salammbo-第44章

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speaking；　his　long　white　beard　fell　to　his　chain…covered　hands；　and

the　Carthaginians；　feeling　as　it　were　the　downfall　of　the　Republic　in

the　bottom　of　their　hearts；　recognised　Gisco。　Although　the　place　was　a

dangerous　one　they　pressed　forward　to　see　him。　On　his　head　had　been

placed　a　grotesque　tiara　of　hippopotamus　leather　incrusted　with

pebbles。　It　was　Autaritus's　idea；　but　it　was　displeasing　to　Matho。



Hamilcar　in　exasperation；　and　resolved　to　cut　his　way　through　in　one

way　or　another；　had　the　palisades　opened；　and　the　Carthaginians　went

at　a　furious　rate　half　way　up　the　hill　or　three　hundred　paces。　Such　a

flood　of　Barbarians　descended　upon　them　that　they　were　driven　back　to

their　lines。　One　of　the　guards　of　the　Legion　who　had　remained　outside

was　stumbling　among　the　stones。　Zarxas　ran　up　to　him；　knocked　him

down；　and　plunged　a　dagger　into　his　throat；　he　drew　it　out；　threw

himself　upon　the　woundand　gluing　his　lips　to　it　with　mutterings　of

joy；　and　startings　which　shook　him　to　the　heels；　pumped　up　the　blood

by　breastfuls；　then　he　quietly　sat　down　upon　the　corpse；　raised　his

face　with　his　neck　thrown　back　the　better　to　breathe　in　the　air；　like

a　hind　that　has　just　drunk　at　a　mountain　stream；　and　in　a　shrill　voice

began　to　sing　a　Balearic　song；　a　vague　melody　full　of　prolonged

modulations；　with　interruptions　and　alternations　like　echoes　answering

one　another　in　the　mountains；　he　called　upon　his　dead　brothers　and

invited　them　to　a　feast；then　he　let　his　hands　fall　between　his　legs；

slowly　bent　his　head；　and　wept。　This　atrocious　occurrence　horrified

the　Barbarians；　especially　the　Greeks。



From　that　time　forth　the　Carthaginians　did　not　attempt　to　make　any

sally；　and　they　had　no　thought　of　surrender；　certain　as　they　were　that

they　would　perish　in　tortures。



Nevertheless　the　provisions；　in　spite　of　Hamilcar's　carefulness；

diminished　frightfully。　There　was　not　left　per　man　more　than　ten

k'hommers　of　wheat；　three　hins　of　millet；　and　twelve　betzas　of　dried

fruit。　No　more　meat；　no　more　oil；　no　more　salt　food；　and　not　a　grain

of　barley　for　the　horses；　which　might　be　seen　stretching　down　their

wasted　necks　seeking　in　the　dust　for　blades　of　trampled　straw。　Often

the　sentries　on　vedette　upon　the　terrace　would　see　in　the　moonlight　a

dog　belonging　to　the　Barbarians　coming　to　prowl　beneath　the

entrenchment　among　the　heaps　of　filth；　it　would　be　knocked　down　with　a

stone；　and　then；　after　a　descent　had　been　effected　along　the　palisades

by　means　of　the　straps　of　a　shield；　it　would　be　eaten　without　a　word。

Sometimes　horrible　barkings　would　be　heard　and　the　man　would　not　come

up　again。　Three　phalangites；　in　the　fourth　dilochia　of　the　twelfth

syntagmata；　killed　one　another　with　knives　in　a　dispute　about　a　rat。



All　regretted　their　families；　and　their　houses；　the　poor　their　hive…

shaped　huts；　with　the　shells　on　the　threshold　and　the　hanging　net；　and

the　patricians　their　large　halls　filled　with　bluish　shadows；　where　at

the　most　indolent　hour　of　the　day　they　used　to　rest　listening　to　the

vague　noise　of　the　streets　mingled　with　the　rustling　of　the　leaves　as

they　stirred　in　their　gardens；to　go　deeper　into　the　thought　of　this；

and　to　enjoy　it　more；　they　would　half　close　their　eyelids；　only　to　be

roused　by　the　shock　of　a　wound。　Every　minute　there　was　some

engagement；　some　fresh　alarm；　the　towers　were　burning；　the　Eaters　of

Uncleanness　were　leaping　across　the　palisades；　their　hands　would　be

struck　off　with　axes；　others　would　hasten　up；　an　iron　hail　would　fall

upon　the　tents。　Galleries　of　rushen　hurdles　were　raised　as　a

protection　against　the　projectiles。　The　Carthaginians　shut　themselves

up　within　them　and　stirred　out　no　more。



Every　day　the　sun　coming　over　the　hill　used；　after　the　early　hours；　to

forsake　the　bottom　of　the　gorge　and　leave　them　in　the　shade。　The　grey

slopes　of　the　ground；　covered　with　flints　spotted　with　scanty　lichen；

ascended　in　front　and　in　the　rear；　and　above　their　summits　stretched

