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Salammbo-Part23_Gustave Flaubert(1821-1880)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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his vengeance grew easier of conception he almost believed that he had



realised it and he revelled in it already. At the same time he was

seized with a loftier tenderness, and consumed by more acrid desire.



He saw himself alternately in the midst of the soldiers brandishing

the Suffet's head on a pike, and then in the room with the purple bed,



clasping the maiden in his arms, covering her face with kisses,

passing his hands over her long, black hair; and the imagination of



this, which he knew could never be realised, tortured him. He swore to

himself that, since his companions had appointed him schalishim, he



would conduct the war; the certainty that he would not return from it

urged him to render it a pitiless one.



He came to Spendius and said to him:

"You will go and get your men! I will bring mine! Warn Autaritus! We



are lost if Hamilcar attacks us! Do you understand me? Rise!"

Spendius was stupefied before such an air of authority. Matho usually



allowed himself to be led, and his previous transports had quickly

passed away. But just now he appeared at once calmer and more



terrible; a superb will gleamed in his eyes like the flame of

sacrifice.



The Greek did not listen to his reasons. He was living in one of the

Carthaginian pearl-bordered tents, drinking cool beverages from silver



cups, playing at the cottabos, letting his hair grow, and conducting

the siege with slackness. Moreover, he had entered into communications



with some in the town and would not leave, being sure that it would

open its gates before many days were over.



Narr' Havas, who wandered about among the three armies, was at that

time with him. He supported his opinion, and even blamed the Libyan



for wishing in his excess of courage to abandon their enterprise.

"Go, if you are afraid!" exclaimed Matho; "you promised us pitch,



sulphur, elephants, foot-soldiers, horses! where are they?"

Narr' Havas reminded him that he had exterminated Hanno's last



cohorts;--as to the elephants, they were being hunted in the woods, he

was arming the foot-soldiers, the horses were on their way; and the



Numidian rolled his eyes like a woman and smiled in an irritating

manner as he stroked the ostrichfeather which fell upon his shoulder.



In his presence Matho was at a loss for a reply.

But a man who was a stranger entered, wet with perspiration, scared,



and with bleeding feet and loosened girdle; his breathing shook his

lean sides enough to have burst them, and speaking in an



unintelligible dialect he opened his eyes wide as if he were telling

of some battle. The king sprang outside and called his horsemen.



They ranged themselves in the plain before him in the form of a

circle. Narr' Havas, who was mounted, bent his head and bit his lips.



At last he separated his men into two equal divisions, and told the

first to wait; then with an imperiousgesture he carried off the



others at a gallop and disappeared on the horizon in the direction of

the mountains.



"Master!" murmured Spendius, "I do not like these extraordinary

chances--the Suffet returning, Narr' Havas going away--"



"Why! what does it matter?" said Matho disdainfully.

It was a reason the more for anticipating Hamilcar by uniting with



Autaritus. But if the siege of the towns were raised, the inhabitants

would come out and attack them in the rear, while they would have the



Carthaginians in front. After much talking the following measures were

resolved upon and immediately executed.



Spendius proceeded with fifteen thousand men as far as the bridge

built across the Macaras, three miles from Utica; the corners of it



were fortified with four huge towers provided with catapults; all the

paths and gorges in the mountains were stopped up with trunks of



trees, pieces of rock, interlacings of thorn, and stone walls; on the

summits heaps of grass were made which might be lighted as signals,



and shepherds who were able to see at a distance were posted at

intervals.



No doubt Hamilcar would not, like Hanno, advance by the mountain of

the Hot Springs. He would think that Autaritus, being master of the



interior, would close the route against him. Moreover, a check at the

opening of the campaign would ruin him, while if he gained a victory



he would soon have to make a fresh beginning, the Mercenaries being

further off. Again, he could disembark at Cape Grapes and march thence



upon one of the towns. But he would then find himself between the two

armies, an indiscretion which he could not commit with his scanty






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