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tabernacles　borne　upon　chariots；　or　upon　litters　carried　by　the

pontiffs。　Great　plumes　swayed　at　the　corners　of　them；　and　rays　were

emitted　from　their　slender　pinnacles　which　terminated　in　balls　of

crystal；　gold；　silver　or　copper。



These　were　the　Chanaanitish　Baalim；　offshoots　of　the　supreme　Baal；　who

were　returning　to　their　first　cause　to　humble　themselves　before　his

might　and　annihilate　themselves　in　his　splendour。



Melkarth's　pavilion；　which　was　of　fine　purple；　sheltered　a　petroleum

flare；　on　Khamon's；　which　was　of　hyacinth　colour；　there　rose　an　ivory

phallus　bordered　with　a　circle　of　gems；　between　Eschmoun's　curtains；

which　were　as　blue　as　the　ether；　a　sleeping　python　formed　a　circle

with　his　tail；　and　the　Pataec　gods；　held　in　the　arms　of　their　priests；

looked　like　great　infants　in　swaddling　clothes　with　their　heels

touching　the　ground。



Then　came　all　the　inferior　forms　of　the　Divinity：　Baal…Samin；　god　of

celestial　space；　Baal…Peor；　god　of　the　sacred　mountains；　Baal…Zeboub；

god　of　corruption；　with　those　of　the　neighbouring　countries　and

congenerous　races：　the　Iarbal　of　Libya；　the　Adramelech　of　Chaldaea；

the　Kijun　of　the　Syrians；　Derceto；　with　her　virgin's　face；　crept　on

her　fins；　and　the　corpse　of　Tammouz　was　drawn　along　in　the　midst　of　a

catafalque　among　torches　and　heads　of　hair。　In　order　to　subdue　the

kings　of　the　firmament　to　the　Sun；　and　prevent　their　particular

influences　from　disturbing　his；　diversely　coloured　metal　stars　were

brandished　at　the　end　of　long　poles；　and　all　were　there；　from　the　dark

Neblo；　the　genius　of　Mercury；　to　the　hideous　Rahab；　which　is　the

constellation　of　the　Crocodile。　The　Abbadirs；　stones　which　had　fallen

from　the　moon；　were　whirling　in　slings　of　silver　thread；　little

loaves；　representing　the　female　form；　were　born　on　baskets　by　the

priests　of　Ceres；　others　brought　their　fetishes　and　amulets；　forgotten

idols　reappeared；　while　the　mystic　symbols　had　been　taken　from　the

very　ships　as　though　Carthage　wished　to　concentrate　herself　wholly

upon　a　single　thought　of　death　and　desolation。



Before　each　tabernacle　a　man　balanced　a　large　vase　of　smoking　incense

on　his　head。　Clouds　hovered　here　and　there；　and　the　hangings；

pendants；　and　embroideries　of　the　sacred　pavilions　might　be

distinguished　amid　the　thick　vapours。　These　advanced　slowly　owing　to

their　enormous　weight。　Sometimes　the　axles　became　fast　in　the　streets；

then　the　pious　took　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　touch　the　Baalim

