salammbo-第41节

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portico　of　Alexandria；　and　accompanied　the　bematists　of　Evergetes；　who

measure　the　sky　by　calculating　the　number　of　their　steps；　as　far　as

Cyrene；　so　that　there　was　now　growing　in　his　thoughts　a　religion　of

his　own；　with　no　distinct　formula；　and　on　that　very　account　full　of

infatuation　and　fervour。　He　no　longer　believed　that　the　earth　was

formed　like　a　fir…cone；　he　believed　it　to　be　round；　and　eternally

falling　through　immensity　with　such　prodigious　speed　that　its　fall　was

not　perceived。



From　the　position　of　the　sun　above　the　moon　he　inferred　the

predominance　of　Baal；　of　whom　the　planet　itself　is　but　the　reflection

and　figure；　moreover；　all　that　he　saw　in　terrestrial　things　compelled

him　to　recognise　the　male　exterminating　principle　as　supreme。　And　then

he　secretly　charged　Rabbet　with　the　misfortune　of　his　life。　Was　it　not

for　her　that　the　grand…pontiff　had　once　advanced　amid　the　tumult　of

cymbals；　and　with　a　patera　of　boiling　water　taken　from　him　his　future

virility？　And　he　followed　with　a　melancholy　gaze　the　men　who　were

disappearing　with　the　priestesses　in　the　depths　of　the　turpentine

trees。



His　days　were　spent　in　inspecting　the　censers；　the　gold　vases；　the

tongs；　the　rakes　for　the　ashes　of　the　altar；　and　all　the　robes　of　the

statues　down　to　the　bronze　bodkin　that　served　to　curl　the　hair　of　an

old　Tanith　in　the　third　aedicule　near　the　emerald　vine。　At　the　same

hours　he　would　raise　the　great　hangings　of　the　same　swinging　doors；

would　remain　with　his　arms　outspread　in　the　same　attitude；　or　prayed

prostrate　on　the　same　flag…stones；　while　around　him　a　people　of

priests　moved　barefooted　through　the　passages　filled　with　an　eternal

twilight。



But　Salammbo　was　in　the　barrenness　of　his　life　like　a　flower　in　the

cleft　of　a　sepulchre。　Nevertheless　he　was　hard　upon　her；　and　spared

her　neither　penances　nor　bitter　words。　His　condition　established；　as

it　were；　the　equality　of　a　common　sex　between　them；　and　he　was　less

angry　with　the　girl　for　his　inability　to　possess　her　than　for　finding

her　so　beautiful；　and　above　all　so　pure。　Often　he　saw　that　she　grew

weary　of　following　his　thought。　Then　he　would　turn　away　sadder　than

before；　he　would　feel　himself　more　forsaken；　more　empty；　more　alone。



Strange　words　escaped　him　sometimes；　which　passed　before　Salammbo　like

broad　lightnings　illuminating　the　abysses。　This　would　be　at　night　on

the　terrace　when；　both　alone；　they　gazed　upon　the　stars；　and　Carthage

spread　below　under　their　feet；　with　the　gulf　and　the　open　sea　dimly

lost　in　the　colour　of　the　darkness。



He　would　set　forth　to　her　the　theory　of　the　souls　that　descend　upon

the　earth；　following　the　same　route　as　the　sun　through　the　signs　of

the　zodiac。　With　outstretched　arm　he　showed　the　gate　of　human

generation　in　the　Ram；　and　that　of　the　return　to　the　gods　in

Capricorn；　and　Salammbo　strove　to　see　them；　for　she　took　these

conceptions　for　realities；　she　accepted　pure　symbols　and　even　manners

of　speech　as　being　true　in　themselves；　a　distinction　not　always　very

clear　even　to　the　priest。



〃The　souls　of　the　dead；〃　said　he；　〃resolve　themselves　into　the　moon；

as　their　bodies　do　into　the　earth。　Their　tears　compose　its　humidity；

'tis　a　dark　abode　full　of　mire；　and　wreck；　and　tempest。〃



She　asked　what　would　become　of　her　then。



〃At　first　you　will　languish　as　light　as　a　vapour　hovering　upon　the

waves；　and　after　more　lengthened　ordeals　and　agonies；　you　will　pass

into　the　forces　of　the　sun；　the　very　source　of　Intelligence！〃



He　did　not　speak；　however；　of　Rabbet。　Salammbo　imagined　that　it　was

through　some　shame　for　his　vanquished　goddess；　and　calling　her　by　a

common　name　which　designated　the　moon；　she　launched　into　blessings

upon　the　soft　and　fertile　planet。　At　last　he　exclaimed：



〃No！　no！　she　draws　all　her　fecundity　from　the　other！　Do　you　not　see

her　hovering　about　him　like　an　amorous　woman　running　after　a　man　in　a

field？〃　And　he　exalted　the　virtue　of　light　unceasingly。



Far　from　depressing　her　mystic　desires；　he　sought；　on　the　contrary；　to

excite　them；　and　he　even　seemed　to　take　joy　in　grieving　her　by　the

revelation　of　a　pitiless　doctrine。　In　spite　of　the　pains　of　her　love

Salammbo　threw　herself　upon　it　with　transport。



But　the　more　that　Schahabarim　felt　himself　in　doubt　about　Tanith；　the

more　he　wished　to　believe　in　her。　At　the　bottom　of　his　soul　he　was

arrested　by　remorse。　He　needed　some　proof；　some　manifestation　from　the

