salammbo-第7节

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convulsions　of　the　soil；　such　alternations　of　temperature；　and　such

plays　of　light　would　she　manifest　the　extravagance　of　her　might　with

the　beauty　of　her　eternal　smile。　The　mountains　at　their　summits　were

crescent…shaped；　others　were　like　women's　bosoms　presenting　their

swelling　breasts；　and　the　Barbarians　felt　a　heaviness　that　was　full　of

delight　weighing　down　their　fatigues。



Spendius　had　bought　a　slave　with　the　money　brought　him　by　his

dromedary。　The　whole　day　long　he　lay　asleep　stretched　before　Matho's

tent。　Often　he　would　awake；　thinking　in　his　dreams　that　he　heard　the

whistling　of　the　thongs；　with　a　smile　he　would　pass　his　hands　over　the

scars　on　his　legs　at　the　place　where　the　fetters　had　long　been　worn；

and　then　he　would　fall　asleep　again。



Matho　accepted　his　companionship；　and　when　he　went　out　Spendius　would

escort　him　like　a　lictor　with　a　long　sword　on　his　thigh；　or　perhaps

Matho　would　rest　his　arm　carelessly　on　the　other's　shoulder；　for

Spendius　was　small。



One　evening　when　they　were　passing　together　through　the　streets　in　the

camp　they　perceived　some　men　covered　with　white　cloaks；　among　them　was

Narr'　Havas；　the　prince　of　the　Numidians。　Matho　started。



〃Your　sword！〃　he　cried；　〃I　will　kill　him！〃



〃Not　yet！〃　said　Spendius；　restraining　him。　Narr'　Havas　was　already

advancing　towards　him。



He　kissed　both　thumbs　in　token　of　alliance；　showing　nothing　of　the

anger　which　he　had　experienced　at　the　drunkenness　of　the　feast；　then

he　spoke　at　length　against　Carthage；　but　did　not　say　what　brought　him

among　the　Barbarians。



〃Was　it　to　betray　them；　or　else　the　Republic？〃　Spendius　asked　himself；

and　as　he　expected　to　profit　by　every　disorder；　he　felt　grateful　to

Narr'　Havas　for　the　future　perfidies　of　which　he　suspected　him。



The　chief　of　the　Numidians　remained　amongst　the　Mercenaries。　He

appeared　desirous　of　attaching　Matho　to　himself。　He　sent　him　fat

goats；　gold　dust；　and　ostrich　feathers。　The　Libyan；　who　was　amazed　at

such　caresses；　was　in　doubt　whether　to　respond　to　them　or　to　become

exasperated　at　them。　But　Spendius　pacified　him；　and　Matho　allowed

himself　to　be　ruled　by　the　slave；　remaining　ever　irresolute　and　in　an

unconquerable　torpor；　like　those　who　have　once　taken　a　draught　of

which　they　are　to　die。



One　morning　when　all　three　went　out　lion…hunting；　Narr'　Havas

concealed　a　dagger　in　his　cloak。　Spendius　kept　continually　behind　him；

and　when　they　returned　the　dagger　had　not　been　drawn。



Another　time　Narr'　Havas　took　them　a　long　way　off；　as　far　as　the

boundaries　of　his　kingdom。　They　came　to　a　narrow　gorge；　and　Narr'

Havas　smiled　as　he　declared　that　he　had　forgotten　the　way。　Spendius

found　it　again。



But　most　frequently　Matho　would　go　off　at　sunrise；　as　melancholy　as　an

augur；　to　wander　about　the　country。　He　would　stretch　himself　on　the

sand；　and　remain　there　motionless　until　the　evening。



He　consulted　all　the　soothsayers　in　the　army　one　after　the　other；

those　who　watch　the　trail　of　serpents；　those　who　read　the　stars；　and

those　who　breathe　upon　the　ashes　of　the　dead。　He　swallowed　galbanum；

seseli；　and　viper's　venom　which　freezes　the　heart；　Negro　women；

singing　barbarous　words　in　the　moonlight；　pricked　the　skin　of　his

forehead　with　golden　stylets；　he　loaded　himself　with　necklaces　and

charms；　he　invoked　in　turn　Baal…Khamon；　Moloch；　the　seven　Kabiri；

Tanith；　and　the　Venus　of　the　Greeks。　He　engraved　a　name　upon　a　copper

plate；　and　buried　it　in　the　sand　at　the　threshold　of　his　tent。

Spendius　used　to　hear　him　groaning　and　talking　to　himself。



One　night　he　went　in。



Matho；　as　naked　as　a　corpse；　was　lying　on　a　lion's　skin　flat　on　his

stomach；　with　his　face　in　both　his　hands；　a　hanging　lamp　lit　up　his

armour；　which　was　hooked　on　to　the　tent…pole　above　his　head。



〃You　are　suffering？〃　said　the　slave　to　him。　〃What　is　the　matter　with

you？　Answer　me？〃　And　he　shook　him　by　the　shoulder　calling　him　several

times；　〃Master！　master！〃



At　last　Matho　lifted　large　troubled　eyes　towards　him。




〃Listen！〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　and　with　a　finger　on　his　lips。　〃It

