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with　a　heavy　step。　Some　advanced　like　women；　making　obscene　gestures；

others　stripped　naked　to　fight　amid　the　cups　after　the　fashion　of

gladiators；　and　a　company　of　Greeks　danced　around　a　vase　whereon

nymphs　were　to　be　seen；　while　a　Negro　tapped　with　an　ox…bone　on　a

brazen　buckler。



Suddenly　they　heard　a　plaintive　song；　a　song　loud　and　soft；　rising　and

falling　in　the　air　like　the　wing…beating　of　a　wounded　bird。



It　was　the　voice　of　the　slaves　in　the　ergastulum。　Some　soldiers　rose

at　a　bound　to　release　them　and　disappeared。



They　returned；　driving　through　the　dust　amid　shouts；　twenty　men；

distinguished　by　their　greater　paleness　of　face。　Small　black　felt　caps

of　conical　shape　covered　their　shaven　heads；　they　all　wore　wooden

shoes；　and　yet　made　a　noise　as　of　old　iron　like　driving　chariots。



They　reached　the　avenue　of　cypress；　where　they　were　lost　among　the

crowd　of　those　questioning　them。　One　of　them　remained　apart；　standing。

Through　the　rents　in　his　tunic　his　shoulders　could　be　seen　striped

with　long　scars。　Drooping　his　chin；　he　looked　round　him　with　distrust；

closing　his　eyelids　somewhat　against　the　dazzling　light　of　the

torches；　but　when　he　saw　that　none　of　the　armed　men　were　unfriendly　to

him；　a　great　sigh　escaped　from　his　breast；　he　stammered；　he　sneered

through　the　bright　tears　that　bathed　his　face。　At　last　he　seized　a

brimming　cantharus　by　its　rings；　raised　it　straight　up　into　the　air

with　his　outstretched　arms；　from　which　his　chains　hung　down；　and　then

looking　to　heaven；　and　still　holding　the　cup　he　said：



〃Hail　first　to　thee；　Baal…Eschmoun；　the　deliverer；　whom　the　people　of

my　country　call　Aesculapius！　and　to　you；　genii　of　the　fountains；

light；　and　woods！　and　to　you；　ye　gods　hidden　beneath　the　mountains　and

in　the　caverns　of　the　earth！　and　to　you；　strong　men　in　shining　armour

who　have　set　me　free！〃



Then　he　let　fall　the　cup　and　related　his　history。　He　was　called

Spendius。　The　Carthaginians　had　taken　him　in　the　battle　of　Aeginusae；

and　he　thanked　the　Mercenaries　once　more　in　Greek；　Ligurian　and　Punic；

he　kissed　their　hands；　finally；　he　congratulated　them　on　the　banquet；

while　expressing　his　surprise　at　not　perceiving　the　cups　of　the　Sacred

Legion。　These　cups；　which　bore　an　emerald　vine　on　each　of　their　six

golden　faces；　belonged　to　a　corps　composed　exclusively　of　young

patricians　of　the　tallest　stature。　They　were　a　privilege；　almost　a

sacerdotal　distinction；　and　accordingly　nothing　among　the　treasures　of

the　Republic　was　more　coveted　by　the　Mercenaries。　They　detested　the

Legion　on　this　account；　and　some　of　them　had　been　known　to　risk　their

lives　for　the　inconceivable　pleasure　of　drinking　out　of　these　cups。



Accordingly　they　commanded　that　the　cups　should　be　brought。　They　were

in　the　keeping　of　the　Syssitia；　companies　of　traders；　who　had　a　common

table。　The　slaves　returned。　At　that　hour　all　the　members　of　the

Syssitia　were　asleep。



〃Let　them　be　awakened！〃　responded　the　Mercenaries。



After　a　second　excursion　it　was　explained　to　them　that　the　cups　were

shut　up　in　a　temple。



〃Let　it　be　opened！〃　they　replied。



And　when　the　slaves　confessed　with　trembling　that　they　were　in　the

possession　of　Gisco；　the　general；　they　cried　out：



〃Let　him　bring　them！〃



Gisco　soon　appeared　at　the　far　end　of　the　garden　with　an　escort　of　the

Sacred　Legion。　His　full；　black　cloak；　which　was　fastened　on　his　head

to　a　golden　mitre　starred　with　precious　stones；　and　which　hung　all

about　him　down　to　his　horse's　hoofs；　blended　in　the　distance　with　the

colour　of　the　night。　His　white　beard；　the　radiancy　of　his　head…dress；

and　his　triple　necklace　of　broad　blue　plates　beating　against　his

breast；　were　alone　visible。



When　he　entered；　the　soldiers　greeted　him　with　loud　shouts；　all

crying：



〃The　cups！　The　cups！〃



He　began　by　declaring　that　if　reference　were　had　to　their　courage；

they　were　worthy　of　them。



The　crowd　applauded　and　howled　with　joy。



HE　knew　it；　he　who　had　commanded　them　over　yonder；　and　had　returned

with　the　last　cohort　in　the　last　galley！



〃True！　True！〃　said　they。



Nevertheless；　Gisco　continued；　the　Republic　had　respected　their

national　divisions；　their　customs；　and　their　modes　of　worship；　in

Carthage　they　were　free！　As　to　the　cups　of　the　Sacred　Legion；　they

were　private　property。　Suddenly　a　Gaul；　who　was　close　to　Spendius；

sprang　over　the　tables　and　ran　straight　up　to　Gisco；　gesticulating　and

threatening　him　with　two　naked　swords。



