salammbo-第26节
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hands crossed inside their broad sleeves； and the mother…of…pearl
pavement seemed like a luminous river streaming from the altar to the
door and flowing beneath their naked feet。
The four pontiffs had their places in the centre； sitting back to back
on four ivory seats which formed a cross； the high…priest of Eschmoun
in a hyacinth robe； the high…priest of Tanith in a white linen robe；
the high…priest of Khamon in a tawny woollen robe； and the high…priest
of Moloch in a purple robe。
Hamilcar advanced towards the candelabrum。 He walked all round it；
looking at the burning wicks； then he threw a scented powder upon
them； and violet flames appeared at the extremities of the branches。
Then a shrill voice rose； another replied to it； and the hundred
Ancients； the four pontiffs； and Hamilcar； who remained standing；
simultaneously intoned a hymn； and their voicesever repeating the
same syllables and strengthening the soundsrose； grew loud； became
terrible； and then suddenly were still。
There was a pause for some time。 At last Hamilcar drew from his breast
a little three…headed statuette； as blue as sapphire； and placed it
before him。 It was the image of Truth； the very genius of his speech。
Then he replaced it in his bosom； and all； as if seized with sudden
wrath； cried out：
〃They are good friends of yours； are the Barbarians！ Infamous traitor！
You come back to see us perish； do you not？ Let him speak！No！ no！〃
They were taking their revenge for the constraint to which political
ceremonial had just obliged them； and even though they had wished for
Hamilcar's return； they were now indignant that he had not anticipated
their disasters； or rather that he had not endured them as well as
they。
When the tumult had subsided； the pontiff of Moloch rose：
〃We ask you why you did not return to Carthage？〃
〃What is that to you？〃 replied the Suffet disdainfully。
Their shouts were redoubled。
〃Of what do you accuse me？ I managed the war badly； perhaps！ You have
seen how I order my battles； you who conveniently allow Barbarians〃
〃Enough！ enough！〃
He went on in a low voice so as to make himself the better listened
to：
〃Oh！ that is true！ I am wrong； lights of the Baals； there are intrepid
men among you！ Gisco； rise！〃 And surveying the step of the altar with
half…closed eyelids； as if he sought for some one； he repeated：
〃Rise； Gisco！ You can accuse me； they will protect you！ But where is
he？〃 Then； as if he remembered himself： 〃Ah！ in his house； no doubt！
surrounded by his sons； commanding his slaves； happy； and counting on
the wall the necklaces of honour which his country has given to him！〃
They moved about raising their shoulders as if they were being
scourged with thongs。 〃You do not even know whether he is living or
dead！〃 And without giving any heed to their clamours he said that in
deserting the Suffet they had deserted the Republic。 So； too； the
peace with Rome； however advantageous it might appear to them； was
more fatal than twenty battles。 A fewthose who were the least rich
of the Council and were suspected of perpetual leanings towards the
people or towards tyrannyapplauded。 Their opponents； chiefs of the
Syssitia and administrators； triumphed over them in point of numbers；
and the more eminent of them had ranged themselves close to Hanno； who
was sitting at the other end of the hall before the lofty door； which
was closed by a hanging of hyacinth colour。
He had covered the ulcers on his face with paint。 But the gold dust in
his hair had fallen upon his shoulders； where it formed two brilliant
sheets； so that his hair appeared whitish； fine； and frizzled like
wool。 His hands were enveloped in linen soaked in a greasy perfume；
which dripped upon the pavement； and his disease had no doubt
considerably increased； for his eyes were hidden beneath the folds of
his eyelids。 He had thrown back his head in order to see。 His
partisans urged him to speak。 At last in a hoarse and hideous voice he
said：
〃Less arrogance； Barca！ We have all been vanquished！ Each one supports
his own misfortune！ Be resigned！〃
〃Tell us rather；〃 said Hamilcar； smiling； 〃how it was that you steered
your galleys into the Roman fleet？〃
〃I was driven by the wind；〃 replied Hanno。
〃You are like a rhinoceros trampling on his dung： you are displaying
your own folly！ be silent！〃 And they began to indulge in
