ge torrents were crossing one
another, while thorny masses stood motionless between them. Matho could
distinguish the captains, soldiers, heralds, and even the serving-men,
who were mounted on asses in the rear. But instead of maintaining
his position in order to cover the foot-soldiers, Narr' Havas turned
abruptly to the right, as though he wished himself to be crushed by
Hamilcar.

His horsemen outstripped the elephants, which were slackening their
speed; and all the horses, stretching out their unbridled heads,
galloped at so furious a rate that their bellies seemed to graze the
earth. Then suddenly Narr' Havas went resolutely up to a sentry. He
threw away his sword, lance, and javelins, and disappeared among the
Carthaginians.

The king of the Numidians reached Hamilcar's tent, and pointing to his
men, who were standing still at a distance, he said:

"Barca! I bring them to you. They are yours."

Then he prostrated himself in token of bondage, and to prove his
fidelity recalled all his conduct from the beginning of the war.

First, he had prevented the siege of Carthage and the massacre of the
captives; then he had taken no advantage of the victory over Hanno after
the defeat at Utica. As to the Tyrian towns, they were on the frontiers
of his kingdom. Finally he had not taken part in the battle of the
Macaras; and he had even expressly absented himself in order to evade
the obligation of fighting against the Suffet.

Narr' Havas had in fact wished to aggrandise himself by encroachments
upon the Punic provinces, and had alternately assisted and forsaken
the Mercenaries according to the chances of victory. But seeing that
Hamilcar would ultimately prove the stronger, he had gone over to him;
and in his desertion there was perhaps something of a grudge against
Matho, whether on account of the command or of his former love.

The Suffet listened without interrupting him. The man who thus presented
himself with an army where vengeance was his due was not an auxiliary to
be despised; Hamilcar at once divined the utility of such an alliance in
his great projects. With the Numidians he would get rid of the Libyans.
Then he would draw off the West to the conquest of Iberia; and, without
asking Narr' Havas why he had not come sooner, or noticing any of his
lies, he kissed him, striking his breast thrice against his own.

It was to bring matters to an end and in despair that he had fired the
camp of the Libyans. This a