presently！〃
  He　was　breathing　like　a　hippopotamus　and　rolling　his　eyes。　The
  perfumed　oil　overflowed　beneath　the　mass　of　his　body；　and　clinging　to
  the　scales　on　his　skin；　made　it　look　pink　in　the　light　of　the　torches。
  He　resumed：
  〃For　four　days　we　suffered　greatly　from　the　sun。　Some　mules　were　lost
  in　crossing　the　Macaras。　In　spite　of　their　position；　the　extraordinary
  courage　Ah！　Demonades！　how　I　suffer！　Have　the　bricks　reheated；　and
  let　them　be　red…hot！〃
  A　noise　of　rakes　and　furnaces　was　heard。　The　incense　smoked　more
  strongly　in　the　large　perfuming　pans；　and　the　shampooers；　who　were
  quite　naked　and　were　sweating　like　sponges；　crushed　a　paste　composed
  of　wheat；　sulphur；　black　wine；　bitch's　milk；　myrrh；　galbanum　and
  storax　upon　his　joints。　He　was　consumed　with　incessant　thirst；　but　the
  yellow…robed　man　did　not　yield　to　this　inclination；　and　held　out　to
  him　a　golden　cup　in　which　viper　broth　was　smoking。
  〃Drink！〃　said　he；　〃that　strength　of　sun…born　serpents　may　penetrate
  into　the　marrow　of　your　bones；　and　take　courage；　O　reflection　of　the
  gods！　You　know；　moreover；　that　a　priest　of　Eschmoun　watches　those
  cruel　stars　round　the　Dog　from　which　your　malady　is　derived。　They　are
  growing　pale　like　the　spots　on　your　skin；　and　you　are　not　to　die　from
  them。〃
  〃Oh！　yes；　that　is　so；　is　it　not？〃　repeated　the　Suffet；　〃I　am　not　to
  die　from　them！〃　And　his　violaceous　lips　gave　forth　a　breath　more
  nauseous　than　the　exhalation　from　a　corpse。　Two　coals　seemed　to　burn
  in　the　place　of　his　eyes；　which　had　lost　their　eyebrows；　a　mass　of
  wrinkled　skin　hung　over　his　forehead；　both　his　ears　stood　out　from　his
  head　and　were　beginning　to　increase　in　size；　and　the　deep　lines
  forming　semicircles　round　his　nostrils　gave　him　a　strange　and
  terrifying　appearance；　the　look　of　a　wild　beast。　His　unnatural　voice
  was　like　a　roar；　he　said：
  〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Demonades。　In　fact　there　are　many　ulcers　here
  which　have　closed。　I　feel　robust。　Here！　look　how　I　am　eating！〃
  And　less　from　greediness　than　from　ostentation；　and　the　desire　to
  prove　to　himself　that　he　was　in　good　health；　he　cut　into　the
  forcemeats　of　cheese　and　marjoram；　the　boned　fish；　gourds；　oysters
  with　eggs；　horse…radishes；　truffles；　and　brochettes　of　small　birds。　As
  he　looked　at　the　prisoners　he　revelled　in　the　imagination　of　their
  tortures。　Nevertheless　he　remembered　Sicca；　and　the　rage　caused　by　all
  his　woes　found　vent　in　the　abuse　of　these　three　men。
  〃Ah！　traitors！　ah！　wretches！　infamous；　accursed　creatures！　And　you
  outraged　me！me！　the　Suffet！　Their　services；　the　price　of　their
  blood；　say　they！　Ah！　yes！　their　blood！　their　blood！〃　Then　speaking　to
  himself：〃All　shall　perish！　not　one　shall　be　sold！　It　would　be　better
  to　bring　them　to　Carthage！　I　should　be　seenbut　doubtless；　I　have　not
  brought　chains　enough？　Write：　Send　meHow　many　of　them　are　there？　go
  and　ask　Muthumbal！　Go！　no　pity！　and　let　all　their　hands　be　cut　off　and
  brought　to　me　in　baskets！〃
  But　strange　cries　at　once　hoarse　and　shrill　penetrated　into　the　hall
  above　Hanno's　voice　and　the　rattling　of　the　dishes　that　were　being
  placed　around　him。　They　increased；　and　suddenly　the　furious　trumpeting
  of　the　elephants　burst　forth　as　if　the　battle　were　beginning　again。　A
  great　tumult　was　going　on　around　the　town。
  The　Carthaginians　had　not　attempted　to　pursue　the　Barbarians。　They　had
  taken　up　their　quarters　at　the　foot　of　the　walls　with　their　baggage；
  mules；　serving　men；　and　all　their　train　of　satraps；　and　they　made
  merry　in　their　beautiful　pearl…bordered　tents；　while　the　camp　of　the
  Mercenaries　was　now　nothing　but　a　heap　of　ruins　in　the　plain。　Spendius
  had　recovered　his　courage。　He　dispatched　Zarxas　to　Matho；　scoured　the
  woods；　rallied　his　men　（the　losses　had　been　inconsiderable）；and　they
  were　re…forming　their　lines　enraged　at　having　been　conquered　without　a
  fight；　when　they　discovered　a　vat　of　petroleum　which　had　no　doubt　been
  abandoned　by　the　Carthaginians。　Then　Spendius　had　some　pigs　carried
  off　from　the　farms；　smeared　them　with　bitumen；　set　them　on　fire；　and
  drove　them　towards　Utica。
  The　elephants　were　terrified　by　the　flames　and　fled。　The　ground　sloped
  upwards；　javelins　were　thrown　at　them；　and　they　turned　back；and　with
  great　blows　of　ivory　and　trampling　feet　they　ripped　up　the
  Carthaginians；　stifled　them；　flattened　them。　The　Barbarians　descended
  the　hill　behind　them；　the　Punic　camp；　which　was　without　entrenchments
