He　rolled　between　his　fingers　the　extremities　of　the　bands　which　fell
  from　his　tiara　upon　his　shoulders；　standing　motionless　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
  the　door　and　the　young　boy　standing　upright　applied　a　reed　flute　to
  his　lips。　In　the　distance　the　roar　of　the　streets　was　growing　feebler；
  violet　shadows　were　lengthening　before　the　peristyles　of　the　temples；
  and　on　the　other　side　of　the　gulf　the　mountain　bases；　the　fields　of
  olive…trees；　and　the　vague　yellow　lands　undulated　indefinitely；　and
  were　blended　together　in　a　bluish　haze；　not　a　sound　was　to　be　heard；
  and　an　unspeakable　depression　weighed　in　the　air。
  Salammbo　crouched　down　upon　the　onyx　step　on　the　edge　of　the　basin；
  she　raised　her　ample　sleeves；　fastening　them　behind　her　shoulders；　and
  began　her　ablutions　in　methodical　fashion；　according　to　the　sacred
  rites。
  Next　Taanach　brought　her　something　liquid　and　coagulated　in　an
  alabaster　phial；　it　was　the　blood　of　a　black　dog　slaughtered　by　barren
  women　on　a　winter's　night　amid　the　rubbish　of　a　sepulchre。　She　rubbed
  it　upon　her　ears；　her　heels；　and　the　thumb　of　her　right　hand；　and　even
  her　nail　remained　somewhat　red；　as　if　she　had　crushed　a　fruit。
  The　moon　rose；　then　the　cithara　and　the　flute　began　to　play　together。
  Salammbo　unfastened　her　earrings；　her　necklace；　her　bracelets；　and　her
  long　white　simar；　she　unknotted　the　band　in　her　hair；　shaking　the
  latter　for　a　few　minutes　softly　over　her　shoulders　to　cool　herself　by
  thus　scattering　it。　The　music　went　on　outside；　it　consisted　of　three
  notes　ever　the　same；　hurried　and　frenzied；　the　strings　grated；　the
  flute　blew；　Taanach　kept　time　by　striking　her　hands；　Salammbo；　with　a
  swaying　of　her　whole　body；　chanted　prayers；　and　her　garments　fell　one
  after　another　around　her。
  The　heavy　tapestry　trembled；　and　the　python's　head　appeared　above　the
  cord　that　supported　it。　The　serpent　descended　slowly　like　a　drop　of
  water　flowing　along　a　wall；　crawled　among　the　scattered　stuffs；　and
  then；　gluing　its　tail　to　the　ground；　rose　perfectly　erect；　and　his
  eyes；　more　brilliant　than　carbuncles；　darted　upon　Salammbo。
  A　horror　of　cold；　or　perhaps　a　feeling　of　shame；　at　first　made　her
  hesitate。　But　she　recalled　Schahabarim's　orders　and　advanced；　the
  python　turned　downwards；　and　resting　the　centre　of　its　body　upon　the
  nape　of　her　neck；　allowed　its　head　and　tail　to　hang　like　a　broken
  necklace　with　both　ends　trailing　to　the　ground。　Salammbo　rolled　it
  around　her　sides；　under　her　arms　and　between　her　knees；　then　taking　it
  by　the　jaw　she　brought　the　little　triangular　mouth　to　the　edge　of　her
  teeth；　and　half　shutting　her　eyes；　threw　herself　back　beneath　the　rays
  of　the　moon。　The　white　light　seemed　to　envelop　her　in　a　silver　mist；
  the　prints　of　her　humid　steps　shone　upon　the　flag…stones；　stars
  quivered　in　the　depth　of　the　water；　it　tightened　upon　her　its　black
  rings　that　were　spotted　with　scales　of　gold。　Salammbo　panted　beneath
  the　excessive　weight；　her　loins　yielded；　she　felt　herself　dying；　and
  with　the　tip　of　its　tail　the　serpent　gently　beat　her　thigh；　then　the
  music　becoming　still　it　fell　off　again。
  Taanach　came　back　to　her；　and　after　arranging　two　candelabra；　the
  lights　of　which　burned　in　crystal　balls　filled　with　water；　she　tinged
  the　inside　of　her　hands　with　Lawsonia；　spread　vermilion　upon　her
  cheeks；　and　antimony　along　the　edge　of　her　eyelids；　and　lengthened　her
  eyebrows　with　a　mixture　of　gum；　musk；　ebony；　and　crushed　legs　of
  flies。
  Salammbo　seated　on　a　chair　with　ivory　uprights；　gave　herself　up　to　the
  attentions　of　the　slave。　But　the　touchings；　the　odour　of　the
  aromatics；　and　the　fasts　that　she　had　undergone；　were　enervating　her。
  She　became　so　pale　that　Taanach　stopped。
  〃Go　on！〃　said　Salammbo；　and　bearing　up　against　herself；　she　suddenly
  revived。　Then　she　was　seized　with　impatience；　she　urged　Taanach　to
  make　haste；　and　the　old　slave　grumbled：
  〃Well！　well！　Mistress！Besides；　you　have　no　one　waiting　for　you！〃
  〃Yes！〃　said　Salammbo；　〃some　one　is　waiting　for　me。〃
  Taanach　drew　back　in　surprise；　and　in　order　to　learn　more　about　it；
  said：
  〃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　Salam