salammbo-第53章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





The　Barbarians　looked　at　one　another　silently。　It　was　not　death　that

made　them　turn　pale；　but　the　horrible　compulsion　to　which　they　found

themselves　reduced。



The　community　of　their　lives　had　brought　about　profound　friendship

among　these　men。　The　camp；　with　most；　took　the　place　of　their　country；

living　without　a　family　they　transferred　the　needful　tenderness　to　a

companion；　and　they　would　fall　asleep　in　the　starlight　side　by　side

under　the　same　cloak。　And　then　in　their　perpetual　wanderings　through

all　sorts　of　countries；　murders；　and　adventures；　they　had　contracted

affections；　one　for　the　other；　in　which　the　stronger　protected　the

younger　in　the　midst　of　battles；　helped　him　to　cross　precipices；

sponged　the　sweat　of　fevers　from　his　brow；　and　stole　food　for　him；　and

the　weaker；　a　child　perhaps；　who　had　been　picked　up　on　the　roadside；

and　had　then　become　a　Mercenary；　repaid　this　devotion　by　a　thousand

kindnesses。



They　exchanged　their　necklaces　and　earrings；　presents　which　they　had

made　to　one　another　in　former　days；　after　great　peril；　or　in　hours　of

intoxication。　All　asked　to　die；　and　none　would　strike。　A　young　fellow

might　be　seen　here　and　there；　saying　to　another　whose　beard　was　grey：

〃No！　no！　you　are　more　robust！　you　will　avenge　us；　kill　me！〃　and　the

man　would　reply：　〃I　have　fewer　years　to　live！　Strike　to　the　heart；　and

think　no　more　about　it！〃　Brothers　gazed　on　one　another　with　clasped

hands；　and　friend　bade　friend　eternal　farewells；　standing　and　weeping

upon　his　shoulder。



They　threw　off　their　cuirasses　that　the　sword…points　might　be　thrust

in　the　more　quickly。　Then　there　appeared　the　marks　of　the　great　blows

which　they　had　received　for　Carthage；　and　which　looked　like

inscriptions　on　columns。



They　placed　themselves　in　four　equal　ranks；　after　the　fashion　of

gladiators；　and　began　with　timid　engagements。　Some　had　even　bandaged

their　eyes；　and　their　swords　waved　gently　through　the　air　like　blind

men's　sticks。　The　Carthaginians　hooted；　and　shouted　to　them　that　they

were　cowards。　The　Barbarians　became　animated；　and　soon　the　combat　as

general；　headlong；　and　terrible。



Sometimes　two　men　all　covered　with　blood　would　stop；　fall　into　each

other's　arms；　and　die　with　mutual　kisses。　None　drew　back。　They　rushed

upon　the　extended　blades。　Their　delirium　was　so　frenzied　that　the

Carthaginians　in　the　distance　were　afraid。



At　last　they　stopped。　Their　breasts　made　a　great　hoarse　noise；　and

their　eyeballs　could　be　seen　through　their　long　hair；　which　hung　down

as　though　it　had　come　out　of　a　purple　bath。　Several　were　turning　round

rapidly；　like　panthers　wounded　in　the　forehead。　Others　stood

motionless　looking　at　a　corpse　at　their　feet；　then　they　would　suddenly

tear　their　faces　with　their　nails；　take　their　swords　with　both　hands；

and　plunge　them　into　their　own　bodies。



There　were　still　sixty　left。　They　asked　for　drink。　They　were　told　by

shouts　to　throw　away　their　swords；　and　when　they　had　done　so　water　was

brought　to　them。



While　they　were　drinking；　with　their　faces　buried　in　the　vases；　sixty

Carthaginians　leaped　upon　them　and　killed　them　with　stiletos　in　the

back。



Hamilcar　had　done　this　to　gratify　the　instincts　of　his　army；　and；　by

means　of　this　treachery；　to　attach　it　to　his　own　person。



The　war；　then；　was　ended；　at　least　he　believed　that　it　was；　Matho

would　not　resist；　in　his　impatience　the　Suffet　commanded　an　immediate

departure。



His　scouts　came　to　tell　him　that　a　convoy　had　been　descried；　departing

towards　the　Lead　Mountain。　Hamilcar　did　not　trouble　himself　about　it。

The　Mercenaries　once　annihilated；　the　Nomads　would　give　him　no　further

trouble。　The　important　matter　was　to　take　Tunis。　He　advanced　by　forced

marches　upon　it。



He　had　sent　Narr'　Havas　to　Carthage　with　the　news　of　his　victory；　and

the　King　of　the　Numidians；　proud　of　his　success；　visited　Salammbo。



She　received　him　in　her　gardens　under　a　large　sycamore　tree；　amid

pillows　of　yellow　leather；　and　with　Taanach　beside　her。　Her　face　was

covered　with　a　white　scarf；　which；　passing　over　her　mouth　and

forehead；　allowed　only　her　eyes　to　be　seen；　but　her　lips　shone　in　the

transparency　of　the　tissue　like　the　gems　on　her　fingers；　for　Salammbo

had　both　her　hands　wrapped　up；　and　did　not　make　a　gesture　during　the

whole　conversation。



Narr'　Havas　announced　the　defeat　of　the　Barbarians　to　her。　She　thanked

him　with　a　blessing　for　the　services　which　he　had　rendered　to　her

father。　Then　he　began　to　tell　her　about　the　whole　campaign。



The　doves　on　the　palm　trees　around　them　cooed　softly；　and　other　birds

fluttered　amid　the　grass：　ring…necked　glareolas；　Tartessus　quails　and

Punic　guinea…fowl。　The　garden；　long　uncultivated；　had　multiplied　its

verdure；　coloquintidas　mounted　into　the　branches　of　cassias；　the

asclepias　was　scattered　over　fields　of　roses；　all　kinds　of　vegetation

formed　entwinings　and　bowers；　and　here　and　there；　as　in　the　woods；

sun…rays；　descending　obliquely；　marked　the　shadow　of　a　leaf　upon　the

ground。　Domestic　animals；　grown　wild　again；　fled　at　the　slightest

noise。　Sometimes　a　gazelle　might　be　seen　trailing　scattered　peacocks'

