered　through　the　chinks　in　the

wall；　the　three　bodies　streamed　with　great　bubbles　like　three

fountains；　and　a　sheet　of　blood　flowed　over　the　mosaics　with　their

powdering　of　blue　dust。　The　Suffet　dipped　his　hand　into　this　hot　mire

and　rubbed　his　knees　with　it：　it　was　a　cure。



When　evening　had　come　he　stole　away　from　the　town　with　his　escort；　and

made　his　way　into　the　mountain　to　rejoin　his　army。



He　succeeded　in　finding　the　remains　of　it。



Four　days　afterward　he　was　on　the　top　of　a　defile　at　Gorza；　when　the

troops　under　Spendius　appeared　below。　Twenty　stout　lances　might　easily

have　checked　them　by　attacking　the　head　of　their　column；　but　the

Carthaginians　watched　them　pass　by　in　a　state　of　stupefaction。　Hanno

recognised　the　king　of　the　Numidians　in　the　rearguard；　Narr'　Havas

bowed　to　him；　at　the　same　time　making　a　sign　which　he　did　not

understand。



The　return　to　Carthage　took　place　amid　all　kinds　of　terrors。　They

marched　only　at　night；　hiding　in　the　olive　woods　during　the　day。　There

were　deaths　at　every　halting…place；　several　times　they　believed

themselves　lost。　At　last　they　reached　Cape　Hermaeum；　where　vessels

came　to　receive　them。



Hanno　was　so　fatigued；　so　desperatethe　loss　of　the　elephants　in

particular　overwhelmed　himthat　he　demanded　poison　from　Demonades　in

order　to　put　an　end　to　it　all。　Moreover　he　could　already　feel　himself

stretched　upon　the　cross。



Carthage　had　not　strength　enough　to　be　indignant　with　him。　Its　losses

had　amounted　to　one　hundred　thousand　nine　hundred　and　seventy…two

shekels　of　silver；　fifteen　thousand　six　hundred　and　twenty…three

shekels　of　gold；　eighteen　elephants；　fourteen　members　of　the　Great

Council；　three　hundred　of　the　rich；　eight　thousand　citizens；　corn

enough　for　three　moons；　a　considerable　quantity　of　baggage；　and　all

the　engines　of　war！　The　defection　of　Narr'　Havas　was　certain；　and　both

sieges　were　beginning　again。　The　army　under　Autaritus　now　extended

from　Tunis　to　Rhades。　From　the　top　of　the　Acropolis　long　columns　of

smoke　might　be　seen　in　the　country　ascending　to　the　sky；　they　were　the

mansions　of　the　rich；　which　were　on　fire。



One　man　alone　could　have　saved　the　Republic。　People　repented　that　they

had　slighted　him；　and　the　peace　party　itself　voted　holocausts　for

Hamilcar's　return。



The　sight　of　the　zaimph　had　upset　Salammbo。　At　night　she　thought　that

she　could　hear　the　footsteps　of　the　goddess；　and　she　would　awake

terrified　and　shrieking。　Every　day　she　sent　food　to　the　temples。

Taanach　was　worn　out　with　executing　her　orders；　and　Schahabarim　never

left　her。







CHAPTER　VII



HAMILCAR　BARCA



The　Announcer　of　the　Moons；　who　watched　on　the　summit　of　the　temple　of

Eschmoun　every　night　in　order　to　signal　the　disturbances　of　the　planet

with　his　trumpet；　one　morning　perceived　towards　the　west　something

like　a　bird　skimming　the　surface　of　the　sea　with　its　long　wings。



It　was　a　ship　with　three　tiers　of　oars　and　with　a　horse　carved　on　the

prow。　The　sun　was　rising；　the　Announcer　of　the　Moons　put　up　his　hand

before　his　eyes；　and　then　grasping　his　clarion　with　outstretched　arms

sounded　a　loud　brazen　cry　over　Carthage。



People　came　out　of　every　house；　they　would　not　believe　what　was　said；

