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through　the　spaces　between　the　gilded　reeds。　At　last　he　stopped　with　a

look　of　despair。



〃Listen！〃　said　the　slave　to　him。　〃Oh！　do　not　despise　me　for　my

feebleness！　I　have　lived　in　the　palace。　I　can　wind　like　a　viper

through　the　walls。　Come！　in　the　Ancestor's　Chamber　there　is　an　ingot

of　gold　beneath　every　flagstone；　an　underground　path　leads　to　their

tombs。〃



〃Well！　what　matters　it？〃　said　Matho。



Spendius　was　silent。



They　were　on　the　terrace。　A　huge　mass　of　shadow　stretched　before　them；

appearing　as　if　it　contained　vague　accumulations；　like　the　gigantic

billows　of　a　black　and　petrified　ocean。



But　a　luminous　bar　rose　towards　the　East；　far　below；　on　the　left；　the

canals　of　Megara　were　beginning　to　stripe　the　verdure　of　the　gardens

with　their　windings　of　white。　The　conical　roofs　of　the　heptagonal

temples；　the　staircases；　terraces；　and　ramparts　were　being　carved　by

degrees　upon　the　paleness　of　the　dawn；　and　a　girdle　of　white　foam

rocked　around　the　Carthaginian　peninsula；　while　the　emerald　sea

appeared　as　if　it　were　curdled　in　the　freshness　of　the　morning。　Then

as　the　rosy　sky　grew　larger；　the　lofty　houses；　bending　over　the

sloping　soil；　reared　and　massed　themselves　like　a　herd　of　black　goats

coming　down　from　the　mountains。　The　deserted　streets　lengthened；　the

palm…trees　that　topped　the　walls　here　and　there　were　motionless；　the

brimming　cisterns　seemed　like　silver　bucklers　lost　in　the　courts；　the

beacon　on　the　promontory　of　Hermaeum　was　beginning　to　grow　pale。　The

horses　of　Eschmoun；　on　the　very　summit　of　the　Acropolis　in　the　cypress

wood；　feeling　that　the　light　was　coming；　placed　their　hoofs　on　the

marble　parapet；　and　neighed　towards　the　sun。



It　appeared；　and　Spendius　raised　his　arms　with　a　cry。



Everything　stirred　in　a　diffusion　of　red；　for　the　god；　as　if　he　were

rending　himself；　now　poured　full…rayed　upon　Carthage　the　golden　rain

of　his　veins。　The　beaks　of　the　galleys　sparkled；　the　roof　of　Khamon

appeared　to　be　all　in　flames；　while　far　within　the　temples；　whose

doors　were　opening；　glimmerings　of　light　could　be　seen。　Large

chariots；　arriving　from　the　country；　rolled　their　wheels　over　the

flagstones　in　the　streets。　Dromedaries；　baggage…laden；　came　down　the

ramps。　Money…changers　raised　the　pent…houses　of　their　shops　at　the

cross　ways；　storks　took　to　flight；　white　sails　fluttered。　In　the　wood

of　Tanith　might　be　heard　the　tabourines　of　the　sacred　courtesans；　and

the　furnaces　for　baking　the　clay　coffins　were　beginning　to　smoke　on

the　Mappalian　point。



Spendius　leaned　over　the　terrace；　his　teeth　chattered　and　he　repeated：



〃Ah！　yesyesmaster！　I　understand　why　you　scorned　the　pillage　of　the

house　just　now。〃



Matho　was　as　if　he　had　just　been　awaked　by　the　hissing　of　his　voice；

and　did　not　seem　to　understand。　Spendius　resumed：



〃Ah！　what　riches！　and　the　men　who　possess　them　have　not　even　the　steel

to　defend　them！〃



Then；　pointing　with　his　right　arm　outstretched　to　some　of　the　populace

who　were　crawling　on　the　sand　outside　the　mole　to　look　for　gold　dust：



〃See！〃　he　said　to　him；　〃the　Republic　is　like　these　wretches：　bending

on　the　brink　of　the　ocean；　she　buries　her　greedy　arms　in　every　shore；

and　the　noise　of　the　billows　so　fills　her　ear　that　she　cannot　hear

