s mouth with his hand exclaimed still more loudly:

"It is the old man who reared him! he calls him 'my child!' it will make
him mad! enough! enough!" And hustling away the three priests and their
victim he went out with them and with a great kick shut the door behind
him.

Hamilcar strained his ears for some minutes in constant fear of seeing
them return. He then thought of getting rid of the slave in order to
be quite sure that he would see nothing; but the peril had not wholly
disappeared, and, if the gods were provoked at the man's death, it might
be turned against his son. Then, changing his intention, he sent him
by Taanach the best from his kitchens--a quarter of a goat, beans, and
preserved pomegranates. The slave, who had eaten nothing for a long
time, rushed upon them; his tears fell into the dishes.

Hamilcar at last returned to Salammbo, and unfastened Hannibal's cords.
The child in exasperation bit his hand until the blood came. He repelled
him with a caress.

To make him remain quiet Salammbo tried to frighten him with Lamia, a
Cyrenian ogress.

"But where is she?" he asked.

He was told that brigands were coming to put him into prison. "Let them
come," he rejoined, "and I will kill them!"

Then Hamilcar told him the frightful truth. But he fell into a passion
with his father, contending that he was quite able to annihilate the
whole people, since he was the master of Carthage.

At last, exhausted by his exertions and anger, he fell into a wild
sleep. He spoke in his dreams, his back leaning against a scarlet
cushion; his head was thrown back somewhat, and his little arm,
outstretched from his body, lay quite straight in an attitude of
command.

When the night had grown dark Hamilcar lifted him up gently, and,
without a torch, went down the galley staircase. As he passed through
the mercantile house he took up a basket of grapes and a flagon of pure
water; the child awoke before the statue of Aletes in the vault of gems,
and he smiled--like the other--on his father's arm at the brilliant
lights which surrounded him.

Hamilcar felt quite sure that his son could not be taken from him. It
was an impenetrable spot communicating with the beach by a subterranean
passage which he alone knew, and casting his eyes around he inhaled
a great draught of air. Then he set him down upon a stool beside some
golden shields. No one at present could see him; he had no further need
for watching; and he relieved h