hands　crossed　inside　their　broad　sleeves；　and　the　mother…of…pearl
  pavement　seemed　like　a　luminous　river　streaming　from　the　altar　to　the
  door　and　flowing　beneath　their　naked　feet。
  The　four　pontiffs　had　their　places　in　the　centre；　sitting　back　to　back
  on　four　ivory　seats　which　formed　a　cross；　the　high…priest　of　Eschmoun
  in　a　hyacinth　robe；　the　high…priest　of　Tanith　in　a　white　linen　robe；
  the　high…priest　of　Khamon　in　a　tawny　woollen　robe；　and　the　high…priest
  of　Moloch　in　a　purple　robe。
  Hamilcar　advanced　towards　the　candelabrum。　He　walked　all　round　it；
  looking　at　the　burning　wicks；　then　he　threw　a　scented　powder　upon
  them；　and　violet　flames　appeared　at　the　extremities　of　the　branches。
  Then　a　shrill　voice　rose；　another　replied　to　it；　and　the　hundred
  Ancients；　the　four　pontiffs；　and　Hamilcar；　who　remained　standing；
  simultaneously　intoned　a　hymn；　and　their　voicesever　repeating　the
  same　syllables　and　strengthening　the　soundsrose；　grew　loud；　became
  terrible；　and　then　suddenly　were　still。
  There　was　a　pause　for　some　time。　At　last　Hamilcar　drew　from　his　breast
  a　little　three…headed　statuette；　as　blue　as　sapphire；　and　placed　it
  before　him。　It　was　the　image　of　Truth；　the　very　genius　of　his　speech。
  Then　he　replaced　it　in　his　bosom；　and　all；　as　if　seized　with　sudden
  wrath；　cried　out：
  〃They　are　good　friends　of　yours；　are　the　Barbarians！　Infamous　traitor！
  You　come　back　to　see　us　perish；　do　you　not？　Let　him　speak！No！　no！〃
  They　were　taking　their　revenge　for　the　constraint　to　which　political
  ceremonial　had　just　obliged　them；　and　even　though　they　had　wished　for
  Hamilcar's　return；　they　were　now　indignant　that　he　had　not　anticipated
  their　disasters；　or　rather　that　he　had　not　endured　them　as　well　as
  they。
  When　the　tumult　had　subsided；　the　pontiff　of　Moloch　rose：
  〃We　ask　you　why　you　did　not　return　to　Carthage？〃
  〃What　is　that　to　you？〃　replied　the　Suffet　disdainfully。
  Their　shouts　were　redoubled。
  〃Of　what　do　you　accuse　me？　I　managed　the　war　badly；　perhaps！　You　have
  seen　how　I　order　my　battles；　you　who　conveniently　allow　Barbarians〃
  〃Enough！　enough！〃
  He　went　on　in　a　low　voice　so　as　to　make　himself　the　better　listened
  to：
  〃Oh！　that　is　true！　I　am　wrong；　lights　of　the　Baals；　there　are　intrepid
  men　among　you！　Gisco；　rise！〃　And　surveying　the　step　of　the　altar　with
  half…closed　eyelids；　as　if　he　sought　for　some　one；　he　repeated：
  〃Rise；　Gisco！　You　can　accuse　me；　they　will　protect　you！　But　where　is
  he？〃　Then；　as　if　he　remembered　himself：　〃Ah！　in　his　house；　no　doubt！
  surrounded　by　his　sons；　commanding　his　slaves；　happy；　and　counting　on
  the　wall　the　necklaces　of　honour　which　his　country　has　given　to　him！〃
  They　moved　about　raising　their　shoulders　as　if　they　were　being
  scourged　with　thongs。　〃You　do　not　even　know　whether　he　is　living　or
  dead！〃　And　without　giving　any　heed　to　their　clamours　he　said　that　in
  deserting　the　Suffet　they　had　deserted　the　Republic。　So；　too；　the
  peace　with　Rome；　however　advantageous　it　might　appear　to　them；　was
