salammbo-第51部分

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the　retailers　of　hot　drinks　all　discussed　the　operations　of　the

campaign。　They　would　trace　battle…plans　with　their　fingers　in　the

dust；　and　there　was　not　a　sorry　rascal　to　be　found　who　could　not　have

corrected　Hamilcar's　mistakes。



It　was　a　punishment；　said　the　priests；　for　his　long…continued　impiety。

He　had　offered　no　holocausts；　he　had　not　purified　his　troops；　he　had

even　refused　to　take　augurs　with　him；　and　the　scandal　of　sacrilege

strengthened　the　violence　of　restrained　hate；　and　the　rage　of　betrayed

hopes。　People　recalled　the　Sicilian　disasters；　and　all　the　burden　of

his　pride　that　they　had　borne　for　so　long！　The　colleges　of　the

pontiffs　could　not　forgive　him　for　having　seized　their　treasure；　and

they　demanded　a　pledge　from　the　Great　Council　to　crucify　him　should　he

ever　return。



The　heats　of　the　month　of　Eloul；　which　were　excessive　in　that　year；

were　another　calamity。　Sickening　smells　rose　from　the　borders　of　the

Lake；　and　were　wafted　through　the　air　together　with　the　fumes　of　the

aromatics　that　eddied　at　the　corners　of　the　streets。　The　sounds　of

hymns　were　constantly　heard。　Crowds　of　people　occupied　the　staircases

of　the　temples；　all　the　walls　were　covered　with　black　veils；　tapers

burnt　on　the　brows　of　the　Pataec　Gods；　and　the　blood　of　camels　slain

for　sacrifice　ran　along　the　flights　of　stairs　forming　red　cascades

upon　the　steps。　Carthage　was　agitated　with　funereal　delirium。　From　the

depths　of　the　narrowest　lanes；　and　the　blackest　dens；　there　issued

pale　faces；　men　with　viper…like　profiles　and　grinding　their　teeth。　The

houses　were　filled　with　the　women's　piercing　shrieks；　which；　escaping

through　the　gratings；　caused　those　who　stood　talking　in　the　squares　to

turn　round。　Sometimes　it　was　thought　that　the　Barbarians　were

arriving；　they　had　been　seen　behind　the　mountain　of　the　Hot　Springs；

they　were　encamped　at　Tunis；　and　the　voices　would　multiply　and　swell；

and　be　blended　into　one　single　clamour。　Then　universal　silence　would

reign；　some　remaining　where　they　had　climbed　upon　the　frontals　of　the

buildings；　screening　their　eyes　with　their　open　hand；　while　the　rest

lay　flat　on　their　faces　at　the　foot　of　the　ramparts　straining　their

ears。　When　their　terror　had　passed　off　their　anger　would　begin　again。

But　the　conviction　of　their　own　impotence　would　soon　sink　them　into

the　same　sadness　as　before。



It　increased　every　evening　when　all　ascended　the　terraces；　and　bowing

down　nine　times　uttered　a　loud　cry　in　salutation　of　the　sun；　as　it

sank　slowly　behind　the　lagoon；　and　then　suddenly　disappeared　among　the

mountains　in　the　direction　of　the　Barbarians。



They　were　waiting　for　the　thrice　holy　festival　when；　from　the　summit

of　a　funeral　pile；　an　eagle　flew　heavenwards　as　a　symbol　of　the

resurrection　of　the　year；　and　a　message　from　the　people　to　their　Baal；

they　regarded　it　as　a　sort　of　union；　a　method　of　connecting　themselves

with　the　might　of　the　Sun。　Moreover；　filled　as　they　now　were　with

hatred；　they　turned　frankly　towards　homicidal　Moloch；　and　all　forsook

Tanith。　In　fact；　Rabetna；　having　lost　her　veil；　was　as　if　she　had　been

despoiled　of　part　of　her　virtue。　She　denied　the　beneficence　of　her

waters；　she　had　abandoned　Carthage；　she　was　a　deserter；　an　enemy。　Some

threw　stones　at　her　to　insult　her。　But　many　pitied　her　while　they

inveighed　against　her；　she　was　still　beloved；　and　perhaps　more　deeply

than　she　had　been。



All　their　misfortunes　came；　therefore；　from　the　loss　of　the　zaimph。