with　their　garments；　which　they　preserved　afterwards　as　holy　things。



The　brazen　statue　continued　to　advance　towards　the　square　of　Khamon。

The　rich；　carrying　sceptres　with　emerald　balls；　set　out　from　the

bottom　of　Megara；　the　Ancients；　with　diadems　on　their　heads；　had

assembled　in　Kinisdo；　and　masters　of　the　finances；　governors　of

provinces；　sailors；　and　the　numerous　horde　employed　at　funerals；　all

with　the　insignia　of　their　magistracies　or　the　instruments　of　their

calling；　were　making　their　way　towards　the　tabernacles　which　were

descending　from　the　Acropolis　between　the　colleges　of　the　pontiffs。



Out　of　deference　to　Moloch　they　had　adorned　themselves　with　the　most

splendid　jewels。　Diamonds　sparkled　on　their　black　garments；　but　their

rings　were　too　large　and　fell　from　their　wasted　hands；nor　could

there　have　been　anything　so　mournful　as　this　silent　crowd　where

earrings　tapped　against　pale　faces；　and　gold　tiaras　clasped　brows

contracted　with　stern　despair。



At　last　the　Baal　arrived　exactly　in　the　centre　of　the　square。　His

pontiffs　arranged　an　enclosure　with　trellis…work　to　keep　off　the

multitude；　and　remained　around　him　at　his　feet。



The　priests　of　Khamon；　in　tawny　woollen　robes；　formed　a　line　before

their　temple　beneath　the　columns　of　the　portico；　those　of　Eschmoun；　in

linen　mantles　with　necklaces　of　koukouphas'　heads　and　pointed　tiaras；

posted　themselves　on　the　steps　of　the　Acropolis；　the　priests　of

Melkarth；　in　violet　tunics；　took　the　western　side；　the　priests　of　the

Abbadirs；　clasped　with　bands　of　Phrygian　stuffs；　placed　themselves　on

the　east；　while　towards　the　south；　with　the　necromancers　all　covered

with　tattooings；　and　the　shriekers　in　patched　cloaks；　were　ranged　the

curates　of　the　Pataec　gods；　and　the　Yidonim；　who　put　the　bone　of　a

dead　man　into　their　mouths　to　learn　the　future。　The　priests　of　Ceres；

who　were　dressed　in　blue　robes；　had　prudently　stopped　in　the　street　of

Satheb；　and　in　low　tones　were　chanting　a　thesmophorion　in　the　Megarian

dialect。



From　time　to　time　files　of　men　arrived；　completely　naked；　their　arms

outstretched；　and　all　holding　one　another　by　the　shoulders。　From　the

depths　of　their　breasts　they　drew　forth　a　hoarse　and　cavernous

intonation；　their　eyes；　which　were　fastened　upon　the　colossus；　shone

through　the　dust；　and　they　swayed　their　bodies　simultaneously；　and　at

equal　distances；　as　though　they　were　all　affected　by　a　single

movement。　They　were　so　frenzied　that　to　restore　order　the　hierodules

compelled　them；　with　blows　of　the　stick；　to　lie　flat　upon　the　ground；

with　their　faces　resting　against　the　brass　trellis…work。



Then　it　was　that　a　man　in　a　white　robe　advanced　from　the　back　of　the

square。　He　penetrated　the　crowd　slowly；　and　people　recognised　a　priest

of　Taniththe　high…priest　Schahabarim。　Hootings　were　raised；　for　the

tyranny　of　the　male　principle　prevailed　that　day　in　all　consciences；

and　the　goddess　was　actually　so　completely　forgotten　that　the　absence

of　her　pontiffs　had　not　been　noticed。　But　the　amazement　was　increased

when　he　was　seen　to　open　one　of　the　doors　of　the　trellis…work　intended

for　those　who　intended　to　offer　up　victims。　It　was　an　outrage　to　their

god；　thought　the　priests　of　Moloch；　that　he　had　just　committed；　and

they　sought　with　eager　gestures　to　repel　him。　Fed　on　the　meat　of　the

holocausts；　clad　in　purple　like　kings；　and　wearing　triple…storied

crowns；　they　despised　the　pale　eunuch；　weakened　with　his　macerations；

and　angry　laughter　shook　their　black　beards；　which　were　displayed　on

their　breasts　in　the　sun。



Schahabarim　walked　on；　giving　no　reply；　and；　traversing　the　whole

enclosure　with　deliberation；　reached　the　legs　of　the　colossus；　then；

spreading　out　both　arms；　he　touched　it　on　both　sides；　which　was　a

solemn　form　of　adoration。　For　a　long　time　Rabbet　had　been　torturing

him；　and　in　despair；　or　perhaps　for　lack　of　a　god　that　completely

satisfied　his　ideas；　he　had　at　last　decided　for　this　one。



The　crowd；　terrified　by　this　act　of　apostasy；　uttered　a　lengthened

murmur。　It　was　felt　that　the　last　tie　which　bound　their　souls　to　a

merciful　divinity　was　breaking。



But　owing　to　his　mutilation；　Schahabarim　could　take　no　part　in　the

cult　of　the　Baal。　The　men　in　the　red　cloaks　shut　him　out　from　the

enclosure；　then；　when　he　was　outside；　he　went　round　all　the　colleges

in　succession；　and　the　priest；　henceforth　without　a　god；　disappeared

into　the　crowd。　It　scattered　at　his　approach。



Meanwhile　a　fire　of　aloes；　cedar；　and　laurel　was　burning