sary for me
in the performance of public office, will I be present at such a scene.
For weeks afterwards I scarcely slept; day and night there was before
me that terrible brazen image of Moloch. If I fell off to sleep, I woke
bathed in perspiration as I heard the screams of the infants as they
were dropped into those huge hands, heated to redness, stretched out to
receive them. I cannot believe, Giscon, that the gods are so cruel.

"Then there was the slaughter of a score of captives taken in war. I
see them now, standing pale and stern, with their eyes directed to the
brazen image which was soon to be sprinkled with their blood, while the
priests in their scarlet robes, with the sacrificial knives in hand,
approached them. I saw no more, for I shut my eyes till all was over.
I tell you again, Giscon, I do not believe the gods are so cruel. Why
should the gods of Phoenicia and Carthage alone demand blood? Those
of Greece and Rome are not so bloodthirsty, and yet Mars gives as many
victories to the Roman arms as Moloch does to ours."

"Blaspheme not the gods, Malchus," Giscon said gloomily; "you may be
sure that the wreath of a conquering general will never be placed around
your brow if you honour them not."

"If honouring them means approval of shedding the blood of infants and
captives, I will renounce all hopes of obtaining victory by their aid."

"I would you had spoken so before, Malchus; had I known that you were
a scorner of the gods I would not have asked you to join in our
enterprise. No good fortune can be expected to attend our efforts unless
we have the help of the gods."

"The matter is easily mended, Giscon," Malchus said calmly. "So far
I have taken no step towards carrying out your plans, and have but
listened to what you said, therefore, no harm can yet have been done.
Strike my name off the list, and forget that I have been with you. You
have my oath that I will say nought of anything that I have heard. You
can well make some excuse to your comrades. Tell them, for example, that
though I fear not for myself, I thought that, being the son of Hamilcar,
I had no right to involve his name and family in such an enterprise,
unless by his orders."

"Yes, it were better so," Giscon said after a pause; "I dare not
continue the enterprise with one who condemns the gods among us; it
would be to court failure. I did not dream of this; who could have
thought that a lad of your age would have been a spurner of