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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　the　mob　of　baggage；　beasts　of　burden；　and　stragglers。　The

sick　groaned　on　the　backs　of　dromedaries；　while　others　limped　along

leaning　on　broken　pikes。　The　drunkards　carried　leathern　bottles；　and

the　greedy　quarters　of　meat；　cakes；　fruits；　butter　wrapped　in　fig

leaves；　and　snow　in　linen　bags。　Some　were　to　be　seen　with　parasols　in

their　hands；　and　parrots　on　their　shoulders。　They　had　mastiffs；

gazelles；　and　panthers　following　behind　them。　Women　of　Libyan　race；

mounted　on　asses；　inveighed　against　the　Negresses　who　had　forsaken　the

lupanaria　of　Malqua　for　the　soldiers；　many　of　them　were　suckling

children　suspended　on　their　bosoms　by　leathern　thongs。　The　mules　were

goaded　out　at　the　point　of　the　sword；　their　backs　bending　beneath　the

load　of　tents；　while　there　were　numbers　of　serving…men　and　water…

carriers；　emaciated；　jaundiced　with　fever；　and　filthy　with　vermin；　the

scum　of　the　Carthaginian　populace；　who　had　attached　themselves　to　the

Barbarians。



When　they　had　passed；　the　gates　were　shut　behind　them；　but　the　people

did　not　descend　from　the　walls。　The　army　soon　spread　over　the　breadth

of　the　isthmus。



It　parted　into　unequal　masses。　Then　the　lances　appeared　like　tall

blades　of　grass；　and　finally　all　was　lost　in　a　train　of　dust；　those　of

the　soldiers　who　looked　back　towards　Carthage　could　now　only　see　its

long　walls　with　their　vacant　battlements　cut　out　against　the　edge　of

the　sky。



Then　the　Barbarians　heard　a　great　shout。　They　thought　that　some　from

among　them　（for　they　did　not　know　their　own　number）　had　remained　in

the　town；　and　were　amusing　themselves　by　pillaging　a　temple。　They

laughed　a　great　deal　at　the　idea　of　this；　and　then　continued　their

journey。



They　were　rejoiced　to　find　themselves；　as　in　former　days；　marching　all

together　in　the　open　country；　and　some　of　the　Greeks　sang　the　old　song

of　the　Mamertines：



　　〃With　my　lance　and　sword　I　plough　and　reap；　I　a