such words as their thievish priests filch from them.
Mark now this fellow that comes from the captain-general. Do you not
see how the fingers of his left hand clutch and unclutch? Were
Hannibal to crucify him and a few like, his gods might utter more
favouring responses. Meanwhile, our engines that should thunder at
your Capenian Gate are consumed before mud heaps; and who knows but all
the time some tree grows stouter that it may bear the weight of this
Hannibal, the slave of gods that should be taught their place and their
duties."

Marcia, despite her complicity, listened, shuddering, to these
sacrilegious words; and, mingled with her shrinking from a philosophy
that dared to talk of the immortals as mere means to be used or cast
aside as human ends might dictate, was a terror lest similar reasoning
should at last find place in Hannibal's mind and thus bring to naught
her aims and her sacrifices. It was easy to see how the general chafed
at the unwonted delay, and with what willingness he listened when
another spoke the words which he himself dared not utter.

Calavius had but just finished his tirade when they both turned at a
slight noise and saw Iddilcar standing in the entrance of the room.
How long he had been there--what he had heard, neither knew, but his
face wore the subtle smile which, though well-nigh native to its lines,
yet seemed always to bear some hidden import.

"The favour of Melkarth and of the Baalim be with you!" he said softly.
"Your servants, my Pacuvius, are not over-well trained. There was no
offer to bear word of my coming--no offer of attendance. The porter
hardly deigned to swing the door for me."

Marcia, knowing Iddilcar as she did, was prompt to take this speech in
the light of an explanation of his eavesdropping; but the once sharp
intelligence of Calavius had been too much deadened to search for
secondary meanings.

"I am an old man, priest," he said querulously. "Why should I leave
stripes and crying behind me?"

Iddilcar shrugged his shoulders. "That may be," he replied, "but if we
had such servants as yours in Carthage we should send their shades
ahead of us."

He had indeed deftly parried any attack or inquiry. Then, suddenly,
and of his own accord, he turned back to strike.

"And so you have been condemning the piety of the schalischim? the
integrity of the college of priests? the truth of the gods themselves,
for aught I know? Have a care!"--he was lashing