salammbo-第61章

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even　asked　her　whether　any　one　had　urged　her　to　it；　and　with　a　shake

of　the　head　she　answered；　No；so　proud　was　Salammbo　of　having　saved

the　zaimph。



But　the　Suffet　always　came　back　to　Matho　under　pretence　of　making

military　inquiries。　He　could　not　understand　how　the　hours　which　she

had　spent　in　the　tent　had　been　employed。　Salammbo；　in　fact；　said

nothing　about　Gisco；　for　as　words　had　an　effective　power　in

themselves；　curses；　if　reported　to　any　one；　might　be　turned　against

him；　and　she　was　silent　about　her　wish　to　assassinate；　lest　she　should

be　blamed　for　not　having　yielded　to　it。　She　said　that　the　schalischim

appeared　furious；　that　he　had　shouted　a　great　deal；　and　that　he　had

then　fallen　asleep。　Salammbo　told　no　more；　through　shame　perhaps；　or

else　because　she　was　led　by　her　extreme　ingenuousness　to　attach　but

little　importance　to　the　soldier's　kisses。　Moreover；　it　all　floated

through　her　head　in　a　melancholy　and　misty　fashion；　like　the

recollection　of　a　depressing　dream；　and　she　would　not　have　known　in

what　way　or　in　what　words　to　express　it。



One　evening　when　they　were　thus　face　to　face　with　each　other；　Taanach

came　in　looking　quite　scared。　An　old　man　with　a　child　was　yonder　in

the　courts；　and　wished　to　see　the　Suffet。



Hamilcar　turned　pale；　and　then　quickly　replied：



〃Let　him　come　up！〃



Iddibal　entered　without　prostrating　himself。　He　held　a　young　boy；

covered　with　a　goat's…hair　cloak；　by　the　hand；　and　at　once　raised　the

hood　which　screened　his　face。



〃Here　he　is；　Master！　Take　him！〃



The　Suffet　and　the　slave　went　into　a　corner　of　the　room。



The　child　remained　in　the　centre　standing　upright；　and　with　a　gaze　of

attention　rather　than　of　astonishment　he　surveyed　the　ceiling；　the

furniture；　the　pearl　necklaces　trailing　on　the　purple　draperies；　and

the　majestic　maiden　who　was　bending　over　towards　him。



He　was　perhaps　ten　years　old；　and　was　not　taller　than　a　Roman　sword。

His　curly　hair　shaded　his　swelling　forehead。　His　eyeballs　looked　as　if

they　were　seeking　for　space。　The　nostrils　of　his　delicate　nose　were

broad　and　palpitating；　and　upon　his　whole　person　was　displayed　the

indefinable　splendour　of　those　who　are　destined　to　great　enterprises。

When　he　had　cast　aside　his　extremely　heavy　cloak；　he　remained　clad　in

a　lynx　skin；　which　was　fastened　about　his　waist；　and　he　rested　his

little　naked　feet；　which　were　all　white　with　dust；　resolutely　upon　the

pavement。　But　he　no　doubt　divined　that　important　matters　were　under

discussion；　for　he　stood　motionless；　with　one　hand　behind　his　back；

his　chin　lowered；　and　a　finger　in　his　mouth。



At　last　Hamilcar　attracted　Salammbo　with　a　sign　and　said　to　her　in　a

low　voice：



〃You　will　keep　him　with　you；　you　understand！　No　one；　even　though

belonging　to　the　house；　must　know　of　his　existence！〃



Then；　behind　the　door；　he　again　asked　Iddibal　whether　he　was　quite

sure　that　they　had　not　been　noticed。



〃No！〃　said　the　slave；　〃the　streets　were　empty。〃



As　the　war　filled　all　the　provinces　he　had　feared　for　his　master's

son。　Then；　not　knowing　where　to　hide　him；　he　had　come　along　the　coasts

in　a　sloop；　and　for　three　days　Iddibal　had　been　tacking　about　in　the

gulf　and　watching　the　ramparts。　At　last；　that　evening；　as　the　environs

of　Khamon　seemed　to　be　deserted；　he　had　passed　briskly　through　the

channel　and　landed　near　the　arsenal；　the　entrance　to　the　harbour　being

free。



But　soon　the　Barbarians　posted　an　immense　raft　in　front　of　it　in　order

to　prevent　the　Carthaginians　from　coming　out。　They　were　again　rearing

the　wooden　towers；　and　the　terrace　was　rising　at　the　same　time。



Outside　communications　were　cut　off　and　an　intolerable　famine　set　in。



The　besieged　killed　all　the　dogs；　all　the　mules；　all　the　asses；　and

then　the　fifteen　elephants　which　the　Suffet　had　brought　back。　The

lions　of　the　temple　of　Moloch　had　become　ferocious；　and　the　hierodules

no　longer　durst　approach　them。　They　were　fed　at　first　with　the　wounded