feathers　after　its　little　black　hoofs。　The　clamours　of　the　distant

town　were　lost　in　the　murmuring　of　the　waves。　The　sky　was　quite　blue；

and　not　a　sail　was　visible　on　the　sea。



Narr'　Havas　had　ceased　speaking；　Salammbo　was　looking　at　him　without

replying。　He　wore　a　linen　robe　with　flowers　painted　on　it；　and　with

gold　fringes　at　the　hem；　two　silver　arrows　fastened　his　plaited　hair

at　the　tips　of　his　ears；　his　right　hand　rested　on　a　pike…staff　adorned

with　circles　of　electrum　and　tufts　of　hair。



As　she　watched　him　a　crowd　of　dim　thoughts　absorbed　her。　This　young

man；　with　his　gentle　voice　and　feminine　figure；　captivated　her　eyes　by

the　grace　of　his　person；　and　seemed　to　her　like　an　elder　sister　sent

by　the　Baals　to　protect　her。　The　recollection　of　Matho　came　upon　her；

nor　did　she　resist　the　desire　to　learn　what　had　become　of　him。



Narr'　Havas　replied　that　the　Carthaginians　were　advancing　towards

Tunis　to　take　it。　In　proportion　as　he　set　forth　their　chances　of

success　and　Matho's　weaknesses；　she　seemed　to　rejoice　in　extraordinary

hope。　Her　lips　trembled；　her　breast　panted。　When　he　finally　promised

to　kill　him　himself；　she　exclaimed：　〃Yes！　kill　him！　It　must　be　so！〃



The　Numidian　replied　that　he　desired　this　death　ardently；　since　he

would　be　her　husband　when　the　war　was　over。



Salammbo　started；　and　bent　her　head。



But　Narr'　Havas；　pursuing　the　subject；　compared　his　longings　to

flowers　languishing　for　rain；　or　to　lost　travellers　waiting　for　the

day。　He　told　her；　further；　that　she　was　more　beautiful　than　the　moon；

better　than　the　wind　of　morning　or　than　the　face　of　a　guest。　He　would

bring　for　her　from　the　country　of　the　Blacks　things　such　as　there　were

none　in　Carthage；　and　the　apartments　in　their　house　should　be　sanded

with　gold　dust。



Evening　fell；　and　odours　of　balsam　were　exhaled。　For　a　long　time　they

looked　at　each　other　in　silence；　and　Salammbo's　eyes；　in　the　depths　of

her　long　draperies；　resembled　two　stars　in　the　rift　of　a　cloud。　Before

the　sun　set　he　withdrew。



The　Ancients　felt　themselves　relieved　of　a　great　anxiety；　when　he　left

Carthage。　The　people　had　received　him　with　even　more　enthusiastic

acclamations　than　on　the　first　occasion。　If　Hamilcar　and　the　King　of

the　Numidians　triumphed　alone　over　the　Mercenaries　it　would　be

impossible　to　resist　them。　To　weaken　Barca　they　therefore　resolved　to

make　the　aged　Hanno；　him　whom　they　loved；　a　sharer　in　the　deliverance

of　Carthage。



He　proceeded　immediately　towards　the　western　provinces；　to　take　his

vengeance　in　the　very　places　which　had　witnessed　his　shame。　But　the

inhabitants　and　the　Barbarians　were　dead；　hidden；　or　fled。　Then　his

anger　was　vented　upon　the　country。　He　burnt　the　ruins　of　the　ruins；　he

did　not　leave　a　single　tree　nor　a　blade　of　grass；　the　children　and　the

infirm；　that　were　met　with；　were　tortured；　he　gave　the　women　to　his

