“Nay!” he exclaimed, “I will not slay thee, Elissa, for thou art but like myself, the victim of a cruel, a pitiless fate, and not thyself to blame. May the gods protect thee in the future as in the past, and guide thee to do that which is right. As for me, I do forgive thee, for now I know the truth indeed, which is that thou dost love me most. But to mine enemy Maharbal do I owe my life thrice over. To him, therefore, will I return two lives—thine and that of his unborn child. Farewell, Elissa!—farewell for ever, beloved!”
He kissed her tenderly on the forehead, and thus they parted, to meet no more in this world, for Scipio sent her back to Carthage that same day.
But Elissa never held up her head again; she pined, and grew paler day by day. And when at the expiration of the half-year her son was born, she died in giving him birth.
Thus perished in all the bloom of her beauty one who was ever a martyr to duty and to her country’s cause, Elissa, Hannibal’s daughter.
THE END.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
The available copies of the source text have the following two defects (illegible words).
(p. 376) “…that Elissa returned when she fir[***] rejoined her father in his camp…” Use first.
(p. 377) “…that the siege was raised by Scipio [***]r a naval battle in which the Romans were defeated.” Use after.
If you have access to an intact copy of the text and can confirm that either of these changes are wrong please contact Project Gutenberg support.