salammbo-第24章

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fifteen　hundred　maidens　in　the　Archipelago；　and　sunk　all　the　strange

vessels　sailing　beyond　Cape　Oestrymon；　so　that　the　secret　of　the

routes　should　not　be　known。　King　Ptolemaeus　was　detaining　the　incense

from　Schesbar；　Syracuse；　Elathia；　Corsica；　and　the　islands　had

furnished　nothing；　and　the　old　pilot　lowered　his　voice　to　announce

that　a　trireme　was　taken　at　Rusicada　by　the　Numidians；〃for　they　are

with　them；　Master。〃



Hamilcar　knit　his　brows；　then　he　signed　to　the　Chief　of　the　Journeys

to　speak。　This　functionary　was　enveloped　in　a　brown；　ungirdled　robe；

and　had　his　head　covered　with　a　long　scarf　of　white　stuff　which　passed

along　the　edge　of　his　lips　and　fell　upon　his　shoulder　behind。



The　caravans　had　set　out　regularly　at　the　winter　equinox。　But　of

fifteen　hundred　men　directing　their　course　towards　the　extreme

boundaries　of　Ethiopia　with　excellent　camels；　new　leathern　bottles；

and　supplies　of　painted　cloth；　but　one　had　reappeared　at　Carthagethe

rest　having　died　of　fatigue　or　become　mad　through　the　terror　of　the

desert；and　he　said　that　far　beyond　the　Black　Harousch；　after　passing

the　Atarantes　and　the　country　of　the　great　apes；　he　had　seen　immense

kingdoms；　wherein　the　pettiest　utensils　were　all　of　gold；　a　river　of

the　colour　of　milk　and　as　broad　as　the　sea；　forests　of　blue　trees；

hills　of　aromatics；　monsters　with　human　faces　vegetating　on　the　rocks

with　eyeballs　which　expanded　like　flowers　to　look　at　you；　and　then

crystal　mountains　supporting　the　sun　behind　lakes　all　covered　with

dragons。　Others　had　returned　from　India　with　peacocks；　pepper；　and　new

textures。　As　to　those　who　go　by　way　of　the　Syrtes　and　the　temple　of

Ammon　to　purchase　chalcedony；　they　had　no　doubt　perished　in　the　sands。

The　caravans　from　Gaetulia　and　Phazzana　had　furnished　their　usual

supplies；　but　he；　the　Chief　of　the　Journeys；　did　not　venture　to　fit

one　out　just　now。



Hamilcar　understood；　the　Mercenaries　were　in　occupation　of　the

country。　He　leaned　upon　his　other　elbow　with　a　hollow　groan；　and　the

Chief　of　Farms　was　so　afraid　to　speak　that　he　trembled　horribly　in

spite　of　his　thick　shoulders　and　his　big　red　eyeballs。　His　face；　which

was　as　snub…nosed　as　a　mastiff's；　was　surmounted　by　a　net　woven　of

threads　of　bark。　He　wore　a　waist…belt　of　hairy　leopard's　skin；　wherein

gleamed　two　formidable　cutlasses。



As　soon　as　Hamilcar　turned　away　he　began　to　cry　aloud　and　invoke　all

the　Baals。　It　was　not　his　fault！　he　could　not　help　it！　He　had　watched

the　temperature；　the　soil；　the　stars；　had　planted　at　the　winter

solstice　and　pruned　at　the　waning　of　the　moon；　had　inspected　the

slaves　and　had　been　careful　of　their　clothes。



But　Hamilcar　grew　angry　at　this　loquacity。　He　clacked　his　tongue；　and

the　man　with　the　cutlasses　went　on　in　rapid　tones：



〃Ah；　Master！　they　have　pillaged　everything！　sacked　everything！

destroyed　everything！　Three　thousand　trees　have　been　cut　down　at

Maschala；　and　at　Ubada　the　granaries　have　been　looted　and　the　cisterns

filled　up！　At　Tedes　they　have　carried　off　fifteen　hundred　gomors　of

meal；　at　Marrazana　they　have　killed　the　shepherds；　eaten　the　flocks；

burnt　your　houseyour　beautiful　house　with　its　cedar　beams；　which　you

used　to　visit　in　the　summer！　The　slaves　at　Tuburbo　who　were　reaping

barley　fled　to　the　mountains；　and　the　asses；　the　mules　both　great　and

small；　the　oxen　from　Taormina；　and　the　antelopes；not　a　single　one

left！　all　carried　away！　It　is　a　curse！　I　shall　not　survive　it！〃　He

went　on　again　in　tears：　〃Ah！　if　you　knew　how　full　the　cellars　were；

and　how　the　ploughshares　shone！　Ah！　the　fine　rams！　ah！　the　fine

