salammbo-第34章

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of　speech　as　being　true　in　themselves；　a　distinction　not　always　very

clear　even　to　the　priest。



〃The　souls　of　the　dead；〃　said　he；　〃resolve　themselves　into　the　moon；

as　their　bodies　do　into　the　earth。　Their　tears　compose　its　humidity；

'tis　a　dark　abode　full　of　mire；　and　wreck；　and　tempest。〃



She　asked　what　would　become　of　her　then。



〃At　first　you　will　languish　as　light　as　a　vapour　hovering　upon　the

waves；　and　after　more　lengthened　ordeals　and　agonies；　you　will　pass

into　the　forces　of　the　sun；　the　very　source　of　Intelligence！〃



He　did　not　speak；　however；　of　Rabbet。　Salammbo　imagined　that　it　was

through　some　shame　for　his　vanquished　goddess；　and　calling　her　by　a

common　name　which　designated　the　moon；　she　launched　into　blessings

upon　the　soft　and　fertile　planet。　At　last　he　exclaimed：



〃No！　no！　she　draws　all　her　fecundity　from　the　other！　Do　you　not　see

her　hovering　about　him　like　an　amorous　woman　running　after　a　man　in　a

field？〃　And　he　exalted　the　virtue　of　light　unceasingly。



Far　from　depressing　her　mystic　desires；　he　sought；　on　the　contrary；　to

excite　them；　and　he　even　seemed　to　take　joy　in　grieving　her　by　the

revelation　of　a　pitiless　doctrine。　In　spite　of　the　pains　of　her　love

Salammbo　threw　herself　upon　it　with　transport。



But　the　more　that　Schahabarim　felt　himself　in　doubt　about　Tanith；　the

more　he　wished　to　believe　in　her。　At　the　bottom　of　his　soul　he　was

arrested　by　remorse。　He　needed　some　proof；　some　manifestation　from　the

gods；　and　in　the　hope　of　obtaining　it　the　priest　devised　an　enterprise

which　might　save　at　once　his　country　and　his　belief。



Thenceforward　he　set　himself　to　deplore　before　Salammbo　the　sacrilege

and　the　misfortunes　which　resulted　from　it　even　in　the　regions　of　the

sky。　Then　he　suddenly　announced　the　peril　of　the　Suffet；　who　was

assailed　by　three　armies　under　the　command　of　Mathofor　on　account　of

the　veil　Matho　was；　in　the　eyes　of　the　Carthaginians；　the　king；　as　it

were；　of　the　Barbarians；and　he　added　that　the　safety　of　the　Republic

and　of　her　father　depended　upon　her　alone。



〃Upon　me！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃How　can　I？〃



But　the　priest；　with　a　smile　of　disdain　said：



〃You　will　never　consent！〃



She　entreated　him。　At　last　Schahabarim　said　to　her：



〃You　must　go　to　the　Barbarians　and　recover　the　zaimph！〃



She　sank　down　upon　the　ebony　stool；　and　remained　with　her　arms

stretched　out　between　her　knees　and　shivering　in　all　her　limbs；　like　a

victim　at　the　altar's　foot　awaiting　the　blow　of　the　club。　Her　temples

were　ringing；　she　could　see　fiery　circles　revolving；　and　in　her　stupor

she　had　lost　the　understanding　of　all　things　save　one；　that　she　was

certainly　going　to　die　soon。



But　if　Rabbetna　triumphed；　if　the　zaimph　were　restored　and　Carthage

delivered；　what　mattered　a　woman's　life？　thought　Schahabarim。

Moreover；　she　would　perhaps　obtain　the　veil　and　not　perish。



He　stayed　away　for　three　days；　on　the　evening　of　the　fourth　she　sent

for　him。



The　better　to　inflame　her　heart　he　reported　to　her　all　the　invectives

howled　against　Hamilcar　in　open　council；　he　told　her　that　she　had

erred；　that　she　owed　reparation　for　her　crime；　and　that　Rabbetna

commanded　the　sacrifice。



A　great　uproar　came　frequently　across　the　Mappalian　district　to

Megara。　Schahabarim　and　Salammbo　went　out　quickly；　and　gazed　from　the

top　of　the　galley　staircase。



There　were　people　in　the　square　of　Khamon　shouting　for　arms。　The

Ancients　would　not　provide　them；　esteeming　such　an　effort　useless；

others　who　had　set　out　without　a　general　had　been　massacred。　At　last

