salammbo-第54节

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enclosure　which　was　as　impregnable　as　a　fortress。　Only　one　among　them；

the　high　priest　Schahabarim；　ventured　to　go　out。



He　used　to　visit　Salammbo。　But　he　would　either　remain　perfectly

silent；　gazing　at　her　with　fixed　eyeballs；　or　else　would　be　lavish　of

words；　and　the　reproaches　that　he　uttered　were　harder　than　ever。



With　inconceivable　inconsistency　he　could　not　forgive　the　young　girl

for　carrying　out　his　commands；　Schahabarim　had　guessed　all；　and　this

haunting　thought　revived　the　jealousies　of　his　impotence。　He　accused

her　of　being　the　cause　of　the　war。　Matho；　according　to　him；　was

besieging　Carthage　to　recover　the　zaimph；　and　he　poured　out

imprecations　and　sarcasms　upon　this　Barbarian　who　pretended　to　the

possession　of　holy　things。　Yet　it　was　not　this　that　the　priest　wished

to　say。



But　just　now　Salammbo　felt　no　terror　of　him。　The　anguish　which　she

used　formerly　to　suffer　had　left　her。　A　strange　peacefulness　possessed

her。　Her　gaze　was　less　wandering；　and　shone　with　limpid　fire。



Meanwhile　the　python　had　become　ill　again；　and　as　Salammbo；　on　the

contrary；　appeared　to　be　recovering；　old　Taanach　rejoiced　in　the

conviction　that　by　its　decline　it　was　taking　away　the　languor　of　her

mistress。



One　morning　she　found　it　coiled　up　behind　the　bed　of　ox…hides；　colder

than　marble；　and　with　its　head　hidden　by　a　heap　of　worms。　Her　cries

brought　Salammbo　to　the　spot。　She　turned　it　over　for　a　while　with　the

tip　of　her　sandal；　and　the　slave　was　amazed　at　her　insensibility。



Hamilcar's　daughter　no　longer　prolonged　her　fasts　with　so　much

fervour。　She　passed　whole　days　on　the　top　of　her　terrace；　leaning　her

elbows　against　the　balustrade；　and　amusing　herself　by　looking　out

before　her。　The　summits　of　the　walls　at　the　end　of　the　town　cut　uneven

zigzags　upon　the　sky；　and　the　lances　of　the　sentries　formed　what　was

like　a　border　of　corn…ears　throughout　their　length。　Further　away　she

could　see　the　manoeuvres　of　the　Barbarians　between　the　towers；　on　days

when　the　siege　was　interrupted　she　could　even　distinguish　their

occupations。　They　mended　their　weapons；　greased　their　hair；　and　washed

their　bloodstained　arms　in　the　sea；　the　tents　were　closed；　the　beasts

of　burden　were　feeding；　and　in　the　distance　the　scythes　of　the

chariots；　which　were　all　ranged　in　a　semicircle；　looked　like　a　silver

scimitar　lying　at　the　base　of　the　mountains。　Schahabarim's　talk

recurred　to　her　memory。　She　was　waiting　for　Narr'　Havas；　her

betrothed。　In　spite　of　her　hatred　she　would　have　liked　to　see　Matho

again。　Of　all　the　Carthaginians　she　was　perhaps　the　only　one　who　would

have　spoken　to　him　without　fear。



Her　father　often　came　into　her　room。　He　would　sit　down　panting　on　the

cushions；　and　gaze　at　her　with　an　almost　tender　look；　as　if　he　found

some　rest　from　her　fatigues　in　the　sight　of　her。　He　sometimes

questioned　her　about　her　journey　to　the　camp　of　the　Mercenaries。　He

even　asked　her　whether　any　one　had　urged　her　to　it；　and　with　a　shake

of　the　head　she　answered；　No；so　proud　was　Salammbo　of　having　saved

the　zaimph。



But　the　Suffet　always　came　back　to　Matho　under　pretence　of　making

military　inquiries。　He　could　not　understand　how　the　hours　which　she

had　spent　in　the　tent　had　been　employed。　Salammbo；　in　fact；　said

nothing　about　Gisco；　for　as　words　had　an　effective　power　in

themselves；　curses；　if　reported　to　any　one；　might　be　turned　against

him；　and　she　was　silent　about　her　wish　to　assassinate；　lest　she　should

be　blamed　for　not　having　yielded　to　it。　She　said　that　the　schalischim

appeared　furious；　that　he　had　shouted　a　great　deal；　and　that　he　had

then　fallen　asleep。　Salammbo　told　no　more；　through　shame　perhaps；　or

else　because　she　was　led　by　her　extreme　ingenuousness　to　attach　but

little　importance　to　the　soldier's　kisses。　Moreover；　it　all　floated

through　her　head　in　a　melancholy　and　misty　fashion；　like　the

recollection　of　a　depressing　dream；　and　she　would　not　have　known　in

what　way　or　in　what　words　to　express　it。



One　evening　when　they　were　thus　face　to　face　with　each　other；　Taanach

came　in　looking　quite　scared。　An　old　man　with　a　child　was　yonder　in

the　courts；　and　wished　to　see　the　Suffet。



Hamilcar　turned　pale；　and　then　quickly　replied：



〃Let　him　come　up！〃



Iddibal　entered　without　prostrating　himself。　He　held　a　young　boy；

covered　with　a　goat's…hair　cloak；　by　the　hand；　and　at　once　raised　the

hood　which　screened　his　face。



〃Here　he　is；　Master！　Take　him！〃



