第 16 页

acclaim Hannibal the sole arbitrator of the destinies of Carthage,

and in his heart rejoiced over the changes which would take place--the

overthrow of the faction of Hanno, the reform of abuses, the

commencement of an era of justice, freedom, and prosperity for all.

For more than three hours he sat thus, and then awoke to the fact that

the night was cold and the hour late. Drawing his bernous tightly round

him he descended into the city, which was now for the most part wrapped

in sleep. He was passing through the native quarter when a door opened

and several men came out. Scarcely knowing why he did so Malchus drew

back into a doorway until they had moved on ahead of him, and then

followed them at some little distance. At any other time he would have

thought nothing of such an incident, but his nerves were highly strung

at the moment, and his pause was dictated more by an indisposition to

encounter anything which might disturb the current of his thoughts than

by any other motive.

In the moonlight he could see that two of the five men ahead of him

were members of the Carthaginian horse guard, for the light glittered

on their helmets; the other three were, by their attire, natives. Two

of the latter soon separated from the others, and on reaching the better

part of the town the two Carthaginians turned down a side street, and in

the still night Malchus heard the parting words to their neighbour, "At

the same place tomorrow night." The remaining native kept straight along

the road which Malchus was following. Still onward he went, and

Malchus, to his surprise, saw him go up to one of the side entrances to

Hannibal's palace. He must have knocked very quietly, or someone must

have been waiting to admit him, for without a sound the door was opened

and the man entered.

Malchus went round to the principal entrance, and after a little

badinage from the officer on guard as to the lateness of the hour at

which he returned, made his way to his apartment.

He was puzzled by what he had seen. It was strange that two of the

Carthaginian guard, men necessarily belonging to noble families, should

have been at a native gathering of some sort in the upper town. Strange,

too, that a man probably an attendant or slave belonging to the palace

should also have been present. The more he thought of it the more he was

puzzled to account for it, and before he went to sleep he came to the

resolution that he would, if possible, on the following night discover

the object of such a gathering.

Next evening, therefore, he returned from the Syssite early, exchanged

his helmet for a skullcap, and, wrapping himself in his cloak, made his

way to the house from which he had seen the men come forth. It stood at

the corner of the street. Thick hangings hung across the openings for

the windows, and prevented even a ray of light from finding its way out.

Listening attentively Malchus could hear a low hum of voices within. As

there were still people about he moved away for half an hour.

On his return the street was deserted. Malchus put his hand through

a window opening into the side street and felt that the hanging was

composed of rushes tightly plaited together. With the point of his

dagger he very cautiously cut a slit in this, and applying his eye to it

was able to obtain a glimpse of the apartment within. On low stools by

a fire two Carthaginians were sitting, while four natives were seated on

the rushes which covered the floor. Malchus recognized the Carthaginians

at once, for they were members of the troop in which he had served.

Neither of them were men popular among their fellows, for they belonged

to families closely related to Hanno. They had always, however,

professed the greatest admiration for Hannibal, and had declared that

for their part they altogether repudiated the doings of the party to

which their family belonged.

The conversation was carried on in low tones, a precaution absolutely

necessary in the day when glass windows were unknown, unless the

discourse was upon general subjects. Malchus listened attentively, but

although he thought he caught the words Hanno and Hannibal repeated

several times, he was unable to hear more. At the end of the half hour

the conference was apparently at an end, for all rose to their feet.

One of the Carthaginians put a bag, which was evidently heavy, into

the hands of one of the natives, and the party then went out. Malchus

stepped to the corner and caught the words, "Tomorrow night, then,

without fail."

The party then separated, the Carthaginians passing straight on, the

natives waiting until they had gone some little distance ahead before

they followed. Malchus remained for some little time in the side street

before he sallied out and took his way after them. After he saw two of

the natives leave the other, he quickened his steps and passed the

man, who proceeded alone towards the palace, a short distance before he

arrived there. As he did so he glanced at his face, and recognized him

as one of the attendants who waited at Hannibal's table. Malchus did

not turn his head, however, but kept straight on his way and entered the

palace as usual.

"Malchus," the captain of the guard laughed as he went in, "assuredly

I shall have to tell Hamilcar of your doings. Last night you entered an

hour after every one had retired to rest, tonight you are back in better

time, but assuredly you have not been to the Syssite in that hunting

cap. This savours of a mystery. Do not pretend to me that you have

been looking after your company of Numidians at this time of the night,

because, did you swear it by Astarte, I should not believe you."

"No; I think I could invent a better story than that if I were put to

it," Malchus said with a laugh; "but as I am not obliged to invent one

at all, I will leave you to do so for me. In truth I have been about

some private business, but what that business is is a profound secret."

"A secret of state, no doubt," the officer rejoined. "Well, I will say

nothing this time; but do not let it occur again, or I shall think that

some Iberian maiden has captured that susceptible heart of yours."

After Malchus had reached his chamber he sat down for some time in

deep thought. It was clear to him that something was wrong. This secret

meeting of the two Carthaginians with natives, one of whom was employed

in Hannibal's household, could mean no good. Money had passed, too, and,

judging from the size and apparent weight of the bag, no inconsiderable

amount. What could it mean? It was but a few months before that

Hasdrubal had fallen beneath the dagger of a native servant. Could this

be a plot against the life of Hannibal?

The two Carthaginians were connected with Hanno, and might well be

agents employed to rid him of his great rival. And yet he had heard

nothing which would justify his bringing so grave an accusation against

these men. The money which he had seen exchanged might be for the price

of a horse or of a slave, and he might only make himself ridiculous

were he to speak to Hannibal or his father as to what had occurred. He

decided, therefore, that any action he might take must be on his own

account. If the words he had overheard meant anything, and if a plot

were really on hand, it was to be carried out on the following night.

