salammbo-第57章

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priests　of　Rabbetna　advanced　with　a　proud　step；　and　with　lyres　in

their　hands；　the　priestesses　followed　them　in　transparent　robes　of

yellow　or　black；　uttering　cries　like　birds　and　writhing　like　vipers；

or　else　whirling　round　to　the　sound　of　flutes　to　imitate　the　dance　of

the　stars；　while　their　light　garments　wafted　puffs　of　delicate　scents

through　the　streets。



The　Kedeschim；　with　painted　eyelids；　who　symbolised　the　hermaphrodism

of　the　Divinity；　received　applause　among　these　women；　and；　being

perfumed　and　dressed　like　them；　they　resembled　them　in　spite　of　their

flat　breasts　and　narrower　hips。　Moreover；　on　this　day　the　female

principle　dominated　and　confused　all　things；　a　mystic　voluptuousness

moved　in　the　heavy　air；　the　torches　were　already　lighted　in　the　depths

of　the　sacred　woods；　there　was　to　be　a　great　celebration　there　during

the　night；　three　vessels　had　brought　courtesans　from　Sicily；　and

others　had　come　from　the　desert。



As　the　colleges　arrived　they　ranged　themselves　in　the　courts　of　the

temples；　on　the　outer　galleries；　and　along　double　staircases　which

rose　against　the　walls；　and　drew　together　at　the　top。　Files　of　white

robes　appeared　between　the　colonnades；　and　the　architecture　was

peopled　with　human　statues；　motionless　as　statues　of　stone。



Then　came　the　masters　of　the　exchequer；　the　governors　of　the

provinces；　and　all　the　rich。　A　great　tumult　prevailed　below。　Adjacent

streets　were　discharging　the　crowd；　hierodules　were　driving　it　back

with　blows　of　sticks；　and　then　Salammbo　appeared　in　a　litter

surmounted　by　a　purple　canopy；　and　surrounded　by　the　Ancients　crowned

with　their　golden　tiaras。



Thereupon　an　immense　shout　arose；　the　cymbals　and　crotala　sounded　more

loudly；　the　tabourines　thundered；　and　the　great　purple　canopy　sank

between　the　two　pylons。



It　appeared　again　on　the　first　landing。　Salammbo　was　walking　slowly

beneath　it；　then　she　crossed　the　terrace　to　take　her　seat　behind　on　a

kind　of　throne　cut　out　of　the　carapace　of　a　tortoise。　An　ivory　stool

with　three　steps　was　pushed　beneath　her　feet；　two　Negro　children　knelt

on　the　edge　of　the　first　step；　and　sometimes　she　would　rest　both　arms；

which　were　laden　with　rings　of　excessive　weight；　upon　their　heads。



From　ankle　to　hip　she　was　covered　with　a　network　of　narrow　meshes

which　were　in　imitation　of　fish　scales；　and　shone　like　mother…of…

pearl；　her　waist　was　clasped　by　a　blue　zone；　which　allowed　her　breasts

to　be　seen　through　two　crescent…shaped　slashings；　the　nipples　were

hidden　by　carbuncle　pendants。　She　had　a　headdress　made　of　peacock's

feathers　studded　with　gems；　an　ample　cloak；　as　white　as　snow；　fell

behind　her；and　with　her　elbows　at　her　sides；　her　knees　pressed

together；　and　circles　of　diamonds　on　the　upper　part　of　her　arms；　she

remained　perfectly　upright　in　a　hieratic　attitude。



Her　father　and　her　husband　were　on　two　lower　seats；　Narr'　Havas

dressed　in　a　light　simar　and　wearing　his　crown　of　rock…salt；　from

which　there　strayed　two　tresses　of　hair　as　twisted　as　the　horns　of

Ammon；　and　Hamilcar　in　a　violet　tunic　figured　with　gold　vine　branches；

and　with　a　battle…sword　at　his　side。



The　python　of　the　temple　of　Eschmoun　lay　on　the　ground　amid　pools　of

pink　oil　in　the　space　enclosed　by　the　tables；　and；　biting　its　tail；

described　a　large　black　circle。　In　the　middle　of　the　circle　there　was

a　copper　pillar　bearing　a　crystal　egg；　and；　as　the　sun　shone　upon　it；

rays　were　emitted　on　every　side。



Behind　Salammbo　stretched　the　priests　of　Tanith　in　linen　robes；　on　her

right　the　Ancients；　in　their　tiaras；　formed　a　great　gold　line；　and　on

