He pointed to some bodies lying near the road.

They were the corpses of Uhlans, covered with some cloaks from which were protruding the enormous soles of their boots.
"Plain murder!" he exclaimed.

"A crime for which the guilty are going to pay dearly!" His indignation made him consider the death of four soldiers as an unheard-of and monstrous outrage--as though in was only the enemy ought to fall, keeping safe and sound the lives of his compatriots.
A band of infantry commanded by an officer approached.

As their ranks opened, Desnoyers saw the gray uniforms roughly pushing forward some of the inhabitants.

Their clothes were torn and some had blood on face and hands.