ButinmovingIhadcaughtupbyoneofitslegsthestoolonwhichIhadbeensitting。AsIraisedit，Ieludedthepinioninggripofthetroopers。Itwistedintheirgrasp，andbroughtthestooldownupontheheadofoneofthemwithaforcethatdrovehimtohisknees。Upwentthatthree-leggedstoolagain，todescendlikeathunderboltupontheheadofanother。Thatfreedme。Thesergeantwascomingupbehind，butanotherflourishofmyimprovisedbattle-axesentthetworemainingsoldiersaparttolooktotheirswords。Eretheycoulddraw，Ihaddartedlikeaharebetweenthemandoutintothestreet。Thesergeant，cursingthemwithhorridvolubility，followedcloselyuponmyheels。
LeapingasfarintotheroadwayasIcould，Iturnedtomeetthefellow’sonslaught。Usingthestoolasabuckler，Icaughthisthrustuponit。Soviolentlywasitdeliveredthatthepointburieditselfinthewoodandthebladesnapped，leavinghimahiltandastumpofsteel。Iwastednotimeinthought。Charginghimwildly，Iknockedhimoverjustasthetwounhurtdragoonscamestumblingoutofthetavern。
Igainedmyhorse，andvaultedintothesaddle。Tearingthereinsfromtheurchinthatheldthem，anddrivingmyspursintothebeast’sflanks，Iwentcareeringdownthestreetatagallop，grippingtightlywithmyknees，whilstthestirrups，whichIhadhadnotimetostepinto，flewwildlyaboutmylegs。
Apistolcrackedbehindme;thenanother，andasharp，stingingpainintheshoulderwarnedmethatIwashit。ButItooknoheedofitthen。Thewoundcouldnotbeserious，elseIhadalreadybeenoutofthesaddle，anditwouldbetimeenoughtolooktoitwhenIhadoutdistancedmypursuers。Isaymypursuers，foralreadytherewerehoofbeatsbehindme，andIknewthatthosegentlemenhadtakentotheirhorses。But，asyoumayrecall，Ihadontheirarrivalnotedthejadedconditionoftheircattle，whilstIbestrodeahorsethatwascomparativelyfresh，sothatpursuithadbutsmallterrorsforme。Nevertheless，theyheldoutlonger，andgavememoretodothanIhadimaginedwouldbethecase。Fornighuponahalf-hourIrode，beforeIcouldbesaidtohavegotclearofthem，andthenforaughtIknewtheywerestillfollowing，resolvedtohoundmedownbytheaidofsuchinformationastheymightcullupontheirway。
IwascomebythentotheGaronne。Idrewreinbesidetheswiftlyflowingstream，windingitselflikeafloodofglitteringsilverbetweentheblackshadowsofitsbanks。AlittlewhileIsattherelistening，andsurveyingthestately，turretedchateauthatloomed，agrey，noblepile，beyondthewater。Ispeculatedwhatdemesnethismightbe，andIrealizedthatitwasprobablyLavecan。