length　of　the　mast；　its　gigantic　oars　kept　time　as　they　beat　the
  water；　every　now　and　then　the　extremity　of　the　keel；　which　was　shaped
  like　a　plough…share；　would　appear；　and　the　ivory…headed　horse；　rearing
  both　its　feet　beneath　the　spur　which　terminated　the　prow；　would　seem
  to　be　speeding　over　the　plains　of　the　sea。
  As　it　rounded　the　promontory　the　wind　ceased；　the　sail　fell；　and　a　man
  was　seen　standing　bareheaded　beside　the　pilot。　It　was　he；　Hamilcar；
  the　Suffet！　About　his　sides　he　wore　gleaming　sheets　of　steel；　a　red
  cloak；　fastened　to　his　shoulders；　left　his　arms　visible；　two　pearls　of
  great　length　hung　from　his　ears；　and　his　black；　bushy　beard　rested　on
  his　breast。
  The　galley；　however；　tossing　amid　the　rocks；　was　proceeding　along　the
  side　of　the　mole；　and　the　crowd　followed　it　on　the　flag…stones；
  shouting：
  〃Greeting！　blessing！　Eye　of　Khamon！　ah！　deliver　us！　'Tis　the　fault　of
  the　rich！　they　want　to　put　you　to　death！　Take　care　of　yourself；
  Barca！〃
  He　made　no　reply；　as　if　the　loud　clamour　of　oceans　and　battles　had
  completely　deafened　him。　But　when　he　was　below　the　staircase　leading
  down　from　the　Acropolis；　Hamilcar　raised　his　head；　and　looked　with
  folded　arms　upon　the　temple　of　Eschmoun。　His　gaze　mounted　higher
  still；　to　the　great　pure　sky；　he　shouted　an　order　in　a　harsh　voice　to
  his　sailors；　the　trireme　leaped　forward；　it　grazed　the　idol　set　up　at
  the　corner　of　the　mole　to　stay　the　storms；　and　in　the　merchant
  harbour；　which　was　full　of　filth；　fragments　of　wood；　and　rinds　of
  fruit；　it　pushed　aside　and　crushed　against　the　other　ships　moored　to
  stakes　and　terminating　in　crocodiles'　jaws。　The　people　hastened
  thither；　and　some　threw　themselves　into　the　water　to　swim　to　it。　It
  was　already　at　the　very　end　before　the　gate　which　bristled　with　nails。
  The　gate　rose；　and　the　trireme　disappeared　beneath　the　deep　arch。
  The　Military　Harbour　was　completely　separated　from　the　town；　when
  ambassadors　arrived；　they　had　to　proceed　between　two　walls　through　a
  passage　which　had　its　outlet　on　the　left　in　front　of　the　temple　of
  Khamon。　This　great　expanse　of　water　was　as　round　as　a　cup；　and　was
  bordered　with　quays　on　which　sheds　were　built　for　sheltering　the
  ships。　Before　each　of　these　rose　two　pillars　bearing　the　horns　of
  Ammon　on　their　capitals　and　forming　continuous　porticoes　all　round　the
  basin。　On　an　island　in　the　centre　stood　a　house　for　the　marine　Suffet。
  The　water　was　so　limpid　that　the　bottom　was　visible　with　its　paving　of
  white　pebbles。　The　noise　of　the　streets　did　not　reach　so　far；　and
  Hamilcar　as　he　passed　recognised　the　triremes　which　he　had　formerly
  commanded。
  Not　more　than　twenty　perhaps　remained；　under　shelter　on　the　land；
  leaning　over　on　their　sides　or　standing　upright　on　their　keels；　with
  lofty　poops　and　swelling　prows；　and　covered　with　gildings　and　mystic
  symbols。　The　chimaeras　had　lost　their　wings；　the　Pataec　Gods　their
  arms；　the　bulls　their　silver　horns；and　half…painted；　motionless；　and
  rotten　as　they　were；　yet　full　of　associations；　and　still　emitting　the
  scent　of　voyages；　they　all　seemed　to　say　to　him；　like　mutilated
  soldiers　on　seeing　their　master　again；　〃'Tis　we！　'tis　we！　and　YOU　too
  are　vanquished！〃
  No　one　excepting　the　marine　Suffet　might　enter　the　admiral's　house。　So
  long　as　there　was　no　proof　of　his　death　he　was　considered　as　still　in
  existence。　In　this　way　the　Ancients　avoided　a　master　the　more；　and
  they　had　not　failed　to　comply　with　the　custom　in　respect　to　Hamilcar。
  The　Suffet　proceeded　into　the　deserted　apartments。　At　every　step　he
  recognised　armour　and　furniturefamiliar　objects　which　nevertheless
  astonished　him；　and　in　a　perfuming…pan　in　the　vestibule　there　even
  remained　the　ashes　of　the　perfumes　that　had　been　kindled　at　his
  departure　for　the　conjuration　of　Melkarth。　It　was　not　thus　that　he　had
  hoped　to　return。　Everything　that　he　had　done；　everything　that　he　had
  seen；　unfolded　itself　in　his　memory：　assaults；　conflagrations；
  legions；　tempests；　Drepanum；　Syracuse；　Lilybaeum；　Mount　Etna；　the
  plateau　of　Eryx；　five　years　of　battles；until　the　fatal　day　when　arms
  had　been　laid　down　and　Sicily　had　been　lost。　Then　he　once　more　saw　the
  woods　of　citron…trees；　and　herdsmen　with　their　goats　on　grey
  mountains；　and　his　heart　leaped　at　the　thought　of　the　establishment　of
  another　Carthage　down　yonder。　His　projects　and　his　recollections
  buzzed　through　his　head；　which　was　still　dizzy　from　the　pitching　of
  the　vessel；　he　was　overwhelmed　with　anguish；　and；　becoming　suddenly
