reserving　her　for　some　alliance　that　might　serve　his　political　ends；
  so　that　Salammbo　lived　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　palace。　Her　mother
  was　long　since　dead。
  She　had　grown　up　with　abstinences；　fastings　and　purifications；　always
  surrounded　by　grave　and　exquisite　things；　her　body　saturated　with
  perfumes；　and　her　soul　filled　with　prayers。　She　had　never　tasted　wine；
  nor　eaten　meat；　nor　touched　an　unclean　animal；　nor　set　her　heels　in
  the　house　of　death。
  She　knew　nothing　of　obscene　images；　for　as　each　god　was　manifested　in
  different　forms；　the　same　principle　often　received　the　witness　of
  contradictory　cults；　and　Salammbo　worshipped　the　goddess　in　her
  sidereal　presentation。　An　influence　had　descended　upon　the　maiden　from
  the　moon；　when　the　planet　passed　diminishing　away；　Salammbo　grew　weak。
  She　languished　the　whole　day　long；　and　revived　at　evening。　During　an
  eclipse　she　nearly　died。
  But　Rabetna；　in　jealousy；　revenged　herself　for　the　virginity　withdrawn
  from　her　sacrifices；　and　she　tormented　Salammbo　with　possessions；　all
  the　stronger　for　being　vague；　which　were　spread　through　this　belief
  and　excited　by　it。
  Unceasingly　was　Hamilcar's　daughter　disquieted　about　Tanith。　She　had
  learned　her　adventures；　her　travels；　and　all　her　names；　which　she
  would　repeat　without　their　having　any　distinct　signification　for　her。
  In　order　to　penetrate　into　the　depths　of　her　dogma；　she　wished　to
  become　acquainted；　in　the　most　secret　part　of　the　temple；　with　the　old
  idol　in　the　magnificent　mantle；　whereon　depended　the　destinies　of
  Carthage；　for　the　idea　of　a　god　did　not　stand　out　clearly　from　his
  representation；　and　to　hold；　or　even　see　the　image　of　one；　was　to　take
  away　part　of　his　virtue；　and　in　a　measure　to　rule　him。
  But　Salammbo　turned　around。　She　had　recognised　the　sound　of　the　golden
  bells　which　Schahabarim　wore　at　the　hem　of　his　garment。
  He　ascended　the　staircases；　then　at　the　threshold　of　the　terrace　he
  stopped　and　folded　his　arms。
  His　sunken　eyes　shone　like　the　lamps　of　a　sepulchre；　his　long　thin
  body　floated　in　its　linen　robe　which　was　weighted　by　the　bells；　the
  latter　alternating　with　balls　of　emeralds　at　his　heels。　He　had　feeble
  limbs；　an　oblique　skull　and　a　pointed　chin；　his　skin　seemed　cold　to
  the　touch；　and　his　yellow　face；　which　was　deeply　furrowed　with
  wrinkles；　was　as　if　it　contracted　in　a　longing；　in　an　everlasting
  grief。
  He　was　the　high　priest　of　Tanith；　and　it　was　he　who　had　educated
  Salammbo。
  〃Speak！〃　he　said。　〃What　will　you？〃
  〃I　hopedyou　had　almost　promised　me〃　She　stammered　and　was
  confused；　then　suddenly：　〃Why　do　you　despise　me？　what　have　I　forgotten
  in　the　rites？　You　are　my　master；　and　you　told　me　that　no　one　was　so
  accomplished　in　the　things　pertaining　to　the　goddess　as　I；　but　there
  are　some　of　which　you　will　not　speak。　Is　it　so；　O　father？〃
  Schahabarim　remembered　Hamilcar's　orders；　and　replied：
  〃No；　I　have　nothing　more　to　teach　you！〃
  〃A　genius；〃　she　resumed；　〃impels　me　to　this　love。　I　have　climbed　the
  steps　of　Eschmoun；　god　of　the　planets　and　intelligences；　I　have　slept
  beneath　the　golden　olive　of　Melkarth；　patron　of　the　Tyrian　colonies；　I
  have　pushed　open　the　doors　of　Baal…Khamon；　the　enlightener　and
  fertiliser；　I　have　sacrificed　to　the　subterranean　Kabiri；　to　the　gods
  of　woods；　winds；　rivers　and　mountains；　but；　can　you　understand？　they
  are　all　too　far　away；　too　high；　too　insensible；　while　sheI　feel　her
  mingled　in　my　life；　she　fills　my　soul；　and　I　quiver　with　inward
  startings；　as　though　she　were　leaping　in　order　to　escape。　Methinks　I
  am　about　to　hear　her　voice；　and　see　her　face；　lightnings　dazzle　me　and
  then　I　sink　back　again　into　the　darkness。〃
  Schahabarim　was　silent。　She　entreated　him　with　suppliant　looks。　At
  last　he　made　a　sign　for　the　dismissal　of　the　slave；　who　was　not　of
  Chanaanitish　race。　Taanach　disappeared；　and　Schahabarim；　raising　one
  arm　in　the　air；　began：
  〃Before　the　gods　darkness　alone　was；　and　a　breathing　stirred　dull　and
  indistinct　as　the　conscience　of　a　man　in　a　dream。　It　contracted；
  creating　Desire　and　Cloud；　and　from　Desire　and　Cloud　there　issued
  primitive　Matter。　This　was　a　water；　muddy；　black；　icy　and　deep。　It
  contained　senseless　monsters；　incoherent　portions　of　the　forms　to　be
  born；　which　are　painted　on　the　walls　of　the　sanctuaries。
  〃Then　Matter　condensed。　It　became　an　egg。　It　burst。　One　half　formed
  the　earth　and　the　other　the　firmament。　Sun；　moon；　winds　and　clouds
