salammbo-第57节

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sleepers　looked　like　corpses。



Then　the　Carthaginians；　reflecting　upon　the　cause　of　their　disasters；

remembered　that　they　had　not　dispatched　to　Phoenicia　the　annual

offering　due　to　Tyrian　Melkarth；　and　a　great　terror　came　upon　them。

The　gods　were　indignant　with　the　Republic；　and　were；　no　doubt；　about

to　prosecute　their　vengeance。



They　were　considered　as　cruel　masters；　who　were　appeased　with

supplications　and　allowed　themselves　to　be　bribed　with　presents。　All

were　feeble　in　comparison　with　Moloch　the　Devourer。　The　existence；　the

very　flesh　of　men；　belonged　to　him；　and　hence　in　order　to　preserve　it；

the　Carthaginians　used　to　offer　up　a　portion　of　it　to　him；　which

calmed　his　fury。　Children　were　burned　on　the　forehead；　or　on　the　nape

of　the　neck；　with　woollen　wicks；　and　as　this　mode　of　satisfying　Baal

brought　in　much　money　to　the　priests；　they　failed　not　to　recommend　it

as　being　easier　and　more　pleasant。



This　time；　however；　the　Republic　itself　was　at　stake。　But　as　every

profit　must　be　purchased　by　some　loss；　and　as　every　transaction　was

regulated　according　to　the　needs　of　the　weaker　and　the　demands　of　the

stronger；　there　was　no　pain　great　enough　for　the　god；　since　he

delighted　in　such　as　was　of　the　most　horrible　description；　and　all

were　now　at　his　mercy。　He　must　accordingly　be　fully　gratified。

Precedents　showed　that　in　this　way　the　scourge　would　be　made　to

disappear。　Moreover；　it　was　believed　that　an　immolation　by　fire　would

purify　Carthage。　The　ferocity　of　the　people　was　predisposed　towards

it。　The　choice；　too；　must　fall　exclusively　upon　the　families　of　the

great。



The　Ancients　assembled。　The　sitting　was　a　long　one。　Hanno　had　come　to

it。　As　he　was　now　unable　to　sit　he　remained　lying　down　near　the　door；

half　hidden　among　the　fringes　of　the　lofty　tapestry；　and　when　the

pontiff　of　Moloch　asked　them　whether　they　would　consent　to　surrender

their　children；　his　voice　suddenly　broke　forth　from　the　shadow　like

the　roaring　of　a　genius　in　the　depths　of　a　cavern。　He　regretted；　he

said；　that　he　had　none　of　his　own　blood　to　give；　and　he　gazed　at

Hamilcar；　who　faced　him　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall。　The　Suffet　was

so　much　disconcerted　by　this　look　that　it　made　him　lower　his　eyes。　All

successively　bent　their　heads　in　approval；　and　in　accordance　with　the

rites　he　had　to　reply　to　the　high　priest：　〃Yes；　be　it　so。〃　Then　the

Ancients　decreed　the　sacrifice　in　traditional　circumlocution；because

there　are　things　more　troublesome　to　say　than　to　perform。



The　decision　was　almost　immediately　known　in　Carthage；　and

lamentations　resounded。　The　cries　of　women　might　everywhere　be　heard；

their　husbands　consoled　them；　or　railed　at　them　with　remonstrances。



But　three　hours　afterwards　extraordinary　tidings　were　spread　abroad：

the　Suffet　had　discovered　springs　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff。　There　was

