Two　hours　afterwards　Matho　arrived。　He　caught　sight　in　the　starlight
  of　long；　uneven　heaps　lying　upon　the　ground。
  They　were　files　of　Barbarians。　He　stooped　down；　all　were　dead。　He
  called　into　the　distance；　but　no　voice　replied。
  That　very　morning　he　had　left　Hippo…Zarytus　with　his　soldiers　to　march
  upon　Carthage。　At　Utica　the　army　under　Spendius　had　just　set　out；　and
  the　inhabitants　were　beginning　to　fire　the　engines。　All　had　fought
  desperately。　But；　the　tumult　which　was　going　on　in　the　direction　of
  the　bridge　increasing　in　an　incomprehensible　fashion；　Matho　had　struck
  across　the　mountain　by　the　shortest　road；　and　as　the　Barbarians　were
  fleeing　over　the　plain　he　had　encountered　nobody。
  Facing　him　were　little　pyramidal　masses　rearing　themselves　in　the
  shade；　and　on　this　side　of　the　river　and　closer　to　him　were　motionless
  lights　on　the　surface　of　the　ground。　In　fact　the　Carthaginians　had
  fallen　back　behind　the　bridge；　and　to　deceive　the　Barbarians　the
  Suffet　had　stationed　numerous　posts　upon　the　other　bank。
  Matho；　still　advancing；　thought　that　he　could　distinguish　Punic
  engines；　for　horses'　heads　which　did　not　stir　appeared　in　the　air
  fixed　upon　the　tops　of　piles　of　staves　which　could　not　be　seen；　and
  further　off　he　could　hear　a　great　clamour；　a　noise　of　songs；　and
  clashing　of　cups。
  Then；　not　knowing　where　he　was　nor　how　to　find　Spendius；　assailed　with
  anguish；　scared；　and　lost　in　the　darkness；　he　returned　more
  impetuously　by　the　same　road。　The　dawn　as　growing　grey　when　from　the
  top　of　the　mountain　he　perceived　the　town　with　the　carcases　of　the
  engines　blackened　by　the　flames　and　looking　like　giant　skeletons
  leaning　against　the　walls。
  All　was　peaceful　amid　extraordinary　silence　and　heaviness。　Among　his
  soldiers　on　the　verge　of　the　tents　men　were　sleeping　nearly　naked；
  each　upon　his　back；　or　with　his　forehead　against　his　arm　which　was
  supported　by　his　cuirass。　Some　were　unwinding　bloodstained　bandages
  from　their　legs。　Those　who　were　doomed　to　die　rolled　their　heads　about
  gently；　others　dragged　themselves　along　and　brought　them　drink。　The
  sentries　walked　up　and　down　along　the　narrow　paths　in　order　to　warm
  themselves；　or　stood　in　a　fierce　attitude　with　their　faces　turned
  towards　the　horizon；　and　their　pikes　on　their　shoulders。　Matho　found
  Spendius　sheltered　beneath　a　rag　of　canvas；　supported　by　two　sticks
  set　in　the　ground；　his　knee　in　his　hands　and　his　head　cast　down。
  They　remained　for　a　long　time　without　speaking。
  At　last　Matho　murmured：　〃Conquered！〃
  Spendius　rejoined　in　a　gloomy　voice：　〃Yes；　conquered！〃
  And　to　all　questions　he　replied　by　gestures　of　despair。
  Meanwhile　sighs　and　death…rattles　reached　them。　Matho　partially　opened
  the　canvas。　Then　the　sight　of　the　soldiers　reminded　him　of　another
  disaster　on　the　same　spot；　and　he　ground　his　teeth：　〃Wretch！　once
  already〃
  Spendius　interrupted　him：　〃You　were　not　there　either。〃
  〃It　is　a　curse！〃　exclaimed　Matho。　〃Nevertheless；　in　the　end　I　will
