They were, he knew, not far from La Chatre; and he was not surprised to see the town, lying in a valley, to which the ground sloped down from the wood.

It was about a mile and a half distant.

Nearer the wood, but half a mile to the west, the towers of a fortified chateau rose from a clump of trees.

The country was rich and well cultivated, and everything had an aspect of peace and comfort.
"What a hideous thing it is," Philip said to himself, "that in so fair a country people cannot live in peace together; and should fly at each other's throats, simply because they cannot agree that each shall worship God after his own fashion! It might be Canterbury, with the hills rising round it and the little river, save that it lacks the cathedral rising over it; and yet, I doubt not there are many there who live in daily peril of their lives, for there is not a town in France that has not its share of Huguenots, and they can never tell when the storm of popular fury may burst upon them." The shades of evening were beginning to fall, when he rejoined his companions.

They had already rubbed down their horses and replaced the saddles, and the animals were contentedly eating their corn.
"They look well," Philip said, as he walked from one to the other.
"Yes, sir, they are none the worse for their travel so far, and could carry us on a hard race for our lives.