He stood up on one of the horses. Salammbo let herself slide down to
him; and they fled at full gallop, circling the Punic camp in search of
a gate.
Matho had re-entered his tent. The smoky lamp gave but little light, and
he also believed that Salammbo was asleep. Then he delicately touched
the lion's skin on the palm-tree bed. He called but she did not answer;
he quickly tore away a strip of the canvas to let in some light; the
zaimph was gone.
The earth trembled beneath thronging feet. Shouts, neighings, and
clashing of armour rose in the air, and clarion flourishes sounded
the charge. It was as though a hurricane were whirling around him.
Immoderate frenzy made him leap upon his arms, and he dashed outside.
The long files of the Barbarians were descending the mountain at a
run, and the Punic squares were advancing against them with a heavy
and regular oscillation. The mist, rent by the rays of the sun, formed
little rocking clouds which as they rose gradually discovered standards,
helmets, and points of pikes. Beneath the rapid evolutions portions of
the earth which were still in the shadow seemed to be displaced bodily;
in other places it looked as if huge torrents were crossing one
another, while thorny masses stood motionless between them.
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