第 33 页

fisherman who lived next door to him at Carthage."

"It matters not," Malchus said indifferently; "I have no particular

motive in concealing my name, though it would have been as well that

I should be able to meet my friends in Carthage and consult with them

before my arrival there was generally known. However, before I leave the

ship I can distribute some money among the crew, and tell them that for

certain reasons of state I do not wish them to mention on shore that I

have been a passenger."

Had Malchus been aware that the ship in which he had taken passage was

one of the great fleet of traders owned by Hanno, he would have regarded

the discovery of his personality by the sailors in a more serious light;

as it was, he thought no more of the matter. No change in the manner

of the captain showed that he was aware of the name and rank of his

passenger, and Malchus, as he watched the wide expanse of sea, broken

only by a few distant sails, was too intent upon the mission with which

he was charged to give the matter another moment's thought.

The wind fell light and it was not until the evening of the eighth day

after leaving Corinth that Carthage, with the citadel of Byrsa rising

above it, could be distinguished. The ship was moving but slowly through

the water, and the captain said that unless a change took place they

would not make port until late the next morning. Malchus retired to his

couch feeling sorry that the period of rest and tranquillity was at an

end, and that he was now about to embark in a difficult struggle, which,

though he felt its importance, was altogether alien to his taste and

disposition.

He had not even the satisfaction that he should see his mother and

sister, for news had come a short time before he sailed that their

position was so uncomfortable at Carthage that they had left for Spain,

to take up their abode there with Adherbal and Anna. His mother was,

he heard, completely broken down in health by grief for the loss of his

father.

He was wakened in the night by the splash of the anchor and the running

out of he cable through the hawse hole, and supposed that the breeze

must have sprung up a little, and that they had anchored at the entrance

to the harbour. He soon went off to sleep again, but was presently

aroused by what seemed to him the sound of a short struggle followed by

another splash; he dreamingly wondered what it could be and then went

off to sleep again. When he awoke it was daylight. Somewhat surprised at

the non-appearance of Nessus, who usually came into his cabin the first

thing in the morning to call him, he soon attired himself.

On going to the door of his cabin he was surprised to find it fastened

without. He knocked loudly against it to attract attention, but almost

immediately found himself in darkness. Going to the porthole to discover

the cause of this sudden change, he found that a sack had been stuffed

into it, and immediately afterwards the sound of hammering told him that

a plank was being nailed over this outside to keep it in its place.

The truth washed across him--he was a prisoner. Drawing his sword he

flung himself with all his force against the door, but this had been so

securely fastened without that it did not yield in the slightest to

his efforts. After several vain efforts he abandoned the attempt, and

sitting down endeavoured to realize the position. He soon arrived at

something like the truth: the trading interests of Carthage were wholly

at the disposal of Hanno and his party, and he doubted not that, having

been recognized, the captain had determined to detain him as a prisoner

until he communicated to Hanno the fact of his arrival, and received

instructions from him as to whether Malchus was to be allowed to land.

Malchus recalled the sounds he had heard in the night, and uttered

an exclamation of grief and anger as he concluded that his faithful

follower had been attacked and doubtless killed and thrown overboard. At

present he was powerless to do anything, and with his sword grasped in

his hand he lay on the couch in readiness to start up and fight his way

out, as soon as he heard those without undoing the fastenings of the

door.

The day passed slowly. He could hear voices without and footsteps on the

deck of the poop overhead, but no one came near him; and after a time

his watchfulness relaxed, as he made up his mind that his captors,

whatever their intentions might be, would not attempt to carry them out

until after nightfall. At last he heard a moving of the heavy articles

which had been piled against the door; he sprang to his feet, the door

opened two or three inches, and a voice said:

"In the name of the republic I declare you to be my prisoner."

"I warn you I shall resist," Malchus exclaimed. "I am Malchus, the son

of Hamilcar, late a general of the republic, and I come to Carthage on a

mission from Hannibal. Whatever complaint the state may have against me

I am ready to answer at the proper time, and shall not fail to appear

when called upon; but at present I have Hannibal's mission to discharge,

and those who interfere with me are traitors to the republic, whomsoever

they may be, and I will defend myself until the last."

"Open the door and seize him," a voice exclaimed.

As the door was opened Malchus sprang forward, but the lights of several

lanterns showed a dozen men with levelled spears standing in front of

the cabin.

"I surrender," he said, seeing that against such a force as this

resistance would be vain, "but in the name of Hannibal I protest against

this interference with the messenger whom he has sent to explain, in his

name, to the senate the situation in Italy."

So saying Malchus laid down his shield and sword, took off his helmet,

and walked quietly from the cabin. At an order from their superior four

of the men laid down their weapons and seized him. In a minute he was

bound hand and foot, a gag was forced into his mouth, a cloak thrown

over his head, and he was roughly thrown into a large boat alongside the

ship.

Short as was the time which he had at liberty, Malchus had thrown a

glance over the bulwarks of each side of the ship, and perceived that

any resistance would have been useless, for far away lay the lights of

Carthage; and it was evident that the vessel had made little progress

since he had retired to rest on the previous evening. Had she been

inside the harbour he had intended to spring overboard at once and to

trust to escape by swimming.

The person in command of the party which had seized Malchus took his

place at the helm of the boat, and his twelve agents seated themselves

at the oars and rowed away towards Carthage. The town was nearly eight

miles away, and they were two hours before they arrived there. The place

where they landed was at some distance from the busy part of the port.

Two men were waiting for them there with a stretcher. Upon this Malchus

was laid, four men lifted it on their shoulders, the others fell in

round it as a guard, and the party then proceeded through quiet streets

towards the citadel.