Barbarians；　then　they　were　thrown　corpses　that　were　still　warm；　they

refused　them；　and　they　all　died。　People　wandered　in　the　twilight　along

the　old　enclosures；　and　gathered　grass　and　flowers　among　the　stones　to

boil　them　in　wine；　wine　being　cheaper　than　water。　Others　crept　as　far

as　the　enemy's　outposts；　and　entered　the　tents　to　steal　food；　and　the

stupefied　Barbarians　sometimes　allowed　them　to　return。　At　last　a　day

arrived　when　the　Ancients　resolved　to　slaughter　the　horses　of　Eschmoun

privately。　They　were　holy　animals　whose　manes　were　plaited　by　the

pontiffs　with　gold　ribbons；　and　whose　existence　denoted　the　motion　of

the　sunthe　idea　of　fire　in　its　most　exalted　form。　Their　flesh　was

cut　into　equal　portions　and　buried　behind　the　altar。　Then　every

evening　the　Ancients；　alleging　some　act　of　devotion；　would　go　up　to

the　temple　and　regale　themselves　in　secret；　and　each　would　take　away　a

piece　beneath　his　tunic　for　his　children。　In　the　deserted　quarters

remote　from　the　walls；　the　inhabitants；　whose　misery　was　not　so　great；

had　barricaded　themselves　through　fear　of　the　rest。



The　stones　from　the　catapults；　and　the　demolitions　commanded　for

purposes　of　defence；　had　accumulated　heaps　of　ruins　in　the　middle　of

the　streets。　At　the　quietest　times　masses　of　people　would　suddenly

rush　along　with　shouts；　and　from　the　top　of　the　Acropolis　the

conflagrations　were　like　purple　rags　scattered　upon　the　terraces　and

twisted　by　the　wind。



The　three　great　catapults　did　not　stop　in　spite　of　all　these　works。

Their　ravages　were　extraordinary：　thus　a　man's　head　rebounded　from　the

pediment　of　the　Syssitia；　a　woman　who　was　being　confined　in　the　street

of　Kinisdo　was　crushed　by　a　block　of　marble；　and　her　child　was　carried

with　the　bed　as　far　as　the　crossways　of　Cinasyn；　where　the　coverlet

was　found。



The　most　annoying　were　the　bullets　of　the　slingers。　They　fell　upon　the

roofs；　and　in　the　gardens；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　courts；　while

people　were　at　table　before　a　slender　meal　with　their　hearts　big　with

sighs。　These　cruel　projectiles　bore　engraved　letters　which　stamped

themselves　upon　the　flesh；and　insults　might　be　read　on　corpses　such

as　〃pig；〃　〃jackal；〃　〃vermin；〃　and　sometimes　jests：　〃Catch　it！〃　or　〃I

have　well　deserved　it！〃



The　portion　of　the　rampart　which　extended　from　the　corner　of　the

harbours　to　the　height　of　the　cisterns　was　broken　down。　Then　the

people　of　Malqua　found　themselves　caught　between　the　old　enclosure　of

Byrsa　behind；　and　the　Barbarians　in　front。　But　there　was　enough　to　be

done　in　thickening　the　wall　and　making　it　as　high　as　possible　without

troubling　about　them；　they　were　abandoned；　all　perished；　and　although

they　were　generally　hated；　Hamilcar　came　to　be　greatly　abhorred。



On　the　morrow　he　opened　the　pits　in　which　he　kept　stores　of　corn；　and

his　stewards　gave　it　to　the　people。　For　three　days　they　gorged

themselves。



Their　thirst；　however；　only　became　the　more　intolerable；　and　they

could　constantly　see　before　them　the　long　cascade　formed　by　the　clear

falling　water　of　the　aqueduct。　A　thin　vapour；　with　a　rainbow　beside

it；　went　up　from　its　base；　beneath　the　rays　of　the　sun；　and　a　little

stream　curving　through　the　plain　fell　into　the　gulf。



Hamilcar　did　not　give　way。　He　was　reckoning　upon　an　event；　upon

something　decisive　and　extraordinary。



His　own　slaves　tore　off　the　silver　plates　from　the　temple　of　Melkarth；

four　long　boats　were　drawn　out　of　the　harbour；　they　were　brought　by

means　of　capstans　to　the　foot　of　the　Mappalian　quarter；　the　wall

facing　the　shore　was　bored；　and　they　set　out　for　the　Gauls　to　buy

Mercenaries　there　at　no　matter　what　price。　Nevertheless；　Hamilcar　was

distressed　at　his　inability　to　communicate　with　the　king　of　the

Numidians；　for　he　knew　that　he　was　behind　the　Barbarians；　and　ready　to

fall　upon　them。　But　Narr'　Havas；　being　too　weak；　was　not　going　to　make

any　venture　alone；　and　the　Suffet　had　the　rampart　raised　twelve　palms

higher；　all　the　material　in　the　arsenal