bulls！〃



Hamilcar's　wrath　was　choking　him。　It　burst　forth：



〃Be　silent！　Am　I　a　pauper　then？　No　lies！　speak　the　truth！　I　wish　to

know　all　that　I　have　lost　to　the　last　shekel；　to　the　last　cab！

Abdalonim；　bring　me　the　accounts　of　the　ships；　of　the　caravans；　of　the

farms；　of　the　house！　And　if　your　consciences　are　not　clear；　woe　be　on

your　heads！　Go　out！〃



All　the　stewards　went　out　walking　backwards；　with　their　fists　touching

the　ground。



Abdalonim　went　up　to　a　set　of　pigeon…holes　in　the　wall；　and　from　the

midst　of　them　took　out　knotted　cords；　strips　of　linen　or　papyrus；　and

sheeps'　shoulder…blades　inscribed　with　delicate　writing。　He　laid　them

at　Hamilcar's　feet；　placed　in　his　hands　a　wooden　frame　furnished　on

the　inside　with　three　threads　on　which　balls　of　gold；　silver；　and　horn

were　strung；　and　began：



〃One　hundred　and　ninety…two　houses　in　the　Mappalian　district　let　to

the　New　Carthaginians　at　the　rate　of　one　bekah　a　moon。〃



〃No！　it　is　too　much！　be　lenient　towards　the　poor　people！　and　you　will

try　to　learn　whether　they　are　attached　to　the　Republic；　and　write　down

the　names　of　those　who　appear　to　you　to　be　the　most　daring！　What

next？〃



Abdalonim　hesitated　in　surprise　at　such　generosity。



Hamilcar　snatched　the　strips　of　linen　from　his　hands。



〃What　is　this？　three　palaces　around　Khamon　at　twelve　kesitahs　a　month！

Make　it　twenty！　I　do　not　want　to　be　eaten　up　by　the　rich。〃



The　Steward　of　the　stewards；　after　a　long　salutation；　resumed：



〃Lent　to　Tigillas　until　the　end　of　the　season　two　kikars　at　three　per

cent。；　maritime　interest；　to　Bar…Malkarth　fifteen　hundred　shekels　on

the　security　of　thirty　slaves。　But　twelve　have　died　in　the　salt…

marshes。〃



〃That　is　because　they　were　not　hardy；〃　said　the　Suffet；　laughing。　〃No

matter！　if　he　is　in　want　of　money；　satisfy　him！　We　should　always　lend；

and　at　different　rates　of　interest；　according　to　the　wealth　of　the

individual。〃



Then　the　servant　hastened　to　read　all　that　had　been　brought　in　by　the

iron…mines　of　Annaba；　the　coral　fisheries；　the　purple　factories；　the

farming　of　the　tax　on　the　resident　Greeks；　the　export　of　silver　to

Arabia；　where　it　had　ten　times　the　value　of　gold；　and　the　captures　of

vessels；　deduction　of　a　tenth　being　made　for　the　temple　of　the

goddess。　〃Each　time　I　declared　a　quarter　less；　Master！〃　Hamilcar　was

reckoning　with　the　balls；　they　rang　beneath　his　fingers。



〃Enough！　What　have　you　paid？〃



〃To　Stratonicles　of　Corinth；　and　to　three　Alexandrian　merchants；　on

these　letters　here　（they　have　been　realised）；　ten　thousand　Athenian

drachmas；　and　twelve　Syrian　talents　of　gold。　The　food　for　the　crews；

amounting　to　twenty　minae　a　month　for　each　trireme〃



〃I　know！　How　many　lost？〃



〃Here　is　the　account　on　these　sheets　of　lead；〃　said　the　Steward。　〃As

to　the　ships　chartered　in　common；　it　has　often　been　necessary　to　throw

the　cargo　into　the　seas；　and　so　the　unequal　losses　have　been　divided

among　the　partners。　For　the　ropes　which　were　borrowed　from　the

arsenals；　and　which　it　was　impossible　to　restore；　the　Syssitia　exacted

eight　hundred　kesitahs　before　the　expedition　to　Utica。〃



〃They　again！〃　said　Hamilcar；　hanging　his　head；　and　he　remained　for　a

time　as　if　quite　crushed　by　the　weight　of　all　the　hatreds　that　he

could　feel　upon　him。　〃But　I　do　not　see　the　Megara　expenses？〃



Abdalonim；　turning　pale；　went　to　another　set　of　pigeon…holes；　and　took

from　them　some　planchettes　of　sycamore　wood　strung　in　packets　on

leathern　strings。



Hamilcar；　curious　about　these　domestic　details；　listened　to　him　and

grew　calm　with　the　monotony　of　the　tones　in　which　the　figures　were

