salammbo-第51章

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And　if　men　fail　me　I　will　draw　the　bears　from　the　mountains　and　urge

on　the　lions！　Seek　not　to　fly　or　I　kill　you！〃



Pale　and　with　clenched　fists　he　quivered　like　a　harp　whose　strings　are

about　to　burst。　Suddenly　sobs　stifled　him；　and　he　sank　down　upon　his

hams。



〃Ah！　forgive　me！　I　am　a　scoundrel；　and　viler　than　scorpions；　than　mire

and　dust！　Just　now　while　you　were　speaking　your　breath　passed　across

my　face；　and　I　rejoiced　like　a　dying　man　who　drinks　lying　flat　on　the

edge　of　a　stream。　Crush　me；　if　only　I　feel　your　feet！　curse　me；　if

only　I　hear　your　voice！　Do　not　go！　have　pity！　I　love　you！　I　love　you！〃



He　was　on　his　knees　on　the　ground　before　her；　and　he　encircled　her

form　with　both　his　arms；　his　head　thrown　back；　and　his　hands

wandering；　the　gold　discs　hanging　from　his　ears　gleamed　upon　his

bronzed　neck；　big　tears　rolled　in　his　eyes　like　silver　globes；　he

sighed　caressingly；　and　murmured　vague　words　lighter　than　a　breeze　and

sweet　as　a　kiss。



Salammbo　was　invaded　by　a　weakness　in　which　she　lost　all　consciousness

of　herself。　Something　at　once　inward　and　lofty；　a　command　from　the

gods；　obliged　her　to　yield　herself；　clouds　uplifted　her；　and　she　fell

back　swooning　upon　the　bed　amid　the　lion's　hair。　The　zaimph　fell；　and

enveloped　her；　she　could　see　Matho's　face　bending　down　above　her

breast。



〃Moloch；　thou　burnest　me！〃　and　the　soldier's　kisses；　more　devouring

than　flames；　covered　her；　she　was　as　though　swept　away　in　a　hurricane；

taken　in　the　might　of　the　sun。



He　kissed　all　her　fingers；　her　arms；　her　feet；　and　the　long　tresses　of

her　hair　from　one　end　to　the　other。



〃Carry　it　off；〃　he　said；　〃what　do　I　care？　take　me　away　with　it！　I

abandon　the　army！　I　renounce　everything！　Beyond　Gades；　twenty　days'