  appeared；　and　at　the　crash　of　the　thunder　intelligent　creatures　awoke。
  Then　Eschmoun　spread　himself　in　the　starry　sphere；　Khamon　beamed　in
  the　sun；　Melkarth　thrust　him　with　his　arms　behind　Gades；　the　Kabiri
  descended　beneath　the　volcanoes；　and　Rabetna　like　a　nurse　bent　over
  the　world　pouring　out　her　light　like　milk；　and　her　night　like　a
  mantle。〃
  〃And　then？〃　she　said。
  He　had　related　the　secret　of　the　origins　to　her；　to　divert　her　from
  sublimer　prospects；　but　the　maiden's　desire　kindled　again　at　his　last
  words；　and　Schahabarim；　half　yielding　resumed：
  〃She　inspires　and　governs　the　loves　of　men。〃
  〃The　loves　of　men！〃　repeated　Salammbo　dreamily。
  〃She　is　the　soul　of　Carthage；〃　continued　the　priest；　〃and　although　she
  is　everywhere　diffused；　it　is　here　that　she　dwells；　beneath　the　sacred
  veil。〃
  〃O　father！〃　cried　Salammbo；　〃I　shall　see　her；　shall　I　not？　you　will
  bring　me　to　her！　I　had　long　been　hesitating；　I　am　devoured　with
  curiosity　to　see　her　form。　Pity！　help　me！　let　us　go？〃
  He　repulsed　her　with　a　vehement　gesture　that　was　full　of　pride。
  〃Never！　Do　you　not　know　that　it　means　death？　The　hermaphrodite　Baals
  are　unveiled　to　us　alone　who　are　men　in　understanding　and　women　in
  weakness。　Your　desire　is　sacrilege；　be　satisfied　with　the　knowledge
  that　you　possess！〃
  She　fell　upon　her　knees　placing　two　fingers　against　her　ears　in　token
  of　repentance；　and　crushed　by　the　priest's　words；　and　filled　at　once
  with　anger　against　him；　with　terror　and　humiliation；　she　burst　into
  sobs。　Schahabarim　remained　erect；　and　more　insensible　than　the　stones
  of　the　terrace。　He　looked　down　upon　her　quivering　at　his　feet；　and
  felt　a　kind　of　joy　on　seeing　her　suffer　for　his　divinity　whom　he
  himself　could　not　wholly　embrace。　The　birds　were　already　singing；　a
  cold　wind　was　blowing；　and　little　clouds　were　drifting　in　the　paling
  sky。
  Suddenly　he　perceived　on　the　horizon；　behind　Tunis；　what　looked　like
  slight　mists　trailing　along　the　ground；　then　these　became　a　great
  curtain　of　dust　extending　perpendicularly；　and；　amid　the　whirlwinds　of
  the　thronging　mass；　dromedaries'　heads；　lances　and　shields　appeared。
  It　was　the　army　of　the　Barbarians　advancing　upon　Carthage。
  CHAPTER　IV
  BENEATH　THE　WALLS　OF　CARTHAGE
  Some　country　people；　riding　on　asses　or　running　on　foot；　arrived　in
  the　town；　pale；　breathless；　and　mad　with　fear。　They　were　flying　before
  the　army。　It　had　accomplished　the　journey　from　Sicca　in　three　days；　in
  order　to　reach　Carthage　and　wholly　exterminate　it。
  The　gates　were　shut。　The　Barbarians　appeared　almost　immediately；　but
  they　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　isthmus；　on　the　edge　of　the　lake。
  At　first　they　made　no　hostile　announcement。　Several　approached　with
  palm　branches　in　their　hands。　They　were　driven　back　with　arrows；　so
  great　was　the　terror。
  In　the　morning　and　at　nightfall　prowlers　would　sometimes　wander　along
  the　walls。　A　little　man　carefully　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　and　with　his
  face　concealed　beneath　a　very　low　visor；　was　especially　noticed。　He
  would　remain　whole　hours　gazing　at　the　aqueduct；　and　so　persistently
  that　he　doubtless　wished　to　mislead　the　Carthaginians　as　to　his　real
  designs。　Another　man；　a　sort　of　giant　who　walked　bareheaded；　used　to
  accompany　him。
  But　Carthage　was　defended　throughout　the　whole　breadth　of　the　isthmus：
  first　by　a　trench；　then　by　a　grassy　rampart；　and　lastly　by　a　wall
  thirty　cubits　high；　built　of　freestone；　and　in　two　storys。　It
  contained　stables　for　three　hundred　elephants　with　stores　for　their
  caparisons；　shackles；　and　food；　other　stables　again　for　four　thousand
  horses　with　supplies　of　barley　and　harness；　and　barracks　for　twenty
  thousand　soldiers　with　armour　and　all　materials　of　war。　Towers　rose
  from　the　second　story；　all　provided　with　battlements；　and　having
  bronze　bucklers　hung　on　cramps　on　the　outside。
  This　first　line　of　wall　gave　immediate　shelter　to　Malqua；　the　sailors'
  and　dyers'　quarter。　Masts　might　be　seen　whereon　purple　sails　were
  drying；　and　on　the　highest　terraces　clay　furnaces　for　heating　the
  pickle　were　visible。
  Behind；　the　lofty　houses　of　the　city　rose　in　an　ampitheatre　of　cubical
  form。　They　were　built　of　stone；　planks；　shingle；　reeds；　shells；　and
  beaten　earth。　The　woods　belonging　to　the　temples　were　like　lakes　of
  verdure　in　this　mountain　of　diversely…coloured　blocks。　It　was　levelled
  at　unequal　distances　by　the　public　squares；　and　was　cut　from　top　to
  bottom　by　countless　intersecting　l