salammbo- 第21部分

hundred　and　twelve　elephants　that　were　lodged　in　the　ramparts。　They

were　the　conquerors　of　Regulus；　the　people　loved　them；　it　was

impossible　to　treat　such　old　friends　too　well。　Hanno　had　the　brass

plates　which　adorned　their　breasts　recast；　their　tusks　gilt；　their

towers　enlarged；　and　caparisons；　edged　with　very　heavy　fringes；　cut

out　of　the　handsomest　purple。　Finally；　as　their　drivers　were　called

Indians　（after　the　first　ones；　no　doubt；　who　came　from　the　Indies）　he

ordered　them　all　to　be　costumed　after　the　Indian　fashion；　that　is　to

say；　with　white　pads　round　their　temples；　and　small　drawers　of　byssus；

which　with　their　transverse　folds　looked　like　two　valves　of　a　shell

applied　to　the　hips。



The　army　under　Autaritus　still　remained　before　Tunis。　It　was　hidden

behind　a　wall　made　with　mud　from　the　lake；　and　protected　on　the　top　by

thorny　brushwood。　Some　Negroes　had　planted　tall　sticks　here　and　there

bearing　frightful　faces；human　masks　made　with　birds'　feathers；　and

jackals'　or　serpents'　heads；which　gaped　towards　the　enemy　for　the

purpose　of　terrifying　him；　and　the　Barbarians；　reckoning　themselves

invincible　through　these　means；　danced；　wrestled；　and　juggled；

convinced　that　Carthage　would　perish　before　long。　Any　one　but　Hanno

would　easily　have　crushed　such　a　multitude；　hampered　as　it　was　with

herds　and　women。　Moreover；　they　knew　nothing　of　drill；　and　Autaritus

was　so　disheartened　that　he　had　ceased　to　require　it。



They　stepped　aside　when　he　passed　by　rolling　his　big　blue　eyes。　Then

on　reaching　the　edge　of　the　lake　he　would　draw　back　his　sealskin

cloak；　unfasten　the　cord　which　tied　up　his　long　red　hair；　and　soak　the

latter　in　the　water。　He　regretted　that　he　had　not　deserted　to　the

Romans　along　with　the　two　thousand　Gauls　of　the　temple　of　Eryx。



Often　the　sun　would　suddenly　lose　his　rays　in　the　middle　of　the　day。

Then　the　gulf　and　the　open　sea　would　seem　as　motionless　as　molten

lead。　A　cloud　of　brown　dust　stretching　perpendicularly　would　speed

whirling　along；　the　palm　trees　would　bend　and　the　sky　disappear；　while

stones　would　be　heard　rebounding　on　the　animals'　cruppers；　and　the

Gaul；　his　lips　glued　against　the　holes　in　his　tent；　would　gasp　with

exhaustion　and　melancholy。　His　thoughts　would　be　of　the　scent　of　the

pastures　on　autumn　mornings；　of　snowflakes；　or　of　the　bellowing　of　the

urus　lost　in　the　fog；　and　closing　his　eyelids　he　would　in　imagination

behold　the　fires　in　long；　straw…roofed　cottages　flickering　on　the

marshes　in　the　depths　of　the　woods。



Others　regretted　their　native　lands　as　well　as　he；　even　though　they

might　not　be　so　far　away。　Indeed　the　Carthaginian　captives　could

distinguish　the　velaria　spread　over　the　courtyards　of　their　houses；

beyond　the　gulf　on　the　slopes　of　Byrsa。　But　sentries　marched　round

them　continually。　They　were　all　fastened　to　a　common　chain。　Each　one

wore　an　iron　carcanet；　and　the　crowd　was　never　weary　of　coming　to　gaze

at　them。　The　women　would　show　their　little　children　the　handsome　robes

hanging　in　tatters　on　their　wasted　limbs。



Whenever　Autaritus　looked　at　Gisco　he　was　seized　with　rage　at　the

recollection　of　the　insult　that　he　had　received；　and　he　would　have

killed　him　but　for　the　oath　which　he　had　taken　to　Narr'　Havas。　Then　he

would　go　back　into　his　tent　and　drink　a　mixture　of　barley　and　cumin

until　he　swooned　away　from　intoxication；to　awake　afterwards　in　broad

daylight　consumed　with　horrible　thirst。



Matho；　meanwhile；　was　besieging　Hippo…Zarytus。　But　the　town　was

protected　by　a　lake；　communicating　with　the　sea。　It　had　three　lines　of

circumvallation；　and　upon　the　heights　which　surrounded　it　there

extended　a　wall　fortified　with　towers。　He　had　never　commanded　in　such

an　enterprise　before。　Moreover；　he　was　beset　with　thoughts　of

Salammbo；　and　he　raved　in　the　delight　of　her　beauty　as　in　the

sweetness　of　a　vengeance　that　transported　him　with　pride。　He　felt　an

acrid；　frenzied；　permanent　want　to　see　her　again。　He　even　thought　of

presenting　himself　as　the　bearer　of　a　flag　of　truce；　in　the　hope　that

once　within　Carthage　he　might　make　his　way　to　her。　Often　he　would

cause　the　assault　to　be　sounded　and　waiting　for　nothing　rush　upon　the

mole　which　it　was　sought　to　construct　in　the　sea。　He　would　snatch　up

the　stones　with　his　hands；　overturn；　strike；　and　deal　sword…thrusts

everywhere。　The　Barbarians　would　dash　on　pell…mell；　the　ladders　would

break　with　a　loud　crash；　and　masses　of　men　would　tumble　into　the

water；　causing　it　to　fly　up　in　red　waves　against　the　walls。　Finally

the　tumult　would　subside；　and　the　soldiers　would　retire　to　make　a

fresh　beginning。



Matho　would　go　and　seat　himself　outside　the　tents；　wipe　his　blood…

splashed　face　with　his　arm；　and　gaze　at　the　horizon　in　the　direction

of　Carthage。



In　front　of　him；　among　the　olives；　palms；　myrtles　and　planes；

stretched　two　broad　ponds　which　met　another　lake；　the　outlines　of

which　could　not　be　seen。　Behind　one　mountain　other　mountains　reared

themselves；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　immense　lake　rose　an　island

