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?”