in　succession　with　green　paint　on　the　left　arm；　the　scribes　dipped
  into　the　yawning　coffer；　while　others　made　holes　with　a　style　on　a
  sheet　of　lead。
  A　man　passed　walking　heavily　like　an　ox。
  〃Come　up　beside　me；〃　said　the　Suffet；　suspecting　some　fraud；　〃how　many
  years　have　you　served？〃
  〃Twelve；〃　replied　the　Libyan。
  Gisco　slipped　his　fingers　under　his　chin；　for　the　chin…piece　of　the
  helmet　used　in　course　of　time　to　occasion　two　callosities　there；　these
  were　called　carobs；　and　〃to　have　the　carobs〃　was　an　expression　used　to
  denote　a　veteran。
  〃Thief！〃　exclaimed　the　Suffet；　〃your　shoulders　ought　to　have　what　your
  face　lacks！〃　and　tearing　off　his　tunic　he　laid　bare　is　back　which　was
  covered　with　a　bleeding　scab；　he　was　a　labourer　from　Hippo…Zarytus。
  Hootings　were　raised；　and　he　was　decapitated。
  As　soon　as　night　fell；　Spendius　went　and　roused　the　Libyans；　and　said
  to　them：
  〃When　the　Ligurians；　Greeks；　Balearians；　and　men　of　Italy　are　paid；
  they　will　return。　But　as　for　you；　you　will　remain　in　Africa；　scattered
  through　your　tribes；　and　without　any　means　of　defence！　It　will　be　then
  that　the　Republic　will　take　its　revenge！　Mistrust　the　journey！　Are　you
  going　to　believe　everything　that　is　said？　Both　the　Suffets　are　agreed；
  and　this　one　is　imposing　on　you！　Remember　the　Island　of　Bones；　and
  Xanthippus；　whom　they　sent　back　to　Sparta　in　a　rotten　galley！〃
  〃How　are　we　to　proceed？〃　they　asked。
  〃Reflect！〃　said　Spendius。
  The　two　following　days　were　spent　in　paying　the　men　of　Magdala；
  Leptis；　and　Hecatompylos；　Spendius　went　about　among　the　Gauls。
  〃They　are　paying　off　the　Libyans；　and　then　they　will　discharge　the
  Greeks；　the　Balearians；　the　Asiatics　and　all　the　rest！　But　you；　who
  are　few　in　number；　will　receive　nothing！　You　will　see　your　native
  lands　no　more！　You　will　have　no　ships；　and　they　will　kill　you　to　save
  your　food！〃
  The　Gauls　came　to　the　Suffet。　Autaritus；　he　whom　he　had　wounded　at
  Hamilcar's　palace；　put　questions　to　him；　but　was　repelled　by　the
  slaves；　and　disappeared　swearing　he　would　be　revenged。
  The　demands　and　complaints　multiplied。　The　most　obstinate　penetrated
  at　night　into　the　Suffet's　tent；　they　took　his　hands　and　sought　to
  move　him　by　making　him　feel　their　toothless　mouths；　their　wasted　arms；
  and　the　scars　of　their　wounds。　Those　who　had　not　yet　been　paid　were
  growing　angry；　those　who　had　received　the　money　demanded　more　for
  their　horses；　and　vagabonds　and　outlaws　assumed　soldiers'　arms　and
  declared　that　they　were　being　forgotten。　Every　minute　there　arrived
  whirlwinds　of　men；　as　it　were；　the　tents　strained　and　fell；　the
  multitude；　thick　pressed　between　the　ramparts　of　the　camp；　swayed　with
  loud　shouts　from　the　gates　to　the　centre。　When　the　tumult　grew
  excessively　violent　Gisco　would　rest　one　elbow　on　his　ivory　sceptre
  and　stand　motionless　looking　at　the　sea　with　his　fingers　buried　in　his
  beard。
  Matho　frequently　went　off　to　speak　with　Spendius；　then　he　would　again
  place　himself　in　front　of　the　Suffet；　and　Gisco　could　feel　his　eyes
  continually　like　two　flaming　phalaricas　darted　against　him。　Several
  times　they　hurled　reproaches　at　each　other　over　the　heads　of　the
  crowd；　but　without　making　themselves　heard。　The　distribution；
  meanwhile；　continued；　and　the　Suffet　found　expedients　to　remove　every
  obstacle。
  The　Greeks　tried　to　quibble　about　differences　in　currency；　but　he
  furnished　them　with　such　explanations　that　they　retired　without　a
  murmur。　The　Negroes　demanded　white　shells　such　as　are　used　for　trading
  in　the　interior　of　Africa；　but　when　he　offered　to　send　to　Carthage　for
  them　they　accepted　money　like　the　rest。
  But　the　Balearians　had　been　promised　something　better；　namely；　women。
  The　Suffet　replied　that　a　whole　caravan　of　maidens　was　expected　for
  them；　but　the　journey　was　long　and　would　require　six　moons　more。　When
  they　were　fat　and　well　rubbed　with　benjamin　they　should　be　sent　in
  ships　to　the　ports　of　the　Balearians。
  Suddenly　Zarxas；　now　handsome　and　vigorous；　leaped　like　a　mountebank
  upon　the　shoulders　of　his　friends　and　cried：
  〃Have　you　reserved　any　of　them　for　the　corpses？〃　at　the　same　time
  pointing　to　the　gate　of　Khamon　in　Carthage。
  The　brass　plates　with　which　it　was　furnished　from　top　to　bottom　shone
  in　the　sun's　latest　fires；　and　the　Barbarians　believed　that　they　could
  discern　on　it　a　trail　of　blood。　Every　time　that　Gisco　wished　to　speak
  their　shouts　began　again。　At　last　he　descended　with　measured　steps；