The hour was late and but few people were about. Any who paused for a

moment to look at the little procession, shrank away hastily on hearing

the dreaded words, "In the name of the republic," uttered by the leader

of the party. The citizens of Carthage were too well accustomed to

midnight arrests to give the matter further thought, save a momentary

wonder as to who was the last victim of the tyrants of the city, and to

indulge, perhaps, in a secret malediction upon them. Malchus had from

the first no doubt as to his destination, and when he felt a sudden

change in the angle at which the stretcher was carried, knew that he was

being taken up the steep ascent to Byrsa.

He heard presently the challenge of a sentry, then there was a pause as

the gates were opened, then he was carried forward for awhile, there was

another stop, and the litter was lowered to the ground, his cords were

unfastened, and he was commanded to rise. It needed but a glance upwards

to tell him where he was. Above him towered the dark mass of the

temple of Moloch, facing him was a small door known to every citizen of

Carthage as leading to the dungeons under the temple.

Brave as he was, Malchus could not resist a shudder as he entered the

portal, accompanied by four of his guards and preceded by a jailer.

No questions were asked by the latter, and doubtless the coming of the

prisoner had been expected and prepared for. The way lay down a long

flight of steps and through several passages, all hewn in the solid

rock. They passed many closed doors, until at last they turned into one

which stood open. The gag was then removed from Malchus' mouth, the door

was closed behind him, he heard the bolts fastened, and then remained

alone in perfect darkness.

Malchus felt round the walls of his cell and found that it was about six

feet square. In one corner was a bundle of straw, and, spreading this

out, he threw himself upon it and bitterly meditated over the position

into which he had fallen. His own situation was desperate enough. He was

helpless in the hands of Hanno. The friends and partisans of Hannibal

were ignorant of his coming, and he could hope for no help from them. He

had little doubt as to what his fate would be; he would be put to death

in some cruel way, and Hannibal, his relatives, and friends would never

know what had become of him from the moment when he left the Italian

vessel in the port of Corinth.

But hopeless as was his own situation, Malchus thought more of Hannibal

and his brave companions in arms than of himself. The manner in which

he had been kidnapped by the agents of Hanno, showed how determined was

that demagogue to prevent the true state of things which prevailed in

Italy from becoming known to the people of Carthage. In order to secure

their own triumph, he and his party were willing to sacrifice Hannibal

and his army, and to involve Carthage in the most terrible disasters.

At last Malchus slept. When he awoke a faint light was streaming down

into his cell. In the centre of the room was an opening of about a foot

square, above which a sort of chimney extended twenty feet up through

the solid rock to the surface, where it was covered with an iron

grating. Malchus knew where he was. Along each side of the great temple

extended a row of these gratings level with the floor, and every citizen

knew that it was through these apertures that light and air reached the

prisoners in the cells below. Sometimes groans and cries were heard to

rise, but those who were near would hurry from the spot, for they

knew that the spies of the law were ever on the watch, and that to be

suspected of entering into communication with the prisoners would be

sufficient to ensure condemnation and death.

It was the sight of these gratings, and the thought of the dismal cells

below, which had increased the aversion which Malchus had felt as a boy

to enter the bloodstained temple, little as he had dreamed that the day

would come when he himself would be lying a prisoner in one of them. He

knew that it was useless for him to attempt by shouting to inform his

friends in the city of his presence there. The narrowness of the air

passage and the closeness of the grating above deadened and confused the

voice, unless to a person standing immediately above the opening, and

as the visitors to the temple carefully avoided the vicinity of the

gratings, it would be but a waste of breath to attempt to call their

attention.

As to escape it was out of the question. The cell was cut in the solid

rock. The door was of enormous strength, and even could that have been

overcome, there were many others which would have to be passed before he

could arrive at the entrance to the dungeon.

In a short time a Nubian entered, bearing some bread and a pitcher

of water. Malchus addressed him; but the negro opened his mouth, and

Malchus saw that his tongue had been cut out, perhaps in childhood,

perhaps as a punishment for a crime; but more probably the man was a

slave captured in war, who had been mutilated to render him a safe and

useful instrument of the officers of the law.

Three hours later the door again opened, and two men appeared. They

ordered Malchus to follow them, and led him through a number of

meandering passages, until at last, opening a door, they ushered him

into a large chamber. This was lighted by torches. At a table in the

centre of the room were seated seven figures. In the one seated in a

chair very slightly above the others Malchus at once recognized Hanno.

His companions were all leading men of his faction.

"Malchus, son of Hamilcar," Hanno said, "what have you to say why you

thus secretly come to Carthage?"

"I come not secretly," Malchus replied, "I come hither as the messenger

of Hannibal to the senate. I am charged by him to lay before them

the exact situation in Italy, to tell them how much he has already

accomplished, and what yet remains to be done, and to explain to them

the need there is that reinforcements should be despatched to him to

carry out his great designs for the annihilation of the power of Rome. I

come not in secret. I passed in a ship from Italy to Corinth, and there

at once hired a vessel to convey me hither."

"As we are members of the senate," Hanno said, "you can deliver your

message to us."

"I fear that it will go no further," Malchus replied. "The fact that

I have been thus secretly seized and carried here, shows how far it is

your wish that the people of Carthage should know my message. Still, as

even in your breasts all patriotism may not yet be dead, and as my

words may move you yet to do something to enable Hannibal to save the

republic, I will give you the message he sent me to deliver to the

senate."

A murmur of angry surprise arose from the seven men at the bold words

and the defiant bearing of their prisoner.

"How dare you thus address your judges?" Hanno exclaimed.