they　disputed　with　one　another；　the　mole　was　covered　with　people。　At

last　they　recognised　Hamilcar's　trireme。



It　advanced　in　fierce　and　haughty　fashion；　cleaving　the　foam　around

it；　the　lateen…yard　quite　square　and　the　sail　bulging　down　the　whole

length　of　the　mast；　its　gigantic　oars　kept　time　as　they　beat　the

water；　every　now　and　then　the　extremity　of　the　keel；　which　was　shaped

like　a　plough…share；　would　appear；　and　the　ivory…headed　horse；　rearing

both　its　feet　beneath　the　spur　which　terminated　the　prow；　would　seem

to　be　speeding　over　the　plains　of　the　sea。



As　it　rounded　the　promontory　the　wind　ceased；　the　sail　fell；　and　a　man

was　seen　standing　bareheaded　beside　the　pilot。　It　was　he；　Hamilcar；

the　Suffet！　About　his　sides　he　wore　gleaming　sheets　of　steel；　a　red

cloak；　fastened　to　his　shoulders；　left　his　arms　visible；　two　pearls　of

great　length　hung　from　his　ears；　and　his　black；　bushy　beard　rested　on

his　breast。



The　galley；　however；　tossing　amid　the　rocks；　was　proceeding　along　the

side　of　the　mole；　and　the　crowd　followed　it　on　the　flag…stones；

shouting：



〃Greeting！　blessing！　Eye　of　Khamon！　ah！　deliver　us！　'Tis　the　fault　of

the　rich！　they　want　to　put　you　to　death！　Take　care　of　yourself；

Barca！〃



He　made　no　reply；　as　if　the　loud　clamour　of　oceans　and　battles　had

completely　deafened　him。　But　when　he　was　below　the　staircase　leading

down　from　the　Acropolis；　Hamilcar　raised　his　head；　and　looked　with

folded　arms　upon　the　temple　of　Eschmoun。　His　gaze　mounted　higher

still；　to　the　great　pure　sky；　he　shouted　an　order　in　a　harsh　voice　to

his　sailors；　the　trireme　leaped　forward；　it　grazed　the　idol　set　up　at

the　corner　of　the　mole　to　stay　the　storms；　and　in　the　merchant

harbour；　which　was　full　of　filth；　fragments　of　wood；　and　rinds　of

fruit；　it　pushed　aside　and　crushed　against　the　other　ships　moored　to

stakes　and　terminating　in　crocodiles'　jaws。　The　people　hastened

thither；　and　some　threw　themselves　into　the　water　to　swim　to　it。　It

was　already　at　the　very　end　before　the　gate　which　bristled　with　nails。

The　gate　rose；　and　the　trireme　disappeared　beneath　the　deep　arch。



The　Military　Harbour　was　completely　separated　from　the　town；　when

ambassadors　arrived；　they　had　to　proceed　between　two　walls　through　a

passage　which　had　its　outlet　on　the　left　in　front　of　the　temple　of

Khamon。　This　great　expanse　of　water　was　as　round　as　a　cup；　and　was

bordered　with　quays　on　which　sheds　were　built　for　sheltering　the

ships。　Before　each　of　these　rose　two　pillars　bearing　the　horns　of

Ammon　on　their　capitals　and　forming　continuous　porticoes　all　round　the

basin。　On　an　island　in　the　centre　stood　a　house　for　the　marine　Suffet。



The　water　was　so　limpid　that　the　bottom　was　visible　with　its　paving　of

white　pebbles。　The　noise　of　the　streets　did　not　reach　so　far；　and

Hamilcar　as　he　passed　recognised　the　triremes　which　he　had　formerly

commanded。



Not　more　than　twenty　perhaps　remained；　under　shelter　on　the　land；

leaning　over　on　their　sides　or　standing　upright　on　their　keels；　with

lofty　poops　and　swelling　prows；　and　covered　with　gildings　and　mystic

symbols。　The　chimaeras　had　lost　their　wings；　the　Pataec　Gods　their

arms；　the　bulls　their　silver　horns；and　half…painted；　motionless；　and

rotten　as　they　were；　yet　full　of　asso