  more　fatal　than　twenty　battles。　A　fewthose　who　were　the　least　rich
  of　the　Council　and　were　suspected　of　perpetual　leanings　towards　the
  people　or　towards　tyrannyapplauded。　Their　opponents；　chiefs　of　the
  Syssitia　and　administrators；　triumphed　over　them　in　point　of　numbers；
  and　the　more　eminent　of　them　had　ranged　themselves　close　to　Hanno；　who
  was　sitting　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall　before　the　lofty　door；　which
  was　closed　by　a　hanging　of　hyacinth　colour。
  He　had　covered　the　ulcers　on　his　face　with　paint。　But　the　gold　dust　in
  his　hair　had　fallen　upon　his　shoulders；　where　it　formed　two　brilliant
  sheets；　so　that　his　hair　appeared　whitish；　fine；　and　frizzled　like
  wool。　His　hands　were　enveloped　in　linen　soaked　in　a　greasy　perfume；
  which　dripped　upon　the　pavement；　and　his　disease　had　no　doubt
  considerably　increased；　for　his　eyes　were　hidden　beneath　the　folds　of
  his　eyelids。　He　had　thrown　back　his　head　in　order　to　see。　His
  partisans　urged　him　to　speak。　At　last　in　a　hoarse　and　hideous　voice　he
  said：
  〃Less　arrogance；　Barca！　We　have　all　been　vanquished！　Each　one　supports
  his　own　misfortune！　Be　resigned！〃
  〃Tell　us　rather；〃　said　Hamilcar；　smiling；　〃how　it　was　that　you　steered
  your　galleys　into　the　Roman　fleet？〃
  〃I　was　driven　by　the　wind；〃　replied　Hanno。
  〃You　are　like　a　rhinoceros　trampling　on　his　dung：　you　are　displaying
  your　own　folly！　be　silent！〃　And　they　began　to　indulge　in
  recriminations　respecting　the　battle　of　the　Aegatian　islands。
  Hanno　accused　him　of　not　having　come　to　meet　him。
  〃But　that　would　have　left　Eryx　undefended。　You　ought　to　have　stood　out
  from　the　coast；　what　prevented　you？　Ah！　I　forgot！　all　elephants　are
  afraid　of　the　sea！〃
  Hamilcar's　followers　thought　this　jest　so　good　that　they　burst　out
  into　loud　laughter。　The　vault　rang　with　it　like　the　beating　of
  tympanums。
  Hanno　denounced　the　unworthiness　of　such　an　insult；　the　disease　had
  come　upon　him　from　a　cold　taken　at　the　siege　of　Hecatompylos；　and
  tears　flowed　down　his　face　like　winter　rain　on　a　ruined　wall。
  Hamilcar　resumed：
  〃If　you　had　loved　me　as　much　as　him　there　would　be　great　joy　in
  Carthage　now！　How　many　times　did　I　not　call　upon　you！　and　you　always
  refused　me　money！〃
  〃We　had　need　of　it；〃　said　the　chiefs　of　the　Syssitia。
  〃And　when　things　were　desperate　with　mewe　drank　mules'　urine　and　ate
  the　straps　of　our　sandals；　when　I　would　fain　have　had　the　blades　of
  grass　soldiers　and　made　battalions　with　the　rottenness　of　our　dead；
  you　recalled　the　vessels　that　I　had　left！〃
  〃We　could　not　risk　everything；〃　replied　Baat…Baal；　who　possessed　gold
  mines　in　Darytian　Gaetulia。
  〃But　what　did　you　do　here；　at　Carthage；　in　your　houses；　behind　your
  walls？　There　are　Gauls　on　the　Eridanus；　who　ought　to　have　been　roused；
  Chanaanites　at　Cyrene　who　would　have　come；　and　while　the　Romans　send
  ambassadors　to　Ptolemaeus〃
  〃Now　he　is　extolling　the　Romans　to　us！〃　Some　one　shouted　out　to　him：
