I am sure you are longing to see whether the assault of the king
of beasts is more trying to the nerves than that of the Iberian
tribesmen."

"I am looking forward to it, Malchus, certainly," the young man
replied; "but as I know the lions will not quit their coverts
until after nightfall, and as no efforts on my part will hasten
the approach of that hour, I am well content to lie quiet and to
keep myself as cool as may be."

"Your cousin is right," the general said, "and impatience is
a fault, Malchus. We must make allowances for your impatience on
the present occasion, for the lion is a foe not to be despised,
and he is truly as formidable an antagonist when brought to bay
as the Iberians on the banks of the Ebro -- far more so than the
revolted tribesmen we have been hunting for the past three weeks."

"Giscon says nothing," Adherbal remarked; "he has a soul above
even the hunting of lions. I warrant that during the five hours
we have been reclining here his thoughts have never once turned
towards the hunt we are going to have tonight."

"That is true enough," Giscon said, speaking for the first time.
"I own that my thoughts have been of Carthage, and of the troubles
that threaten her owing to the corruption and misgovernment which
are sapping her strength."

"It were best not to think too much on the subject, Giscon," the
general said; "still better not to speak of it. You know that
I lament, as you do, the misgovernment of Carthage, and mourn for