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.”