Without　interrupting　his　speech；　the　General　struck　him　on　the　head

with　his　heavy　ivory　staff；　and　the　Barbarian　fell。　The　Gauls　howled；

and　their　frenzy；　which　was　spreading　to　the　others；　would　soon　have

swept　away　the　legionaries。　Gisco　shrugged　his　shoulders　as　he　saw

them　growing　pale。　He　thought　that　his　courage　would　be　useless

against　these　exasperated　brute　beasts。　It　would　be　better　to　revenge

himself　upon　them　by　some　artifice　later；　accordingly；　he　signed　to

his　soldiers　and　slowly　withdrew。　Then；　turning　in　the　gateway　towards

the　Mercenaries；　he　cried　to　them　that　they　would　repent　of　it。



The　feast　recommenced。　But　Gisco　might　return；　and　by　surrounding　the

suburb；　which　was　beside　the　last　ramparts；　might　crush　them　against

the　walls。　Then　they　felt　themselves　alone　in　spite　of　their　crowd；

and　the　great　town　sleeping　beneath　them　in　the　shade　suddenly　made

them　afraid；　with　its　piles　of　staircases；　its　lofty　black　houses；　and

its　vague　gods　fiercer　even　than　its　people。　In　the　distance　a　few

ships'…lanterns　were　gliding　across　the　harbour；　and　there　were　lights

in　the　temple　of　Khamon。　They　thought　of　Hamilcar。　Where　was　he？　Why

had　he　forsaken　them　when　peace　was　concluded？　His　differences　with

the　Council　were　doubtless　but　a　pretence　in　order　to　destroy　them。

Their　unsatisfied　hate　recoiled　upon　him；　and　they　cursed　him；

exasperating　one　another　with　their　own　anger。　At　this　juncture　they

collected　together　beneath　the　plane…trees　to　see　a　slave　who；　with

eyeballs　fixed；　neck　contorted；　and　lips　covered　with　foam；　was

rolling　on　the　ground；　and　beating　the　soil　with　his　limbs。　Some　one

cried　out　that　he　was　poisoned。　All　then　believed　themselves　poisoned。

They　fell　upon　the　slaves；　a　terrible　clamour　was　raised；　and　a

vertigo　of　destruction　came　like　a　whirlwind　upon　the　drunken　army。

They　struck　about　them　at　random；　they　smashed；　they　slew；　some　hurled

torches　into　the　foliage；　others；　leaning　over　the　lions'　balustrade；

massacred　the　animals　with　arrows；　the　most　daring　ran　to　the

elephants；　desiring　to　cut　down　their　trunks　and　eat　ivory。



Some　Balearic　slingers；　however；　who　had　gone　round　the　corner　of　the

palace；　in　order　to　pillage　more　conveniently；　were　checked　by　a　lofty

barrier；　made　of　Indian　cane。　They　cut　the　lock…straps　with　their

daggers；　and　then　found　themselves　beneath　the　front　that　faced

Carthage；　in　another　garden　full　of　trimmed　vegetation。　Lines　of　white

flowers　all　following　one　another　in　regular　succession　formed　long

parabolas　like　star…rockets　on　the　azure…coloured　earth。　The　gloomy

bushes　exhaled　warm　and　honied　odours。　There　were　trunks　of　trees

smeared　with　cinnabar；　which　resembled　columns　covered　with　blood。　In

the　centre　were　twelve　pedestals；　each　supporting　a　great　glass　ball；

and　these　hollow　globes　were　indistinctly　filled　with　reddish　lights；

like　enormous　and　still　palpitating　eyeballs。　The　soldiers　lighted

themselves　with　torches　as　they　stumbled　on　the　slope　of　the　deeply

laboured　soil。



But　they　perceived　a　little　lake　divided　into　several　basins　by　walls

of　blue　stones。　So　limpid　was　the　wave　that　the　flames　of　the　torches

quivered　in　it　at　the　very　bottom；　on　a　bed　of　white　pebbles　and

golden　dust。　It　began　to　bubble；　luminous　spangles　glided　past；　and

great　fish　with　gems　about　their　mouths；　appeared　near　the　surface。



With　much　laughter　the　soldiers　slipped　their　fingers　into　the　gills

and　brought　them　to　the　tables。　They　were　the　fish　of　the　Barca

family；　and　were　all　descended　from　those　primordial　lotes　which　had

hatched　the　mystic　egg　wherein　the　goddess　was　concealed。　The　idea　of

committing　a　sacrilege　revived　the　greediness　of　the　Mercenaries；　they

speedily　placed　fire　beneath　some　brazen　vases；　and　amused　themselves

by　watching　the　beautiful　fish　struggling　in　the　boiling　water。



The　surge　of　soldiers　pressed　on。　They　were　no　longer　afraid。　They

commenced　to　drink　again。　Their　ragged　tunics　were　wet　with　the

perfumes　that　flowed　in　large　drops　from　their　foreheads；　and　resting

both　fists　on　the　tables；　which　seemed　to　them　to　be　rocking　like

ships；　they　rolled　their　great　drunken　eyes　around　to　devour　by　sight

what　they　could　not　take。　Others　walked　amid　the　dishes　on　the　purple

table　covers；　breaking　ivory　stools；　and　phials　of　Tyrian　glass　to

pieces　with　their　feet。　Songs　mingled　with　the　death…rattle　of　the

slaves　expiring　amid　the　broken　cups。　They　demanded　wine；　mea