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sobbing　quite　softly　with　her　head　in　the　hands　and　her　face　on　the

pavement。







CHAPTER　XI



IN　THE　TENT



The　man　who　guided　Salammbo　made　her　ascend　again　beyond　the　pharos　in

the　direction　of　the　Catacombs；　and　then　go　down　the　long　suburb　of

Molouya；　which　was　full　of　steep　lanes。　The　sky　was　beginning　to　grow

grey。　Sometimes　palm…wood　beams　jutting　out　from　the　walls　obliged

them　to　bend　their　heads。　The　two　horses　which　were　at　the　walk　would

often　slip；　and　thus　they　reached　the　Teveste　gate。



Its　heavy　leaves　were　half　open；　they　passed　through；　and　it　closed

behind　them。



At　first　they　followed　the　foot　of　the　ramparts　for　a　time；　and　at　the

height　of　the　cisterns　they　took　their　way　along　the　Taenia；　a　narrow

strip　of　yellow　earth　separating　the　gulf　from　the　lake　and　extending

as　far　as　Rhades。



No　one　was　to　be　seen　around　Carthage；　whether　on　the　sea　or　in　the

country。　The　slate…coloured　waves　chopped　softly；　and　the　light　wind

blowing　their　foam　hither　and　thither　spotted　them　with　white　rents。

In　spite　of　all　her　veils；　Salammbo　shivered　in　the　freshness　of　the

morning；　the　motion　and　the　open　air　dazed　her。　Then　the　sun　rose；　it

preyed　on　the　back　of　her　head；　and　she　involuntarily　dozed　a　little。

The　two　animals　rambled　along　side　by　side；　their　feet　sinking　into

the　silent　sand。



When　they　had　passed　the　mountain　of　the　Hot　Springs；　they　went　on　at

a　more　rapid　rate；　the　ground　being　firmer。



But　although　it　was　the　season　for　sowing　and　ploughing；　the　fields

were　as　empty　as　the　desert　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　Here　and

