Two rows of iron bars protected it.

These were placed in such a way that it was impossible for him to put out his head and see how far he was above the ground.

The height, however, must be considerable, judging from the extent of the view.
The sun was setting; and through the violet haze the baron could discern an undulating line of hills, whose culminating point must be the land of the Reche.
The dark masses of foliage that he saw on the right were probably the forests of Sairmeuse.

On the left, he divined rather than saw, nestling between the hills, the valley of the Oiselle and Escorval.
Escorval, that lovely retreat where he had known such happiness, where he had hoped to die the calm and serene death of the just.
And remembering his past felicity, and thinking of his vanished dreams, his eyes once more filled with tears.

But he quickly dried them on hearing the door of his cell open.
Two soldiers appeared.
One of the men bore a torch, the other, one of those long baskets divided into compartments which are used in carrying meals to the officers on guard.
These men were evidently deeply moved, and yet, obeying a sentiment of instinctive delicacy, they affected a sort of gayety.
"Here is your dinner, Monsieur," said one soldier; "it ought to be very good, for it comes from the cuisine of the commander of the citadel." M.d'Escorval smiled sadly.