As he was now unable to sit he remained lying down near the door, half hidden among the fringes of the lofty tapestry; and when the pontiff of Moloch asked them whether they would consent to surrender their children, his voice suddenly broke forth from the shadow like the roaring of a genius in the depths of a cavern.

He regretted, he said, that he had none of his own blood to give; and he gazed at Hamilcar, who faced him at the other end of the hall.

The Suffet was so much disconcerted by this look that it made him lower his eyes.

All successively bent their heads in approval; and in accordance with the rites he had to reply to the high priest: "Yes; be it so." Then the Ancients decreed the sacrifice in traditional circumlocution,--because there are things more troublesome to say than to perform.
The decision was almost immediately known in Carthage, and lamentations resounded.

The cries of women might everywhere be heard; their husbands consoled them, or railed at them with remonstrances.
But three hours afterwards extraordinary tidings were spread abroad: the Suffet had discovered springs at the foot of the cliff.