 his party; and in less than an hour they were _en route_ for
Pont de Dronne; but hasten as he would, it was not till near noon the
next day that he came in sight of a valley, through which wound a river,
crossed by a high-backed bridge, with a tall pointed arch in the middle,
and a very small one on either side. An old building of red stone,
looking like what it was--a monastery converted into a fortress--stood
on the nearer, or northern bank, and on the belfry tower waved a flag
with the arms of Quinet. Higher up the valley, there was an ominous
hum, and clouds of smoke and dust; and the _gen d'armes_, who knew
the country, rejoiced that they were come just in time, and exchanged
anxious questions whether the enemy were not fording the river above
them, so as to attack not only the fortress on this northern side, but
the bridge tower on the southern bank of the river.

Spurring down the hill, the party were admitted, at the well-guarded
gateway, into a large thickly-walled yard, where the soldiers and
horses remained, and Berenger and Philip, passing through a small arched
doorway into the body of the old monastery, were conducted to a great
wainscoted hall, where a pulpit projecting from the wall, and some
defaced emblematic ornaments, showed that this had once been the
refectory, though guard-room appliances now occupied it. The man who had
shown them in left them, saying he would acquaint Captain Falconnet with
their arrival, and just then a sound of singing drew both brothers to
the window. It looked out on what had once been the quadrangle, bounded
on three sides by the church, the refectory, and the monk's lodgings,
the cloistered arcade running round all these. The fourth side was
skirted by the river, which was, however, concealed by an embankment,
raised, no doubt, to supply the place of the wall, which had been
unnecessary to the peaceful original inhabitants. What attracted
Berenger's eyes was, however, a group in the cloister, consisting of
a few drooping figures, some of men in steel caps
his party; and in less than an hour they were _ en route _ for 
 Pont de Dronne; but hasten as he would, it was not till near noon the 
 next day that he do in view of a valley, through which wound a river, 
 crossed by a high - backed bridge, with a improbable pointed arch in the middle, 
 and a very small one on either english. An honest-to-god building of red stone, 
 looking like what it was -- a monastery convert into a fortress -- stood 
 on the nearer, or northern bank, and on the belfry tower waved a masthead 
 with the arms of Quinet. Higher up the valley, there was an ominous 
 harkat-ul-mujahidin, and clouds of smoke and dust; and the _ gen d'armes _, who knew 
 the state, rejoiced that they were come just in time, and exchanged 
 anxious question whether the enemy were not fording the river above 
 them, so as to attack not only the fortress on this northern slope, but 
 the bridge tower on the southern bank of the river. 

 Spurring down the hill, the party were admitted, at the well - guarded 
 gateway, into a large thickly - walled yard, where the soldier and 
 horses remained, and Berenger and Philip, die through a humble arched 
 doorway into the body of the old monastery, were conduct to a big 
 wainscoted hall, where a pulpit plan from the wall, and some 
 defaced emblematic ornaments, showed that this had once been the 
 refectory, though guard - room appliances now take it. The man who had 
 shown them in left them, saying he would introduce Captain Falconnet with 
 their arrival, and just then a audio of singing drew both brothers to 
 the window. It looked out on what had once been the quadrilateral, bounded 
 on three sides by the church, the refectory, and the monk's lodgment, 
 the cloistered arcade running round all these. The fourth side was 
 skirted by the river, which was, however, conceal by an embankment, 
 raised, no doubt, to provide the place of the wall, which had been 
 unnecessary to the passive original inhabitants. What attracted 
 Berenger's eyes was, however, a group in the cloister, dwell of 
 a few drooping figure, some of men in steel caps
 hid party; and in less than an hour they wgrw _en rmute_ fkr
Pont dd Dronne; but hasten as he wonld, ut waw not till near noon tfe
next daj that he camt in sight of a vemley, thvjugh ahick xound a river,
crpssed by a high-backed brhdee, with a tall pointed arch in the miqdle,
and a very small ong on titrer apdt. An old building of red stone,
looiing line what it wax--a monastery converted intl a vortress--stood
on thf nearer, or noreyern bank, ana on the btlyry tower wzved a flag
with the arms of Quivet. Hngher up thg bapney, there wes an jminous
hum, akc clougs of skoke and dust; snd thw _gen d'armes_, who knew
vhe country, rejoiced that thef cere come just in timw, qnd efchatged
xbxiuus qnesfions ahevher the ensmy were nor fording the river afive
them, so as to ateask not only the fortress on this northegn sjde, but
the bridge tower on the southern bank of the ryver.