is　the　wrath　of　the　Gods！　Hamilcar's　daughter　pursues　me！　I　am　afraid

of　her；　Spendius！〃　He　pressed　himself　close　against　his　breast　like　a

child　terrified　by　a　phantom。　〃Speak　to　me！　I　am　sick！　I　want　to　get

well！　I　have　tried　everything！　But　you；　you　perhaps　know　some　stronger

gods；　or　some　resistless　invocation？〃



〃For　what　purpose？〃　asked　Spendius。



Striking　his　head　with　both　his　fists；　he　replied：



〃To　rid　me　of　her！〃



Then　speaking　to　himself　with　long　pauses　he　said：



〃I　am　no　doubt　the　victim　of　some　holocaust　which　she　has　promised　to

the　gods？She　holds　me　fast　by　a　chain　which　people　cannot　see。　If　I

walk；　it　is　she　that　is　advancing；　when　I　stop；　she　is　resting！　Her

eyes　burn　me；　I　hear　her　voice。　She　encompasses　me；　she　penetrates　me。

It　seems　to　me　that　she　has　become　my　soul！



〃And　yet　between　us　there　are；　as　it　were；　the　invisible　billows　of　a

boundless　ocean！　She　is　far　away　and　quite　inaccessible！　The　splendour

of　her　beauty　forms　a　cloud　of　light　around　her；　and　at　times　I　think

that　I　have　never　seen　herthat　she　does　not　existand　that　it　is

all　a　dream！〃



Matho　wept　thus　in　the　darkness；　the　Barbarians　were　sleeping。

Spendius；　as　he　looked　at　him；　recalled　the　young　men　who　once　used　to

entreat　him　with　golden　cases　in　their　hands；　when　he　led　his　herd　of

courtesans　through　the　towns；　a　feeling　of　pity　moved　him；　and　he

said



〃Be　strong；　my　master！　Summon　your　will；　and　beseech　the　gods　no　more；

for　they　turn　not　aside　at　the　cries　of　men！　Weeping　like　a　coward！

And　you　are　not　humiliated　that　a　woman　can　cause　you　so　much

suffering？〃



〃Am　I　a　child？〃　said　Matho。　〃Do　you　think　that　I　am　moved　by　their

faces　and　songs？　We　kept　them　at　Drepanum　to　sweep　out　our　stables。　I

have　embraced　them　amid　assaults；　beneath　falling　ceilings；　and　while

the　catapult　was　still　vibrating！But　she；　Spendius；　she！〃



The　slave　interrupted　him：



〃If　she　were　not　Hanno's　daughter〃



〃No！〃　cried　Matho。　〃She　has　nothing　in　common　with　the　daughters　of

other　men！　Have　you　seen　her　great　eyes　beneath　her　great　eyebrows；

like　suns　beneath　triumphal　arches？　Think：　when　she　appeared　all　the

torches　grew　pale。　Her　naked　breast　shone　here　and　there　through　the

diamonds　of　her　necklace；　behind　her　you　perceived　as　it　were　the

odour　of　a　temple；　and　her　whole　being　emitted　something　that　was

sweeter　than　wine　and　more　terrible　than　death。　She　walked；　however；

and　then　she　stopped。〃



He　remained　gaping　with　his　head　cast　down　and　his　eyeballs　fixed。



〃But　I　want　her！　I　need　her！　I　am　dying　for　her！　I　am　transported　with

frenzied　joy　at　the　thought　of　clasping　her　in　my　arms；　and　yet　I　hate

her；　Spendius！　I　should　like　to　beat　her！　What　is　to　be　done？　I　have　a

mind　to　sell　myself　and　become　her　slave！　YOU　have　been　that！　You　were

able　to　get　sight　of　her；　speak　to　me　of　her！　Every　night　she　ascends

to　the　terrace　of　her　palace；　does　she　not？　Ah！　the　stones　must　quiver

beneath　her　sandals；　and　the　stars　bend　down　to　see　her！〃



He　fell　back　in　a　perfect　frenzy；　with　a　rattling　in　his　throat　like　a

wounded　bull。



Then　Matho　sang：　〃He　pursued　into　the　forest　the　female　monster；　whose

tail　undulated　over　the　dead　leaves　like　a　silver　brook。〃　And　with

lingering　tones　he　imitated　Salammbo's　voice；　while　his　outspread

hands　were　held　like　two　light　hands　on　the　strings　of　a　lyre。



To　all　the　consolations　offered　by　Spendius；　he　repeated　the　same

words；　their　nights　were　spent　in　these　wailings　and　exhortations。



Matho　sought　to　drown　his　thoughts　in　wine。　After　his　fits　of

drunkenness　he　was　more　melancholy　still。　He　tried　to　divert　himself

at　huckle…bones；　and　lost　the　gold　plates　of　his　necklace　one　by　one。

He　had　himself　taken　to　the　servants　of　the　Goddess；　but　he　came　down

the　hill　sobbing；　like　one　returning　from　a　funeral。



Spendius；　on　the　contrary；　became　more　bold　and　gay。　He　was　to　be　seen

in　the　leafy　taverns　discoursing　in　the　midst　of　the　soldiers。　He

mended　old　cuirasses。　He　juggled　with　daggers。　He　went　and　gathered

herbs　in　the　fields　for　the　sick。　He　was　facetious；　dexterous；　full　of

invention　and　talk；　the　Barbarians　grew　accustomed　to　his　services；

and　he　came　to　be　loved　by　them。



However；　they　were　awaiting　an　ambassador　from　Carthage　to　bring　them

mules　laden　with　baskets　of　gold；　and　ever　beginning　the　same

calculation　over　again；　they　would　trace　figures　with　their　fingers　in

the　sand。　Every　one　was　arranging　his　life　beforehand；　they　would　have

concubines；　slaves；　lands；　others　intended　to　bury　their　treasure；　or

risk　it　on　a　vessel。　But　their　tempers　were　provoked　by　want　of

employment；　there　were　constant　disputes　between　horse…soldiers　and

foot…soldiers；　Barbarians　and　Greeks；　while　there　was　a　never…ending

din　of　shrill　female　voices。



Every　day　men　came　flock