salammbo-第45节
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see that you wished to drag me to some terrible thing at the bottom of
an abyss。〃
Matho； writhing his arms； exclaimed：
〃No！ no！ it was to give it to you！ to restore it to you！ It seemed to
me that the goddess had left her garment for you； and that it belonged
to you！ In her temple or in your house； what does it matter？ are you
not all…powerful； immaculate； radiant and beautiful even as Tanith？〃
And with a look of boundless adoration he added：
〃Unless perhaps you are Tanith？〃
〃I； Tanith！〃 said Salammbo to herself。
They left off speaking。 The thunder rolled in the distance。 Some sheep
bleated； frightened by the storm。
〃Oh！ come near！〃 he went on； 〃come near！ fear nothing！
〃Formerly I was only a soldier mingled with the common herd of the
Mercenaries； ay； and so meek that I used to carry wood on my back for
the others。 Do I trouble myself about Carthage！ The crowd of its
people move as though lost in the dust of your sandals； and all its
treasures； with the provinces； fleets； and islands； do not raise my
envy like the freshness of your lips and the turn of your shoulders。
But I wanted to throw down its walls that I might reach you to possess
you！ Moreover； I was revenging myself in the meantime！ At present I
crush men like shells； and I throw myself upon phalanxes； I put aside
the sarissae with my hands； I check the stallions by the nostrils； a
catapult would not kill me！ Oh！ if you knew how I think of you in the
midst of war！ Sometimes the memory of a gesture or of a fold of your
garment suddenly seizes me and entwines me like a net！ I perceive your
eyes in the flames of the phalaricas and on the gilding of the
shields！ I hear your voice in the sounding of the cymbals。 I turn
aside； but you are not there！ and I plunge again into the battle！〃
He raised his arms whereon his veins crossed one another like ivy on
the branches of a tree。 Sweat flowed down his breast between his
square muscles； and his breathing shook his sides with his bronze
girdle all garnished with thongs hanging down to his knees； which were
firmer than marble。 Salammbo； who was accustomed to eunuchs； yielded
to amazement at the strength of this man。 It was the chastisement of
the goddess or the influence of Moloch in motion around her in the
five armies。 She was overwhelmed with lassitude； and she listened in a
state of stupor to the intermittent shouts of the sentinels as they
answered one another。
The flames of the lamp kindled in the squalls of hot air。 There came
at times broad lightning flashes； then the darkness increased； and she
could only see Matho's eyeballs like two coals in the night。 However；
she felt that a fatality was surrounding her； that she had reached a
supreme and irrevocable moment； and making an effort she went up again
towards the zaimph and raised her hands to seize it。
〃What are you doing？〃 exclaimed Matho。
〃I am going back to Carthage；〃 she placidly replied。
He advanced folding his arms and with so terrible a look that her
heels were immediately nailed； as it were； to the spot。
〃Going back to Carthage！〃 He stammered； and； grinding his teeth；
repeated：
〃Going back to Carthage！ Ah！ you came to take the zaimph； to conquer
me； and then disappear！ No； no！ you belong to me！ and no one now shall
tear you from here！ Oh！ I have not forgotten the insolence of your
large tranquil eyes； and how you crushed me with the haughtiness of
your beauty！ 'Tis my turn now！ You are my captive； my slave； my
servant！ Call； if you like； on your father and his army； the Ancients；
the rich； and your whole accursed people！ I am the master of three
hundred thousand soldiers！ I will go and seek them in Lusitania； in
the Gauls； and in the depths of the desert； and I will overthrow your
town and burn all its temples； the triremes shall float on the waves
of blood！ I will not have a house； a stone； or a palm tree remaining！
And if men fail me I will draw the bears from the mountains and urge
on the lions！ Seek not to fly or I kill you！〃
Pale and with clenched fists he quivered like a harp whose strings are
about to burst。 Suddenly sobs stifled him； and he sank down upon his
hams。
〃Ah！ forgive me！ I am a scoundrel； and viler than scorpions； than mire
and dust！ Just now while you were speaking your breath passed across
my face； and I rejoiced like a dying man who drinks lying flat on the
