"What orders to you give me, Mistress? for if you are to remain away--"But Salammbo was sobbing; the slave exclaimed:
"You are suffering! what is the matter? Do not go away! take me! When you were quite little and used to cry, I took you to my heart and made you laugh with the points of my breasts; you have drained them, Mistress!" She struck herself upon her dried-up bosom."Now I am old!
I can do nothing for you! you no longer love me! you hide your griefs from me, you despise the nurse!" And tears of tenderness and vexation flowed down her cheeks in the gashes of her tattooing.
"No!" said Salammbo, "no, I love you! be comforted!"With a smile like the grimace of an old ape, Taanach resumed her task.
In accordance with Schahabarim's recommendations, Salammbo had ordered the slave to make her magnificent; and she was obeying her mistress with barbaric taste full at once of refinement and ingenuity.
Over a first delicate and vinous-coloured tunic she passed a second embroidered with birds' feathers.Golden scales clung to her hips, and from this broad girdle descended her blue flowing silver-starred trousers.Next Taanach put upon her a long robe made of the cloth of the country of Seres, white and streaked with green lines.On the edge of her shoulder she fastened a square of purple weighted at the hem with grains of sandastrum; and above all these garments she placed a black mantle with a flowing train; then she gazed at her, and proud of her work could not help saying:
"You will not be more beautiful on the day of your bridal!""My bridal!" repeated Salammbo; she was musing with her elbow resting upon the ivory chair.
But Taanach set up before her a copper mirror, which was so broad and high that she could see herself completely in it.Then she rose, and with a light touch of her finger raised a lock of her hair which was falling too low.
Her hair was covered with gold dust, was crisped in front, and hung down behind over her back in long twists ending in pearls.The brightness of the candelabra heightened the paint on her cheeks, the gold on her garments, and the whiteness of her skin; around her waist, and on her arms, hands and toes, she had such a wealth of gems that the mirror sent back rays upon her like a sun;--and Salammbo, standing by the side of Taanach, who leaned over to see her, smiled amid this dazzling display.
Then she walked to and fro embarrassed by the time that was still left.
Suddenly the crow of a cock resounded.She quickly pinned a long yellow veil upon her hair, passed a scarf around her neck, thrust her feet into blue leather boots, and said to Taanach:
"Go and see whether there is not a man with two horses beneath the myrtles."Taanach had scarcely re-entered when she was descending the galley staircase.
"Mistress!" cried the nurse.
Salammbo turned round with one finger on her mouth as a sign for discretion and immobility.
Taanach stole softly along the prows to the foot of the terrace, and from a distance she could distinguish by the light of the moon a gigantic shadow walking obliquely in the cypress avenue to the left of Salammbo, a sign which presaged death.
Taanach went up again into the chamber.She threw herself upon the ground tearing her face with her nails; she plucked out her hair, and uttered piercing shrieks with all her might.
It occurred to her that they might be heard; then she became silent, sobbing quite softly with her head in the hands and her face on the pavement.