they　were　permitted　to　depart；　and　as　a　sort　of　homage　to　Moloch；　or

from　a　vague　need　of　destruction；　they　tore　up　tall　cypress　trees　in

the　woods　of　the　temples；　and　having　kindled　them　at　the　torches　of

the　Kabiri；　were　carrying　them　through　the　streets　singing。　These

monstrous　flames　advanced　swaying　gently；　they　transmitted　fires　to

the　glass　balls　on　the　crests　of　the　temples；　to　the　ornaments　of　the

colossuses　and　the　beaks　of　the　ships；　passed　beyond　the　terraces　and

formed　suns　as　it　were；　which　rolled　through　the　town。　They　descended

the　Acropolis。　The　gate　of　Malqua　opened。



〃Are　you　ready？〃　exclaimed　Schahabarim；　〃or　have　you　asked　them　to

tell　your　father　that　you　abandoned　him？〃　She　hid　her　face　in　her

veils；　and　the　great　lights　retired；　sinking　gradually　the　while　to

the　edge　of　the　waves。



An　indeterminate　dread　restrained　her；　she　was　afraid　of　Moloch　and　of

Matho。　This　man；　with　his　giant　stature；　who　was　master　of　the　zaimph；

ruled　Rabbetna　as　much　as　did　Baal；　and　seemed　to　her　to　be　surrounded

by　the　same　fulgurations；　and　then　the　souls　of　the　gods　sometimes

visited　the　bodies　of　men。　Did　not　Schahabarim　in　speaking　of　him　say

that　she　was　to　vanquish　Moloch？　They　were　mingled　with　each　other；

she　confused　them　together；　both　of　them　were　pursuing　her。



She　wished　to　learn　the　future；　and　approached　the　serpent；　for

auguries　were　drawn　from　the　attitudes　of　serpents。　But　the　basket　was

empty；　Salammbo　was　disturbed。



She　found　him　with　his　tail　rolled　round　one　of　the　silver　balustrades

beside　the　hanging　bed；　which　he　was　rubbing　in　order　to　free　himself

from　his　old　yellowish　skin；　while　his　body　stretched　forth　gleaming

and　clear　like　a　sword　half　out　of　the　sheath。



Then　on　the　days　following；　in　proportion　as　she　allowed　herself　to　be

convinced；　and　was　more　disposed　to　succour　Tanith；　the　python

recovered　and　grew；　he　seemed　to　be　reviving。



The　certainty　that　Salammbo　was　giving　expression　to　the　will　of　the

gods　then　became　established　in　her　conscience。　One　morning　she　awoke

resolved；　and　she　asked　what　was　necessary　to　make　Matho　restore　the

veil。



〃To　claim　it；〃　said　Schahabarim。



〃But　if　he　refuses？〃　she　rejoined。



The　priest　scanned　her　fixedly　with　a　smile　such　as　she　had　never

seen。



〃Yes；　what　is　to　be　done？〃　repeated　Salammbo。



He　rolled　between　his　fingers　the　extremities　of　the　bands　which　fell

from　his　tiara　upon　his　shoulders；　standing　motionless　with　eyes　cast

down。　At　last　seeing　that　she　did　not　understand：



〃You　will　be　alone　with　him。〃



〃Well？〃　she　said。



〃Alone　in　his　tent。〃



〃What　then？〃



Schahabarim　bit　his　lips。　He　sought　for　some　phrase；　some

circumlocution。



〃If　you　are　to　die；　that　will　be　later；〃　he　said；　〃later！　fear

nothing！　and　whatever　he　may　undertake　to　do；　do　not　call　out！　do　not

be　frightened！　You　will　be　humble；　you　understand；　and　submissive　to

his　desire；　which　is　ordained　of　heaven！〃



〃But　the　veil？〃



〃The　gods　will　take　thought　for　it；〃　replied　Schahabarim。



〃Suppose　you　were　to　accompany　me；　O　father？〃　she　added。



〃No！〃



He　made　her　kneel　down；　and　keeping　his　left　hand　raised　and　his　right

extended；　he　swore　in　her　behalf　to　bring　back　the　mantle　of　Tanith

into　Carthage。　With　terrible　imprecations　she　devoted　herself　to　the

gods；　and　each　time　that　Schahabarim　pronounced　a　word　she　falteringly

repeated　it。



He　indicated　to　her　all　the　purifications　and　fastings　that　she　was　to

observe；　and　how　she　was　to　reach　Matho。　Moreover；　a　man　acquainted

with　the　routes　would　accompany　her。



She　felt　as　if　she　had　been　set　free。　She　thought　only　of　the