there　were　scattered　heaps　of　corn；　at　other　places　the　barley　was

shedding　its　reddened　ears。　The　villages　showed　black　upon　the　clear

horizon；　with　shapes　incoherently　carved。



From　time　to　time　a　half…calcined　piece　of　wall　would　be　found

standing　on　the　edge　of　the　road。　The　roofs　of　the　cottages　were

falling　in；　and　in　the　interiors　might　be　distinguished　fragments　of

pottery；　rags　of　clothing；　and　all　kinds　of　unrecognisable　utensils

and　broken　things。　Often　a　creature　clothed　in　tatters；　with　earthy

face　and　flaming　eyes　would　emerge　from　these　ruins。　But　he　would　very

quickly　begin　to　run　or　would　disappear　into　a　hole。　Salammbo　and　her

guide　did　not　stop。



Deserted　plains　succeeded　one　another。　Charcoal　dust　which　was　raised

by　their　feet　behind　them；　stretched　in　unequal　trails　over　large

spaces　of　perfectly　white　soil。　Sometimes　they　came　upon　little

peaceful　spots；　where　a　brook　flowed　amid　the　long　grass；　and　as　they

ascended　the　other　bank　Salammbo　would　pluck　damp　leaves　to　cool　her

hands。　At　the　corner　of　a　wood　of　rose…bays　her　horse　shied　violently

at　the　corpse　of　a　man　which　lay　extended　on　the　ground。



The　slave　immediately　settled　her　again　on　the　cushions。　He　was　one　of

the　servants　of　the　Temple；　a　man　whom　Schahabarim　used　to　employ　on

perilous　missions。



With　extreme　precaution　he　now　went　on　foot　beside　her　and　between　the

horses；　he　would　whip　the　animals　with　the　end　of　a　leathern　lace

wound　round　his　arm；　or　would　perhaps　take　balls　made　of　wheat；　dates；

and　yolks　of　eggs　wrapped　in　lotus　leaves　from　a　scrip　hanging　against

his　breast；　and　offer　them　to　Salammbo　without　speaking；　and　running

all　the　time。



In　the　middle　of　the　day　three　Barbarians　clad　in　animals'　skins

crossed　their　path。　By　degrees　others　appeared　wandering　in　troops　of

ten；　twelve；　or　twenty…five　men；　many　were　driving　goats　or　a　limping

cow。　Their　heavy　sticks　bristled　with　brass　points；　cutlasses　gleamed

in　their　clothes；　which　were　savagely　dirty；　and　they　opened　their

eyes　with　a　look　of　menace　and　amazement。　As　they　passed　some　sent

them　a　vulgar　benediction；　others　obscene　jests；　and　Schahabarim's　man

replied　to　each　in　his　own　idiom。　He　told　them　that　this　was　a　sick

youth　going　to　be　cured　at　a　distant　temple。



However；　the　day　was　closing　in。　Barkings　were　heard；　and　they

approached　them。



Then　in　the　twilight　they　perceived　an　enclosure　of　dry　stones

shutting　in　a　rambling　edifice。　A　dog　was　running　along　the　top　of　the

wall。　The　slave　threw　some　pebbles　at　him　and　they　entered　a　lofty

vaulted　hall。



A　woman　was　crouching　in　the　centre　warming　herself　at　a　fire　of

brushwood；　the　smoke　of　which　escaped　through　the　holes　in　the

ceiling。　She　was　half　hidden　by　her　white　hair　which　fell　to　her

knees；　and　unwilling　to　answer；　she　muttered　with　idiotic　look　words

of　vengeance　against　the　Barbarians　and　the　Carthaginians。



The　runner　ferreted　right　and　left。　Then　he　returned　to　her　and

demanded　something　to　eat。　The　old　woman　shook　her　head；　and　murmured

with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　charcoal：



〃I　was　the　hand。　The　ten　fingers　are　cut　off。　The　mouth　eats　no　more。〃



The　slave　showed　her　a　handful　of　gold　pieces。　She　rushed　upon　them；

but　soon　resumed　her　immobility。



At　last　he　placed　a　dagger　which　he　had　in　his　girdle　beneath　her

throat。　Then；　trembling；　she　went　and　raised　a　large　stone；　and

brought　back　an　amphora　of　wine　with　fish　from　Hippo…Zarytus　preserved

in　honey。



Salammbo　turned　away　from　this　unclean　food；　and　fell　asleep　on　the

horses'　caparisons　which　were　spread　in　a　corner　of　the　hall。



He　awoke　her　before　daylight。



The　dog　was　howling。　The　slave　went　up　to　it　quietly；　and　struck　off

its　head　with　a　single　blow　of　his　dagger。　Then　he　rubbed　the　horses'

nostrils　with　blood　to　revive　them。　The　old　woman　cast　a　malediction

at　him　from　behind。　Salammbo　perceived　this；　and　pressed　the　amulet

which　she　wore　above　her　heart。



They　resumed　their　journey。



From　time　to　time　she　asked　whether　they　would　not　arrive　soon。　The

road　undulated　over　little　hills。　Nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　the