perfectly　black　and　pyramidal　in　form。　On　the　left；　at　the　extremity

of　the　gulf；　were　sand…heaps　like　arrested　waves；　large　and　pale；

while　the　sea；　flat　as　a　pavement　of　lapis…lazuli；　ascended　by

insensible　degrees　to　the　edge　of　the　sky。　The　verdure　of　the　country

was　lost　in　places　beneath　long　sheets　of　yellow；　carobs　were　shining

like　knobs　of　coral；　vine　branches　drooped　from　the　tops　of　the

sycamores；　the　murmuring　of　the　water　could　be　heard；　crested　larks

were　hopping　about；　and　the　sun's　latest　fires　gilded　the　carapaces　of

the　tortoises　as　they　came　forth　from　the　reeds　to　inhale　the　breeze。



Matho　would　heave　deep　sighs。　He　would　lie　flat　on　his　face；　with　his

nails　buried　in　the　soil；　and　weep；　he　felt　wretched；　paltry；

forsaken。　Never　would　he　possess　her；　and　he　was　unable　even　to　take　a

town。



At　night　when　alone　in　his　tent　he　would　gaze　upon　the　zaimph。　Of　what

use　to　him　was　this　thing　which　belonged　to　the　gods？and　doubt　crept

into　the　Barbarian's　thoughts。　Then；　on　the　contrary；　it　would　seem　to

him　that　the　vesture　of　the　goddess　was　depending　from　Salammbo；　and

that　a　portion　of　her　soul　hovered　in　it；　subtler　than　a　breath；　and

he　would　feel　it；　breathe　it　in；　bury　his　face　in　it；　and　kiss　it　with

sobs。　He　would　cover　his　shoulders　with　it　in　order　to　delude　himself

that　he　was　beside　her。



Sometimes　he　would　suddenly　steal　away；　stride　in　the　starlight　over

the　sleeping　soldiers　as　they　lay　wrapped　in　their　cloaks；　spring

upon　a　horse　on　reaching　the　camp　gates；　and　two　hours　later　be　at

Utica　in　Spendius's　tent。



At　first　he　would　speak　of　the　siege；　but　his　coming　was　only　to　ease

his　sorrow　by　talking　about　Salammbo。　Spendius　exhorted　him　to　be

prudent。



〃Drive　away　these　trifles　from　your　soul；　which　is　degraded　by　them！

Formerly　you　were　used　to　obey；　now　you　command　an　army；　and　if

Carthage　is　not　conquered　we　shall　at　least　be　granted　provinces。　We

shall　become　kings！〃



But　how　was　it　that　the　possession　of　the　zaimph　did　not　give　them　the

victory？　According　to　Spendius　they　must　wait。



Matho　fancied　that　the　veil　affected　people　of　Chanaanitish　race

exclusively；　and；　in　his　Barbarian…like　subtlety；　he　said　to　himself：

〃The　zaimph　will　accordingly　do　nothing　for　me；　but　since　they　have

lost　it；　it　will　do　nothing　for　them。〃



Afterwards　a　scruple　troubled　him。　He　was　afraid　of　offending　Moloch

by　worshipping　Aptouknos；　the　god　of　the　Libyans；　and　he　timidly　asked

Spendius　to　which　of　the　gods　it　would　be　advisable　to　sacrifice　a

man。



〃Keep　on　sacrificing！〃　laughed　Spendius。



Matho；　who　could　not　understand　such　indifference；　suspected　the　Greek

of　having　a　genius　of　whom　he　did　not　speak。



All　modes　of　worship；　as　well　as　all　races；　were　to　be　met　with　in

these　armies　of　Barbarians；　and　consideration　was　had　to　the　gods　of

others；　for　they　too；　inspired　fear。　Many　mingled　foreign　practices

with　their　native　religion。　It　was　to　no　purpose　that　they　did　not

adore　the　stars；　if　a　constellation　were　fatal　or　helpful；　sacrifices

were　offered　to　it；　an　unknown　amulet　found　by　chance　at　a　moment　of

peril　became　a　divinity；　or　it　might　be　a　name　and　nothing　more；　which

would　be　repeated　without　any　attempt　to　understand　its　meaning。　But

after　pillaging　temples；　and　seeing　numbers　of　nations　and　slaughters；

many　ultimately　ceased　to　believe　in　anything　but　destiny　and　death；

and　every　evening　these　would　fall　asleep　with　the　placidity　of　wild

beasts。　Spendius　had　spit　upon　the　images　of　Jupiter　Olympius；

nevertheless　he　dreaded　to　speak　aloud　in　the　dark；　nor　did　he　fail

every　day　to　put　on　his　right　boot　first。



He　reared　a　long　quadrangular　terrace　in　front　of　Utica；　but　in

proportion　as　it　ascended　the　rampart　was　also　heightened；　and　what

was　thrown　down　by　the　one　side　was　almost　immediately　raised　again　by

the　other。　Spendius　took　care　of　his　men；　he　dreamed　of　plans　and