were
Rome in a sore strait, she would recall her legion for her own defence,
and no arguments that Malchus could use could move them to lay aside
their own differences and to unite in another effort for freedom. Winter
was now at hand. Malchus remained in the mountains with the Orcans until
spring came, and then renewed his efforts with no greater success
than before. Then he dismissed the Carthaginians, with a letter giving
Hannibal an account of all he had done, and bade them find their way
back to Capua by the road by which they had come.

Brunilda had joyfully agreed to his proposal that they should cross
the Alps and join her kinsmen in Germany, and the remnant of the tribe
willingly consented to accompany them. Accordingly in the month of May
they set out, and journeying north made their way along the shore of
the lake now called the Lago di Guarda, and, crossing by the pass of
the Trentino, came down on the northern side of the Alps, and, after
journeying for some weeks among the great forests which covered the
country, reached the part inhabited by the tribe of the Cherusei, to
which Brunilda belonged.

Here they were hospitably received. Brunilda's family were among the
noblest of the tribe, and the rich presents which the ample resources of
Malchus enabled him to distribute among all the chiefs, at once raised
him to a position of high rank and consideration among them. Although
accepting the life of barbarism Malchus was not prepared to give up all
the usages of civilization. He built a house, which, although it
would have been but a small structure in Carthage, was regarded with
admiration and wonder by the Gauls. Here he introduced the usages and
customs of civilization. The walls, indeed, instead of being hung with
silk and tapestry, were covered with the skins of stags, bears, and
other animals slain in the chase; but these were warmer and better
suited for the rigour of the climate in winter than silks would have
been. The wealth, knowledge, and tact of Malchus gained him an immense
influence in the tribe, and in time he was elected the chief of that
portion of it dwelling near him. He did not succeed in getting his
followers to abandon their own modes of life, but he introduced among
them many of the customs of civilization, and persuaded them to adopt
the military formation in use among the Carthaginians. It was with some
reluctance that they submitted to this; but so complete was the victory
which t