  weak；　he　felt　the　necessity　of　drawing　near　to　the　gods。
  Then　he　went　up　to　the　highest　story　of　his　house；　and　taking　a　nail…
  studded　staple　from　a　golden　shell；　which　hung　on　his　arm；　he　opened　a
  small　oval　chamber。
  It　was　softly　lighted　by　means　of　delicate　black　discs　let　into　the
  wall　and　as　transparent　as　glass。　Between　the　rows　of　these　equal
  discs；　holes；　like　those　for　the　urns　in　columbaria；　were　hollowed
  out。　Each　of　them　contained　a　round　dark　stone；　which　appeared　to　be
  very　heavy。　Only　people　of　superior　understanding　honoured　these
  abaddirs；　which　had　fallen　from　the　moon。　By　their　fall　they　denoted
  the　stars；　the　sky；　and　fire；　by　their　colour　dark　night；　and　by　their
  density　the　cohesion　of　terrestrial　things。　A　stifling　atmosphere
  filled　this　mystic　place。　The　round　stones　lying　in　the　niches　were
  whitened　somewhat　with　sea…sand　which　the　wind　had　no　doubt　driven
  through　the　door。　Hamilcar　counted　them　one　after　another　with　the　tip
  of　his　finger；　then　he　hid　his　face　in　a　saffron…coloured　veil；　and；
  falling　on　his　knees；　stretched　himself　on　the　ground　with　both　arms
  extended。
  The　daylight　outside　was　beginning　to　strike　on　the　folding　shutters
  of　black　lattice…work。　Arborescences；　hillocks；　eddies；　and　ill…
  defined　animals　appeared　in　their　diaphanous　thickness；　and　the　light
  came　terrifying　and　yet　peaceful　as　it　must　be　behind　the　sun　in　the
  dull　spaces　of　future　creations。　He　strove　to　banish　from　his　thoughts
  all　forms；　and　all　symbols　and　appellations　of　the　gods；　that　he　might
  the　better　apprehend　the　immutable　spirit　which　outward　appearances
  took　away。　Something　of　the　planetary　vitalities　penetrated　him；　and
  he　felt　withal　a　wiser　and　more　intimate　scorn　of　death　and　of　every
  accident。　When　he　rose　he　was　filled　with　serene　fearlessness　and　was
  proof　against　pity　or　dread；　and　as　his　chest　was　choking　he　went　to
  the　top　of　the　tower　which　overlooked　Carthage。
  The　town　sank　downwards　in　a　long　hollow　curve；　with　its　cupolas；　its
  temples；　its　golden　roofs；　its　houses；　its　clusters　of　palm　trees　here
  and　there；　and　its　glass　balls　with　streaming　rays；　while　the　ramparts
  formed；　as　it　were；　the　gigantic　border　of　this　horn　of　plenty　which
  poured　itself　out　before　him。　Far　below　he　could　see　the　harbours；　the
  squares；　the　interiors　of　the　courts；　the　plan　of　the　streets；　and　the
  people；　who　seemed　very　small　and　but　little　above　the　level　of　the
  pavement。　Ah！　if　Hanno　had　not　arrived　too　late　on　the　morning　of　the
  Aegatian　islands！　He　fastened　his　eyes　on　the　extreme　horizon　and
  stretched　forth　his　quivering　arms　in　the　direction　of　Rome。
  The　steps　of　the　Acropolis　were　occupied　by　the　multitude。　In　the
  square　of　Khamon　the　people　were　pressing　forwards　to　see　the　Suffet
  come　out；　and　the　terraces　were　gradually　being　loaded　with　people；　a
  few　recognised　him；　and　he　was　saluted；　but　he　retired　in　order　the
  better　to　excite　the　impatience　of　the　people。
  Hamilcar　found　the　most　important　men　of　his　party　below　in　the　hall：
  Istatten；　Subeldia；　Hictamon；　Yeoubas　and　others。　They　related　to　him
  all　that　had　taken　place　since　the　conclusion　of　the　peace：　the　greed
  of　the　Ancients；　the　departure　of　the　soldiers；　their　return；　their
  demands；　the　capture　of　Gisco；　the　theft　of　the　zaimph；　the　relief　and
  subsequent　abandonment　of　Utica；　but　no　one　ventured　to　tell　him　of
  the　events　which　concerned　himself。　At　last　they　separated；　to　meet
  again　during　the　night　at　the　assembly　of　the　Ancients　in　the　temple
  of　Moloch。
  They　had　just　gone　out　when　a　tumult　arose　outside　the　door。　Some　one
  was　trying　to　enter　in　spite　of　the　servants；　and　as　the　disturbance
  was　increasing　Hamilcar　ordered　the　stranger　to　be　shown　in。
  An　old　Negress　made　her　appearance；　broken；　wrinkled；　trembling；
  stupid…looking；　wrapped　to　the　heels　in　ample　blue　veils。　She　advanced
  face　to　face　with　the　Suffet；　and　they　looked　at　each　other　for　some
  time；　suddenly　Hamilcar　started；　at　a　wave　of　his　hand　the　slaves
  withdrew。　Then；　signing　to　her　to　walk　with　precaution；　he　drew　her　by
  the　arm　into　a　remote　apartment。
  The　Negress　threw　herself　upon　the　floor　to　kiss　his　feet；　he　raised
  her　brutally。
  〃Where　have　you　left　him；　Iddibal？〃
  〃Down　there；　Master；〃　and　extricating　herself　from　her　veils；　she
  rubbed　her　face　with　her　sleeve；　the　black　colour；　the　senile
  trembling；　the　bent　figure　disappeared；　and　there　remained　a