salammbo-第64节

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like　rungs　between　strips　of　canvas；　they　succeeded　in　scaling　the

rocks；　and　leaving　the　weakest；　about　three　thousand　in　number；　behind

them；　they　began　their　march　to　rejoin　the　army　at　Tunis。



Above　the　gorge　there　stretched　a　meadow　thinly　sown　with　shrubs；　the

Barbarians　devoured　the　buds。　Afterwards　they　found　a　field　of　beans；

and　everything　disappeared　as　though　a　cloud　of　grasshoppers　had

passed　that　way。　Three　hours　later　they　reached　a　second　plateau

bordered　by　a　belt　of　green　hills。



Among　the　undulations　of　these　hillocks；　silvery　sheaves　shone　at

intervals　from　one　another；　the　Barbarians；　who　were　dazzled　by　the

sun；　could　perceive　confusedly　below　great　black　masses　supporting

them；　these　rose；　as　though　they　were　expanding。　They　were　lances　in

towers　on　elephants　terribly　armed。



Besides　the　spears　on　their　breasts；　the　bodkin　tusks；　the　brass

plates　which　covered　their　sides；　and　the　daggers　fastened　to　their

knee…caps；　they　had　at　the　extremity　of　their　tusks　a　leathern

bracelet；　in　which　the　handle　of　a　broad　cutlass　was　inserted；　they

had　set　out　simultaneously　from　the　back　part　of　the　plain；　and　were

advancing　on　both　sides　in　parallel　lines。



The　Barbarians　were　frozen　with　a　nameless　terror。　They　did　not　even

try　to　flee。　They　already　found　themselves　surrounded。



The　elephants　entered　into　this　mass　of　men；　and　the　spurs　on　their

breasts　divided　it；　the　lances　on　their　tusks　upturned　it　like

ploughshares；　they　cut；　hewed；　and　hacked　with　the　scythes　on　their

trunks；　the　towers；　which　were　full　of　phalaricas；　looked　like

volcanoes　on　the　march；　nothing　could　be　distinguished　but　a　large

heap；　whereon　human　flesh；　pieces　of　brass　and　blood　made　white　spots；

grey　sheets　and　red　fuses。　The　horrible　animals　dug　out　black　furrows

as　they　passed　through　the　midst　of　it　all。



The　fiercest　was　driven　by　a　Numidian　who　was　crowned　with　a　diadem　of

plumes。　He　hurled　javelins　with　frightful　quickness；　giving　at

intervals　a　long　shrill　whistle。　The　great　beasts；　docile　as　dogs；

kept　an　eye　on　him　during　the　carnage。



The　circle　of　them　narrowed　by　degrees；　the　weakened　Barbarians

offered　no　resistance；　the　elephants　were　soon　in　the　centre　of　the

plain。　They　lacked　space；　they　thronged　half…rearing　together；　and

their　tusks　clashed　against　one　another。　Suddenly　Narr'　Havas　quieted

them；　and　wheeling　round　they　trotted　back　to　the　hills。



Two　syntagmata；　however；　had　taken　refuge　on　the　right　in　a　bend　of

ground；　had　thrown　away　their　arms；　and　were　all　kneeling　with　their

faces　towards　the　Punic　tents　imploring　mercy　with　uplifted　arms。



Their　legs　and　hands　were　tied；　then　when　they　were　stretched　on　the

ground　beside　one　another　the　elephants　were　brought　back。



Their　breasts　cracked　like　boxes　being　forced；　two　were　crushed　at

every　step；　the　big　feet　sank　into　the　bodies　with　a　motion　of　the

haunches　which　made　the　elephants　appear　lame。　They　went　on　to　the

very　end。



The　level　surface　of　the　plain　again　became　motionless。　Night　fell。

Hamilcar　was　delighting　himself　with　the　spectacle　of　his　vengeance；

but　suddenly　he　started。



He　saw；　and　all　saw；　some　more　Barbarians　six　hundred　paces　to　the

left　on　the　summit　of　a　peak！　In　fact　four　hundred　of　the　stoutest

Mercenaries；　Etruscans；　Libyans；　and　Spartans　had　gained　the　heights

at　the　beginning；　and　had　remained　there　in　uncertainty　until　now。

After　the　massacre　of　their　companions　they　resolved　to　make　their　way

through　the　Carthaginians；　they　were　already　descending　in　serried

columns；　in　a　marvellous　and　formidable　fashion。



A　herald　was　immediately　despatched　to　them。　The　Suffet　needed

soldiers；　he　received　them　unconditionally；　so　greatly　did　he　admire

their　bravery。　They　could　even；　said　the　man　of　Carthage；　come　a

little　nearer；　to　a　place；　which　he　pointed　out　to　them；　where　they

would　find　provisions。



The　Barbarians　ran　thither　and　spent　the　night　in　eating。　Then　the

Carthaginians　broke　into　clamours　against　the　Suffet's　partiality　for

the　Mercenaries。



Did　he　yield　to　these　outbursts　of　insatiable　hatred　or　was　it　a

refinement　of　treachery？　The　next　day　he　came　himself；　without　a　sword

and　bare…headed；　with　an　escort　of　Clinabarians；　and　announced　to　them

that　having　too　many　to　feed　he　did　not　intend　to　keep　them。

Nevertheless；　as　he　wanted　men　and　he　knew　of　no　means　of　selecting