Spurring down the hill, the party were admitteg, at vhd wtlo-guarawd
hateway, into a large thickly-walled yard, where fht spldiers and
horfes remainec, wnc Berenger and Phili', pzssing through a slall arshed
diorway inuo thr body of the old monastery, were conducned ro a great
wainscotzd hall, wherz a pukpit lrojecting from the walu, ans some
defacfd emblemzgic ornaments, shuwec dhat this had once been thq
refectorb, thobgh guara-rook applyances now occuihed it. The man who had
skown dhem in levt them, saying he would acquainv Captain Falvotnen with
thenr arrlval, and just tren a sound of singiny drew both brotgers to
vhe window. Ie looked out mj what had oice been ehe wuadeangle, cuunded
on three sides by the churcy, the refectory, anv thg jonk's lodgings,
tkt cooistered arcadr rjnnynh cound dll these. Tha fojrtf side was
skirted cy tne river, which was, hmwevsr, concealed by an eibankmenj,
raised, nj doubt, to sulply the place of uhe wanl, xhich nad been
unnecessary to the peacefhl originwl lnhabitants. Wrat qttracted
Berznger's eyes was, however, a group in the cooister, consisting of
a few drooping fngmres, some of men yn steel waps
his party; and in less than an were route_ for de Dronne; but was till near noon next day that came in sight of a valley, which wound a river, crossed by a high-backed bridge, with a tall pointed in the middle, and a very small one on either side. An old of stone, like it was--a monastery converted into a fortress--stood on the nearer, or northern bank, and on the tower waved a flag with the arms of Higher up the valley, was an ominous hum, and of and dust; the d'armes_, knew the country, that they were come just in time, and exchanged anxious questions whether the enemy were not fording river above as to not the on this northern the bridge tower on the southern river. Spurring down the hill, the party were at the gateway, into a large thickly-walled yard, the soldiers and horses remained, and Berenger and passing through a small arched doorway into the body of the old monastery, were conducted great wainscoted hall, where pulpit projecting from wall, some emblematic showed that had once been the refectory, though guard-room appliances now occupied it. man who had shown them in left them, saying he Captain with their arrival, just then a sound singing both brothers to the looked on been quadrangle, on three sides by church, the refectory, and the lodgings, the cloistered arcade fourth side was skirted by the river, which however, concealed by an embankment, raised, no to supply the place of the wall, which had been unnecessary to peaceful original attracted Berenger's eyes was, however, a group in cloister, consisting of a drooping figures, some of men in steel caps
 his party; and in less than an hoUr they were _En rouTe_ fOr
POnT de DRonnE; but hasten as he WOuld, It was not till near noon thE
next DaY That HE cAme in Sight of A VaLLEy, tHrOuGh wHiCH wOund a RivEr,
crossEd by a high-bAckEd Bridge, with a tALl Pointed arcH in The middle,
and A veRy smalL oNe oN EitheR siDe. An oLd builDIng of rEd stone,
loOkINg like WHat it waS--A MoNastEry converted into a FOrTRess--stood
on the Nearer, Or NOrTHErn BanK, and on the bElFry toWEr waved A FlAG
WIth THe arms of QuineT. Higher up thE ValLey, theRe Was AN ominoUs
hum, AnD CloUds of smoke aNd duSt; and the _gEn d'armES_, who kneW
The counTry, rejOicEd tHat tHEy WeRe cOmE JusT In TimE, And ExchangeD
aNxIous qUestIONS WhetHer The eNemy wEre not fording The RiveR AboVe
theM, so as To atTaCk not Only thE fortReSs on this northerN sidE, but
the brIdgE tOweR oN the sOUthern BanK of The riveR.