the　other　side　the　rich　with　their　emerald　sceptres　a　great　green

line；while　quite　in　the　background；　where　the　priests　of　Moloch　were

ranged；　the　cloaks　looked　like　a　wall　of　purple。　The　other　colleges

occupied　the　lower　terraces。　The　multitude　obstructed　the　streets。　It

reached　to　the　house…tops；　and　extended　in　long　files　to　the　summit　of

the　Acropolis。　Having　thus　the　people　at　her　feet；　the　firmament　above

her　head；　and　around　her　the　immensity　of　the　sea；　the　gulf；　the

mountains；　and　the　distant　provinces；　Salammbo　in　her　splendour　was

blended　with　Tanith；　and　seemed　the　very　genius　of　Carthage；　and　its

embodied　soul。



The　feast　was　to　last　all　night；　and　lamps　with　several　branches　were

planted　like　trees　on　the　painted　woollen　cloths　which　covered　the　low

tables。　Large　electrum　flagons；　blue　glass　amphoras；　tortoise…shell

spoons；　and　small　round　loaves　were　crowded　between　the　double　row　of

pearl…bordered　plates；　bunches　of　grapes　with　their　leaves　had　been

rolled　round　ivory　vine…stocks　after　the　fashion　of　the　thyrsus；

blocks　of　snow　were　melting　on　ebony　trays；　and　lemons；　pomegranates；

gourds；　and　watermelons　formed　hillocks　beneath　the　lofty　silver

plate；　boars　with　open　jaws　were　wallowing　in　the　dust　of　spices；

hares；　covered　with　their　fur；　appeared　to　be　bounding　amid　the

flowers；　there　were　shells　filled　with　forcemeat；　the　pastry　had

symbolic　shapes；　when　the　covers　of　the　dishes　were　removed　doves　flew

out。



The　slaves；　meanwhile；　with　tunics　tucked　up；　were　going　about　on

tiptoe；　from　time　to　time　a　hymn　sounded　on　the　lyres；　or　a　choir　of

voices　rose。　The　clamour　of　the　people；　continuous　as　the　noise　of　the

sea；　floated　vaguely　around　the　feast；　and　seemed　to　lull　it　in　a

broader　harmony；　some　recalled　the　banquet　of　the　Mercenaries；　they

gave　themselves　up　to　dreams　of　happiness；　the　sun　was　beginning　to　go

down；　and　the　crescent　of　the　moon　was　already　rising　in　another　part

of　the　sky。



But　Salammbo　turned　her　head　as　though　some　one　had　called　her；　the

people；　who　were　watching　her；　followed　the　direction　of　her　eyes。



The　door　of　the　dungeon；　hewn　in　the　rock　at　the　foot　of　the　temple；

on　the　summit　of　the　Acropolis；　had　just　opened；　and　a　man　was

standing　on　the　threshold　of　this　black　hole。



He　came　forth　bent　double；　with　the　scared　look　of　fallow　deer　when

suddenly　enlarged。



The　light　dazzled　him；　he　stood　motionless　awhile。　All　had　recognised

him；　and　they　held　their　breath。



In　their　eyes　the　body　of　this　victim　was　something　peculiarly　theirs；

and　was　adorned　with　almost　religious　splendour。　They　bent　forward　to

see　him；　especially　the　women。　They　burned　to　gaze　upon　him　who　had

caused　the　deaths　of　their　children　and　husbands；　and　from　the　bottom

of　their　souls　there　sprang　up　in　spite　of　themselves　an　infamous

curiosity；　a　desire　to　know　him　completely；　a　wish　mingled　with

remorse　which　turned　to　increased　execration。



At　last　he　advanced；　then　the　stupefaction　of　surprise　disappeared。

Numbers　of　arms　were　raised；　and　he　was　lost　to　sight。



The　staircase　of　the　Acropolis　had　sixty　steps。　He　descended　them　as

though　he　were　rolled　down　in　a　torrent　from　the　top　of　a　mountain；

three　times　he　was　seen　to　leap；　and　then　he　alighted　below　on　his

feet。



His　shoulders　were　bleeding；　his　breast　was　panting　with　great　shocks；

and　he　made　such　efforts　to　burst　his　bonds　that　his　arms；　which　were

crossed　on　his　naked　loins；　swelled　like　pieces　of　a　serpent。



Several　streets　began　in　front　of　him；　leading　from　the　spot　at　which

he　found　himself。　In　each　of　them　a　triple　row　of　bronze　chains