happiness　of　seeing　the　zaimph　again；　and　she　now　blessed　Schahabarim

for　his　exhortations。



It　was　the　period　at　which　the　doves　of　Carthage　migrated　to　Sicily　to

the　mountain　of　Eryx　and　the　temple　of　Venus。　For　several　days　before

their　departure　they　sought　out　and　called　to　one　another　so　as　to

collect　together；　at　last　one　evening　they　flew　away；　the　wind　blew

them　along；　and　the　big　white　cloud　glided　across　the　sky　high　above

the　sea。



The　horizon　was　filled　with　the　colour　of　blood。　They　seemed　to

descend　gradually　to　the　waves；　then　they　disappeared　as　though

swallowed　up；　and　falling　of　themselves　into　the　jaws　of　the　sun。

Salammbo；　who　watched　them　retiring；　bent　her　head；　and　then　Taanach；

believing　that　she　guessed　her　sorrow；　said　gently　to　her：



〃But　they　will　come　back；　Mistress。〃



〃Yes！　I　know。〃



〃And　you　will　see　them　again。〃



〃Perhaps！〃　she　said；　sighing。



She　had　not　confided　her　resolve　to　any　one；　in　order　to　carry　it　out

with　the　greater　discretion　she　sent　Taanach　to　the　suburb　of　Kinisdo

to　buy　all　the　things　that　she　required　instead　of　requesting　them

from　the　stewards：　vermilion；　aromatics；　a　linen　girdle；　and　new

garments。　The　old　slave　was　amazed　at　these　preparations；　without

daring；　however；　to　ask　any　questions；　and　the　day；　which　had　been

fixed　by　Schahabarim；　arrived　when　Salammbo　was　to　set　out。



About　the　twelfth　hour　she　perceived；　in　the　depths　of　the　sycamore

trees；　a　blind　old　man　with　one　hand　resting　on　the　shoulder　of　a

child　who　walked　before　him；　while　with　the　other　he　carried　a　kind　of

cithara　of　black　wood　against　his　hip。　The　eunuchs；　slaves；　and　women

had　been　scrupulously　sent　away；　no　one　might　know　the　mystery　that

was　preparing。



Taanach　kindled　four　tripods　filled　with　strobus　and　cadamomum　in　the

corners　of　the　apartment；　then　she　unfolded　large　Babylonian　hangings；

and　stretched　them　on　cords　all　around　the　room；　for　Salammbo　did　not

wish　to　be　seen　even　by　the　walls。　The　kinnor…player　squatted　behind

the　door　and　the　young　boy　standing　upright　applied　a　reed　flute　to

his　lips。　In　the　distance　the　roar　of　the　streets　was　growing　feebler；

violet　shadows　were　lengthening　before　the　peristyles　of　the　temples；

and　on　the　other　side　of　the　gulf　the　mountain　bases；　the　fields　of

olive…trees；　and　the　vague　yellow　lands　undulated　indefinitely；　and

were　blended　together　in　a　bluish　haze；　not　a　sound　was　to　be　heard；

and　an　unspeakable　depression　weighed　in　the　air。



Salammbo　crouched　down　upon　the　onyx　step　on　the　edge　of　the　basin；

she　raised　her　ample　sleeves；　fastening　them　behind　her　shoulders；　and

began　her　ablutions　in　methodical　fashion；　according　to　the　sacred

rites。



Next　Taanach　brought　her　something　liquid　and　coagulated　in　an

alabaster　phial；　it　was　the　blood　of　a　black　dog　slaughtered　by　barren

women　on　a　winter's　night　amid　the　rubbish　of　a　sepulchre。　She　rubbed

it　upon　her　ears；　her　heels；　and　the　thumb　of　her　right　hand；　and　even

her　nail　remained　somewhat　red；　as　if　she　had　crushed　a　fruit。



The　moon　rose；　then　the　cithara　and　the　flute　began　to　play　together。



Salammbo　unfastened　her　earrings；　her　necklace；　her　bracelets；　and　her

long　white　simar；　she　unknotted　the　band　in　her　hair；　shaking　the

latter　for　a　few　minutes　softly　over　her　shoulders　to　cool　herself　by

thus　scattering　it。　The　music　went　on　outside；　it　consisted　of　three

notes　ever　the　same；　hurried　and　frenzied；　the　strings　grated；　the

flute　blew；　Taanach　kept　time　by　striking　her　hands；　Salammbo；　with　a

swaying　of　her　whole　body；　chanted　prayers；　and　her　garments　fell　one

after　another　ar