  get　at　him！　I　will　conquer　him！　I　will　slay　him！　Ah！　if　I　had　been
  there！〃　The　thought　of　having　missed　the　battle　rendered　him　even
  more　desperate　than　the　defeat。　He　snatched　up　his　sword　and　threw　it
  upon　the　ground。　〃But　how　did　the　Carthaginians　beat　you？〃
  The　former　slave　began　to　describe　the　manoeuvres。　Matho　seemed　to　see
  them；　and　he　grew　angry。　The　army　from　Utica　ought　to　have　taken
  Hamilcar　in　the　rear　instead　of　hastening　to　the　bridge。
  〃Ah！　I　know！〃　said　Spendius。
  〃You　ought　to　have　made　your　ranks　twice　as　deep；　avoided　exposing　the
  velites　against　the　phalanx；　and　given　free　passage　to　the　elephants。
  Everything　might　have　been　recovered　at　the　last　moment；　there　was　no
  necessity　to　fly。〃
  Spendius　replied：
  〃I　saw　him　pass　along　in　his　large　red　cloak；　with　uplifted　arms　and
  higher　than　the　dust；　like　an　eagle　flying　upon　the　flank　of　the
  cohorts；　and　at　every　nod　they　closed　up　or　darted　forward；　the　throng
  carried　us　towards　each　other；　he　looked　at　me；　and　I　felt　the　cold
  steel　as　it　were　in　my　heart。〃
  〃He　selected　the　day；　perhaps？〃　whispered　Matho　to　himself。
  They　questioned　each　other；　trying　to　discover　what　it　was　that　had
  brought　the　Suffet　just　when　circumstances　were　most　unfavourable。
  They　went　on　to　talk　over　the　situation；　and　Spendius；　to　extenuate
  his　fault；　or　to　revive　his　courage；　asserted　that　some　hope　still
  remained。
  〃And　if　there　be　none；　it　matters　not！〃　said　Matho；　〃alone；　I　will
  carry　on　the　war！〃
  〃And　I　too！〃　exclaimed　the　Greek；　leaping　up；　he　strode　to　and　fro；
  his　eyes　sparkling；　and　a　strange　smile　wrinkled　his　jackal　face。
  〃We　will　make　a　fresh　start；　do　not　leave　me　again！　I　am　not　made　for
  battles　in　the　sunlightthe　flashing　of　swords　troubles　my　sight；　it
  is　a　disease；　I　lived　too　long　in　the　ergastulum。　But　give　me　walls　to
  scale　at　night；　and　I　will　enter　the　citadels；　and　the　corpses　shall
  be　cold　before　cock…crow！　Show　me　any　one；　anything；　an　enemy；　a
  treasure；　a　woman；a　woman；〃　he　repeated；　〃were　she　a　king's
  daughter；　and　I　will　quickly　bring　your　desire　to　your　feet。　You
  reproach　me　for　having　lost　the　battle　against　Hanno；　nevertheless　I
  won　it　back　again。　Confess　it！　my　herd　of　swine　did　more　for　us　than　a
  phalanx　of　Spartans。〃　And　yielding　to　the　need　that　he　felt　of
  exalting　himself　and　taking　his　revenge；　he　enumerated　all　that　he　had
  done　for　the　cause　of　the　Mercenaries。　〃It　was　I　who　urged　on　the　Gaul
  in　the　Suffet's　gardens！　And　later；　at　Sicca；　I　maddened　them　all　with
  fear　of　the　Republic！　Gisco　was　sending　them　back；　but　I　prevented　the
  interpreters　speaking。　Ah！　how　their　tongues　hung　out　of　their　mouths！
  do　you　remember？　I　brought　you　into　Carthage；　I　stole　the　zaimph。　I
  led　you　to　her。　I　will　do　more　yet：　you　shall　see！〃　He　burst　out
  laughing　like　a　madman。
  Matho　regarded　him　with　gaping　eyes。　He　felt　in　a　measure
  uncomfortable　in　the　presence　of　this　man；　who　was　at　once　so　cowardly
