himself into a
fury--"I have listened to your words. If I reported them, how long
before you would both be sent to Carthage to keep comradeship with that
terrible fellow, Decius Magius? Have care! have care lest the gods
strike through me, their servant. Nevertheless the gods are merciful
to those who bring offerings--peace-offerings of gold and jewels and
raiment and spices. Come, what will you give me that I smother their
wrath--I, Iddilcar, your friend, whom you speak ill of behind his
back--whom you hate---yes, both of you;" and his eyes flashed at Marcia
with a strange recklessness that she had never seen in them.

Wondering and terrified, she listened to his outburst of rage, but
Calavius heard it calmly, and answered, without troubling himself to
probe its import.

"You shall have a talent of silver and such jewels as you choose," he
said, rising. "I will go and give the orders."

"Orders!" sneered the other; but to Marcia it seemed that the word and
look covered suspicion at the ready acquiescence of the Capuan.

"Then I will go with you and see that these orders are obeyed. Come;
ah!--" and he turned to Marcia; "and will you be here when I return? I
wish to speak with you."

She inclined her head, still wondering, and when they had left the room
her wonder deepened. Surely a change had taken place. A Carthaginian
was always said to love money, but for Iddilcar to seek to obtain it by
such crude and violent means, from a man whom his general professed to
honour and protect, seemed to augur something of which she knew not.
Either Hannibal's protection was to be, for some reason, withdrawn, or
else?--but what else could embolden the priest to such license? The
look, too, with which he had regarded herself! She had restrained him
with some difficulty during the past months, but now she felt
instinctively that her control had vanished. Even violence seemed
near; for that Iddilcar could be fool enough to dream that his mere
repetition of the words he had listened to, would enrage Hannibal, she
did not for a moment believe. The general had heard the same from
Calavius, face to face, and had only frowned and bit his lips behind
his beard, as if feeling their justice. What, then, could have
happened?

"Ah! you are still here."

She looked up quickly, and saw that the priest had returned alone. He
went on, speaking quickly and nervously, but in low tones:--

"The time has come. And so you were t