salammbo-第35部分

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〃Why！　it　is　a　piece　of　delicacy　to　avoid　distressing　his　daughter！〃



A　louder　voice　was　raised：



〃No　doubt；　since　she　takes　her　lovers　from　among　the　Mercenaries！〃



At　first　he　tottered；　then　his　eye　rapidly　sought　for　Schahabarim。　But

the　priest　of　Tanith　had　alone　remained　in　his　place；　and　Hamilcar

could　see　only　his　lofty　cap　in　the　distance。　All　were　sneering　in　his

face。　In　proportion　as　his　anguish　increased　their　joy　redoubled；　and

those　who　were　behind　shouted　amid　the　hootings：



〃He　was　seen　coming　out　of　her　room！〃



〃One　morning　in　the　month　of　Tammouz！〃



〃It　was　the　thief　who　stole　the　zaimph！〃



〃A　very　handsome　man！〃



〃Taller　than　you！〃



He　snatched　off　the　tiara；　the　ensign　of　his　rankhis　tiara　with　its

eight　mystic　rows；　and　with　an　emerald　shell　in　the　centreand　with

both　hands　and　with　all　his　strength　dashed　it　to　the　ground；　the

golden　circles　rebounded　as　they　broke；　and　the　pearls　rang　upon　the

pavement。　Then　they　saw　a　long　scar　upon　the　whiteness　of　his　brow；　it

moved　like　a　serpent　between　his　eyebrows；　all　his　limbs　trembled。　He

ascended　one　of　the　lateral　staircases　which　led　on　to　the　altar；　and

walked　upon　the　latter！　This　was　to　devote　himself　to　the　god；　to

offer　himself　as　a　holocaust。　The　motion　of　his　mantle　agitated　the

lights　of　the　candelabrum；　which　was　lower　than　his　sandals；　and　the

fine　dust　raised　by　his　footsteps　surrounded　him　like　a　cloud　as　high

as　the　waist。　He　stopped　between　the　legs　of　the　brass　colossus。　He

took　up　two　handfuls　of　the　dust；　the　mere　sight　of　which　made　every

Carthaginian　shudder　with　horror；　and　said：



〃By　the　hundred　torches　of　your　Intelligences！　by　the　eight　fires　of

the　Kabiri！　by　the　stars；　the　meteors；　and　the　volcanoes！　by

everything　that　burns！　by　the　thirst　of　the　desert　and　the　saltness　of

the　ocean！　by　the　cave　of　Hadrumetum　and　the　empire　of　Souls！　by

extermination！　by　the　ashes　of　your　sons　and　the　ashes　of　the　brothers

of　your　ancestors　with　which　I　now　mingle　my　own！you；　the　Hundred　of

the　Council　of　Carthage；　have　lied　in　your　accusation　of　my　daughter！

And　I；　Hamilcar　Barca；　marine　Suffet；　chief　of　the　rich　and　ruler　of

the　people；　in　the　presence　of　bull…headed　Moloch；　I　swear〃they

expected　something　frightful；　but　he　resumed　in　a　loftier　and　calmer

tone〃that　I　will　not　even　speak　to　her　about　it！〃



The　sacred　servants　entered　wearing　their　golden　combs；　some　with

purple　sponges　and　others　with　branches　of　palm。　They　raised　the

hyacinth　curtain　which　was　stretched　before　the　door；　and　through　the

opening　of　this　angle　there　was　visible　behind　the　other　halls　the

great　pink　sky　which　seemed　to　be　a　continuation　of　the　vault　and　to

rest　at　the　horizon　upon　the　blue　sea。　The　sun　was　issuing　from　the

waves　and　mounting　upwards。　It　suddenly　struck　upon　the　breast　of　the

brazen　colossus；　which　was　divided　into　seven　compartments　closed　by

gratings。　His　red…toothed　jaws　opened　in　a　horrible　yawn；　his　enormous

nostrils　were　dilated；　the　broad　daylight　animated　him；　and　gave　him　a

terrible　and　impatient　aspect；　as　if　he　would　fain　have　leaped　without

to　mingle　with　the　star；　the　god；　and　together　traverse　the

immensities。



The　torches；　however；　which　were　scattered　on　the　ground；　were　still

burning；　while　here　and　there　on　the　mother…of…pearl　pavement　was

stretched　from　them　what　looked　like　spots　of　blood。　The　Ancients　were

reeling　from　exhaustion；　they　filled　their　lungs　inhaling　the