fastened　to　the　navels　of　the　Pataec　gods　extended　in　parallel　lines

from　one　end　to　the　other；　the　crowd　was　massed　against　the　houses；

and　servants；　belonging　to　the　Ancients；　walked　in　the　middle

brandishing　thongs。



One　of　them　drove　him　forward　with　a　great　blow；　Matho　began　to　move。



They　thrust　their　arms　over　the　chains　shouting　out　that　the　road　had

been　left　too　wide　for　him；　and　he　passed　along；　felt；　pricked；　and

slashed　by　all　those　fingers；　when　he　reached　the　end　of　one　street

another　appeared；　several　times　he　flung　himself　to　one　side　to　bite

them；　they　speedily　dispersed；　the　chains　held　him　back；　and　the　crowd

burst　out　laughing。



A　child　rent　his　ear；　a　young　girl；　hiding　the　point　of　a　spindle　in


her　sleeve；　split　his　cheek；　they　tore　handfuls　of　hair　from　him　and

strips　of　flesh；　others　smeared　his　face　with　sponges　steeped　in　filth

and　fastened　upon　sticks。　A　stream　of　blood　started　from　the　right

side　of　his　neck；　frenzy　immediately　set　in。　This　last　Barbarian　was

to　them　a　representative　of　all　the　Barbarians；　and　all　the　army；　they

were　taking　vengeance　on　him　for　their　disasters；　their　terrors；　and

their　shame。　The　rage　of　the　mob　developed　with　its　gratification；　the

curving　chains　were　over…strained；　and　were　on　the　point　of　breaking；

the　people　did　not　feel　the　blows　of　the　slaves　who　struck　at　them　to

drive　them　back；　some　clung　to　the　projections　of　the　houses；　all　the

openings　in　the　walls　were　stopped　up　with　heads；　and　they　howled　at

him　the　mischief　that　they　could　not　inflict　upon　him。



It　was　atrocious；　filthy　abuse　mingled　with　ironical　encouragements

and　imprecations；　and；　his　present　tortures　not　being　enough　for　them；

they　foretold　to　him　others　that　should　be　still　more　terrible　in

eternity。



This　vast　baying　filled　Carthage　with　stupid　continuity。　Frequently　a

single　syllablea　hoarse；　deep；　and　frantic　intonationwould　be

repeated　for　several　minutes　by　the　entire　people。　The　walls　would

vibrate　with　it　from　top　to　bottom；　and　both　sides　of　the　street　would

seem　to　Matho　to　be　coming　against　him；　and　carrying　him　off　the

ground；　like　two　immense　arms　stifling　him　in　the　air。



Nevertheless　he　remembered　that　he　had　experienced　something　like　it

before。　The　same　crowd　was　on　the　terraces；　there　were　the　same　looks

and　the　same　wrath；　but　then　he　had　walked　free；　all　had　then

dispersed；　for　a　god　covered　him；and　the　recollection　of　this；

gaining　precision　by　degrees；　brought　a　crushing　sadness　upon　him。

Shadows　passed　before　his　eyes；　the　town　whirled　round　in　his　head；

his　blood　streamed　from　a　wound　in　his　hip；　he　felt　that　he　was　dying；

his　hams　bent；　and　he　sank　quite　gently　upon　the　pavement。



Some　one　went　to　the　peristyle　of　the　temple　of　Melkarth；　took　thence

the　bar　of　a　tripod；　heated　red　hot　in　the　coals；　and；　slipping　it

beneath　the　first　chain；　pressed　it　against　his　wound。　The　flesh　was

seen　to　smoke；　the　hootings　of　the　people　drowned　his　voice；　he　was

standing　again。



Six　paces　further　on；　and　he　fell　a　third　and　again　a　fourth　time；　but

some　new　torture　always　made　him　rise。　They　discharged　little　drops　of

boiling　oil　through　tubes　at　him；　they　strewed　pieces　of　broken　glass

beneath　his　feet；　still　he　walked　on。　At　the　corner　of　the　street　of

Satheb　he　leaned　his　back　against　the　wall　beneath　the　pent…house　of　a

shop；　and　advanced　no　further。



The　slaves　of　the　Council　struck　him　with　their　whips　of　hippopotamus

leather；　so　furiously　and　long　that　the　fringes　of　their　tunics　were

drenched　with　sweat。　Matho　appeared　insensible；　suddenly　he　started

off　and　began　to　run　at　random；　making　a　noise　with　his　l