The　Suffet　and　the　slave　went　into　a　corner　of　the　room。



The　child　remained　in　the　centre　standing　upright；　and　with　a　gaze　of

attention　rather　than　of　astonishment　he　surveyed　the　ceiling；　the

furniture；　the　pearl　necklaces　trailing　on　the　purple　draperies；　and

the　majestic　maiden　who　was　bending　over　towards　him。



He　was　perhaps　ten　years　old；　and　was　not　taller　than　a　Roman　sword。

His　curly　hair　shaded　his　swelling　forehead。　His　eyeballs　looked　as　if

they　were　seeking　for　space。　The　nostrils　of　his　delicate　nose　were

broad　and　palpitating；　and　upon　his　whole　person　was　displayed　the

indefinable　splendour　of　those　who　are　destined　to　great　enterprises。

When　he　had　cast　aside　his　extremely　heavy　cloak；　he　remained　clad　in

a　lynx　skin；　which　was　fastened　about　his　waist；　and　he　rested　his

little　naked　feet；　which　were　all　white　with　dust；　resolutely　upon　the

pavement。　But　he　no　doubt　divined　that　important　matters　were　under

discussion；　for　he　stood　motionless；　with　one　hand　behind　his　back；

his　chin　lowered；　and　a　finger　in　his　mouth。



At　last　Hamilcar　attracted　Salammbo　with　a　sign　and　said　to　her　in　a

low　voice：



〃You　will　keep　him　with　you；　you　understand！　No　one；　even　though

belonging　to　the　house；　must　know　of　his　existence！〃



Then；　behind　the　door；　he　again　asked　Iddibal　whether　he　was　quite

sure　that　they　had　not　been　noticed。



〃No！〃　said　the　slave；　〃the　streets　were　empty。〃



As　the　war　filled　all　the　provinces　he　had　feared　for　his　master's

son。　Then；　not　knowing　where　to　hide　him；　he　had　come　along　the　coasts

in　a　sloop；　and　for　three　days　Iddibal　had　been　tacking　about　in　the

gulf　and　watching　the　ramparts。　At　last；　that　evening；　as　the　environs

of　Khamon　seemed　to　be　deserted；　he　had　passed　briskly　through　the

channel　and　landed　near　the　arsenal；　the　entrance　to　the　harbour　being

free。



But　soon　the　Barbarians　posted　an　immense　raft　in　front　of　it　in　order

to　prevent　the　Carthaginians　from　coming　out。　They　were　again　rearing

the　wooden　towers；　and　the　terrace　was　rising　at　the　same　time。



Outside　communications　were　cut　off　and　an　intolerable　famine　set　in。



The　besieged　killed　all　the　dogs；　all　the　mules；　all　the　asses；　and

then　the　fifteen　elephants　which　the　Suffet　had　brought　back。　The

lions　of　the　temple　of　Moloch　had　become　ferocious；　and　the　hierodules

no　longer　durst　approach　them。　They　were　fed　at　first　with　the　wounded

Barbarians；　then　they　were　thrown　corpses　that　were　still　warm；　they

refused　them；　and　they　all　died。　People　wandered　in　the　twilight　along

the　old　enclosures；　and　gathered　grass　and　flowers　among　the　stones　to

boil　them　in　wine；　wine　being　cheaper　than　water。　Others　crept　as　far

as　the　enemy's　outposts；　and　entered　the　tents　to　steal　food；　and　the

stupefied　Barbarians　sometimes　allowed　them　to　return。　At　last　a　day

arrived　when　the　Ancients　resolved　to　slaughter　the　horses　of　Eschmoun

privately。　They　were　holy　animals　whose　manes　were　plaited　by　the

pontiffs　with　gold　ribbons；　and　whose　existence　denoted　the　motion　of

the　sunthe　idea　of　fire　in　its　most　exalted　form。　Their　flesh　was

cut　into　equal　portions　and　buried　behind　the　altar。　Then　every

evening　the　Ancients；　alleging　some　act　of　devotion；　would　go　up　to

the　temple　and　regale　themselves　in　secret；　and　each　would　take　away　a

piece　beneath　his　tunic　for　his　children。　In　the　deserted　quarters

remote　from　the　walls；　the　inhabitants；　whose　misery　was　not　so　great；

had　barricaded　themselves　through　fear　of　the　rest。



The　stones　from　the　catapults；　and　the　demolitions　commanded　for

purposes　of　defence；　had　accumulated　heaps　of　ruins　in　the　middle　of

the　streets。　At　the　quietest　times　masses　of　people　would　suddenly

rush　along　with　shouts；　and　from　the　top　of　the　Acropolis　the

conflagrations　were　like　purple　rags　scattered　upon　the　terraces　and

twisted　by　the　wind。



The　three　great　catapults　did　not　stop　in　spite　of　all　these　works。

Their　ravages　were　extraordinary：　thus　a　man's　head　rebounded　from　the

pediment　of　the　Syssitia；　a　woman　who　was　being　confined　in　the　street

of　Kinisdo　was　crushed　by　a　block　of　marble；　and　her　child　was　carried

with　the　bed　as　far　as　the　crossways　of　Cinasyn；　where　the　coverlet

was　found。



The　most　annoying　were　the　bullets　of　the　slingers。　They　fell　upon　the

roofs；　and　in　the　gardens；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　courts；　while

people　were　at　table　before　a　slender　meal　with　their　hearts　big　with

sighs。　These　cruel　projectiles　bore　eng