soldiers　to　be　violated　before　they　were　slaughtered。



Often；　on　the　crests　of　the　hills；　black　tents　were　struck　as　though

overturned　by　the　wind；　and　broad；　brilliantly　bordered　discs；　which

were　recognised　as　being　chariot…wheels；　revolved　with　a　plaintive

sound　as　they　gradually　disappeared　in　the　valleys。　The　tribes；　which

had　abandoned　the　siege　of　Carthage；　were　wandering　in　this　way

through　the　provinces；　waiting　for　an　opportunity；　or　for　some　victory

to　be　gained　by　the　Mercenaries；　in　order　to　return。　But；　whether　from

terror　or　famine；　they　all　took　the　roads　to　their　native　lands；　and

disappeared。



Hamilcar　was　not　jealous　of　Hanno's　successes。　Nevertheless　he　was　in

a　hurry　to　end　matters；　he　commanded　him　to　fall　back　upon　Tunis；　and

Hanno；　who　loved　his　country；　was　under　the　walls　of　the　town　on　the

appointed　day。



For　its　protection　it　had　its　aboriginal　population；　twelve　thousand

Mercenaries；　and；　in　addition；　all　the　Eaters　of　Uncleanness；　for　like

Matho　they　were　riveted　to　the　horizon　of　Carthage；　and　plebs　and

schalischim　gazed　at　its　lofty　walls　from　afar；　looking　back　in

thought　to　boundless　enjoyments。　With　this　harmony　of　hatred；

resistance　was　briskly　organised。　Leathern　bottles　were　taken　to　make

helmets；　all　the　palm…trees　in　the　gardens　were　cut　down　for　lances；

cisterns　were　dug；　while　for　provisions　they　caught　on　the　shores　of

the　lake　big　white　fish；　fed　on　corpses　and　filth。　Their　ramparts；

kept　in　ruins　now　by　the　jealousy　of　Carthage；　were　so　weak　that　they

could　be　thrown　down　with　a　push　of　the　shoulder。　Matho　stopped　up　the

holes　in　them　with　the　stones　of　the　houses。　It　was　the　last　struggle；

he　hoped　for　nothing；　and　yet　he　told　himself　that　fortune　was　fickle。



As　the　Carthaginians　approached　they　noticed　a　man　on　the　rampart　who

towered　over　the　battlements　from　his　belt　upwards。　The　arrows　that

flew　about　him　seemed　to　frighten　him　no　more　than　a　swarm　of

swallows。　Extraordinary　to　say；　none　of　them　touched　him。



Hamilcar　pitched　his　camp　on　the　south　side；　Narr'　Havas；　to　his

right；　occupied　the　plain　of　Rhades；　and　Hanno　the　shore　of　the　lake；

and　the　three　generals　were　to　maintain　their　respective　positions；　so

as　all　to　attack　the　walls　simultaneously。



But　Hamilcar　wished　first　to　show　the　Mercenaries　that　he　would　punish

them　like　slaves。　He　had　the　ten　ambassadors　crucified　beside　one

another　on　a　hillock　in　front　of　the　town。



At　the　sight　of　this　the　besieged　forsook　the　rampart。



Matho　had　said　to　himself　that　if　he　could　pass　between　the　walls　and

Narr'　Havas's　tents　with　such　rapidity　that　the　Numidians　had　not　time

to　come　out；　he　could　fall　upon　the　rear　of　the　Carthaginian　infantry；

who　would　be　caught　between　his　division　and　those　inside。　He　dashed

out　with　his　veterans。



Narr'　Havas　perceived　him；　he　crossed　the　shore　of　the　lake；　and　ca