grating　of　the　grasshoppers。　The　sun　heated　the　yellowed　grass；　the

ground　was　all　chinked　with　crevices　which　in　dividing　formed；　as　it

were；　monstrous　paving…stones。　Sometimes　a　viper　passed；　or　eagles

flew　by；　the　slave　still　continued　running。　Salammbo　mused　beneath　her

veils；　and　in　spite　of　the　heat　did　not　lay　them　aside　through　fear　of

soiling　her　beautiful　garments。



At　regular　distances　stood　towers　built　by　the　Carthaginians　for　the

purpose　of　keeping　watch　upon　the　tribes。　They　entered　these　for　the

sake　of　the　shade；　and　then　set　out　again。



For　prudence　sake　they　had　made　a　wide　detour　the　day　before。　But　they

met　with　no　one　just　now；　the　region　being　a　sterile　one；　the

Barbarians　had　not　passed　that　way。



Gradually　the　devastation　began　again。　Sometimes　a　piece　of　mosaic

would　be　displayed　in　the　centre　of　a　field；　the　sole　remnant　of　a

vanished　mansion；　and　the　leafless　olive　trees　looked　at　a　distance

like　large　bushes　of　thorns。　They　passed　through　a　town　in　which

houses　were　burnt　to　the　ground。　Human　skeletons　might　be　seen　along

the　walls。　There　were　some；　too；　of　dromedaries　and　mules。　Half…gnawed

carrion　blocked　the　streets。



Night　fell。　The　sky　was　lowering　and　cloudy。



They　ascended　again　for　two　hours　in　a　westerly　direction；　when

suddenly　they　perceived　a　quantity　of　little　flames　before　them。



These　were　shining　at　the　bottom　of　an　ampitheatre。　Gold　plates；　as

they　displaced　one　another；　glanced　here　and　there。　These　were　the

cuirasses　of　the　Clinabarians　in　the　Punic　camp；　then　in　the

neighbourhood　they　distinguished　other　and　more　numerous　lights；　for

the　armies　of　the　Mercenaries；　now　blended　together；　extended　over　a

great　space。



Salammbo　made　a　movement　as　though　to　advance。　But　Schahabarim's　man

took　her　further　away；　and　they　passed　along　by　the　terrace　which

enclosed　the　camp　of　the　Barbarians。　A　breach　became　visible　in　it；

and　the　slave　disappeared。



A　sentry　was　walking　upon　the　top　of　the　entrenchment　with　a　bow　in

his　hand　and　a　pike　on　his　shoulder。



Salammbo　drew　still　nearer；　the　Barbarian　knelt　and　a　long　arrow

pierced　the　hem　of　her　cloak。　Then　as　she　stood　motionless　and

shrieking；　he　asked　her　what　she　wanted。



〃To　speak　to　Matho；〃　she　replied。　〃I　am　a　fugitive　from　Carthage。〃



He　gave　a　whistle；　which　was　repeated　at　intervals　further　away。



Salammbo　waited；　her　frightened　horse　moved　round　and　round；　sniffing。



When　Matho　arrived　the　moon　was　rising　behind　her。　But　she　had　a

yellow　veil　with　black　flowers　over　her　face；　and　so　many　draperies

about　her　person；　that　it　was　impossible　to　make　any　guess　about　her。

From　the　top　of　the　terrace　he　gazed　upon　this　vague　form　standing　up

like　a　phantom　in　the　penumbrae　of　the　evening。



At　last　she　said　to　him：



〃Lead　me　to　your　tent！　I　wish　it！〃



A　recollection　which　he　could　not　define　passed　through　his　memory。　He

felt　his　heart　beating。　The　air　of　command　intimidated　him。



〃Follow　me！〃　he　said。



The　barrier　was　lowered；　and　immediately　she　was　in　the　camp　of　the

Barbarians。



It　was　filled　with　a　great　tumult　and　a　great　throng。　Bright　fires

were　burning　beneath　hanging　pots；　and　their　purpled　reflections

illuminating　some　places　left　others　completely　in　the　dark。　There　was

shouting　and　calling；　shackled　horses　formed　long　straight　lines　amid

the　tents；　the　latter　were　round　and　square；　of　leather　or　of　canvas；

there　were　huts　of　reeds；　and　holes　in　the　sand　such　as　are　made　by

dogs。　Soldiers　were　carting　faggots；　resting　on　their　elbows　on　the

ground；　or　wrapping　themselves　up　in　mats　and　preparing　to　sleep；　and

Salammbo's　horse　sometimes　stretched　out　a　leg　and　jumped　in　order　to

pass　over　them。



She　remembered　that　she　had　seen　them　before；　but　their　beards　were

longer　now；　their　faces　still　blacker；　and　their　voices　hoarser。

Matho；　who　walked　before　her；　waved　them　off　with　a　gesture　of　his　arm

which　raised　his　red　mantle。　Some　kissed　his　hands；　others　bending

their　spines　approached　him　to　ask　for　orders；　for　he　was　now

veritable　and　sole　chief　of　the　Barbarians；　Spendius；　Autaritus；　and

N