recriminations respecting the battle of the Aegatian islands。
Hanno accused him of not having come to meet him。
〃But that would have left Eryx undefended。 You ought to have stood out
from the coast； what prevented you？ Ah！ I forgot！ all elephants are
afraid of the sea！〃
Hamilcar's followers thought this jest so good that they burst out
into loud laughter。 The vault rang with it like the beating of
tympanums。
Hanno denounced the unworthiness of such an insult； the disease had
come upon him from a cold taken at the siege of Hecatompylos； and
tears flowed down his face like winter rain on a ruined wall。
Hamilcar resumed：
〃If you had loved me as much as him there would be great joy in
Carthage now！ How many times did I not call upon you！ and you always
refused me money！〃
〃We had need of it；〃 said the chiefs of the Syssitia。
〃And when things were desperate with mewe drank mules' urine and ate
the straps of our sandals； when I would fain have had the blades of
grass soldiers and made battalions with the rottenness of our dead；
you recalled the vessels that I had left！〃
〃We could not risk everything；〃 replied Baat…Baal； who possessed gold
mines in Darytian Gaetulia。
〃But what did you do here； at Carthage； in your houses； behind your
walls？ There are Gauls on the Eridanus； who ought to have been roused；
Chanaanites at Cyrene who would have come； and while the Romans send
ambassadors to Ptolemaeus〃
〃Now he is extolling the Romans to us！〃 Some one shouted out to him：
〃How much have they paid you to defend them？〃
〃Ask that of the plains of Brutium； of the ruins of Locri； of
Metapontum； and of Heraclea！ I have burnt all their trees； I have
pillaged all their temples； and even to the death of their
grandchildren's grandchildren〃
〃Why； you disclaim like a rhetor！〃 said Kapouras； a very illustrious
merchant。 〃What is it that you want？〃
〃I say that we must be more ingenious or more terrible！ If the whole
of Africa rejects your yoke the reason is； my feeble masters； that you
do not know how to fasten it to her shoulders！ Agathocles； Regulus；
Coepio； any bold man has only to land and capture her； and when the
Libyans in the east concert with the Numidians in the west； and the
Nomads come from the south； and the Romans from the north〃a cry of
horror rose〃Oh！ you will beat your breasts； and roll in the dust；
and tear your cloaks！ No matter！ you will have to go and turn the
mill…stone in the Suburra； and gather grapes on the hills of Latium。〃
They smote their right thighs to mark their sense of the scandal； and
the sleeves of their robes rose like large wings of startled birds。
Hamilcar； carried away by a spirit； continued his speech； standing on
the highest step of the altar； quivering and terrible； he raised his
arms； and the rays from the candelabrum which burned behind him passed
between his fingers like javelins of gold。
〃You will lose your ships； your country seats； your chariots； your
hanging beds； and the slaves who rub your feet！ The jackal will crouch
in your palaces； and the ploughshare will upturn your tombs。 Nothing
will be left but the eagles' scream and a heap of ruins。 Carthage；
thou wilt fall！〃
The four pontiffs spread out their hands to avert the anathema。 All
had risen。 But the marine Suffet； being a sacerdotal magistrate under
the protection of the Sun； was inviolate so long as the assembly of
the rich had not judged him。 Terror was associated with the altar。
They drew back。
Hamilcar had ceased speaking； and was panting with eye fixed； his face
as pale as the pearls of his tiara； almost frightened at himself； and
his spirit lost in funereal visions。 From the height on which he
stood； all the torches on the bronze shafts seemed to him like a vast
crown of fire laid level with the pavement； black smoke issuing from
them mounted up into the darkness of the vault； and for some minutes
the silence was so profound that they could hear in the distance the
sound of the sea。
Then the Ancients began to question one another。 Their interests；
their existence； were attacked by the Barbarians。 But it was
impossible to conquer them without the assistance of the Suffet； and
in spite of their pride this consideration made them forget every
other。 His friends were taken aside。 There were interested
reconciliations； understandings； and promises。 Hamilcar would not take
any further part in any government。 All conjured him。 They
