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, standingmotionless 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

• distinct [di´stiŋkt] a.清楚的；独特的 (初中英语单词)


• account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)


• planet [´plænit] n.行星 (初中英语单词)


• moreover [mɔ:´rəuvə] ad.再者，此外，而且 (初中英语单词)


• supreme [su:´pri:m, sju:-] a.最高的，无上的 (初中英语单词)


• advanced [əd´vɑ:nst] a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词)


• nevertheless [,nevəðə´les] conj.&ad.然而；不过 (初中英语单词)


• descend [di´send] v.下来，下降 (初中英语单词)


• distinction [di´stiŋkʃən] n.差别；特征；卓越 (初中英语单词)


• compose [kəm´pəuz] v.组成；创作；作曲 (初中英语单词)


• goddess [´gɔdis] n.女神 (初中英语单词)


• running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)


• virtue [´və:tʃu:] n.美德；贞操；长处 (初中英语单词)


• contrary [´kɔntrəri] a.相反的 n.相反 (初中英语单词)


• doctrine [´dɔktrin] n.教义；主义；学说 (初中英语单词)


• priest [pri:st] n.教士；牧师；神父 (初中英语单词)


• obtain [əb´tein] v.获得；买到；得到承认 (初中英语单词)


• destruction [di´strʌkʃən] n.破坏，毁灭 (初中英语单词)


• gently [´dʒentli] ad.温和地；静静地 (初中英语单词)


• proportion [prə´pɔ:ʃən] n.比率 vt.使成比例 (初中英语单词)


• conscience [´kɔnʃəns] n.良心；道德心 (初中英语单词)


• restore [ri´stɔ:] vt.(使)恢复；修复 (初中英语单词)


• standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)


• phrase [freiz] n.短语；词组；措词 (初中英语单词)


• whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)


• undertake [,ʌndə´teik] vt.从事；承担；担保 (初中英语单词)


• humble [´hʌmbəl] a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词)


• temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)


• departure [di´pɑ:tʃə] n.离开，出发 (初中英语单词)


• horizon [hə´raizən] n.地平线；范围；视野 (初中英语单词)


• resolve [ri´zɔlv] v.决心 n.决心；刚毅 (初中英语单词)


• mystery [´mistəri] n.神秘；秘密；故弄玄虚 (初中英语单词)


• apartment [ə´pɑ:tmənt] n.一套房间 (初中英语单词)


• formula [´fɔ:mjulə] n.公式；配方；原则 (高中英语单词)


• secretly [´si:kritli] ad.秘密地；隐蔽地 (高中英语单词)


• misfortune [mis´fɔ:tʃən] n.不幸；灾祸 (高中英语单词)


• tumult [´tju:mʌlt, ´tu:-] n.喧哗；激昂；烦乱 (高中英语单词)


• melancholy [´melənkəli] n.忧郁 a.忧郁的 (高中英语单词)


• bronze [brɔnz] n.青铜(器) (高中英语单词)


• equality [i´kwɔliti] n.同等，平等 (高中英语单词)


• terrace [´terəs] n.梯田 vt.使成梯田 (高中英语单词)


• strove [strəuv] strive的过去式 (高中英语单词)


• fertile [´fə:tail] a.肥沃的；有繁殖力的 (高中英语单词)


• disdain [dis´dein] vt.&n.藐视，轻视 (高中英语单词)


• homage [´hɔmidʒ] n.敬意，尊敬 (高中英语单词)


• serpent [´sə:pənt] n.大毒蛇；阴险的人 (高中英语单词)


• hanging [´hæŋiŋ] n.绞刑 a.悬挂着的 (高中英语单词)


• certainty [´sə:tənti] n.确实(性)；确信 (高中英语单词)


• repeated [ri´pi:tid] a.反复的；重复的 (高中英语单词)


• motionless [´məuʃənləs] a.静止的；固定的 (高中英语单词)


• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)


• behalf [bi´hɑ:f] n.利益 (高中英语单词)


• mantle [´mæntl] n.斗蓬 v.覆盖；笼罩 (高中英语单词)


• pronounced [prə´naunst] a.发出音的；显著的 (高中英语单词)


• suburb [´sʌbə:b] n.郊区；附近 (高中英语单词)


• girdle [´gə:dl] n.腰带 vt.用带束(缠) (高中英语单词)


• prodigious [prə´didʒəs] a.惊人的；巨大的 (英语四级单词)


• emerald [´emərəld] n.纯绿宝石；翠绿色 (英语四级单词)


• barefooted [beə´futid] ad.&a.赤脚(的) (英语四级单词)


• languish [´læŋgwiʃ] vi.变得衰弱无力 (英语四级单词)


• remorse [ri´mɔ:s] n.懊悔；自责；同情 (英语四级单词)


• inflame [in´fleim] v.(使)发炎；恼火 (英语四级单词)


• reparation [,repə´reiʃən] n.补偿；补救 (英语四级单词)


• uproar [´ʌprɔ:] n.喧嚣；骚动；轰鸣，轰动 (英语四级单词)


• galley [´gæli] n.单层甲板大帆船 (英语四级单词)


• cypress [´saipris] n.丝柏(枝) (英语四级单词)


• stature [´stætʃə] n.身高；身材 (英语四级单词)


• vanquish [´væŋkwiʃ] vt.征服，克服；击败 (英语四级单词)


• devoted [di´vəutid] a.献身…的，忠实的 (英语四级单词)


• blessed [´blesid] a.享福的；神圣的 (英语四级单词)


• sicily [´sisili] n.西西里(岛) (英语四级单词)


• discretion [di´skreʃən] n.谨慎；判断(力) (英语四级单词)


• inability [,inə´biliti] n.无能，无力 (英语六级单词)


• forsaken [fə´seik] forsake的过去分词 (英语六级单词)


• outstretched [,aut´stretʃt] a.扩张的；伸长的 (英语六级单词)


• calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)


• mystic [´mistik] a.神秘的；难以理解的 (英语六级单词)


• pitiless [´pitiləs] a.无怜悯心的；无情的 (英语六级单词)


• manifestation [,mænife´steiʃən] n.表明；现象 (英语六级单词)


• deplore [di´plɔ:] vt.哀悼，悲叹 (英语六级单词)


• abandoned [ə´bændənd] a.被抛弃的；无约束的 (英语六级单词)


• retired [ri´taiəd] a.退休的；通职的 (英语六级单词)


• speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)