He entered Salammbo's room in a state of distraction. He seized Hannibal
with one hand, snatched up the cord of a trailing garment with the
other, tied his feet and hands with it, thrust the end into his mouth
to form a gag, and hid him under the bed of the ox-hides by letting an
ample drapery fall to the ground.

Afterwards he walked about from right to left, raised his arms, wheeled
round, bit his lips. Then he stood still with staring eyelids, and
panted as though he were about to die.

But he clapped his hands three times. Giddenem appeared.

"Listen!" he said, "go and take from among the slaves a male child from
eight to nine years of age, with black hair and swelling forehead! Bring
him here! make haste!"

Giddenem soon entered again, bringing forward a young boy.

He was a miserable child, at once lean and bloated; his skin looked
greyish, like the infected rag hanging to his sides; his head was sunk
between his shoulders, and with the back of his hand he was rubbing his
eyes, which were filled with flies.

How could he ever be confounded with Hannibal! and there was no time
to choose another. Hamilcar looked at Giddenem; he felt inclined to
strangle him.

"Begone!" he cried; and the master of the slaves fled.

The misfortune which he had so long dreaded was therefore come, and with
extravagant efforts he strove to discover whether there was not some
mode, some means to escape it.

Abdalonim suddenly spoke from behind the door. The Suffet was being
asked for. The servants of Moloch were growing impatient.

Hamilcar repressed a cry as though a red hot iron had burnt him; and
he began anew to pace the room like one distraught. Then he sank down
beside the balustrade, and, with his elbows on his knees, pressed his
forehead into his shut fists.

The porphyry basin still contained a little clear water for Salammbo's
ablutions. In spite of his repugnance and all his pride, the Suffet
dipped the child into it, and, like a slave merchant, began to wash him
and rub him with strigils and red earth. Then he took two purple squares
from the receptacles round the wall, placed one on his breast and the
other on his back, and joined them together on the collar bones with
two diamond clasps. He poured perfume upon his head, passed an
electrum necklace around his neck, and put on him sandals with heels of
pearl,--sandals belonging to his own daughter! But he stamped with shame
and vexation; Salammbo, who busied h