  and　so　terrible。
  The　Greek　resumed　in　jovial　tones　and　cracking　his　fingers：
  〃Evoe！　Sun　after　run！　I　have　worked　in　the　quarries；　and　I　have　drunk
  Massic　wine　beneath　a　golden　awning　in　a　vessel　of　my　own　like　a
  Ptolemaeus。　Calamity　should　help　to　make　us　cleverer。　By　dint　of　work
  we　may　make　fortune　bend。　She　loves　politicians。　She　will　yield！〃
  He　returned　to　Matho　and　took　him　by　the　arm。
  〃Master；　at　present　the　Carthaginians　are　sure　of　their　victory。　You
  have　quite　an　army　which　has　not　fought；　and　your　men　obey　YOU。　Place
  them　in　the　front：　mine　will　follow　to　avenge　themselves。　I　have　still
  three　thousand　Carians；　twelve　hundred　slingers　and　archers；　whole
  cohorts！　A　phalanx　even　might　be　formed；　let　us　return！〃
  Matho；　who　had　been　stunned　by　the　disaster；　had　hitherto　thought　of
  no　means　of　repairing　it。　He　listened　with　open　mouth；　and　the　bronze
  plates　which　circled　his　sides　rose　with　the　leapings　of　his　heart。　He
  picked　up　his　sword；　crying：
  〃Follow　me；　forward！〃
  But　when　the　scouts　returned；　they　announced　that　the　Carthaginian
  dead　had　been　carried　off；　that　the　bridge　was　in　ruins；　and　that
  Hamilcar　had　disappeared。
  CHAPTER　IX
  IN　THE　FIELD
  Hamilcar　had　thought　that　the　Mercenaries　would　await　him　at　Utica；　or
  that　they　would　return　against　him；　and　finding　his　forces
  insufficient　to　make　or　to　sustain　an　attack；　he　had　struck　southwards
  along　the　right　bank　of　the　river；　thus　protecting　himself　immediately
  from　a　surprise。
  He　intended　first　to　wink　at　the　revolt　of　the　tribes　and　to　detach
  them　all　from　the　cause　of　the　Barbarians；　then　when　they　were　quite
  isolated　in　the　midst　of　the　provinces　he　would　fall　upon　them　and
  exterminate　them。
  In　fourteen　days　he　pacified　the　region　comprised　between　Thouccaber
  and　Utica；　with　the　towns　of　Tignicabah；　Tessourah；　Vacca；　and　others
  further　to　the　west。　Zounghar　built　in　the　mountains；　Assoura
  celebrated　for　its　temple；　Djeraado　fertile　in　junipers；　Thapitis；　and
  Hagour　sent　embassies　to　him。　The　country　people　came　with　their　hands
  full　of　provisions；　implored　his　protection；　kissed　his　feet　and　those
  of　the　soldiers；　and　complained　of　the　Barbarians。　Some　came　to　offer
  him　bags　containing　heads　of　Mercenaries　killed；　so　they　said；　by
  themselves；　but　which　they　had　cut　off　corpses；　for　many　had　lost
  themselves　in　their　flight；　and　were　found　dead　here　and　there　beneath
  the　olive　trees　and　among　the　vines。
  On　the　morrow　of　his　victory；　Hamilcar；　to　dazzle　the　people；　had　sent
  to　Carthage　the　two　thousand　captives　taken　on　the　battlefield。　They
  arrived　in　long　companies　of　one　hundred　men　each；　all　with　their　arms
  fastened　behind　their　backs　with　a　bar　of　bronze　which　caught　them　at
  the　nape　of　the　neck；　and　the　wounded；　bleeding　as　they　still　were；
  running　also　along；　horsemen　followed　them；　driving　them　on　with　blows
  of　the　whip。
  Then　there　was　a　delirium　of　j