  〃How　much　have　they　paid　you　to　defend　them？〃
  〃Ask　that　of　the　plains　of　Brutium；　of　the　ruins　of　Locri；　of
  Metapontum；　and　of　Heraclea！　I　have　burnt　all　their　trees；　I　have
  pillaged　all　their　temples；　and　even　to　the　death　of　their
  grandchildren's　grandchildren〃
  〃Why；　you　disclaim　like　a　rhetor！〃　said　Kapouras；　a　very　illustrious
  merchant。　〃What　is　it　that　you　want？〃
  〃I　say　that　we　must　be　more　ingenious　or　more　terrible！　If　the　whole
  of　Africa　rejects　your　yoke　the　reason　is；　my　feeble　masters；　that　you
  do　not　know　how　to　fasten　it　to　her　shoulders！　Agathocles；　Regulus；
  Coepio；　any　bold　man　has　only　to　land　and　capture　her；　and　when　the
  Libyans　in　the　east　concert　with　the　Numidians　in　the　west；　and　the
  Nomads　come　from　the　south；　and　the　Romans　from　the　north〃a　cry　of
  horror　rose〃Oh！　you　will　beat　your　breasts；　and　roll　in　the　dust；
  and　tear　your　cloaks！　No　matter！　you　will　have　to　go　and　turn　the
  mill…stone　in　the　Suburra；　and　gather　grapes　on　the　hills　of　Latium。〃
  They　smote　their　right　thighs　to　mark　their　sense　of　the　scandal；　and
  the　sleeves　of　their　robes　rose　like　large　wings　of　startled　birds。
  Hamilcar；　carried　away　by　a　spirit；　continued　his　speech；　standing　on
  the　highest　step　of　the　altar；　quivering　and　terrible；　he　raised　his
  arms；　and　the　rays　from　the　candelabrum　which　burned　behind　him　passed
  between　his　fingers　like　javelins　of　gold。
  〃You　will　lose　your　ships；　your　country　seats；　your　chariots；　your
  hanging　beds；　and　the　slaves　who　rub　your　feet！　The　jackal　will　crouch
  in　your　palaces；　and　the　ploughshare　will　upturn　your　tombs。　Nothing
  will　be　left　but　the　eagles'　scream　and　a　heap　of　ruins。　Carthage；
  thou　wilt　fall！〃
  The　four　pontiffs　spread　out　their　hands　to　avert　the　anathema。　All
  had　risen。　But　the　marine　Suffet；　being　a　sacerdotal　magistrate　under
  the　protection　of　the　Sun；　was　inviolate　so　long　as　the　assembly　of
  the　rich　had　not　judged　him。　Terror　was　associated　with　the　altar。
  They　drew　back。
  Hamilcar　had　ceased　speaking；　and　was　panting　with　eye　fixed；　his　face
  as　pale　as　the　pearls　of　his　tiara；　almost　frightened　at　himself；　and
  his　spirit　lost　in　funereal　visions。　From　the　height　on　which　he
  stood；　all　the　torches　on　the　bronze　shafts　seemed　to　him　like　a　vast
  crown　of　fire　laid　level　with　the　pavement；　black　smoke　issuing　from
  them　mounted　up　into　the　darkness　of　the　vault；　and　for　some　minutes
  the　silence　was　so　profound　that　they　could　hear　in　the　distance　the
  sound　of　the　sea。
  Then　the　Ancients　began　to　question　one　another。　Their　interests；
  their　existence；　were　attacked　by　the　Barbarians。　But　it　was
  impossible　to　conquer　them　without　the　assistance　of　the　Suffet；　and
  in　spite　of　their　pride　this　consideration　made　them　forget　every
  other。　His　friends　were　taken　aside。　There　were　interested
  reconciliations；　understandings；　and　promises。　Hamilcar　would　not　take
  any　further　part　in　any　government。　All　conjured　him。　They