salammbo-第13章

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Spendius　struck　his　hand　against　the　bars　of　a　grating。　They　shook　it；

it　gave　way；　and　they　found　themselves　on　the　steps　of　a　staircase。　A

door　of　bronze　closed　it　above。　With　the　point　of　a　dagger　they　moved

the　bar；　which　was　opened　from　without；　and　suddenly　the　pure　open　air

surrounded　them。



The　night　was　filled　with　silence；　and　the　sky　seemed　at　an

extraordinary　height。　Clusters　of　trees　projected　over　the　long　lines

of　walls。　The　whole　town　was　asleep。　The　fires　of　the　outposts　shone

like　lost　stars。



Spendius；　who　had　spent　three　years　in　the　ergastulum；　was　but

imperfectly　acquainted　with　the　different　quarters。　Matho　conjectured

that　to　reach　Hamilcar's　palace　they　ought　to　strike　to　the　left　and

cross　the　Mappalian　district。



〃No；〃　said　Spendius；　〃take　me　to　the　temple　of　Tanith。〃



Matho　wished　to　speak。



〃Remember！〃　said　the　former　slave；　and　raising　his　arm　he　showed　him

the　glittering　planet　of　Chabar。



Then　Matho　turned　in　silence　towards　the　Acropolis。



They　crept　along　the　nopal　hedges　which　bordered　the　paths。　The　water

trickled　from　their　limbs　upon　the　dust。　Their　damp　sandals　made　no

noise；　Spendius；　with　eyes　that　flamed　more　than　torches；　searched　the

bushes　at　every　step；and　he　walked　behind　Matho　with　his　hands

resting　on　the　two　daggers　which　he　carried　on　his　arms；　and　which

hung　from　below　the　armpit　by　a　leathern　band。







CHAPTER　V



TANITH



After　leaving　the　gardens　Matho　and　Spendius　found　themselves　checked

by　the　rampart　of　Megara。　But　they　discovered　a　breach　in　the　great

wall　and　passed　through。



The　ground　sloped　downwards；　forming　a　kind　of　very　broad　valley。　It

was　an　exposed　place。



〃Listen；〃　said　Spendius；　〃and　first　of　all　fear　nothing！　I　shall

fulfil　my　promise〃



He　stopped　abruptly；　and　seemed　to　reflect　as　though　searching　for

words；〃Do　you　remember　that　time　at　sunrise　when　I　showed　Carthage

to　you　on　Salammbo's　terrace？　We　were　strong　that　day；　but　you　would

listen　to　nothing！〃　Then　in　a　grave　voice：　〃Master；　in　the　sanctuary

of　Tanith　there　is　a　mysterious　veil；　which　fell　from　heaven　and　which

covers　the　goddess。〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Matho。



Spendius　resumed：　〃It　is　itself　divine；　for　it　forms　part　of　her。　The

gods　reside　where　their　images　are。　It　is　because　Carthage　possesses

it　that　Carthage　is　powerful。〃　Then　leaning　over　to　his　ear：　〃I　have

brought　you　with　me　to　carry　it　off！〃



Matho　recoiled　in　horror。　〃Begone！　look　for　some　one　else！　I　will　not

help　you　in　this　execrable　crime！〃



〃But　Tanith　is　your　enemy；〃　retorted　Spendius；　〃she　is　persecuting　you

and　you　are　dying　through　her　wrath。　You　will　be　revenged　upon　her。

She　will　obey　you；　and　you　will　become　almost　immortal　and

invincible。〃



Matho　bent　his　head。　Spendius　continued：



〃We　should　succumb；　the　army　would　be　annihilated　of　itself。　We　have

neither　flight；　nor　succour；　nor　pardon　to　hope　for！　What　chastisement

from　the　gods　can　you　be　afraid　of　since　you　will　have　their　power　in

your　own　hands？　Would　you　rather　die　on　the　evening　of　a　defeat；　in

misery　beneath　the　shelter　of　a　bush；　or　amid　the　outrages　of　the

populace　and　the　flames　of　funeral　piles？　Master；　one　day　you　will

enter　Carthage　among　the　colleges　of　the　pontiffs；　who　will　kiss　your

sandals；　and　if　the　veil　of　Tanith　weighs　upon　you　still；　you　will

reinstate　it　in　its　temple。　Follow　me！　come　and　take　it。〃



Matho　was　consumed　by　a　terrible　longing。　He　would　have　liked　to

possess　the　veil　while　refraining　from　the　sacrilege。　He　said　to

