Then they felt themselves alone in spite of their crowd, and the great town sleeping beneath them in the shade suddenly made them afraid, with its piles of staircases, its lofty black houses, and its vague gods fiercer even than its people.

In the distance a few ships'-lanterns were gliding across the harbour, and there were lights in the temple of Khamon.

They thought of Hamilcar.

Where was he?
Why had he forsaken them when peace was concluded?
His differences with the Council were doubtless but a pretence in order to destroy them.

Their unsatisfied hate recoiled upon him, and they cursed him, exasperating one another with their own anger.