a　rush　to　the　place。　Water　might　be　seen　in　holes　dug　in　the　sand；　and

some　were　already　lying　flat　on　the　ground　and　drinking。



Hamilcar　did　not　himself　know　whether　it　was　by　the　determination　of

the　gods　or　through　the　vague　recollection　of　a　revelation　which　his

father　had　once　made　to　him；　but　on　leaving　the　Ancients　he　had　gone

down　to　the　shore　and　had　begun　to　dig　the　gravel　with　his　slaves。



He　gave　clothing；　boots；　and　wine。　He　gave　all　the　rest　of　the　corn

that　he　was　keeping　by　him。　He　even　let　the　crowd　enter　his　palace；

and　he　opened　kitchens；　stores；　and　all　the　rooms；Salammbo's　alone

excepted。　He　announced　that　six　thousand　Gaulish　Mercenaries　were

coming；　and　that　the　king　of　Macedonia　was　sending　soldiers。



But　on　the　second　day　the　springs　diminished；　and　on　the　evening　of

the　third　they　were　completely　dried　up。　Then　the　decree　of　the

Ancients　passed　everywhere　from　lip　to　lip；　and　the　priests　of　Moloch

began　their　task。



Men　in　black　robes　presented　themselves　in　the　houses。　In　many

instances　the　owners　had　deserted　them　under　pretence　of　some

business；　or　of　some　dainty　that　they　were　going　to　buy；　and　the

servants　of　Moloch　came　and　took　the　children　away。　Others　themselves

surrendered　them　stupidly。　Then　they　were　brought　to　the　temple　of

Tanith；　where　the　priestesses　were　charged　with　their　amusement　and

support　until　the　solemn　day。



They　visited　Hamilcar　suddenly　and　found　him　in　his　gardens。



〃Barca！　we　come　for　that　that　you　know　ofyour　son！〃　They　added　that

some　people　had　met　him　one　evening　during　the　previous　moon　in　the

centre　of　the　Mappalian　district　being　led　by　an　old　man。



He　was　as　though　suffocated　at　first。　But　speedily　understanding　that

any　denial　would　be　in　vain；　Hamilcar　bowed；　and　he　brought　them　into

the　commercial　house。　Some　slaves　who　had　run　up　at　a　sign　kept　watch

all　round　about　it。



He　entered　Salammbo's　room　in　a　state　of　distraction。　He　seized

Hannibal　with　one　hand；　snatched　up　the　cord　of　a　trailing　garment

with　the　other；　tied　his　feet　and　hands　with　it；　thrust　the　end　into

his　mouth　to　form　a　gag；　and　hid　him　under　the　bed　of　the　ox…hides　by

letting　an　ample　drapery　fall　to　the　ground。



Afterwards　he　walked　about　from　right　to　left；　raised　his　arms；

wheeled　round；　bit　his　lips。　Then　he　stood　still　with　staring　eyelids；

and　panted　as　though　he　were　about　to　die。



But　he　clapped　his　hands　three　times。　Giddenem　appeared。



〃Listen！〃　he　said；　〃go　and　take　from　among　the　slaves　a　male　child

from　eight　to　nine　years　of　age；　with　black　hair　and　swelling

forehead！　Bring　him　here！　make　haste！〃



Giddenem　soon　entered　again；　bringing　forward　a　young　boy。



He　was　a　miserable　child；　at　once　lean　and　bloated；　his　skin　looked

greyish；　like　the　infected　rag　hanging　to　his　sides；　his　head　was　sunk

between　his　shoulders；　and　with　the　back　of　his　hand　he　was　rubbing

his　eyes；　which　were　filled　with　flies。



How　could　he　ever　be　confounded　with　Hannibal！　and　there　was　no　time

to　choose　another。　Hamilcar　looked　at　Giddenem；　he　felt　inclined　to

strangle　him。



〃Begone！〃　he　cried；　and　the　master　of　the　slaves　fled。



The　misfortune　which　he　had　so　long　dreaded　was　therefore　come；　and

with　extravagant　efforts　he　strove　to　discover　whether　there　was　not

some　mode；　some　means　to　escape　it。



Abdalonim　suddenly　spoke　from　behind　the　door。　The　Suffet　was　being

asked　for。　The　servants　of　Moloch　were　growing　impatient。



Hamilcar　repressed　a　cry　as　though　a　red　hot　iron　had　burnt　him；　and

he　began　anew　to　pace　the　room　like　one　distraught。　Then　he　sank　down

beside　the　balustrade；　and；　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　pressed　his

forehead　into　his　shut　fists。



The　porphyry　basin　still　contained　a　little　clear　water　for　Salammbo's

ablutions。　In　spite　of　his　repugnance　and　all　his　pride；　the　Suffet

dipped　the　child　into　it；　and；　like　a　slave　merchant；　began　to　wash

him　and　rub　him　with　strigils　and　red　earth。　Then　he　took　two　purple

squares　from　the　receptacles　round　the　wall；　placed　one　on　his　breast

and　the　other　on　his　back；　and　joined　them　together　on　the　collar

bones　with　two　diamond　clasps。　He　poured　perfume　upon　his　head；　passed

an　electrum　necklace　around　his　neck；　and　put　on　him　sandals　with

heels　of　pearl；sandals　belonging　to　his　own　daughter！　But　he　stamped

with　shame　and　vexation；　Salammbo；　who　busied　herself　in　helping　him；

was　as　pale　as　he。　The　child；　dazzled　by　such　splendour；　smiled　and；

growing　bold　even；　was　beginning　to　clap　his　hands　and　jump；　when

Hamilcar　took　him　away。



He　held　him　firmly　by　the　arm　as　though　he　were　afraid　of　losing　him；

and　the　child；　who　was　hurt；　wept　a　little　as　he　ran　beside　him。



When　on　a　level　with　the　ergastulum；　under　a　palm　tree；　a　voice　was

raised；　a　mournful　and　supplicant　voice。　It　murmured：　〃Master！　oh！

master！〃



Hamilcar　turned　and　beside　him　perceived　a　man　of　abject　appearance；

one　of　the　wretches　who　led　a　haphazard　existence　in　the　household。



〃What　do　you　want？〃　said　the　Suffet。



The　slave；　who　trembled　horribly；　stammered：



〃I　am　his　father！〃



Hamilcar　walked　on；　the　other　followed　him　with　stooping　loins；　bent

hams；　and　head　thrust　forward。　His　face　was　convulsed　with　unspeakable

anguish；　and　he　was　choking　with　suppressed　sobs；　so　eager　was　he　at

once　to　question　him；　and　to　cry：　〃Mercy！〃



At　last　he　ventured　to　touch　him　lightly　with　one　finger　on　the　elbow。



〃Are　you　going　to？〃　He　had　not　the　strength　to　finish；　and　Hamilcar

stopped　quite　amazed　at　such　grief。



He　had　never　thoughtso　immense　was　the　abyss　separating　them　from

each　otherthat　there　could　be　anything　in　common　between　them。　It

even　appeared　to　him　a　sort　of　outrage；　an　encroachment　upon　his　own

privileges。　He　replied　with　a　look　colder　and　heavier　than　an

executioner's　axe；　the　slave　swooned　and　fell　in　the　dust　at　his　feet。

Hamilcar　strode　across　him。



The　three　black…robed　men　were　waiting　in　the　great　hall；　and　standing

against　the　stone　disc。　Immediately　he　tore　his　garments；　and　rolled

upon　the　pavemen