journey　into　the　sea；　you　come　to　an　island　covered　with　gold　dust；

verdure；　and　birds。　On　the　mountains　large　flowers　filled　with　smoking

perfumes　rock　like　eternal　censers；　in　the　citron　trees；　which　are

higher　than　cedars；　milk…coloured　serpents　cause　the　fruit　to　fall

upon　the　turf　with　the　diamonds　in　their　jaws；　the　air　is　so　mild　that

it　keeps　you　from　dying。　Oh！　I　shall　find　it；　you　will　see。　We　shall

live　in　crystal　grottoes　cut　out　at　the　foot　of　the　hills。　No　one

dwells　in　it　yet；　or　I　shall　become　the　king　of　the　country。〃



He　brushed　the　dust　off　her　cothurni；　he　wanted　her　to　put　a　quarter

of　a　pomegranate　between　her　lips；　he　heaped　up　garments　behind　her

head　to　make　a　cushion　for　her。　He　sought　for　means　to　serve　her；　and

to　humble　himself；　and　he　even　spread　the　zaimph　over　her　feet　as　if

it　were　a　mere　rug。



〃Have　you　still；〃　he　said；　〃those　little　gazelle's　horns　on　which　your

necklaces　hang？　You　will　give　them　to　me！　I　love　them！〃　For　he　spoke

as　if　the　war　were　finished；　and　joyful　laughs　broke　from　him。　The

Mercenaries；　Hamilcar；　every　obstacle　had　now　disappeared。　The　moon

was　gliding　between　two　clouds。　They　could　see　it　through　an　opening

in　the　tent。　〃Ah；　what　nights　have　I　spent　gazing　at　her！　she　seemed

to　me　like　a　veil　that　hid　your　face；　you　would　look　at　me　through

her；　the　memory　of　you　was　mingled　with　her　beams；　then　I　could　no

longer　distinguish　you！〃　And　with　his　head　between　her　breasts　he　wept

copiously。



〃And　this；〃　she　thought；　〃is　the　formidable　man　who　makes　Carthage

tremble！〃



He　fell　asleep。　Then　disengaging　herself　from　his　arm　she　put　one　foot

to　the　ground；　and　she　perceived　that　her　chainlet　was　broken。



The　maidens　of　the　great　families　were　accustomed　to　respect　these

shackles　as　something　that　was　almost　religious；　and　Salammbo；

blushing；　rolled　the　two　pieces　of　the　golden　chain　around　her　ankles。



Carthage；　Megara；　her　house；　her　room；　and　the　country　that　she　had

passed　through；　whirled　in　tumultuous　yet　distinct　images　through　her

memory。　But　an　abyss　had　yawned　and　thrown　them　far　back　to　an

infinite　distance　from　her。



The　storm　was　departing；　drops　of　water　splashing　rarely；　one　by　one；

made　the　tent…roof　shake。



Matho　slept　like　a　drunken　man；　stretched　on　his　side；　and　with　one

arm　over　the　edge　of　the　couch。　His　band　of　pearls　was　raised

somewhat；　and　uncovered　his　brow；　his　teeth　were　parted　in　a　smile；

they　shone　through　his　black　beard；　and　there　was　a　silent　and　almost

outrageous　gaiety　in　his　half…closed　eyelids。



Salammbo　looked　at　him　motionless；　her　head　bent　and　her　hands

crossed。



A　dagger　was　displayed　on　the　table　of　cypress…wood　at　the　head　of　the

bed；　the　sight　of　the　gleaming　blade　fired　her　with　a　sanguinary

desire。　Mournful　voices　lingered　at　a　distance　in　the　shade；　and　like

a　chorus　of　geniuses　urged　her　on。　She　approached　it；　she　seized　the

steel　by　the　handle。　At　the　rustling　of　her　dress　Matho　half　opened

his　eyes；　putting　forth　his　mouth　upon　her　hands；　and　the　dagger　fell。



Shouts　arose；　a　terrible　light　flashed　behind　the　canvas。　Matho　raised

the　latter；　they　perceived　the　camp　of　the　Libyans　enveloped　in　great

flames。



Their　reed　huts　were　burning；　and　the　twisting　stems　burst　in　the

smoke　and　flew　off　like　arrows；　black　shadows　ran　about　distractedly

on　the　red　horizon。　They　could　hear　the　shrieks　of　those　who　were　in

the　huts；　the　elephants；　oxen；　and　horses　plunged　in　the　midst　of　the

crowd　crushing　it　together　with　the　stores　and　baggage　that　were　being

rescued　from　the　fire。　Trumpets　sounded。　There　were　calls　of　〃Matho！

Matho！〃　Some　people　at　the　door　tried　to　get　in。



〃Come　along！　Hamilcar　is　burning　the　camp　of　Autaritus！〃



He　made　a　spring。　She　found　herself　quite　alone。



Then　she　examined　the　zaimph；　and　when　she　had　viewed　it　well　she　was

surprised　that　she　had　not　the　happiness　which　she　had　once　imagined

to　herself。　She　stood　with　melancholy　before　her　accomplished　dream。



But　the　lower　part　of　the　tent　was　raised；　and　a　monstrous　form

appeared。　Salammbo　could　at　first　distinguish　only　the　two　eyes　and　a

long　white　beard　which　hung　down　to　the　ground；　for　the　rest　of　the

body；　which　was　cumbered　with　the　rags　of　a　tawny　garment；　trailed

along　the　earth；　and　with　every　forward　movement　the　hands　passed　into

the　beard　and　then　fell　again。　Crawling　in　this　way　it　reached　her

feet；　and　Salammbo　recognised　the　aged　Gisco。



In　fact；　the　Mercenaries　had　broken　the　legs　of　the　captive　Ancients

with　a　brass　bar　to　prevent　them　from　taking　to　flight；　and　they　were

all　rotting　pell…mell　in　a　pit　in　the　midst　of　filth。　But　the

sturdiest　of　them　raised　themselves　and　shouted　when　they　heard　the

noise　of　platters；　and　it　was　in　this　way　that　Gisco　had　seen

Salammbo。　He　had　guessed　that　she　was　a　Carthaginian　woman　by　the

little　balls　of　sandastrum　flapping　against　her　cothurni；　and　having　a

presentiment　of　an　important　mystery　he　had　succeeded；　with　the

assistance　of　his　companions；　in　getting　out　of　the　pit；　then　with

elbows　and　hands　he　had　dragged　himself　twenty　paces　further　on　as　far

as　Matho's　tent。　Two　voices　were　speaking　within　it。　He　had　listened

outside　and　had　heard　everything。



〃It　is　you！〃　she　said　at　last；　almost　terrified。



〃Yes；　it　is　I！〃　he　replied；　raising　himself　on　his　wrists。　〃They　think

me　dead；　do　they　not？〃



She　bent　her　head。　He　resumed：



〃Ah！　why　have　the　Baals　not　granted　me　this　mercy！〃　He　approached　so

close　he　was　touching　her。　〃They　would　have　spared　me　the　pain　of

cursing　you！〃



Salammbo　sprang　quickly　back；　so　much　afraid　was　she　of　this　unclean

being；　who　was　as　hideous　as　a　larva　and　nearly　as　terrible　as　a

phantom。



〃I　am　nearly　one　hundred　years　old；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　seen　Agathocles；

I　have　seen　Regulus　and　the　eagles　of　the　Romans　passing　over　the

harvests　of　the　Punic　fields！　I　have　seen　all　the　terrors　of　battles

and　the　sea　encumbered　with　the　wrecks　of　our　fleets！　Barbarians　whom

I　used　to　command　have　chained　my　four　limbs　like　a　slave　that　has

committed　murder。　My　companions　are　dying　around　me；　one　after　the

other；　the　odour　of　their　corpses　awa