salammbo-第46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！





Two　hours　afterwards　Matho　arrived。　He　caught　sight　in　the　starlight

of　long；　uneven　heaps　lying　upon　the　ground。



They　were　files　of　Barbarians。　He　stooped　down；　all　were　dead。　He

called　into　the　distance；　but　no　voice　replied。



That　very　morning　he　had　left　Hippo…Zarytus　with　his　soldiers　to　march

upon　Carthage。　At　Utica　the　army　under　Spendius　had　just　set　out；　and

the　inhabitants　were　beginning　to　fire　the　engines。　All　had　fought

desperately。　But；　the　tumult　which　was　going　on　in　the　direction　of

the　bridge　increasing　in　an　incomprehensible　fashion；　Matho　had　struck

across　the　mountain　by　the　shortest　road；　and　as　the　Barbarians　were

fleeing　over　the　plain　he　had　encountered　nobody。



Facing　him　were　little　pyramidal　masses　rearing　themselves　in　the

shade；　and　on　this　side　of　the　river　and　closer　to　him　were　motionless

lights　on　the　surface　of　the　ground。　In　fact　the　Carthaginians　had

fallen　back　behind　the　bridge；　and　to　deceive　the　Barbarians　the

Suffet　had　stationed　numerous　posts　upon　the　other　bank。



Matho；　still　advancing；　thought　that　he　could　distinguish　Punic

engines；　for　horses'　heads　which　did　not　stir　appeared　in　the　air

fixed　upon　the　tops　of　piles　of　staves　which　could　not　be　seen；　and

further　off　he　could　hear　a　great　clamour；　a　noise　of　songs；　and

clashing　of　cups。



Then；　not　knowing　where　he　was　nor　how　to　find　Spendius；　assailed　with

anguish；　scared；　and　lost　in　the　darkness；　he　returned　more

impetuously　by　the　same　road。　The　dawn　as　growing　grey　when　from　the

top　of　the　mountain　he　perceived　the　town　with　the　carcases　of　the

engines　blackened　by　the　flames　and　looking　like　giant　skeletons

leaning　against　the　walls。



All　was　peaceful　amid　extraordinary　silence　and　heaviness。　Among　his

soldiers　on　the　verge　of　the　tents　men　were　sleeping　nearly　naked；

each　upon　his　back；　or　with　his　forehead　against　his　arm　which　was

supported　by　his　cuirass。　Some　were　unwinding　bloodstained　bandages

from　their　legs。　Those　who　were　doomed　to　die　rolled　their　heads　about

gently；　others　dragged　themselves　along　and　brought　them　drink。　The

sentries　walked　up　and　down　along　the　narrow　paths　in　order　to　warm

themselves；　or　stood　in　a　fierce　attitude　with　their　faces　turned

towards　the　horizon；　and　their　pikes　on　their　shoulders。　Matho　found

Spendius　sheltered　beneath　a　rag　of　canvas；　supported　by　two　sticks

set　in　the　ground；　his　knee　in　his　hands　and　his　head　cast　down。



They　remained　for　a　long　time　without　speaking。



At　last　Matho　murmured：　〃Conquered！〃



Spendius　rejoined　in　a　gloomy　voice：　〃Yes；　conquered！〃



And　to　all　questions　he　replied　by　gestures　of　despair。



Meanwhile　sighs　and　death…rattles　reached　them。　Matho　partially　opened

the　canvas。　Then　the　sight　of　the　soldiers　reminded　him　of　another

disaster　on　the　same　spot；　and　he　ground　his　teeth：　〃Wretch！　once

already〃



Spendius　interrupted　him：　〃You　were　not　there　either。〃



〃It　is　a　curse！〃　exclaimed　Matho。　〃Nevertheless；　in　the　end　I　will

get　at　him！　I　will　conquer　him！　I　will　slay　him！　Ah！　if　I　had　been

there！〃　The　thought　of　having　missed　the　battle　rendered　him　even

more　desperate　than　the　defeat。　He　snatched　up　his　sword　and　threw　it

upon　the　ground。　〃But　how　did　the　Carthaginians　beat　you？〃



The　former　slave　began　to　describe　the　manoeuvres。　Matho　seemed　to　see

them；　and　he　grew　angry。　The　army　from　Utica　ought　to　have　taken

Hamilcar　in　the　rear　instead　of　hastening　to　the　bridge。