Salammbo　had　indirectly　participated　in　it；　she　was　included　in　the

same　ill　will；　she　must　be　punished。　A　vague　idea　of　immolation　spread

among　the　people。　To　appease　the　Baalim　it　was　without　doubt　necessary

to　offer　them　something　of　incalculable　worth；　a　being　handsome；

young；　virgin；　of　old　family；　a　descendant　of　the　gods；　a　human　star。

Every　day　the　gardens　of　Megara　were　invaded　by　strange　men；　the

slaves；　trembling　on　their　own　account；　dared　not　resist　them。

Nevertheless；　they　did　not　pass　beyond　the　galley　staircase。　They

remained　below　with　their　eyes　raised　to　the　highest　terrace；　they

were　waiting　for　Salammbo；　and　they　would　cry　out　for　hours　against

her　like　dogs　baying　at　the　moon。







CHAPTER　X



THE　SERPENT



These　clamourings　of　the　populace　did　not　alarm　Hamilcar's　daughter。

She　was　disturbed　by　loftier　anxieties：　her　great　serpent；　the　black

python；　was　drooping；　and　in　the　eyes　of　the　Carthaginians；　the

serpent　was　at　once　a　national　and　a　private　fetish。　It　was　believed

to　be　the　offspring　of　the　dust　of　the　earth；　since　it　emerges　from

its　depths　and　has　no　need　of　feet　to　traverse　it；　its　mode　of

progression　called　to　mind　the　undulations　of　rivers；　its　temperature

the　ancient；　viscous；　and　fecund　darkness；　and　the　orbit　which　it

describes　when　biting　its　tail　the　harmony　of　the　planets；　and　the

intelligence　of　Eschmoun。



Salammbo's　serpent　had　several　times　already　refused　the　four　live

sparrows　which　were　offered　to　it　at　the　full　moon　and　at　every　new

moon。　Its　handsome　skin；　covered　like　the　firmament　with　golden　spots

upon　a　perfectly　black　ground；　was　now　yellow；　relaxed；　wrinkled；　and

too　large　for　its　body。　A　cottony　mouldiness　extended　round　its　head；

and　in　the　corners　of　its　eyelids　might　be　seen　little　red　specks

which　appeared　to　move。　Salammbo　would　approach　its　silver…wire　basket

from　time　to　time；　and　would　draw　aside　the　purple　curtains；　the　lotus

leaves；　and　the　bird's　down；　but　it　was　continually　rolled　up　upon

itself；　more　motionless　than　a　withered　bind…weed；　and　from　looking　at

it　she　at　last　came　to　feel　a　kind　of　spiral　within　her　heart；　another

serpent；　as　it　were；　mounting　up　to　her　throat　by　degrees　and

strangling　her。



She　was　in　despair　of　having　seen　the　zaimph；　and　yet　she　felt　a　sort

of　joy；　an　intimate　pride　at　having　done　so。　A　mystery　shrank　within

the　splendour　of　its　folds；　it　was　the　cloud　that　enveloped　the　gods；

and　the　secret　of　the　universal　existence；　and　Salammbo；　horror…

stricken　at　herself；　regretted　that　she　had　not　raised　it。



She　was　almost　always　crouching　at　the　back　of　her　apartment；　holding

her　bended　left　leg　in　her　hands；　her　mouth　half　open；　her　chin　sunk；

her　eye　fixed。　She　recollected　her　father's　face　with　terror；　she

wished　to　go　away　into　the　mountains　of　Phoenicia；　on　a　pilgrimage　to

the　temple　of　Aphaka；　where　Tanith　descended　in　the　form　of　a　star；

all　kinds　of　imaginings　attracted　her　and　terrified　her；　moreover；　a

solitude　which　every　day　became　greater　encompassed　her。　She　did　not

even　know　what　Hamilcar　was　about。



Wearied　at　last　with　her　thoughts　she　would　rise；　and　trailing　along

her　little　sandals　whose　soles　clacked　upon　her　heels　at　every　step；

she　would　walk　at　random　through　the　large　silent　room。　The　amethysts

and　topazes　of　the　ceiling　made　luminous　spots　quiver　here　and　there；

and　Salammbo　as　she　walked　would　turn　her　head　a　little　to　see　them。

She　would　go　and　take　the　hanging　amphoras　by　the　neck；　she