  was　sacked　at　the　first　rush；　and　the　Carthaginians　were　crushed
  against　the　gates；　which　were　not　opened　through　fear　of　the
  Mercenaries。
  Day　broke；　and　Matho's　foot…soldiers　were　seen　coming　up　from　the
  west。　At　the　same　time　horsemen　appeared；　they　were　Narr'　Havas　with
  his　Numidians。　Leaping　ravines　and　bushes　they　ran　down　the　fugitives
  like　greyhounds　pursuing　hares。　This　change　of　fortune　interrupted　the
  Suffet。　He　called　out　to　be　assisted　to　leave　the　vapour　bath。
  The　three　captives　were　still　before　him。　Then　a　Negro　（the　same　who
  had　carried　his　parasol　in　the　battle）　leaned　over　to　his　ear。
  〃Well？〃　replied　the　Suffet　slowly。　〃Ah！　kill　them！〃　he　added　in　an
  abrupt　tone。
  The　Ethiopian　drew　a　long　dagger　from　his　girdle　and　the　three　heads
  fell。　One　of　them　rebounded　among　the　remains　of　the　feast；　and　leaped
  into　the　basin；　where　it　floated　for　some　time　with　open　mouth　and
  staring　eyes。　The　morning　light　entered　through　the　chinks　in　the
  wall；　the　three　bodies　streamed　with　great　bubbles　like　three
  fountains；　and　a　sheet　of　blood　flowed　over　the　mosaics　with　their
  powdering　of　blue　dust。　The　Suffet　dipped　his　hand　into　this　hot　mire
  and　rubbed　his　knees　with　it：　it　was　a　cure。
  When　evening　had　come　he　stole　away　from　the　town　with　his　escort；　and
  made　his　way　into　the　mountain　to　rejoin　his　army。
  He　succeeded　in　finding　the　remains　of　it。
  Four　days　afterward　he　was　on　the　top　of　a　defile　at　Gorza；　when　the
  troops　under　Spendius　appeared　below。　Twenty　stout　lances　might　easily
  have　checked　them　by　attacking　the　head　of　their　column；　but　the
  Carthaginians　watched　them　pass　by　in　a　state　of　stupefaction。　Hanno
  recognised　the　king　of　the　Numidians　in　the　rearguard；　Narr'　Havas
  bowed　to　him；　at　the　same　time　making　a　sign　which　he　did　not
  understand。
  The　return　to　Carthage　took　place　amid　all　kinds　of　terrors。　They
  marched　only　at　night；　hiding　in　the　olive　woods　during　the　day。　There
  were　deaths　at　every　halting…place；　several　times　they　believed
  themselves　lost。　At　last　they　reached　Cape　Hermaeum；　where　vessels
  came　to　receive　them。
  Hanno　was　so　fatigued；　so　desperatethe　loss　of　the　elephants　in
  particular　overwhelmed　himthat　he　demanded　poison　from　Demonades　in
  order　to　put　an　end　to　it　all。　Moreover　he　could　already　feel　himself
  stretched　upon　the　cross。
  Carthage　had　not　strength　enough　to　be　indignant　with　him。　Its　losses
  had　amounted　to　one　hundred　thousand　nine　hundred　and　seventy…two
  shekels　of　silver；　fifteen　thousand　six　hundred　and　twenty…three
  shekels　of　gold；　eighteen　elephants；　fourteen　members　of　the　Great
  Council；　three　hundred　of　the　rich；　eight　thousand　citizens；　corn
  enough　for　three　moons；　a　considerable　quantity　of　baggage；　and　all
  the　engines　of　war！　The　defection　of　Narr'　Havas　was　certain；　and　both
  sieges　were　beginning　again。　The　army　under　Autaritus　now　extended
  from　Tunis　to　Rhades。　From　the　top　of　the　Acropolis　long　columns　of
  smoke　might　be　seen　in　the　country　ascending　to　the　sky；　they　were　the
  mansions　of　the　rich；　which　were　on　fire。
  One　man　alone　could　have　saved　the　Republic。　People　repented　that　they
  had　slighted　him；　and　the　peace　party　itself　voted　holocausts　for
  Hamilcar's　return。
  The　sight　of　the　zaimph　had　upset　Salammbo。　At　night　she　thought　that
  she　could　hear　the　footsteps　of　the　goddess；　and　she　would　awake
  terrified　and　shrieking。　Every　day　she　sent　food　to　the　temples。
  Taanach　was　worn　out　with　executing　her　orders；　and　Schahabarim　never
  left　her。
  CHAPTER　VII
  HAMILCAR　BARCA
  The　Announcer　of　the　Moons；　who　watched　on　the　summit　of　the　temple　of
  Eschmoun　every　night　in　order　to　signal　the　disturbances　of　the　planet
  with　his　trumpet；　one　morning　perceived　towards　the　west　something
  like　a　bird　skimming　the　surface　of　the　sea　with　its　long　wings。
  It　was　a　ship　with　three　tiers　of　oars　and　with　a　horse　carved　on　the
  prow。　The　sun　was　rising；　the　Announcer　of　the　Moons　put　up　his　hand
  before　his　eyes；　and　then　grasping　his　clarion　with　outstretched　arms
  sounded　a　loud　brazen　cry　over　Carthage。
  People　came　out　of　every　house；　they　would　not　believe　what　was　said；
  they　disputed　with　one　another；　the　mole　was　covered　with　people。　At
  last　they　recognised　Hamilcar's　trireme。
  It　advanced　in　fierce　and　haughty　fashion；　cleaving　the　foam　around
  it；　the　lateen…yard　quite　square　and　the　sail　bulging　down　the　whole
  length　of　the　mast；　its　gigantic　oars　kept　time　as　they　beat