gods；　and　in　the　hope　of　obtaining　it　the　priest　devised　an　enterprise

which　might　save　at　once　his　country　and　his　belief。



Thenceforward　he　set　himself　to　deplore　before　Salammbo　the　sacrilege

and　the　misfortunes　which　resulted　from　it　even　in　the　regions　of　the

sky。　Then　he　suddenly　announced　the　peril　of　the　Suffet；　who　was

assailed　by　three　armies　under　the　command　of　Mathofor　on　account　of

the　veil　Matho　was；　in　the　eyes　of　the　Carthaginians；　the　king；　as　it

were；　of　the　Barbarians；and　he　added　that　the　safety　of　the　Republic

and　of　her　father　depended　upon　her　alone。



〃Upon　me！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃How　can　I？〃



But　the　priest；　with　a　smile　of　disdain　said：



〃You　will　never　consent！〃



She　entreated　him。　At　last　Schahabarim　said　to　her：



〃You　must　go　to　the　Barbarians　and　recover　the　zaimph！〃



She　sank　down　upon　the　ebony　stool；　and　remained　with　her　arms

stretched　out　between　her　knees　and　shivering　in　all　her　limbs；　like　a

victim　at　the　altar's　foot　awaiting　the　blow　of　the　club。　Her　temples

were　ringing；　she　could　see　fiery　circles　revolving；　and　in　her　stupor

she　had　lost　the　understanding　of　all　things　save　one；　that　she　was

certainly　going　to　die　soon。



But　if　Rabbetna　triumphed；　if　the　zaimph　were　restored　and　Carthage

delivered；　what　mattered　a　woman's　life？　thought　Schahabarim。

Moreover；　she　would　perhaps　obtain　the　veil　and　not　perish。



He　stayed　away　for　three　days；　on　the　evening　of　the　fourth　she　sent

for　him。



The　better　to　inflame　her　heart　he　reported　to　her　all　the　invectives

howled　against　Hamilcar　in　open　council；　he　told　her　that　she　had

erred；　that　she　owed　reparation　for　her　crime；　and　that　Rabbetna

commanded　the　sacrifice。



A　great　uproar　came　frequently　across　the　Mappalian　district　to

Megara。　Schahabarim　and　Salammbo　went　out　quickly；　and　gazed　from　the

top　of　the　galley　staircase。



There　were　people　in　the　square　of　Khamon　shouting　for　arms。　The

Ancients　would　not　provide　them；　esteeming　such　an　effort　useless；

others　who　had　set　out　without　a　general　had　been　massacred。　At　last

they　were　permitted　to　depart；　and　as　a　sort　of　homage　to　Moloch；　or

from　a　vague　need　of　destruction；　they　tore　up　tall　cypress　trees　in

the　woods　of　the　temples；　and　having　kindled　them　at　the　torches　of

the　Kabiri；　were　carrying　them　through　the　streets　singing。　These

monstrous　flames　advanced　swaying　gently；　they　transmitted　fires　to

the　glass　balls　on　the　crests　of　the　temples；　to　the　ornaments　of　the

colossuses　and　the　beaks　of　the　ships；　passed　beyond　the　terraces　and

formed　suns　as　it　were；　which　rolled　through　the　town。　They　descended

the　Acropolis。　The　gate　of　Malqua　opened。



〃Are　you　ready？〃　exclaimed　Schahabarim；　〃or　have　you　asked　them　to

tell　your　father　that　you　abandoned　him？〃　She　hid　her　face　in　her

veils；　and　the　great　lights　retired；　sinking　gradually　the　while　to

the　edge　of　the　waves。



An　indeterminate　dread　restrained　her；　she　was　afraid　of　Moloch　and　of

Matho。　This　man；　with　his　giant　stature；　who　was　master　of　the　zaimph；

ruled　Rabbetna　as　much　as　did　Baal；　and　seemed　to　her　to　be　surrounded

by　the　same　fulgurations；　and　then　the　souls　of　the　gods　sometimes

visited　the　bodies　of　men。　Did　not　Schahabarim　in　speaking　of　him　say

that　she　was　to　vanquish　Moloch？　They　were　mingled　with　each　other；

she　confused　them　together；　both　of　them　were　pursuing　her。



She　wished　to　learn　the　future；　and　approached　the　serpent；　for

auguries　were　drawn　from　the　attitudes　of　serpents。　But　the　basket　was

empty；　Salammbo　was　disturbed。



She　found　him　with　his　tail　rolled　round　one　of　the　silver　balustrades

beside　the　hanging　bed；　which　he　was　rubbing　in　order　to　free　himself

from　his　old　yellowish　skin；　while　his　body　stretched　forth　gleaming

and　clear　like　a　sword　half　out　of　the　sheath。



Then　on　the　days　following；　in　proportion　as　she　allowed　herself　to　be

convinced；　and　was　more　disposed　to　succour　Tanith；　the　python

recovered　and　grew；　he　seemed　to　be　reviving。



The　certainty　that　Salammbo　was　giving　expression　to　the　will　of　the

gods　then　became　established　in　her　conscience。　One　morning　she　awoke

resolved；　and　she　asked　what　was　necessary　to　make　Matho　restore　the

veil。



〃To　claim　it；〃　said　Schahabarim。



〃But　if　he　refuses？〃　she　rejoined。



The　priest　scanned　her　fixedly　with　a　smile　such　as　she　had　never

seen。



〃Yes；　what　is　to　be　done？〃　repeated　Salammbo。



He　rolled　between　his　fingers　the　extremities　of　the　bands