coals　inclined　it　over　his　robe。　A　brown　spot　appeared；　it　was　a
  fraud。　Then　he　gazed　fixedly　at　the　Chief　of　the　Odours；　and　without
  saying　anything　flung　the　gazelle's　horn　full　in　his　face。
  However　indignant　he　might　be　at　adulterations　made　to　his　own
  prejudice；　when　he　perceived　some　parcels　of　nard　which　were　being
  packed　up　for　countries　beyond　the　sea；　he　ordered　antimony　to　be
  mixed　with　it　so　as　to　make　it　heavier。
  Then　he　asked　where　three　boxes　of　psagdas　designed　for　his　own　use
  were　to　be　found。
  The　Chief　of　the　Odours　confessed　that　he　did　not　know；　some　soldiers
  had　come　howling　in　with　knives　and　he　had　opened　the　boxes　for　them。
  〃So　you　are　more　afraid　of　them　then　of　me！〃　cried　the　Suffet；　and　his
  eyeballs　flashed　like　torches　through　the　smoke　upon　the　tall；　pale
  man　who　was　beginning　to　understand。　〃Abdalonim！　you　will　make　him　run
  the　gauntlet　before　sunset：　tear　him！〃
  This　loss；　which　was　less　than　the　others；　had　exasperated　him；　for　in
  spite　of　his　efforts　to　banish　them　from　his　thoughts　he　was
  continually　coming　again　across　the　Barbarians。　Their　excesses　were
  blended　with　his　daughter's　shame；　and　he　was　angry　with　the　whole
  household　for　knowing　of　the　latter　and　for　not　speaking　of　it　to　him。
  But　something　impelled　him　to　bury　himself　in　his　misfortune；　and　in
  an　inquisitorial　fit　he　visited　the　sheds　behind　the　mercantile　house
  to　see　the　supplies　of　bitumen；　wood；　anchors　and　cordage；　honey　and
  wax；　the　cloth　warehouse；　the　stores　of　food；　the　marble　yard　and　the
  silphium　barn。
  He　went　to　the　other　side　of　the　gardens　to　make　an　inspection　in
  their　cottages；　of　the　domestic　artisans　whose　productions　were　sold。
  There　were　tailors　embroidering　cloaks；　others　making　nets；　others
  painting　cushions　or　cutting　out　sandals；　and　Egyptian　workmen
  polished　papyrus　with　a　shell；　while　the　weavers'　shuttles　rattled　and
  the　armourers'　anvils　rang。
  Hamilcar　said　to　them：
  〃Beat　away　at　the　swords！　I　shall　want　them。〃　And　he　drew　the
  antelope's　skin　that　had　been　steeped　in　poisons　from　his　bosom　to
  have　it　cut　into　a　cuirass　more　solid　than　one　of　brass　and
  unassailable　by　steel　or　flame。
  As　soon　as　he　approached　the　workmen；　Abdalonim；　to　give　his　wrath
  another　direction；　tried　to　anger　him　against　them　by　murmured
  disparagement　of　their　work。　〃What　a　performance！　It　is　a　shame！　The
  Master　is　indeed　too　good。〃　Hamilcar　moved　away　without　listening　to
  him。
  He　slackened　his　pace；　for　the　paths　were　barred　by　great　trees
  calcined　from　one　end　to　the　other；　such　as　may　be　met　with　in　woods
  where　shepherds　have　encamped；　and　the　palings　were　broken；　the　water
  in　the　trenches　was　disappearing；　while　fragments　of　glass　and　the
  bones　of　apes　were　to　be　seen　amid　the　miry　puddles。　A　scrap　of　cloth
  hung　here　and　there　from　the　bushes；　and　the　rotten　flowers　formed　a
  yellow　muck…heap　beneath　the　citron　trees。　In　fact；　the　servants　had
  neglected　everything；　thinking　that　the　master　would　never　return。
  At　every　step　he　discovered　some　new　disaster；　some　further　proof　of
  the　thing　which　he　had　forbidden　himself　to　learn。　Here　he　was　soiling
  his　purple　boots　as　he　crushed　the　filth　under…foot；　and　he　had　not
  all　these　men　before　him　at　the　end　of　a　catapult　to　make　them　fly
  into　fragments！　He　felt　humiliated　at　having　defended　them；　it　was　a
  delusion　and　a　piece　of　treachery；　and　as　he　could　not　revenge　himself
  upon　the　soldiers；　or　the　Ancients；　or　Salammbo；　or　anybody；　and　his
  wrath　required　some　victim；　he　condemned　all　the　slaves　of　the　gardens
  to　the　mines　at　a　single　stroke。
  Abdalonim　shuddered　each　time　that　he　saw　him　approaching　the　parks。
  But　Hamilcar　took　the　path　towards　the　mill；　from　which　there　might　be
  heard　issuing　a　mournful　melopoeia。
  The　heavy　mill…stones　were　turning　amid　the　dust。　They　consisted　of
  two　cones　of　porphyry　laid　the　one　upon　the　otherthe　upper　one　of
  the　two；　which　carried　a　funnel；　being　made　to　revolve　upon　the　second
  by　means　of　strong　bars。　Some　men　were　pushing　these　with　their
  breasts　and　arms；　while　others　were　yoked　to　them　and　were　pulling
  them。　The　friction　of　the　straps　had　formed　purulent　scabs　round　about
  their　armpits　such　as　are　seen　on　asses'　withers；　and　the　end　of　the
  limp　black　rag；　which　scarcely　covered　their　loins；　hung　down　and
  flapped　against　their　hams　like　a　long　tail。　Their　eyes　were　red；　the