Malchus determined to take steps to meet it.

The next day he took Trebon into his counsels and told him of the

mysterious meetings which he had accidentally discovered. There was free

access to Hannibal's palace; officers were constantly coming in and out,

and soldiers arriving and leaving with messages and orders. Malchus,

had, therefore, had no difficulty in passing into his apartment, one

by one, ten picked men of his company. They had orders to remain there

perfectly quiet, and Trebon also took post with them, Malchus telling

him to make some excuse or other to prevent any attendant or slave from

entering the apartment while he was absent.

There was a concert that evening; the palace was crowded with guests.

From time to time Malchus stole away to his room, where the Numidians

were seated on the ground silent and immovable as so many bronze

statues. At other times he kept near Hannibal, watching closely the

movements of every native who passed near him; and ready to spring

forward instantly if he saw any signs of an evil intention. However, he

did not much apprehend, that even if his suspicions were correct and

a plot was on foot against Hannibal, any attempt would be made to

assassinate him in the midst of a crowded assembly, where there would

be no possibility of escape for the perpetrators of such a deed. At

last the guests began to depart, and an hour later all was quiet in the

palace. Laying aside his sandals, Malchus stole noiselessly over the

marble pavements until he approached the entrance which he had twice

seen opened so late. A slave was lying close to it.

Unobserved Malchus stole away again to his chamber and bade the

Numidians follow him. Noiselessly the troop of barefooted Arabs moved

shadowlike through the lofty halls and corridors. Two of them he placed

at the entrance to the chamber where Hannibal slept, with orders

to allow no one to pass until he returned, then with the others he

proceeded to the entrance. Few lights only were burning in the passages,

and it was not until they were close at hand that the slave perceived

the approaching figures. He leaped to his feet, but before he could cry

out Malchus stepped forward and said:

"Silence, if you value your life. You know me; I am Malchus the son of

Hamilcar. Now, tell me the truth, or tomorrow the torture shall wring it

from you. Who placed you here, and why?"

"Carpadon, one of the chief attendants, ordered me to remain here to

admit him on his return. I knew not there was harm in it," the slave

said.

"Is it the first time you have kept watch for such a purpose?"

"No, my lord, some six or seven times he has gone out late."

"Do you know the cause of his absence?"

"No, my lord, it would not become a slave to question one of the chief

attendants of my lord Hannibal as to why he goes or comes."

The man's manner was so natural, and his surprise at the interest which

one of the rank of Malchus showed in the doings of an attendant so

genuine, that Malchus was convinced he knew nothing of any enterprise in

which the man who had placed him there might be engaged.

"Very well," he said, "I will believe what you tell me. Now, do you

resume your place at the door, and open it as usual at his signal. Say

no word and make no sign which may lead him to know of our presence

here. Mind, my eye will be upon you, and your life will pay for any

treachery."

Malchus with four of his men now took post on one side of the door,

standing well back in the shadow so that their presence would not be

noticed by anyone entering. Trebon with the remaining four men took up a

similar position on the other side of the doorway.

Two hours passed. At length a low tap followed by two others was heard

at the door. The slave at once opened it. Carpadon entered, and with a

sudden movement threw one arm round the slave's neck and with the other

stabbed him to the heart. Then he opened the door wide, and said in a

low tone:

"Enter, all is safe."

In a moment a dark mass of men poured in at the door. The matter was

more serious than Malchus had expected. He had looked for the entry

perhaps of three or four men, and had intended to close in behind them

and cut them off; but here were a score at least, and how many more

might be outside he knew not. He therefore gave the signal by shouting

"Carthage," and at once with his followers fell upon one flank of the

natives, for such their dress showed them to be, while Trebon attacked

them on the other. There was a shout of surprise and alarm at the

unexpected onslaught, and several were cut down at once. The others,

drawing their swords, began to defend themselves, trying at the same

time to retreat to the door, through which, however, many others were

still pressing in. For a few minutes a severe fight went on, and the

numbers and desperation of Carpadon's followers began to tell, and, in

spite of the efforts of Malchus and the Numidians, they would have been

forced to fall back and allow the others to pass out, had not help been

at hand.

The shouting and clashing of weapons had awakened the palace, and the

officer of the guard with ten of his men, some of them bearing torches,

came running at full speed from their post at the chief entrance. As the

guard came up and stood gazing uncertain what to do, or among whom the

conflict was raging, Malchus for a moment drew out from the fray.

"Seize and disarm all the natives," he said; "the Numidians are here by

my orders."

The instant the soldiers understood the situation they fell to, and

the natives, whose retreat was cut off by the Numidians, were speedily

disarmed; those nearer to the door had, the instant they saw the torches

approaching, taken to flight.

A moment later Hannibal, Hamilcar, and many other officers resident at

the palace came running up.

"What means this fray, Malchus?"

"It means an attempt upon your life, Hannibal, which I have been

fortunate enough to discover and defeat."

"Who are these men?" Hamilcar asked.

"So far as I know they are natives," Malchus replied. "The chief of

the party is that man who lies bleeding there; he is one of your

attendants."

One of the soldiers held a torch close to the man's face.

"It is Carpadon," Hannibal said. "I believed him honest and faithful."

"He is the tool of others, Hannibal; he has been well paid for this

night's work."

Hannibal gave orders for the prisoners to be strictly guarded, and then,

with Hamilcar and Malchus, returned to his private study. The lamps were

lighted by the attendants, who then withdrew.