〃Ah！　I　know！〃　said　Spendius。



〃You　ought　to　have　made　your　ranks　twice　as　deep；　avoided　exposing　the

velites　against　the　phalanx；　and　given　free　passage　to　the　elephants。

Everything　might　have　been　recovered　at　the　last　moment；　there　was　no

necessity　to　fly。〃



Spendius　replied：



〃I　saw　him　pass　along　in　his　large　red　cloak；　with　uplifted　arms　and

higher　than　the　dust；　like　an　eagle　flying　upon　the　flank　of　the

cohorts；　and　at　every　nod　they　closed　up　or　darted　forward；　the　throng

carried　us　towards　each　other；　he　looked　at　me；　and　I　felt　the　cold

steel　as　it　were　in　my　heart。〃



〃He　selected　the　day；　perhaps？〃　whispered　Matho　to　himself。



They　questioned　each　other；　trying　to　discover　what　it　was　that　had

brought　the　Suffet　just　when　circumstances　were　most　unfavourable。

They　went　on　to　talk　over　the　situation；　and　Spendius；　to　extenuate

his　fault；　or　to　revive　his　courage；　asserted　that　some　hope　still

remained。



〃And　if　there　be　none；　it　matters　not！〃　said　Matho；　〃alone；　I　will

carry　on　the　war！〃



〃And　I　too！〃　exclaimed　the　Greek；　leaping　up；　he　strode　to　and　fro；

his　eyes　sparkling；　and　a　strange　smile　wrinkled　his　jackal　face。



〃We　will　make　a　fresh　start；　do　not　leave　me　again！　I　am　not　made　for

battles　in　the　sunlightthe　flashing　of　swords　troubles　my　sight；　it

is　a　disease；　I　lived　too　long　in　the　ergastulum。　But　give　me　walls　to

scale　at　night；　and　I　will　enter　the　citadels；　and　the　corpses　shall

be　cold　before　cock…crow！　Show　me　any　one；　anything；　an　enemy；　a

treasure；　a　woman；a　woman；〃　he　repeated；　〃were　she　a　king's

daughter；　and　I　will　quickly　bring　your　desire　to　your　feet。　You

reproach　me　for　having　lost　the　battle　against　Hanno；　nevertheless　I

won　it　back　again。　Confess　it！　my　herd　of　swine　did　more　for　us　than　a

phalanx　of　Spartans。〃　And　yielding　to　the　need　that　he　felt　of

exalting　himself　and　taking　his　revenge；　he　enumerated　all　that　he　had

done　for　the　cause　of　the　Mercenaries。　〃It　was　I　who　urged　on　the　Gaul

in　the　Suffet's　gardens！　And　later；　at　Sicca；　I　maddened　them　all　with

fear　of　the　Republic！　Gisco　was　sending　them　back；　but　I　prevented　the

interpreters　speaking。　Ah！　how　their　tongues　hung　out　of　their　mouths！

do　you　remember？　I　brought　you　into　Carthage；　I　stole　the　zaimph。　I

led　you　to　her。　I　will　do　more　yet：　you　shall　see！〃　He　burst　out

laughing　like　a　madman。



Matho　regarded　him　with　gaping　eyes。　He　felt　in　a　measure

uncomfortable　in　the　presence　of　this　man；　who　was　at　once　so　cowardly

and　so　terrible。



The　Greek　resumed　in　jovial　tones　and　cracking　his　fingers：



〃Evoe！　Sun　after　run！　I　have　worked　in　the　quarries；　and　I　have　drunk

Massic　wine　beneath　a　golden　awning　in　a　vessel　of　my　own　like　a

Ptolemaeus。　Calamity　should　help　to　make　us　cleverer。　By　dint　of　work

we　may　make　fortune　bend。　She　loves　politicians。　She　will　yield！〃



He　returned　to　Matho　and　took　him　by　the　arm。



〃Master；　at　present　the　Carthaginians　are　sure　of　their　victory。　You

have　quite　an　army　which　has　not　fought；　and　your　men　obey　YOU。　Place

them　in　the　front：　mine　will　follow　to　avenge　themselves。　I　have　still

three　thousand　Carians；　twelve　hundred　slingers　and　archers；　whole

cohorts！　A　phalanx　even　might　be　formed；　let　us　return！〃



Matho；　who　had　been　stunned　by　the　disaster；　had　hitherto　thought　of

no　means　of　repairing　it。　He　listened　with　open　mouth；　and　the　bronze

plates　which　circled　his　sides　rose　with　the　leapings　of　his　heart。　He

picked　up　his　sword；　crying：