himself　that　perhaps　it　would　not　be　necessary　to　take　it　in　order　to

monopolise　its　virtue。　He　did　not　go　to　the　bottom　of　his　thought　but

stopped　at　the　boundary；　where　it　terrified　him。



〃Come　on！〃　he　said；　and　they　went　off　with　rapid　strides；　side　by

side；　and　without　speaking。



The　ground　rose　again；　and　the　dwellings　were　near。　They　turned　again

into　the　narrow　streets　amid　the　darkness。　The　strips　of　esparto…grass

with　which　the　doors　were　closed；　beat　against　the　walls。　Some　camels

were　ruminating　in　a　square　before　heaps　of　cut　grass。　Then　they

passed　beneath　a　gallery　covered　with　foliage。　A　pack　of　dogs　were

barking。　But　suddenly　the　space　grew　wider　and　they　recognised　the

western　face　of　the　Acropolis。　At　the　foot　of　Byrsa　there　stretched　a

long　black　mass：　it　was　the　temple　of　Tanith；　a　whole　made　up　of

monuments　and　galleries；　courts　and　fore…courts；　and　bounded　by　a　low

wall　of　dry　stones。　Spendius　and　Matho　leaped　over　it。



This　first　barrier　enclosed　a　wood　of　plane…trees　as　a　precaution

against　plague　and　infection　in　the　air。　Tents　were　scattered　here　and

there；　in　which；　during　the　daytime；　depilatory　pastes；　perfumes；

garments；　moon…shaped　cakes；　and　images　of　the　goddess　with

representations　of　the　temple　hollowed　out　in　blocks　of　alabaster；

were　on　sale。



They　had　nothing　to　fear；　for　on　nights　when　the　planet　did　not

appear；　all　rites　were　suspended；　nevertheless　Matho　slackened　his

speed；　and　stopped　before　the　three　ebony　steps　leading　to　the　second

enclosure。



〃Forward！〃　said　Spendius。



Pomegranate；　almond　trees；　cypresses　and　myrtles　alternated　in　regular

succession；　the　path；　which　was　paved　with　blue　pebbles；　creaked

beneath　their　footsteps；　and　full…blown　roses　formed　a　hanging　bower

over　the　whole　length　of　the　avenue。　They　arrived　before　an　oval　hole

protected　by　a　grating。　Then　Matho；　who　was　frightened　by　the　silence；

said　to　Spendius：



〃It　is　here　that　they　mix　the　fresh　water　and　the　bitter。〃



〃I　have　seen　all　that；〃　returned　the　former　slave；　〃in　Syria；　in　the

town　of　Maphug〃；　and　they　ascended　into　the　third　enclosure　by　a

staircase　of　six　silver　steps。



A　huge　cedar　occupied　the　centre。　Its　lowest　branches　were　hidden

beneath　scraps　of　material　and　necklaces　hung　upon　them　by　the

faithful。　They　walked　a　few　steps　further　on；　and　the　front　of　the

temple　was　displayed　before　them。



Two　long　porticoes；　with　their　architraves　resting　on　dumpy　pillars；

flanked　a　quadrangular　tower；　the　platform　of　which　was　adorned　with

the　crescent　of　a　moon。　On　the　angles　of　the　porticoes　and　at　the　four

corners　of　the　tower　stood　vases　filled　with　kindled　aromatics。　The

capitals　were　laden　with　pomegranates　and　coloquintidas。　Twining

knots；　lozenges；　and　rows　of　pearls　alternated　on　the　walls；　and　a

hedge　of　silver　filigree　formed　a　wide　semicircle　in　front　of　the

brass　staircase　which　led　down　from　the　vestibule。



There　was　a　cone　of　stone　at　the　entrance　between　a　stela　of　gold　and

one　of　emerald；　and　Matho　kissed　his　right　hand　as　he　passed　beside

it。



The　first　room　was　very　lofty；　its　vaulted　roof　was　pierced　by

numberless　apertures；　and　if　the　head　were　raised　the　stars　might　be

seen。　All　round　the　wall　rush　baskets　were　heaped　up　with　the　first

fruits　of　adolescence　in　the　shape　of　beards　and　curls　of　hair；　and　in

the　centre　of　the　circular　apartment　the　body　of　a　woman　issued　from　a

sheath　which　was　covered　with　breasts。　Fat；　bearded；　and　with　eyelids

downcast；　she　looked　as　though　she　were　smiling；　while　her　hands　were

crossed　upon　the　lower　part　of　her　big　body；　which　was　polished　by　the

kisses　of　the　crowd。