enumerated。　Abdalonim　became　slower。　Suddenly　he　let　the　wooden　sheets

fall　to　the　ground　and　threw　himself　flat　on　his　face　with　his　arms

stretched　out　in　the　position　of　a　condemned　criminal。　Hamilcar　picked

up　the　tablets　without　any　emotion；　and　his　lips　parted　and　his　eyes

grew　larger　when　he　perceived　an　exorbitant　consumption　of　meat；　fish；

birds；　wines；　and　aromatics；　with　broken　vases；　dead　slaves；　and

spoiled　carpets　set　down　as　the　expense　of　a　single　day。



Abdalonim；　still　prostrate；　told　him　of　the　feast　of　the　Barbarians。

He　had　not　been　able　to　avoid　the　command　of　the　Ancients。　Moreover；

Salammbo　desired　money　to　be　lavished　for　the　better　reception　of　the

soldiers。



At　his　daughter's　name　Hamilcar　leaped　to　his　feet。　Then　with

compressed　lips　he　crouched　down　upon　the　cushions；　tearing　the

fringes　with　his　nails；　and　panting　with　staring　eyes。



〃Rise！〃　said　he；　and　he　descended。



Abdalonim　followed　him；　his　knees　trembled。　But　seizing　an　iron　bar　he

began　like　one　distraught　to　loosen　the　paving　stones。　A　wooden　disc

sprang　up　and　soon　there　appeared　throughout　the　length　of　the　passage

several　of　the　large　covers　employed　for　stopping　up　the　trenches　in

which　grain　was　kept。



〃You　see；　Eye　of　Baal；〃　said　the　servant；　trembling；　〃they　have　not

taken　everything　yet！　and　these　are　each　fifty　cubits　deep　and　filled

up　to　the　brim！　During　your　voyage　I　had　them　dug　out　in　the　arsenals；

in　the　gardens；　everywhere！　your　house　is　full　of　corn　as　your　heart

is　full　of　wisdom。〃



A　smile　passed　over　Hamilcar's　face。　〃It　is　well；　Abdalonim！〃　Then

bending　over　to　his　ear：　〃You　will　have　it　brought　from　Etruria；

Brutium；　whence　you　will；　and　no　matter　at　what　price！　Heap　it　and

keep　it！　I　alone　must　possess　all　the　corn　in　Carthage。〃



Then　when　they　were　alone　at　the　extremity　of　the　passage；　Abdalonim；

with　one　of　the　keys　hanging　at　his　girdle；　opened　a　large

quadrangular　chamber　divided　in　the　centre　by　pillars　of　cedar。　Gold；

silver；　and　brass　coins　were　arranged　on　tables　or　packed　into　niches；

and　rose　as　high　as　the　joists　of　the　roof　along　the　four　walls。　In

the　corners　there　were　huge　baskets　of　hippopotamus　skin　supporting

whole　rows　of　smaller　bags；　there　were　hillocks　formed　of　heaps　of

bullion　on　the　pavement；　and　here　and　there　a　pile　that　was　too　high

had　given　way　and　looked　like　a　ruined　column。　The　large　Carthaginian

pieces；　representing　Tanith　with　a　horse　beneath　a　palm…tree；　mingled

with　those　from　the　colonies；　which　were　marked　with　a　bull；　star；

globe；　or　crescent。　Then　there　might　be　seen　pieces　of　all　values；

dimensions；　and　ages　arrayed　in　unequal　amountsfrom　the　ancient

coins　of　Assyria；　slender　as　the　nail；　to　the　ancient　ones　of　Latium；

thicker　than　the　hand；　with　the　buttons　of　Egina；　the　tablets　of

Bactriana；　and　the　short　bars　of　Lacedaemon；　many　were　covered　with

rust；　or　had　grown　greasy；　or；　having　been　taken　in　nets　or　from　among

the　ruins　of　captured　cities；　were　green　with　the　water　or　blackened

by　fire。　The　Suffet　had　speedily　calculated　whether　the　sums　present

corresponded　with　the　gains　and　losses　which　had　just　been　read　to

him；　and　he　was　going　away　when　he　perceived　three　brass　jars

completely　empty。　Abdalonim　turned　away　his　head　to　mark　his　horror；

and　Hamilcar；　resigning　himself　to　it；　said　nothing。



They　crossed　other　passages　and　other　halls；　and　at　last　reached　a

door　where；　to　ensure　its　better　protection　and　in　accordance　with　a

Roman　custom　lately　introduced　into　Carthage；　a　man　was　fastened　by

the　waist　to　a　long　chain　let　into　the　wall。　His　beard　and　nails　had

grown　to　an　immoderate　length；　and　he　swaye