behind　her　the　tread　of　a　master's　heel！〃



He　drew　Matho　to　quite　the　other　end　of　the　terrace；　and　showed　him

the　garden；　wherein　the　soldiers'　swords；　hanging　on　the　trees；　were

like　mirrors　in　the　sun。



〃But　here　there　are　strong　men　whose　hatred　is　roused！　and　nothing

binds　them　to　Carthage；　neither　families；　oaths　nor　gods！〃



Matho　remained　leaning　against　the　wall；　Spendius　came　close；　and

continued　in　a　low　voice：



〃Do　you　understand　me；　soldier？　We　should　walk　purple…clad　like

satraps。　We　should　bathe　in　perfumes；　and　I　should　in　turn　have

slaves！　Are　you　not　weary　of　sleeping　on　hard　ground；　of　drinking　the

vinegar　of　the　camps；　and　of　continually　hearing　the　trumpet？　But　you

will　rest　later；　will　you　not？　When　they　pull　off　your　cuirass　to　cast

your　corpse　to　the　vultures！　or　perhaps　blind；　lame；　and　weak　you　will

go；　leaning　on　a　stick；　from　door　to　door　to　tell　of　your　youth　to

pickle…sellers　and　little　children。　Remember　all　the　injustice　of　your

chiefs；　the　campings　in　the　snow；　the　marchings　in　the　sun；　the

tyrannies　of　discipline；　and　the　everlasting　menace　of　the　cross！　And

after　all　this　misery　they　have　given　you　a　necklace　of　honour；　as

they　hang　a　girdle　of　bells　round　the　breast　of　an　ass　to　deafen　it　on

its　journey；　and　prevent　it　from　feeling　fatigue。　A　man　like　you；

braver　than　Pyrrhus！　If　only　you　had　wished　it！　Ah！　how　happy　will　you

be　in　large　cool　halls；　with　the　sound　of　lyres；　lying　on　flowers；

with　women　and　buffoons！　Do　not　tell　me　that　the　enterprise　is

impossible。　Have　not　the　Mercenaries　already　possessed　Rhegium　and

other　fortified　places　in　Italy？　Who　is　to　prevent　you？　Hamilcar　is

away；　the　people　execrate　the　rich；　Gisco　can　do　nothing　with　the

cowards　who　surround　him。　Command　them！　Carthage　is　ours；　let　us　fall

upon　it！〃



〃No！〃　said　Matho；　〃the　curse　of　Moloch　weighs　upon　me。　I　felt　it　in

her　eyes；　and　just　now　I　saw　a　black　ram　retreating　in　a　temple。〃

Looking　around　him　he　added：　〃But　where　is　she？〃



Then　Spendius　understood　that　a　great　disquiet　possessed　him；　and　did

not　venture　to　speak　again。



The　trees　behind　them　were　still　smoking；　half…burned　carcases　of　apes

dropped　from　their　blackened　boughs　from　time　to　time　into　the　midst

of　the　dishes。　Drunken　soldiers　snored　open…mouthed　by　the　side　of　the

corpses；　and　those　who　were　not　asleep　lowered　their　heads　dazzled　by

the　light　of　day。　The　trampled　soil　was　hidden　beneath　splashes　of

red。　The　elephants　poised　their　bleeding　trunks　between　the　stakes　of

their　pens。　In　the　open　granaries　might　be　seen　sacks　of　spilled

wheat；　below　the　gate　was　a　thick　line　of　chariots　which　had　been

heaped　up　by　the　Barbarians；　and　the　peacocks　perched　in　the　cedars

were　spreading　their　tails　and　beginning　to　utter　their　cry。



Matho's　immobility；　however；　astonished　Spendius；　he　was　even　paler

than　he　had　recently　been；　and　he　was　following　something　on　the

horizon　with　fixed　eyeballs；　and　with　both　fists　resting　on　the　edge

of　the　terrace。　Spendius　crouched　down；　and　so　at　last　discovered　at

what　he　was　gazing。　In　the　distance　a　golden　speck　was　turning　in　the

dust　on　the　road　to　Utica；　it　was　the　nave　of　a　chariot　drawn　by　two

mules；　a　slave　was　running　at　the　end　of　the　pole；　and　holding　them　by

the　bridle。　Two　women　were　seated　in　the　chariot。　The　manes　of　the

