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dried　up；　and　their　helmets　were　filled　with　powdery　skulls；　feet

which　had　lost　their　flesh　stood　out　straight　from　the　knemides；

skeletons　still　wore　their　cloaks；　and　bones；　cleaned　by　the　sun；　made

gleaming　spots　in　the　midst　of　the　sand。



The　lions　were　resting　with　their　breasts　against　the　ground　and　both

paws　stretched　out；　winking　their　eyelids　in　the　bright　daylight；

which　was　heightened　by　the　reflection　from　the　white　rocks。　Others

were　seated　on　their　hind…quarters　and　staring　before　them；　or　else

were　sleeping；　rolled　into　a　ball　and　half　hidden　by　their　great

manes；　they　all　looked　well　fed；　tired；　and　dull。　They　were　as

motionless　as　the　mountain　and　the　dead。　Night　was　falling；　the　sky

was　striped　with　broad　red　bands　in　the　west。



In　one　of　the　heaps；　which　in　an　irregular　fashion　embossed　the　plain；

something　rose　up　vaguer　than　a　spectre。　Then　one　of　the　lions　set

himself　in　motion；　his　monstrous　form　cutting　a　black　shadow　on　the

background　of　the　purple　sky；　and　when　he　was　quite　close　to　the　man；

he　knocked　him　down　with　a　single　blow　of　his　paw。



Then；　stretching　himself　flat　upon　him；　he　slowly　drew　out　the

entrails　with　the　edge　of　his　teeth。



Afterwards　he　opened　his　huge　jaws；　and　for　some　minutes　uttered　a

lengthened　roar　which　was　repeated　by　the　echoes　in　the　mountain；　and

was　finally　lost　in　the　solitude。



Suddenly　some　small　gravel　rolled　down　from　above。　The　rustling　of

rapid　steps　was　heard；　and　in　the　direction　of　the　portcullis　and　of

the　gorge　there　appeared　pointed　muzzles　and　straight　ears；　with

gleaming；　tawny　eyes。　These　were　the　jackals　coming　to　eat　what　was

left。



The　Carthaginian；　who　was　leaning　over　the　top　of　the　precipice　to

look；　went　back　again。







CHAPTER　XV



MATHO



There　were　rejoicings　at　Carthage；rejoicings　deep；　universal；

extravagant；　frantic；　the　holes　of　the　ruins　had　been　stopped　up；　the

statues　of　the　gods　had　been　repainted；　the　streets　were　strewn　with

myrtle　branches；　incense　smoked　at　the　corners　of　the　crossways；　and

the　throng　on　the　terraces　looked；　in　their　variegated　garments；　like

heaps　of　flowers　blooming　in　the　air。



The　shouts　of　the　water…carriers　watering　the　pavement　rose　above　the

continual　screaming　of　voices；　slaves　belonging　to　Hamilcar　offered　in

his　name　roasted　barley　and　pieces　of　raw　meat；　people　accosted　one

another；　and　embraced　one　another　with　tears；　the　Tyrian　towns　were

taken；　the　nomads　dispersed；　and　all　the　Barbarians　annihilated。　The

Acropolis　was　hidden　beneath　coloured　velaria；　the　beaks　of　the

triremes；　drawn　up　in　line　outside　the　mole；　shone　like　a　dyke　of

diamonds；　everywhere　there　was　a　sense　of　the　restoration　of　order；

the　beginning　of　a　new　existence；　and　the　diffusion　of　vast　happiness：

it　was　the　day　of　Salammbo's　marriage　with　the　King　of　the　Numidians。



On　the　terrace　of　the　temple　of　Khamon　there　were　three　long　tables

laden　with　gigantic　plate；　at　which　the　priests；　Ancients；　and　the

rich　were　to　sit；　and　there　was　a　fourth　and　higher　one　for　Hamilcar；

Narr'　Havas；　and　Salammbo；　for　as　she　had　saved　her　country　by　the

restoration　of　the　zaimph；　the　people　turned　her　wedding　day　into　a

national　rejoicing；　and　were　waiting　in　the　square　below　till　she

should　appear。



But　their　impatience　was　excited　by　another　and　more　acrid　longing：

Matho's　death　has　been　promised　for　the　ceremony。



It　had　been　proposed　at　first　to　flay　him　alive；　to　pour　lead　into　his

entrails；　to　kill　him　with　hunger；　he　should　be　tied　to　a　tree；　and　an

ape　behind　him　should　strike　him　on　the　head　with　a　stone；　he　had

offended　Tanith；　and　the　cynocephaluses　of　Tanith　should　avenge　her。

Others　were　of　opinion　that　he　should　be　led　about　on　a　dromedary

after　linen　wicks；　dipped　in　oil；　had　been　inserted　in　his　body　in

several　places；and　they　took　pleasure　in　the　thought　of　the　large

animal　wandering　through　the　streets　with　this　man　writhing　beneath

the　fires　like　a　candelabrum　blown　about　by　the　wind。



But　what　citizens　should　be　charged　with　his　torture；　and　why

disappoint　the　rest？　They　would　have　liked　a　kind　of　death　in　which

the　whole　town　might　take　part；　in　which　every　hand；　every　weapon；

everything　Carthaginian；　to　the　very　paving…stones　in　the　streets　and

the　waves　in　the　gulf；　could　rend　him；　and　crush　him；　and　annihilate

him。　Accordingly　the　Ancients　decided　that　he　should　go　from　his

prison　to　the　square　of　Khamon　without　any　escort；　and　with　his　arms

fastened　to　his　back；　it　was　forbidden　to　strike　him　to　the　heart；　in

order　that　he　might　live　the　longer；　to　put　out　his　eyes；　so　that　he

might　see　the　torture　through；　to　hurl　anything　against　his　person；　or

to　lay　more　than　three　fingers　upon　him　at　a　time。



Although　he　was　not　to　appear　until　the　end　of　the　day；　the　people

sometimes　fancied　that　he　could　be　seen；　and　the　crowd　would　rush

towards　the　Acropolis；　and　empty　the　streets；　to　return　with

lengthened　murmurings。　Some　people　had　remained　standing　in　the　same

place　since　the　day　before；　and　they　would　call　on　one　another　from　a

distance　and　show　their　nails　which　they　had　allowed　to　grow；　the

better　to　bury　them　into　his　flesh。　Others　walked　restlessly　up　and

down；　some　were　as　pale　as　though　they　were　awaiting　their　own

execution。



Suddenly　lofty　feather　fans　rose　above　the　heads；　behind　the　Mappalian

district。　It　was　Salammbo　leaving　her　palace；　a　sigh　of　relief　found

vent。



But　the　procession　was　long　in　coming；　it　marched　with　deliberation。



First　there　filed　past　the　priests　of　the　Pataec　Gods；　then　those　of

Eschmoun；　of　Melkarth；　and　all　the　other　colleges　in　succession；　with

the　same　insignia；　and　in　the　same　order　as　had　been　observed　at　the

time　of　the　sacrifice。　The　pontiffs　of　Moloch　passed　with　heads　bent；

and　the　multitude　stood　aside　from　them　in　a　kind　of　remorse。　But　the

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