salammbo-第4节

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gleaming　of　the　naked　swords；　and　cried　aloud　with　outstretched　arms。

Her　lyre　fell；　she　was　silent；　and；　pressing　both　hands　upon　her

heart；　she　remained　for　some　minutes　with　closed　eyelids　enjoying　the

agitation　of　all　these　men。



Matho；　the　Libyan；　leaned　over　towards　her。　Involuntarily　she

approached　him；　and　impelled　by　grateful　pride；　poured　him　a　long

stream　of　wine　into　a　golden　cup　in　order　to　conciliate　the　army。



〃Drink！〃　she　said。



He　took　the　cup；　and　was　carrying　it　to　his　lips　when　a　Gaul；　the　same

that　had　been　hurt　by　Gisco；　struck　him　on　the　shoulder；　while　in　a

jovial　manner　he　gave　utterance　to　pleasantries　in　his　native　tongue。

Spendius　was　not　far　off；　and　he　volunteered　to　interpret　them。



〃Speak！〃　said　Matho。



〃The　gods　protect　you；　you　are　going　to　become　rich。　When　will　the

nuptials　be？〃



〃What　nuptials？〃



〃Yours！　for　with　us；〃　said　the　Gaul；　〃when　a　woman　gives　drink　to　a

soldier；　it　means　that　she　offers　him　her　couch。〃



He　had　not　finished　when　Narr'　Havas；　with　a　bound；　drew　a　javelin

from　his　girdle；　and；　leaning　his　right　foot　upon　the　edge　of　the

table；　hurled　it　against　Matho。



The　javelin　whistled　among　the　cups；　and　piercing　the　Lybian's　arm；

pinned　it　so　firmly　to　the　cloth；　that　the　shaft　quivered　in　the　air。



Matho　quickly　plucked　it　out；　but　he　was　weaponless　and　naked；　at　last

he　lifted　the　over…laden　table　with　both　arms；　and　flung　it　against

Narr'　Havas　into　the　very　centre　of　the　crowd　that　rushed　between

them。　The　soldiers　and　Numidians　pressed　together　so　closely　that　they

were　unable　to　draw　their　swords。　Matho　advanced　dealing　great　blows

with　his　head。　When　he　raised　it；　Narr'　Havas　had　disappeared。　He

sought　for　him　with　his　eyes。　Salammbo　also　was　gone。



Then　directing　his　looks　to　the　palace　he　perceived　the　red　door　with

the　black　cross　closing　far　above；　and　he　darted　away。



They　saw　him　run　between　the　prows　of　the　galleys；　and　then　reappear

along　the　three　staircases　until　he　reached　the　red　door　against　which

he　dashed　his　whole　body。　Panting；　he　leaned　against　the　wall　to　keep

himself　from　falling。



But　a　man　had　followed　him；　and　through　the　darkness；　for　the　lights

of　the　feast　were　hidden　by　the　corner　of　the　palace；　he　recognised

Spendius。



〃Begone！〃　said　he。



The　slave　without　replying　began　to　tear　his　tunic　with　his　teeth；

then　kneeling　beside　Matho　he　tenderly　took　his　arm；　and　felt　it　in

the　shadow　to　discover　the　wound。



By　a　ray　of　the　moon　which　was　then　gliding　between　the　clouds；

Spendius　perceived　a　gaping　wound　in　the　middle　of　the　arm。　He　rolled

the　piece　of　stuff　about　it；　but　the　other　said　irritably；　〃Leave　me！

leave　me！〃



〃Oh　no！〃　replied　the　slave。　〃You　released　me　from　the　ergastulum。　I　am

yours！　you　are　my　master！　command　me！〃



Matho　walked　round　the　terrace　brushing　against　the　walls。　He　strained

his　ears　at　every　step；　glancing　down　into　the　silent　apartments

through　the　spaces　between　the　gilded　reeds。　At　last　he　stopped　with　a

look　of　despair。



〃Listen！〃　said　the　slave　to　him。　〃Oh！　do　not　despise　me　for　my

feebleness！　I　have　lived　in　the　palace。　I　can　wind　like　a　viper

through　the　walls。　Come！　in　the　Ancestor's　Chamber　there　is　an　ingot

of　gold　beneath　every　flagstone；　an　underground　path　leads　to　their

tombs。〃



〃Well！　what　matters　it？〃　said　Matho。



Spendius　was　silent。



They　were　on　the　terrace。　A　huge　mass　of　shadow　stretched　before　them；

appearing　as　if　it　contained　vague　accumulations；　like　the　gigantic

billows　of　a　black　and　petrified　ocean。



But　a　luminous　bar　rose　towards　the　East；　far　below；　on　the　left；　the

canals　of　Megara　were　beginning　to　stripe　the　verdure　of　the　gardens

with　their　windings　of　white。　The　conical　roofs　of　the　heptagonal

temples；　the　staircases；　terraces；　and　ramparts　were　being　carved　by

degrees　upon　the　paleness　of　the　dawn；　and　a　girdle　of　white　foam

rocked　around　the　Carthaginian　peninsula；　while　the　emerald　sea

appeared　as　if　it　were　curdled　in　the　freshness　of　the　morning。　Then

as　the　rosy　sky　grew　larger；　the　lofty　houses；　bending　over　the

sloping　soil；　reared　and　massed　themselves　like　a　herd　of　black　goats

coming　down　from　the　mountains。　The　deserted　streets　lengthened；　the

palm…trees　that　topped　the　walls　here　and　there　were　motionless；　the

brimming　cisterns　seemed　like　silver　bucklers　lost　in　the　courts；　the