  irons　on　their　feet　clanked；　and　all　their　breasts　panted
  rhythmically。　On　their　mouths　they　had　muzzles　fastened　by　two　little
  bronze　chains　to　render　it　impossible　for　them　to　eat　the　flour；　and
  their　hands　were　enclosed　in　gauntlets　without　fingers；　so　as　to
  prevent　them　from　taking　any。
  At　the　master's　entrance　the　wooden　bars　creaked　still　more　loudly。
  The　grain　grated　as　it　was　being　crushed。　Several　fell　upon　their
  knees；　the　others；　continuing　their　work；　stepped　across　them。
  He　asked　for　Giddenem；　the　governor　of　the　slaved；　and　that　personage
  appeared；　his　rank　being　displayed　in　the　richness　of　his　dress。　His
  tunic；　which　was　slit　up　the　sides；　was　of　fine　purple；　his　ears　were
  weighted　with　heavy　rings；　and　the　strips　of　cloth　enfolding　his　legs
  were　joined　together　with　a　lacing　of　gold　which　extended　from　his
  ankles　to　his　hips；　like　a　serpent　winding　about　a　tree。　In　his
  fingers；　which　were　laden　with　rings；　he　held　a　necklace　of　jet　beads；
  so　as　to　recognise　the　men　who　were　subject　to　the　sacred　disease。
  Hamilcar　signed　to　him　to　unfasten　the　muzzles。　Then　with　the　cries　of
  famished　animals　they　all　rushed　upon　the　flour；　burying　their　faces
  in　the　heaps　of　it　and　devouring　it。
  〃You　are　weakening　them！〃　said　the　Suffet。
  Giddenem　replied　that　such　treatment　was　necessary　in　order　to　subdue
  them。
  〃It　was　scarcely　worth　while　sending　you　to　the　slaves'　school　at
  Syracuse。　Fetch　the　others！〃
  And　the　cooks；　butlers；　grooms；　runners；　and　litter…carriers；　the　men
  belonging　to　the　vapour…baths；　and　the　women　with　their　children；　all
  ranged　themselves　in　a　single　line　in　the　garden　from　the　mercantile
  house　to　the　deer　park。　They　held　their　breath。　An　immense　silence
  prevailed　in　Megara。　The　sun　was　lengthening　across　the　lagoon　at　the
  foot　of　the　catacombs。　The　peacocks　were　screeching。　Hamilcar　walked
  along　step　by　step。
  〃What　am　I　to　do　with　these　old　creatures？〃　he　said。　〃Sell　them！　There
  are　too　many　Gauls：　they　are　drunkards！　and　too　many　Cretans：　they　are
  liars！　Buy　me　some　Cappadocians；　Asiatics；　and　Negroes。〃
  He　was　astonished　that　the　children　were　so　few。　〃The　house　ought　to
  have　births　every　year；　Giddenem。　You　will　leave　the　huts　open　every
  night　to　let　them　mingle　freely。〃
  He　then　had　the　thieves；　the　lazy；　and　the　mutinous　shown　to　him。　He
  distributed　punishments；　with　reproaches　to　Giddenem；　and　Giddenem；
  ox…like；　bent　his　low　forehead；　with　its　two　broad　intersecting
  eyebrows。
  〃See；　Eye　of　Baal；〃　he　said；　pointing　out　a　sturdy　Libyan；　〃here　is
  one　who　was　caught　with　the　rope　round　his　neck。〃
  〃Ah！　you　wish　to　die？〃　said　the　Suffet　scornfully。
  〃Yes！〃　replied　the　slave　in　an　intrepid　tone。
  Then；　without　heeding　the　precedent　or　the　pecuniary　loss；　Hamilcar
  said　to　the　serving…men：
  〃Away　with　him！〃
  Perhaps　in　his　thoughts　he　intended　a　sacrifice。　It　was　a　misfortune
  which　he　inflicted　upon　himself　in　order　to　avert　more　terrible　ones。
  Giddenem　had　hidden　those　who　were　mutilated　behind　the　others。
  Hamilcar　perceived　them。
  〃Who　cut　off　your　arm？〃
  〃The　soldiers；　Eye　of　Baal。〃
  Then　to　a　Samnite　who　was　staggering　like　a　wounded　heron：
  〃And　you；　who　did　that　to　you？〃
  It　was　the　governor；　who　had　broken　his　leg　with　an　iron　bar。
  This　silly　atrocity　made　the　Suffet　indignant；　he　snatched　the　jet
  necklace　out　of　Giddenem's　hands。
  〃Cursed　be　the　dog　that　injures　the　flock！　Gracious　Tanith；　to　cripple
  slaves！　Ah！　you　ruin　your　master！　Let　him　be　smothered　in　the
  dunghill。　And　those　that　are　missing？　Where　are　they？　Have　you　helped
  the　soldiers　to　murder　them？〃
  His　face　was　so　terrible　that　all　the　women　fled。　The　slaves　drew　back
  and　formed　a　large　circle　around　them；　Giddenem　was　frantically
  kissing　his　sandals；　Hamilcar　stood　upright　with　his　arms　raised　above
  him。
  But　with　his　understanding　as　clear　as　in　the　sternest　of　his　battles；
  he　recalled　a　thousand　odious　things；　ignominies　from　which　he　had
  turned　aside；　and　in　the　gleaming　of　his　wrath　he　could　once　more　see
  all　his　disasters　simultaneously　as　in　the　lightnings　of　a　storm。　The
  governors　of　the　country　estates　had　fled　through　terror　of　the
  soldiers；　perhaps　through　collusion　with　them；　they　were　all　deceiving
  him；　he　had　restrained　himself　too　long。
  〃Bring　them　here！〃　he　cried；　〃and　brand　them　on　the　forehead　with　red…
  hot　irons　as　cowards！〃
  Then　they　brought　and　spread　out　in　the　middle　of　the　garden；　fetters；
  car