who　imagined　themselves　at　a　feast；　and　sang。
  Many　through　a　strange　mania　would　repeat　the　same　word　or　continually
  make　the　same　gesture。　Then　when　they　happened　to　raise　their　heads
  and　look　at　one　another　they　were　choked　with　sobs　on　discovering　the
  horrible　ravages　made　in　their　faces。　Some　had　ceased　to　suffer；　and
  to　while　away　the　hours　told　of　the　perils　which　they　had　escaped。
  Death　was　certain　and　imminent　to　all。　How　many　times　had　they　not
  tried　to　open　up　a　passage！　As　to　implore　terms　from　the　conqueror；　by
  what　means　could　they　do　so？　They　did　not　even　know　where　Hamilcar
  was。
  The　wind　was　blowing　from　the　direction　of　the　ravine。　It　made　the
  sand　flow　perpetually　in　cascades　over　the　portcullis；　and　the　cloaks
  and　hair　of　the　Barbarians　were　being　covered　with　it　as　though　the
  earth　were　rising　upon　them　and　desirous　of　burying　them。　Nothing
  stirred；　the　eternal　mountain　seemed　still　higher　to　them　every
  morning。
  Sometimes　flights　of　birds　darted　past　beneath　the　blue　sky　in　the
  freedom　of　the　air。　The　men　closed　their　eyes　that　they　might　not　see
  them。
  At　first　they　felt　a　buzzing　in　their　ears；　their　nails　grew　black；
  the　cold　reached　to　their　breasts；　they　lay　upon　their　sides　and
  expired　without　a　cry。
  On　the　nineteenth　day　two　thousand　Asiatics　were　dead；　with　fifteen
  hundred　from　the　Archipelago；　eight　thousand　from　Libya；　the　youngest
  of　the　Mercenaries　and　whole　tribesin　all　twenty　thousand　soldiers；
  or　half　of　the　army。
  Autaritus；　who　had　only　fifty　Gauls　left；　was　going　to　kill　himself　in
  order　to　put　an　end　to　this　state　of　things；　when　he　thought　he　saw　a
  man　on　the　top　of　the　mountain　in　front　of　him。
  Owing　to　his　elevation　this　man　did　not　appear　taller　than　a　dwarf。
  However；　Autaritus　recognised　a　shield　shaped　like　a　trefoil　on　his
  left　arm。　〃A　Carthaginian！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　immediately　throughout
  the　plain；　before　the　portcullis　and　beneath　the　rocks；　all　rose。　The
  soldier　was　walking　along　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　the　Barbarians
  gazed　at　him　from　below。
  Spendius　picked　up　the　head　of　an　ox；　then　having　formed　a　diadem　with
  two　belts；　he　fixed　it　on　the　horns　at　the　end　of　a　pole　in　token　of
  pacific　intentions。　The　Carthaginian　disappeared。　They　waited。
  At　last　in　the　evening　a　sword…belt　suddenly　fell　from　above　like　a
  stone　loosened　from　the　cliff。　It　was　made　of　red　leather　covered　with
  embroidery；　with　three　diamond　stars；　and　stamped　in　the　centre；　it
  bore　the　mark　of　the　Great　Council：　a　horse　beneath　a　palm…tree。　This
  was　Hamilcar's　reply；　the　safe…conduct　that　he　sent　them。
  They　had　nothing　to　fear；　any　change　of　fortune　brought　with　it　the
  end　of　their　woes。　They　were　moved　with　extravagant　joy；　they　embraced
  one　another；　they　wept。　Spendius；　Autaritus；　and　Zarxas；　four
  Italiotes；　a　Negro　and　two　Spartans　offered　themselves　as　envoys。　They
  were　immediately　accepted。　They　did　not　know；　however；　by　what　means
  they　should　get　away。
  But　a　cracking　sounded　in　the　direction　of　the　rocks；　and　the　most
  elevated　of　them；　after　rocking　to　and　fro；　rebounded　to　the　bottom。
  In　fact；　if　they　were　immovable　on　the　side　of　the　Barbariansfor　it
  would　have　been　necessary　to　urge　them　up　an　incline　plane；　and　they
  were；　moreover；　heaped　together　owing　to　the　narrowness　of　the　gorge
  on　the　others；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　sufficient　to　drive　against
  them　with　violence　to　make　them　descend。　The　Carthaginians　pushed
  them；　and　at　daybreak　they　projected　into　the　plain　like　the　steps　of
  an　immense　ruined　staircase。
  The　Barbarians　were　still　unable　to　climb　them。　Ladders　were　held　out
  for　their　assistance；　all　rushed　upon　them。　The　discharge　of　a
  catapult　drove　the　crowd　back；　only　the　Ten　were　taken　away。
  They　walked　amid　the　Clinabarians；　leaning　their　hands　on　the　horses'
  croups　for　support。
  Now　that　their　first　joy　was　over　they　began　to　harbour　anxieties。
  Hamilcar's　demands　would　be　cruel。　But　Spendius　reassured　them。
  〃I　will　speak！〃　And　he　boasted　that　he　knew　excellent　things　to　say
  for　the　safety　of　the　army。
  Behind　all　the　bushes　they　met　with　ambushed　sentries；　who　prostrated
  themselves　before　the　sword…belt　which　Spendius　had　placed　over　his
  shoulder。
  When　they　reached　the　Punic　camp　the　crowd　flocked　around　them；　and
  they　thought　that　they　could　hear　whisperings　and　laughter。　The　door
  of　a　tent　opened。
