第76章

Narr' Havas had in fact wished to aggrandise himself by encroachments upon the Punic provinces, and had alternately assisted and forsaken the Mercenaries according to the chances of victory.But seeing that Hamilcar would ultimately prove the stronger, he had gone over to him;and in his desertion there was perhaps something of a grudge against Matho, whether on account of the command or of his former love.

The Suffet listened without interrupting him.The man who thus presented himself with an army where vengeance was his due was not an auxiliary to be despised; Hamilcar at once divined the utility of such an alliance in his great projects.With the Numidians he would get rid of the Libyans.Then he would draw off the West to the conquest of Iberia; and, without asking Narr' Havas why he had not come sooner, or noticing any of his lies, he kissed him, striking his breast thrice against his own.

It was to bring matters to an end and in despair that he had fired the camp of the Libyans.This army came to him like a relief from the gods; dissembling his joy he replied:

"May the Baals favour you! I do not know what the Republic will do for you, but Hamilcar is not ungrateful."The tumult increased; some captains entered.He was arming himself as he spoke.

"Come, return! You will use your horsemen to beat down their infantry between your elephants and mine.Courage! exterminate them!"And Narr' Havas was rushing away when Salammbo appeared.

She leaped down quickly from her horse.She opened her ample cloak and spreading out her arms displayed the zaimph.

The leathern tent, which was raised at the corners, left visible the entire circuit of the mountain with its thronging soldiers, and as it was in the centre Salammbo could be seen on all sides.An immense shouting burst forth, a long cry of triumph and hope.Those who were marching stopped; the dying leaned on their elbows and turned round to bless her.All the Barbarians knew now that she had recovered the zaimph; they saw her or believed that they saw her from a distance;and other cries, but those of rage and vengeance, resounded in spite of the plaudits of the Carthaginians.Thus did the five armies in tiers upon the mountain stamp and shriek around Salammbo.

Hamilcar, who was unable to speak, nodded her his thanks.His eyes were directed alternately upon the zaimph and upon her, and he noticed that her chainlet was broken.Then he shivered, being seized with a terrible suspicion.But soon recovering his impassibility he looked sideways at Narr' Havas without turning his face.

The king of the Numidians held himself apart in a discreet attitude;on his forehead he bore a little of the dust which he had touched when prostrating himself.At last the Suffet advanced towards him with a look full of gravity.

"As a reward for the services which you have rendered me, Narr' Havas, I give you my daughter.Be my son," he added, "and defend your father!"Narr' Havas gave a great gesture of surprise; then he threw himself upon Hamilcar's hands and covered them with kisses.

Salammbo, calm as a statue, did not seem to understand.She blushed a little as she cast down her eyelids, and her long curved lashes made shadows upon her cheeks.

Hamilcar wished to unite them immediately in indissoluble betrothal.Alance was placed in Salammbo's hands and by her offered to Narr'

Havas; their thumbs were tied together with a thong of ox-leather;then corn was poured upon their heads, and the grains that fell around them rang like rebounding hail.