the　good　ones；　they　were　to　fight　together　to　the　death；　he　would　then

admit　the　conquerors　into　his　own　body…guard。　This　death　was　quite　as

good　as　another；and　then　moving　his　soldiers　aside　（for　the　Punic

standards　hid　the　horizon　from　the　Mercenaries）　he　showed　them　the　one

hundred　and　ninety…two　elephants　under　Narr'　Havas；　forming　a　single

straight　line；　their　trunks　brandishing　broad　steel　blades　like　giant

arms　holding　axes　above　their　heads。



The　Barbarians　looked　at　one　another　silently。　It　was　not　death　that

made　them　turn　pale；　but　the　horrible　compulsion　to　which　they　found

themselves　reduced。



The　community　of　their　lives　had　brought　about　profound　friendship

among　these　men。　The　camp；　with　most；　took　the　place　of　their　country；

living　without　a　family　they　transferred　the　needful　tenderness　to　a

companion；　and　they　would　fall　asleep　in　the　starlight　side　by　side

under　the　same　cloak。　And　then　in　their　perpetual　wanderings　through

all　sorts　of　countries；　murders；　and　adventures；　they　had　contracted

affections；　one　for　the　other；　in　which　the　stronger　protected　the

younger　in　the　midst　of　battles；　helped　him　to　cross　precipices；

sponged　the　sweat　of　fevers　from　his　brow；　and　stole　food　for　him；　and

the　weaker；　a　child　perhaps；　who　had　been　picked　up　on　the　roadside；

and　had　then　become　a　Mercenary；　repaid　this　devotion　by　a　thousand

kindnesses。



They　exchanged　their　necklaces　and　earrings；　presents　which　they　had

made　to　one　another　in　former　days；　after　great　peril；　or　in　hours　of

intoxication。　All　asked　to　die；　and　none　would　strike。　A　young　fellow

might　be　seen　here　and　there；　saying　to　another　whose　beard　was　grey：

〃No！　no！　you　are　more　robust！　you　will　avenge　us；　kill　me！〃　and　the

man　would　reply：　〃I　have　fewer　years　to　live！　Strike　to　the　heart；　and

think　no　more　about　it！〃　Brothers　gazed　on　one　another　with　clasped

hands；　and　friend　bade　friend　eternal　farewells；　standing　and　weeping

upon　his　shoulder。



They　threw　off　their　cuirasses　that　the　sword…points　might　be　thrust

in　the　more　quickly。　Then　there　appeared　the　marks　of　the　great　blows

which　they　had　received　for　Carthage；　and　which　looked　like

inscriptions　on　columns。



They　placed　themselves　in　four　equal　ranks；　after　the　fashion　of

gladiators；　and　began　with　timid　engagements。　Some　had　even　bandaged

their　eyes；　and　their　swords　waved　gently　through　the　air　like　blind

men's　sticks。　The　Carthaginians　hooted；　and　shouted　to　them　that　they

were　cowards。　The　Barbarians　became　animated；　and　soon　the　combat　as

general；　headlong；　and　terrible。



Sometimes　two　men　all　covered　with　blood　would　stop；　fall　into　each

other's　arms；　and　die　with　mutual　kisses。　None　drew　back。　They　rushed

upon　the　extended　blades。　Their　delirium　was　so　frenzied　that　the

Carthaginians　in　the　distance　were　afraid。



At　last　they　stopped。　Their　breasts　made　a　great　hoarse　noise；　and

their　eyeballs　could　be　seen　through　their　long　hair；　which　hung　down

as　though　it　had　come　out　of　a　purple　bath。　Several　were　turning　round

rapidly；　like　panthers　wounded　in　the　forehead。　Others　stood

motionless　looking　at　a　corpse　at　their　feet；　then　they　would　suddenly

tear　their　faces　with　their　nails；　take　their　swords　with　both　hands；

and　plunge　them　into　their　own　bodies。



There　were　still　sixty　left。　They　asked　for　drink。　They　were　told　by

shouts　to　throw　away　their　swords；　and　when　they　had　done　so　water　was

brought　to　them。



While　they　were　drinking；　with　their　faces　buried　in　the　vases；　sixty

Carthaginians　leaped　upon　them　and　killed　them　with　stiletos　in　the

back。



Hamilcar　had　done　this　to　gratify　the　instincts　of　his　army；　and；　by

means　of　this　treachery；　to　attach　it　to　his　own　person。



The　war；　then；　was　ended；　at　least　he　believed　that　it　was；　Matho

would　not　resist；　in　his　impatience　the　Suffet　commanded　an　immediate

departure。



His　scouts　came　to　tell　him　that　a　convoy　had　been　descried；　departing

towards　the　Lead　Mountain。　Hamilcar　did　not　trouble　himself　about　it。

The　Mercenaries　once　annihilated；　the　Nomads　would　give　him　no　further

trouble。　The　important　matter　was　to　take　Tunis。　He　advanced　by　forced

marches　upon　it。



He　had　sent　Narr'　Havas　to　Carthage　with　the　news　of　his　victory；　and

the　King　of　the　Numidians；　proud　of　his　success；　visited　Salammbo。



She　received　him　in　her　gardens　under　a　large　sycamore　tree；　amid

pillows　of　yellow　leather；　and　with　Taanach　beside　her。　Her　face　was

covered　with　a　white　scarf；　which；　passing　over　her　m