  Hamilcar　was　at　the　very　back　of　it　seated　on　a　stool　beside　a　table
  on　which　there　shone　a　naked　sword。　He　was　surrounded　by　captains；　who
  were　standing。
  He　started　back　on　perceiving　these　men；　and　then　bent　over　to　examine
  them。
  Their　pupils　were　strangely　dilated；　and　there　was　a　great　black
  circle　round　their　eyes；　which　extended　to　the　lower　parts　of　their
  ears；　their　bluish　noses　stood　out　between　their　hollow　cheeks；　which
  were　chinked　with　deep　wrinkles；　the　skin　of　their　bodies　was　too
  large　for　their　muscles；　and　was　hidden　beneath　a　slate…coloured　dust；
  their　lips　were　glued　to　their　yellow　teeth；　they　exhaled　an
  infectious　odour；　they　might　have　been　taken　for　half…opened　tombs；
  for　living　sepulchres。
  In　the　centre　of　the　tent；　on　a　mat　on　which　the　captains　were　about
  to　sit　down；　there　was　a　dish　of　smoking　gourds。　The　Barbarians
  fastened　their　eyes　upon　it　with　a　shivering　in　all　their　limbs；　and
  tears　came　to　their　eyelids；　nevertheless　they　restrained　themselves。
  Hamilcar　turned　away　to　speak　to　some　one。　Then　they　all　flung
  themselves　upon　it；　flat　on　the　ground。　Their　faces　were　soaked　in　the
  fat；　and　the　noise　of　their　deglutition　was　mingled　with　the　sobs　of
  joy　which　they　uttered。　Through　astonishment；　doubtless；　rather　than
  pity；　they　were　allowed　to　finish　the　mess。　Then　when　they　had　risen
  Hamilcar　with　a　sign　commanded　the　man　who　bore　the　sword…belt　to
  speak。　Spendius　was　afraid；　he　stammered。
  Hamilcar；　while　listening　to　him；　kept　turning　round　on　his　finger　a
  big　gold　ring；　the　same　which　had　stamped　the　seal　of　Carthage　upon
  the　sword…belt。　He　let　it　fall　to　the　ground；　Spendius　immediately
  picked　it　up；　his　servile　habits　came　back　to　him　in　the　presence　of
  his　master。　The　others　quivered　with　indignation　at　such　baseness。
  But　the　Greek　raised　his　voice　and　spoke　for　a　long　time　in　rapid；
  insidious；　and　even　violent　fashion；　setting　forth　the　crimes　of
  Hanno；　whom　he　knew　to　be　Barca's　enemy；　and　striving　to　move
  Hamilcar's　pity　by　the　details　of　their　miseries　and　the　recollection
  of　their　devotion；　in　the　end　he　became　forgetful　of　himself；　being
  carried　away　by　the　warmth　of　his　temper。
  Hamilcar　replied　that　he　accepted　their　excuses。　Peace；　then；　was
  about　to　be　concluded；　and　now　it　would　be　a　definitive　one！　But　he
  required　that　ten　Mercenaries；　chosen　by　himself；　should　be　delivered
  up　to　him　without　weapons　or　tunics。
  They　had　not　expected　such　clemency；　Spendius　exclaimed：　〃Ah！　twenty
  if　you　wish；　master！〃
  〃No！　ten　will　suffice；〃　replied　Hamilcar　quietly。
  They　were　sent　out　of　the　tent　to　deliberate。　As　soon　as　they　were
  alone；　Autaritus　protested　against　the　sacrifice　of　their　companions；
  and　Zarxas　said　to　Spendius：
  〃Why　did　you　not　kill　him？　his　sword　was　there　beside　you！〃
  〃Him！〃　said　Spendius。　〃Him！　him！〃　he　repeated　several　times；　as　though
  the　thing　had　been　impossible；　and　Hamilcar　were　an　immortal。
  They　were　so　overwhelmed　with　weariness　that　they　stretched　themselves
  on　their　backs　on　the　ground；　not　knowing　at　what　resolution　to
  arrive。
  Spendius　urged　them　to　yield。　At　last　they　consented；　and　went　in
  again。
  Then　the　Suffet　put　his　hand　into　the　hands　of　the　ten　Barbarians　in
  turn；　and　pressed　their　thumbs；　then　he　rubbed　it　on　his　garment；　for
  their　viscous　skin　gave　a　rude；　soft　impression　to　the　touch；　a　greasy
  tingling　which　induced　horripilation。　Afterwards　he　said　to　them：
  〃You　are　really　all　the　chiefs　of　the　Barbarians；　and　you　have　sworn
  for　them？〃
  〃Yes！〃　they　replied。
  〃Without　constraint；　from　the　bottom　of　your　souls；　with　the　intention
  of　fulfilling　your　promises？〃
  They　assured　him　that　they　were　returning　to　the　rest　in　order　to
  fulfil　them。
  〃Well！〃　rejoined　the　Suffet；　〃in　accordance　with　the　convention
  concluded　between　myself；　Barca；　and　the　ambassadors　of　the
  Mercenaries；　it　is　you　whom　I　choose　and　shall　keep！〃
  Spendius　fell　swooning　upon　the　mat。　The　Barbarians；　as　though
  abandoning　him；　pressed　close　together；　and　there　was　not　a　word；　not
  a　complaint。
  Their　companions；　who　were　waiting　for　them；　not　seeing　them　return；
  believed　themselves　betrayed。　The　envoys　had　no　doubt　given　themselves
  up　to　the　Suffet。
  They　waited　for　two　days　longer；　then　on　the　morning　of　the　third；
  their　resolution　was　taken。　With　ropes；　picks；　and　arrows；　arranged
  like　rungs　between　strips　of　canvas；　they　succeeded　in　scaling　the
  rocks；　and　leaving　the　we