Hamilcar perceived her.

It seemed to him that she was holding up her arms towards him to ask for pardon; with a gesture of horror he plunged into the elephants' park.
These animals were the pride of the great Punic houses.

They had carried their ancestors, had triumphed in the wars, and they were reverenced as being the favourites of the Sun.
Those of Megara were the strongest in Carthage.

Before he went away Hamilcar had required Abdalonim to swear that he would watch over them.
But they had died from their mutilations; and only three remained, lying in the middle of the court in the dust before the ruins of their manger.
They recognised him and came up to him.

One had its ears horribly slit, another had a large wound in its knee, while the trunk of the third was cut off.
They looked sadly at him, like reasonable creatures; and the one that had lost its trunk tried by stooping its huge head and bending its hams to stroke him softly with the hideous extremity of its stump.
At this caress from the animal two tears started into his eyes.