animals　were　puffed　between　the　ears　after　the　Persian　fashion；

beneath　a　network　of　blue　pearls。　Spendius　recognised　them；　and

restrained　a　cry。



A　large　veil　floated　behind　in　the　wind。







CHAPTER　II



AT　SICCA



Two　days　afterwards　the　Mercenaries　left　Carthage。



They　had　each　received　a　piece　of　gold　on　the　condition　that　they

should　go　into　camp　at　Sicca；　and　they　had　been　told　with　all　sorts　of

caresses：



〃You　are　the　saviours　of　Carthage！　But　you　would　starve　it　if　you

remained　there；　it　would　become　insolvent。　Withdraw！　The　Republic　will

be　grateful　to　you　later　for　all　this　condescension。　We　are　going　to

levy　taxes　immediately；　your　pay　shall　be　in　full；　and　galleys　shall

be　equipped　to　take　you　back　to　your　native　lands。〃



They　did　not　know　how　to　reply　to　all　this　talk。　These　men；　accustomed

as　they　were　to　war；　were　wearied　by　residence　in　a　town；　there　was

difficulty　in　convincing　them；　and　the　people　mounted　the　walls　to　see

them　go　away。



They　defiled　through　the　street　of　Khamon；　and　the　Cirta　gate；

pell…mell；　archers　with　hoplites；　captains　with　soldiers；　Lusitanians

with　Greeks。　They　marched　with　a　bold　step；　rattling　their　heavy

cothurni　on　the　paving　stones。　Their　armour　was　dented　by　the

catapult；　and　their　faces　blackened　by　the　sunburn　of　battles。　Hoarse

cries　issued　from　their　thick　bears；　their　tattered　coats　of　mail

flapped　upon　the　pommels　of　their　swords；　and　through　the　holes　in　the

brass　might　be　seen　their　naked　limbs；　as　frightful　as　engines　of　war。

Sarissae；　axes；　spears；　felt　caps　and　bronze　helmets；　all　swung

together　with　a　single　motion。　They　filled　the　street　thickly　enough

to　have　made　the　walls　crack；　and　the　long　mass　of　armed　soldiers

overflowed　between　the　lofty　bitumen…smeared　houses　six　storys　high。

Behind　their　gratings　of　iron　or　reed　the　women；　with　veiled　heads；

silently　watched　the　Barbarians　pass。



The　terraces；　fortifications；　and　walls　were　hidden　beneath　the　crowd

of　Carthaginians；　who　were　dressed　in　garments　of　black。　The　sailors'

tunics　showed　like　drops　of　blood　among　the　dark　multitude；　and　nearly

naked　children；　whose　skin　shone　beneath　their　copper　bracelets；

gesticulated　in　the　foliage　of　the　columns；　or　amid　the　branches　of　a

palm　tree。　Some　of　the　Ancients　were　posted　on　the　platform　of　the

towers；　and　people　did　not　know　why　a　personage　with　a　long　beard

stood　thus　in　a　dreamy　attitude　here　and　there。　He　appeared　in　the

distance　against　the　background　of　the　sky；　vague　as　a　phantom　and

motionless　as　stone。



All；　however；　were　oppressed　with　the　same　anxiety；　it　was　feared　that

the　Barbarians；　seeing　themselves　so　strong；　might　take　a　fancy　to

stay。　But　they　were　leaving　with　so　much　good　faith　that　the

Carthaginians　grew　bold　and　mingled　with　the　soldiers。　They

overwhelmed　them　with　protestations　and　embraces。　Some　with

exaggerated　politeness　and　audacious　hypocrisy　even　sought　to　induce

them　not　to　leave　the　city。　They　threw　perfumes；　flowers；　and　pieces

of　silver　to　them。　They　gave　them　amulets　to　avert　sickness；　but　they

had　spit　upon　them　three　times　to　attract　death；　or　had　enclosed

jackal's　hair　within　them　to　put　cowardice　into　their　hearts。　Aloud；

they　invoked　Melkarth's　favour；　and　in　a　whisper；　his　curse。



Then　came　th