.

.
The following morning, when he went down into the village, he saw hardly any soldiers.

Only a single detachment of dragoons was still in the neighborhood; the horsemen were scouring the woods and pushing forward the stragglers at the same time that they were opposing the advance of the enemy.

The troopers had obstructed the street with a barricade of carts and furniture.

Standing behind this crude barrier, they were watching the white strip of roadway which ran between the two hills covered with trees.