freshness　of　the　air；　the　sweat　flowed　down　their　livid　faces；　they

had　shouted　so　much　that　they　could　now　scarcely　make　their　voices

heard。　But　their　wrath　against　the　Suffet　was　not　at　all　abated；　they

hurled　menaces　at　him　by　way　of　farewells；　and　Hamilcar　answered　them

again。



〃Until　the　next　night；　Barca；　in　the　temple　of　Eschmoun！〃



〃I　shall　be　there！〃



〃We　will　have　you　condemned　by　the　rich！〃



〃And　I　you　by　the　people！〃



〃Take　care　that　you　do　not　end　on　the　cross！〃



〃And　you　that　you　are　not　torn　to　pieces　in　the　streets！〃



As　soon　as　they　were　on　the　threshold　of　the　court　they　again　assumed

a　calm　demeanour。



Their　runners　and　coachmen　were　waiting　for　them　at　the　door。　Most　of

them　departed　on　white　mules。　The　Suffet　leaped　into　his　chariot　and

took　the　reins；　the　two　animals；　curving　their　necks；　and　rhythmically

beating　the　resounding　pebbles；　went　up　the　whole　of　the　Mappalian　Way

at　full　gallop；　and　the　silver　vulture　at　the　extremity　of　the　pole

seemed　to　fly；　so　quickly　did　the　chariot　pass　along。



The　road　crossed　a　field　planted　with　slabs　of　stone；　which　were

painted　on　the　top　like　pyramids；　and　had　open　hands　carved　out　in　the

centre　as　if　all　the　dead　men　lying　beneath　had　stretched　them　out

towards　heaven　to　demand　something。　Next　there　came　scattered　cabins

built　of　earth；　branches；　and　bulrush…hurdles；　and　all　of　a　conical

shape。　These　dwellings；　which　became　constantly　denser　as　the　road

ascended　towards　the　Suffet's　gardens；　were　irregularly　separated　from

one　another　by　little　pebble　walls；　trenches　of　spring　water；　ropes　of

esparto…grass；　and　nopal　hedges。　But　Hamilcar's　eyes　were　fastened　on

a　great　tower；　the　three　storys　of　which　formed　three　monster

cylindersthe　first　being　built　of　stone；　the　second　of　brick；　and

the　third　all　of　cedarsupporting　a　copper　cupola　upon　twenty…four

pillars　of　juniper；　from　which　slender　interlacing　chains　of　brass

hung　down　after　the　manner　of　garlands。　This　lofty　edifice　overlooked

the　buildingsthe　emporiums　and　mercantile　houseswhich　stretched　to

the　right；　while　the　women's　palace　rose　at　the　end　of　the　cypress

trees；　which　were　ranged　in　line　like　two　walls　of　bronze。



When　the　echoing　chariot　had　entered　through　the　narrow　gateway　it

stopped　beneath　a　broad　shed　in　which　there　were　shackled　horses

eating　from　heaps　of　chopped　grass。



All　the　servants　hastened　up。　They　formed　quite　a　multitude；　those　who

worked　on　the　country　estates　having　been　brought　to　Carthage　through

fear　of　the　soldiers。　The　labourers；　who　were　clad　in　animals'　skins；

had　chains　riveted　to　their　ankles　and　trailing　after　them；　the

workers　in　the　purple　factories　had　arms　as　red　as　those　of

executioners；　the　sailors　wore　green　caps；　the　fishermen　coral

necklaces；　the　huntsmen　carried　nets　on　their　shoulders；　and　the

people　belonging　to　Megara　wore　black　or　white　tunics；　leathern

drawers；　and　caps　of　straw；　felt　or　linen；　according　to　their　service

or　their　different　occupations。



Behind　pressed　a　tattered　populace。　They　lived　without　employment

remote　from　the　apartments；　slept　at　night　in　the　gardens；　ate　the

refuse　from　the　kitchens；a　human　mouldiness　vegetating　in　the　shadow

of　the　palace。　Hamilcar　tolerated　them　from　foresight　even　more　than

from　scorn。　They　had　all　put　a　flower　in　the　ear　in　token　of　their

joy；　and　many　of　them　had　never　seen　him。



But　men　with　head…dresses　like　the　Sphinx's；　and　furnished　with　great

stic