the　sky　in　its　perpetual　purity；　smoother　and　colder　to　the　eye　than　a

metal　cupola。　Hamilcar　was　so　indignant　with　Carthage　that　he　felt

inclined　to　throw　himself　among　the　Barbarians　and　lead　them　against

her。　Moreover；　the　porters；　sutlers；　and　slaves　were　beginning　to

murmur；　while　neither　people；　nor　Great　Council；　nor　any　one　sent　as

much　as　a　hope。　The　situation　was　intolerable；　especially　owing　to　the

thought　that　it　would　become　worse。



At　the　news　of　the　disaster　Carthage　had　leaped；　as　it　were；　with

anger　and　hate；　the　Suffet　would　have　been　less　execrated　if　he　had

allowed　himself　to　be　conquered　from　the　first。



But　time　and　money　were　lacking　for　the　hire　of　other　Mercenaries。　As

to　a　levy　of　soldiers　in　the　town；　how　were　they　to　be　equipped？

Hamilcar　had　taken　all　the　arms！　and　then　who　was　to　command　them？　The

best　captains　were　down　yonder　with　him！　Meanwhile；　some　men

despatched　by　the　Suffet　arrived　in　the　streets　with　shouts。　The　Great

Council　were　roused　by　them；　and　contrived　to　make　them　disappear。



It　was　an　unnecessary　precaution；　every　one　accused　Barca　of　having

behaved　with　slackness。　He　ought　to　have　annihilated　the　Mercenaries

after　his　victory。　Why　had　he　ravaged　the　tribes？　The　sacrifices

already　imposed　had　been　heavy　enough！　and　the　patricians　deplored

their　contributions　of　fourteen　shekels；　and　the　Syssitia　their　two

hundred　and　twenty…three　thousand　gold　kikars；　those　who　had　given

nothing　lamented　like　the　rest。　The　populace　was　jealous　of　the　New

Carthaginians；　to　whom　he　had　promised　full　rights　of　citizenship；　and

even　the　Ligurians；　who　had　fought　with　such　intrepidity；　were

confounded　with　the　Barbarians　and　cursed　like　them；　their　race　became

a　crime；　the　proof　of　complicity。　The　traders　on　the　threshold　of

their　shops；　the　workmen　passing　plumb…line　in　hand；　the　vendors　of

pickle　rinsing　their　baskets；　the　attendants　in　the　vapour　baths　and

the　retailers　of　hot　drinks　all　discussed　the　operations　of　the

campaign。　They　would　trace　battle…plans　with　their　fingers　in　the

dust；　and　there　was　not　a　sorry　rascal　to　be　found　who　could　not　have

corrected　Hamilcar's　mistakes。



It　was　a　punishment；　said　the　priests；　for　his　long…continued　impiety。

He　had　offered　no　holocausts；　he　had　not　purified　his　troops；　he　had

even　refused　to　take　augurs　with　him；　and　the　scandal　of　sacrilege

strengthened　the　violence　of　restrained　hate；　and　the　rage　of　betrayed

hopes。　People　recalled　the　Sicilian　disasters；　and　all　the　burden　of

his　pride　that　they　had　borne　for　so　long！　The　colleges　of　the

pontiffs　could　not　forgive　him　for　having　seized　their　treasure；　and

they　demanded　a　pledge　from　the　Great　Council　to　crucify　him　should　he

ever　return。



The　heats　of　the　month　of　Eloul；　which　were　excessive　in　that　year；

were　another　calamity。　Sickening　smells　rose　from　the　borders　of　the

Lake；　and　were　wafted　through　the　air　together　with　the　fumes　of　the

aromatics　that　eddied　at　the　corners　of　the　streets。　The　sounds　of

hymns　were　constantly　heard。　Crowds　of　people　occupied　the　staircases

of　the　temples；　all　the　walls　were　covered　with　black　veils；　tapers

burnt　on　the　brows　of　the　Pataec　Gods；　and　the　blood　of　camels　slain

for　sacrifice　ran　along　the　flights　of　stairs　forming　red　cascades

upon　the　steps。　Carthage　was　agitated　with　funereal　delirium。　From　the

depths　of　the　narrowest　lanes；　and　the　blackest　dens；　there　issued

pale　faces；　men　with　viper…like　profiles　and　grinding　their　teeth。　The

houses　were　filled　with　the　women's　piercing　shrieks；　which；　escaping

through　the　gratings；　caused　those　who　stood　talking　in　the　squares　to

turn　round。　Sometimes　it　was　thought　that　the　Barbarians　were

arriving；　they　had　been　seen　behind　the　mountain　of　the　Hot　Springs；

they　were　encamped　at　Tunis；　and　the　voices　would　multiply　and　swell；

and　be　blended　into　one　single　clamour。　Then　universal　silence　would

reign；　some　remaining　where　they　had　climbed　upon　the　frontals　of　the

buildin