beacon　on　the　promontory　of　Hermaeum　was　beginning　to　grow　pale。　The

horses　of　Eschmoun；　on　the　very　summit　of　the　Acropolis　in　the　cypress

wood；　feeling　that　the　light　was　coming；　placed　their　hoofs　on　the

marble　parapet；　and　neighed　towards　the　sun。



It　appeared；　and　Spendius　raised　his　arms　with　a　cry。



Everything　stirred　in　a　diffusion　of　red；　for　the　god；　as　if　he　were

rending　himself；　now　poured　full…rayed　upon　Carthage　the　golden　rain

of　his　veins。　The　beaks　of　the　galleys　sparkled；　the　roof　of　Khamon

appeared　to　be　all　in　flames；　while　far　within　the　temples；　whose

doors　were　opening；　glimmerings　of　light　could　be　seen。　Large

chariots；　arriving　from　the　country；　rolled　their　wheels　over　the

flagstones　in　the　streets。　Dromedaries；　baggage…laden；　came　down　the

ramps。　Money…changers　raised　the　pent…houses　of　their　shops　at　the

cross　ways；　storks　took　to　flight；　white　sails　fluttered。　In　the　wood

of　Tanith　might　be　heard　the　tabourines　of　the　sacred　courtesans；　and

the　furnaces　for　baking　the　clay　coffins　were　beginning　to　smoke　on

the　Mappalian　point。



Spendius　leaned　over　the　terrace；　his　teeth　chattered　and　he　repeated：



〃Ah！　yesyesmaster！　I　understand　why　you　scorned　the　pillage　of　the

house　just　now。〃



Matho　was　as　if　he　had　just　been　awaked　by　the　hissing　of　his　voice；

and　did　not　seem　to　understand。　Spendius　resumed：



〃Ah！　what　riches！　and　the　men　who　possess　them　have　not　even　the　steel

to　defend　them！〃



Then；　pointing　with　his　right　arm　outstretched　to　some　of　the　populace

who　were　crawling　on　the　sand　outside　the　mole　to　look　for　gold　dust：



〃See！〃　he　said　to　him；　〃the　Republic　is　like　these　wretches：　bending

on　the　brink　of　the　ocean；　she　buries　her　greedy　arms　in　every　shore；

and　the　noise　of　the　billows　so　fills　her　ear　that　she　cannot　hear

behind　her　the　tread　of　a　master's　heel！〃



He　drew　Matho　to　quite　the　other　end　of　the　terrace；　and　showed　him

the　garden；　wherein　the　soldiers'　swords；　hanging　on　the　trees；　were

like　mirrors　in　the　sun。



〃But　here　there　are　strong　men　whose　hatred　is　roused！　and　nothing

binds　them　to　Carthage；　neither　families；　oaths　nor　gods！〃



Matho　remained　leaning　against　the　wall；　Spendius　came　close；　and

continued　in　a　low　voice：



〃Do　you　understand　me；　soldier？　We　should　walk　purple…clad　like

satraps。　We　should　bathe　in　perfumes；　and　I　should　in　turn　have

slaves！　Are　you　not　weary　of　sleeping　on　hard　ground；　of　drinking　the

vinegar　of　the　camps；　and　of　continually　hearing　the　trumpet？　But　you

will　rest　later；　will　you　not？　When　they　pull　off　your　cuirass　to　cast

your　corpse　to　the　vultures！　or　perhaps　blind；　lame；　and　weak　you　will

go；　leaning　on　a　stick；　from　door　to　door　to　tell　of　your　youth　to

pickle…sellers　and　little　children。　Remember　all　the　injustice　of　your

chiefs；　the　campings　in　the　snow；　the　marchings　in　the　sun；　the

tyrannies　of　discipline；　and　the　everlasting　menace　of　the　cross！　And

after　all　this　misery　they　have　given　you　a　necklace　of　honour；　as

they　hang　a　girdle　of　bells　round　the　breast　of　an　ass　to　deafen　it　on

its　journey；　and　prevent　it　from　feeling　fatigue。　A　man　like　you；

braver　than　Pyrrhus！　If　only　you　had　wished　it！　Ah！　how　happy　will　you

be　in　large　cool　halls；　with　the　sound　of　lyres；　lying　on　flowers；

with　women　and　buffoons！　Do　not　tell　me　that　the　enterprise　is

impossible。　Have　not　the　Mercenaries　already　possessed　Rhegium　and

other　fortified　places　in　Italy？　Who　is　to　prevent　you？　Hamilcar　is

away；　the　people　execrate　the　rich；　Gisco　can　do　nothing　with　the

cowards　who　surround　him。　Command　them！　Carthage　is　ours；　let　us　fall

upon　it！〃



〃No！〃　said　Matho；　〃the　curse　of　Moloch　weighs　upon　me。　I　felt　it　in

her　eyes；　and　just　now　I　saw　a　black　ram　retreating　in　a　temple。〃

Looking　around　him　he　added：　〃But　where　is　she？〃



Then　Spendius　understood　that　a　great　disquiet　possessed　him；　and　did

not　venture　to　speak　again。



The　trees　behind　them　were　still　smoking；　half…burned　carcases　of　apes

dropped　from　their　blackened　boughs　from　time　to　time　into　the　midst

of　the　dishes。　Drunken　soldiers　snored　open…mouthed　by　the　side　of　the

corpses；　and　those　who　were　not　asleep　lowered　their　heads　dazzled　by

the　light　of　day。　The　trampled　soil　was　hidden　beneath　splashes　of

red。　The　elephants　poised　their　bleeding　trunks　between　the　stakes　of

their　pens。　In　the　open　granaries　might　be　seen　sacks　of　spilled

wheat；　below　the　gate　was　a　thick　line　of　chariots　which　had　been

heaped　up　by　the　Barbarians；　and　th