"I know the council have been anxiously expecting news of your
expedition. Our opinion here has been from the first that, from
the small force they placed at your command, they purposely sent
you to disaster, risking the chance of extended trouble in order
to obtain a ground of complaint by which they could inflame the
minds of the populace against our party. But now, I recommend you
to take some refreshment at once after your journey. The inner
council of the club will meet in an hour, and their deliberations
are likely to be long as well as important, for the whole future
of our party, and of Carthage itself, depends upon the issue."

"Malchus," Hamilcar said, "do you mount your horse and ride out
at once and tell your mother that all has gone well with us, but
that I am detained here on important business, and may not return
until nightfall."

"May I come back here, father, after I see my mother? I would fain
be of some use, if I may. I am known to many of the sailors down
at the port; I might go about among them trying to stir them up in
favour of Hannibal."

"You may come back if you like, Malchus; your sailors may aid us
with their voices, or, should it come to anything like a popular
disturbance, by their arms. But, as you know, in the voting the
common people count for nothing, it is the citizens only who elect,
the traders, shopkeepers, and employers of labour. Common people
count for no more than the slaves, save when it comes to a popular
tumult, and they frighten the shopkeeping class into voting
in accordance with their views. However, we will leave no stone