Then　they　found　themselves　again　in　the　open　air　in　a　transverse

corridor；　wherein　there　was　an　altar　of　small　dimensions　leaning

against　an　ivory　door。　There　was　no　further　passage；　the　priests　alone

could　open　it；　for　the　temple　was　not　a　place　of　meeting　for　the

multitude；　but　the　private　abode　of　a　divinity。



〃The　enterprise　is　impossible；〃　said　Matho。　〃You　had　not　thought　of

this！　Let　us　go　back！〃　Spendius　was　examining　the　walls。



He　wanted　the　veil；　not　because　he　had　confidence　in　its　virtue

（Spendius　believed　only　in　the　Oracle）；　but　because　he　was　persuaded

that　the　Carthaginians　would　be　greatly　dismayed　on　seeing　themselves

deprived　of　it。　They　walked　all　round　behind　in　order　to　find　some

outlet。



Aedicules　of　different　shapes　were　visible　beneath　clusters　of

turpentine　trees。　Here　and　there　rose　a　stone　phallus；　and　large　stags

roamed　peacefully　about；　spurning　the　fallen　fir…cones　with　their

cloven　hoofs。



But　they　retraced　their　steps　between　two　long　galleries　which　ran

parallel　to　each　other。　There　were　small　open　cells　along　their　sides；

and　tabourines　and　cymbals　hung　against　their　cedar　columns　from　top

to　bottom。　Women　were　sleeping　stretched　on　mats　outside　the　cells。

Their　bodies　were　greasy　with　unguents；　and　exhaled　an　odour　of　spices

and　extinguished　perfuming…pans；　while　they　were　so　covered　with

tattooings；　necklaces；　rings；　vermilion；　and　antimony　that；　but　for

the　motion　of　their　breasts；　they　might　have　been　taken　for　idols　as

they　lay　thus　on　the　ground。　There　were　lotus…trees　encircling　a

fountain　in　which　fish　like　Salammbo's　were　swimming；　and　then　in　the

background；　against　the　wall　of　the　temple；　spread　a　vine；　the

branches　of　which　were　of　glass　and　the　grape…bunches　of　emerald；　the

rays　from　the　precious　stones　making　a　play　of　light　through　the

painted　columns　upon　the　sleeping　faces。



Matho　felt　suffocated　in　the　warm　atmosphere　pressed　down　upon　him　by

the　cedar　partitions。　All　these　symbols　of　fecundation；　these

perfumes；　radiations；　and　breathings　overwhelmed　him。　Through　all　the

mystic　dazzling　he　kept　thinking　of　Salammbo。　She　became　confused　with

the　goddess　herself；　and　his　loved　unfolded　itself　all　the　more；　like

the　great　lotus…plants　blooming　upon　the　depths　of　the　waters。



Spendius　was　calculating　how　much　money　he　would　have　made　in　former

days　by　the　sale　of　these　women；　and　with　a　rapid　glance　he　estimated

the　weight　of　the　golden　necklaces　as　he　passed　by。



The　temple　was　impenetrable　on　this　side　as　on　the　other；　and　they

returned　behind　the　first　chamber。　While　Spendius　was　searching　and

ferreting；　Matho　was　prostrate　before　the　door　supplicating　Tanith。　He

besought　her　not　to　permit　the　sacrilege；　and　strove　to　soften　her

with　caressing　words；　such　as　are　used　to　an　angry　person。



Spendius　noticed　a　narrow　aperture　above　the　door。



〃Rise！〃　he　said　to　Matho；　and　he　made　him　stand　erect　with　his　back

against　the　wall。　Placing　one　foot　in　his　hands；　and　then　the　other

upon　his　head；　he　reached　up　to　the　air…hole；　made　his　way　into　it　and

disappeared。　Then　Matho　felt　a　knotted　cordthat　one　which　Spendius

had　rolled　around　his　body　before　entering　the　cisternsfall　upon　his

shoulders；　and　bearing　upon　it　with　both　hands　he　soon　found　himself

by　the　side　of　the　other　in　a　large　hall　filled　with　shadow。



Such　an　attempt　was　something　extraordinary。　The　inadequacy　of　the

means　for　preventing　it　was　a　sufficient　proof　that　it　was　considered

impossible。　The　sanctuaries　were　protected　by　terror　more　than　by

their　walls。　Matho　expected　to　die　at　every　step。



However　a　light　was　flickering　far　back