  and　shut　himself　up　in　his　tent。
  When　he　left　it　at　sunrise　his　interpreters；　who　used　to　sleep
  outside；　did　not　stir；　they　lay　on　their　backs　with　their　eyes　fixed；
  their　tongues　between　their　teeth；　and　their　faces　of　a　bluish　colour。
  White　mucus　flowed　from　their　nostrils；　and　their　limbs　were　stiff；　as
  if　they　had　all　been　frozen　by　the　cold　during　the　night。　Each　had　a
  little　noose　of　rushes　round　his　neck。
  From　that　time　onward　the　rebellion　was　unchecked。　The　murder　of　the
  Balearians　which　had　been　recalled　by　Zarxas　strengthened　the　distrust
  inspired　by　Spendius。　They　imagined　that　the　Republic　was　always
  trying　to　deceive　them。　An　end　must　be　put　to　it！　The　interpreters
  should　be　dispensed　with！　Zarxas　sang　war　songs　with　a　sling　around
  his　head；　Autaritus　brandished　his　great　sword；　Spendius　whispered　a
  word　to　one　or　gave　a　dagger　to　another。　The　boldest　endeavoured　to
  pay　themselves；　while　those　who　were　less　frenzied　wished　to　have　the
  distribution　continued。　No　one　now　relinquished　his　arms；　and　the
  anger　of　all　combined　into　a　tumultuous　hatred　of　Gisco。
  Some　got　up　beside　him。　So　long　as　they　vociferated　abuse　they　were
  listened　to　with　patience；　but　if　they　tried　to　utter　the　least　word
  in　his　behalf　they　were　immediately　stoned；　or　their　heads　were　cut
  off　by　a　sabre…stroke　from　behind。　The　heap　of　knapsacks　was　redder
  than　an　altar。
  They　became　terrible　after　their　meal　and　when　they　had　drunk　wine！
  This　was　an　enjoyment　forbidden　in　the　Punic　armies　under　pain　of
  death；　and　they　raised　their　cups　in　the　direction　of　Carthage　in
  derision　of　its　discipline。　Then　they　returned　to　the　slaves　of　the
  exchequer　and　again　began　to　kill。　The　word　〃strike；〃　though　different
  in　each　language；　was　understood　by　all。
  Gisco　was　well　aware　that　he　was　being　abandoned　by　his　country；　but
  in　spite　of　its　ingratitude　he　would　not　dishonour　it。　When　they
  reminded　him　that　they　had　been　promised　ships；　he　swore　by　Moloch　to
  provide　them　himself　at　his　own　expense；　and　pulling　off　his　necklace
  of　blue　stones　he　threw　it　into　the　crowd　as　the　pledge　of　his　oath。
  Then　the　Africans　claimed　the　corn　in　accordance　with　the　engagements
  made　by　the　Great　Council。　Gisco　spread　out　the　accounts　of　the
  Syssitia　traced　in　violet　pigment　on　sheep　skins；　and　read　out　all
  that　had　entered　Carthage　month　by　month　and　day　by　day。
  Suddenly　he　stopped　with　gaping　eyes；　as　if　he　had　just　discovered　his
  sentence　of　death　among　the　figures。
  The　Ancients　had；　in　fact；　fraudulently　reduced　them；　and　the　corn
  sold　during　the　most　calamitous　period　of　the　war　was　set　down　at　so
  low　a　rate　that；　blindness　apart；　it　was　impossible　to　believe　it。
  〃Speak！〃　they　shouted。　〃Louder！　Ah！　he　is　trying　to　lie；　the　coward！
  Don't　trust　him。〃
  For　some　time　he　hesitated。　At　last　he　resumed　his　task。
  The　soldiers；　without　suspecting　that　they　were　being　deceived；
  accepted　the　accounts　of　the　Syssitia　as　true。　But　the　abundance　that
  had　prevailed　at　Carthage　made　them　furiously　jealous。　They　broke　open
  the　sycamore　chest；　it　was　three　parts　empty。　They　had　seen　such　sums
  coming　out　of　it；　that　they　thought　it　inexhaustible；　Gisco　must　have
  buried　some　in　his　tent。　They　scaled　the　knapsacks。　Matho　led　them；
  and　as　they　shouted　〃The　money！　the　money！〃　Gisco　at　last　replied：
  〃Let　your　general　give　it　to　you！〃
  He　looked　them　in　the　face　without　speaking；　with　his　great　yellow
  eyes；　and　his　long　face　that　was　paler　than　his　beard。　An　arrow；　held
  by　its　feathers；　hung　from　the　large　gold　ring　in　his　ear；　and　a
  stream　of　blood　was　trickling　from　his　tiara　upon　his　shoulder。
  At　a　gesture　from　Matho　all　advanced。　Gisco　held　out　his　arms；
  Spendius　tied　his　wrists　with　a　slip　knot；　another　knocked　him　down；
  and　he　disappeared　amid　the　disorder　of　the　crowd　which　was　stumbling
  over　the　knapsacks。
  They　sacked　his　tent。　Nothing　was　found　in　it　except　things
  indispensable　to　life；　and；　on　a　closer　search；　three　images　of
  Tanith；　and；　wrapped　up　in　an　ape's　skin；　a　black　stone　which　had
  fallen　from　the　moon。　Many　Carthaginians　had　chosen　to　accompany　him；
  they　were　eminent　men；　and　all　belonged　to　the　war　party。
  They　were　dragged　outside　the　tents　and　thrown　into　the　pit　used　for
  the　reception　of　filth。　They　were　tied　with　iron　chains　around　the
  body　to　solid　stakes；　and　were　offered　food　at　the　point　of　the
  javelin。
  Autaritus　overwh