The two girls burst into a peal of merry laughter, in which Malchus,
although colouring a little, joined heartily.

"You are too bad, Anna; what I want is, of course, to hear what
has been done, and to join in the excitement, and really I am not
such a boy as you girls think me, just because you happen to be two
or three years older than I am. You persist in regarding me as a
child; father doesn't do so, and I can tell you I may be more good
than you think."

"Well, go along, Malchus, do not let us keep you, and don't get into
mischief and remember, my boy," his mother added, "that Carthage
is a place where it is well that no one should make more enemies
than he can help. A secret foe in the council or among the judges
is enough to ruin the strongest. You know how many have been
crucified or pressed to death without a shadow of pretext, save
that they had foes. I would not see you other than your father's
son; you will belong, of course, to the Barcine party, but there
is no occasion to draw enmity and hate upon yourself before you
are in a position to do real service to the cause. And now ride
off with you; I know all our words are falling on deaf ears, and
that willful lads will go their own way."

A few minutes later and Malchus was on his way back to the club. On
his arrival there he found that the sitting of the inner council
was not yet finished. The building was thronged with the adherents
of the party waiting to ascertain what course was determined
upon. He presently came across Adherbal and Giscon. The former,
as usual, was gay, light hearted, and disposed to view matters in
a humorous light; Giscon was stern and moody.