edge of a stream。 Crush me； if only I feel your feet！ curse me； if
only I hear your voice！ Do not go！ have pity！ I love you！ I love you！〃
He was on his knees on the ground before her； and he encircled her
form with both his arms； his head thrown back； and his hands
wandering； the gold discs hanging from his ears gleamed upon his
bronzed neck； big tears rolled in his eyes like silver globes； he
sighed caressingly； and murmured vague words lighter than a breeze and
sweet as a kiss。
Salammbo was invaded by a weakness in which she lost all consciousness
of herself。 Something at once inward and lofty； a command from the
gods； obliged her to yield herself； clouds uplifted her； and she fell
back swooning upon the bed amid the lion's hair。 The zaimph fell； and
enveloped her； she could see Matho's face bending down above her
breast。
〃Moloch； thou burnest me！〃 and the soldier's kisses； more devouring
than flames； covered her； she was as though swept away in a hurricane；
taken in the might of the sun。
He kissed all her fingers； her arms； her feet； and the long tresses of
her hair from one end to the other。
〃Carry it off；〃 he said； 〃what do I care？ take me away with it！ I
abandon the army！ I renounce everything！ Beyond Gades； twenty days'
journey into the sea； you come to an island covered with gold dust；
verdure； and birds。 On the mountains large flowers filled with smoking
perfumes rock like eternal censers； in the citron trees； which are
higher than cedars； milk…coloured serpents cause the fruit to fall
upon the turf with the diamonds in their jaws； the air is so mild that
it keeps you from dying。 Oh！ I shall find it； you will see。 We shall
live in crystal grottoes cut out at the foot of the hills。 No one
dwells in it yet； or I shall become the king of the country。〃
He brushed the dust off her cothurni； he wanted her to put a quarter
of a pomegranate between her lips； he heaped up garments behind her
head to make a cushion for her。 He sought for means to serve her； and
to humble himself； and he even spread the zaimph over her feet as if
it were a mere rug。
〃Have you still；〃 he said； 〃those little gazelle's horns on which your
necklaces hang？ You will give them to me！ I love them！〃 For he spoke
as if the war were finished； and joyful laughs broke from him。 The
Mercenaries； Hamilcar； every obstacle had now disappeared。 The moon
was gliding between two clouds。 They could see it through an opening
in the tent。 〃Ah； what nights have I spent gazing at her！ she seemed
to me like a veil that hid your face； you would look at me through
her； the memory of you was mingled with her beams； then I could no
longer distinguish you！〃 And with his head between her breasts he wept
copiously。
〃And this；〃 she thought； 〃is the formidable man who makes Carthage
tremble！〃
He fell asleep。 Then disengaging herself from his arm she put one foot
to the ground； and she perceived that her chainlet was broken。
The maidens of the great families were accustomed to respect these
shackles as something that was almost religious； and Salammbo；
blushing； rolled the two pieces of the golden chain around her ankles。
Carthage； Megara； her house； her room； and the country that she had
passed through； whirled in tumultuous yet distinct images through her
memory。 But an abyss had yawned and thrown them far back to an
infinite distance from her。
The storm was departing； drops of water splashing rarely； one by one；
made the tent…roof shake。
Matho slept like a drunken man； stretched on his side； and with one
arm over the edge of the couch。 His band of pearls was raised
somewhat； and uncovered his brow； his teeth were parted in a smile；
they shone through his black beard； and there was a silent and almost
outrageous gaiety in his half…closed eyelids。
Salammbo looked at him motionless； her head bent and her hands
crossed。
A dagger was displayed on the table of cypress…wood at the head of the
bed； the sight of the gleaming blade fired her with a sanguinary
desire。 Mournful voices lingered at a distance in the shade； and like
a chorus of geniuses urged her on。 She approached it； she seized the
steel by the handle。 At the rustling of her dress Matho half opened
his eyes； putting forth his mouth upon her hands； and the dagger fell。
Shouts arose； a terrible light flashed behind the canvas。 Matho raised
the latter； they perceived the camp of the Libyans enveloped in great
flames。
Their reed huts were burning