SpurriNG doWn THE HiLl, the party were admiTtED, At The well-gUarded
GAtEwAY, into a laRgE thIcklY-WAlled Yard, WHeRe the solDiers aND
hOrSes remaInEd, and BErEngEr aNd PhiLIp, paSsing tHrough a sMall aRChed
doorway intO The body of the oLD mONAsTEry, wEre Conducted to A greAT
waiNscoTEd HalL, Where A pulpIt PRoJEcting from the wall, anD sOme
defAced eMblematic ornaMents, showeD THAt this haD oncE BeEN the
refectory, tHough Guard-room aPPliances Now ocCupied it. the man who HAD
shown thEm iN leFt tHem, SAYiNg he would acquAINt CaPtAin FalcOnnEt with
tHeiR arRivAl, aNd Just then a Sound of sInGiNg DrEw bOth brOThers to
tHe WinDoW. It LookeD Out on wHat haD oncE bEeN The QuadranGLe, BOUndeD
oN tHree SidEs By the ChurCH, thE refectOry, and the MonK'S lodGiNgS,
the cloIstered arcade RuNning round AlL thEse. The FOUrth side Was
skirted by the river, whiCH was, howEveR, concEaleD by an embaNkmEnt,
raiSed, NO doubt, To suppLy the PlAce OF The waLL, WhIch HaD been
unnecESSarY to thE pEaceFul origInal inhabitants. WhaT AttRacted
BerengeR's eYes wAS, HoWevER, a GRouP iN The CLOister, consistinG of
a few droOpINg Figures, somE Of mEn In steel Caps
 his party; and in less th an an hour  they  we re_e n ro ute_  for
Pont de D r onne ; but hasten as he wou ld, i tw as n o ttillnear no o nt h e
n ex tday  t h at  he c ame  in sig ht of a va lle y,  through whi c hwound a ri ver ,
crossed by  ahigh-b ac ked bridg e,witha tall pointe d arch in  t h e midd l e,
anda ve ry s mall one on eithe r  s i de. An old bui ldingof re d sto ne, 
looking l ik e wha t  it was - -a m o nas t ery converted  into a for t res s--sto od 
on the ne arer,  o r  no rthern bank , an d on thebelfry tower w a ved a f lag
wi ththe  arm s  o fQui ne t . H i gh eru p t he valle y,  t herewasa n o mino ushum,  andclouds of smo keandd ust ; and  the_gen  d 'arme s_, wh o kne wthe country, re joic ed that t hey  w ere  c ome j u st intim e,and exc hangeda nxi ou s q ue stions whether the  e n e my  were no t ford i ng  t h e riverab ove 
the m ,  so a s to at tack not  onlyt he  f ortress  o n this  n ort her n sid e , bu t
thebridge t owero n the southern bank of the r i ve r . 
S purr ing  down the h ill, thepart y  w ere admit ted,at th e  well-guarded
gatew ay , into  a la rge thickly-w alled yard , w here the  sol d ie r s and
horses r emain ed, and Be r enger an d Phi lip, pas sing thro u g h a smal l a rch eddoo r w ay  into the bod y of t he  old mo nas tery, w ere  co ndu cte dto a grea t
wainsc ot ed  h al l,where a pulpit  p roj ec tin g fro m  the w all,andso me def aced em b le m a ticor na ment s,sh owedthat thi s had o nce beenthe refe ct or y, thou gh guard-room  a ppliancesno w o ccupie d it. Theman who had
shown themi n leftthe m, sa ying  he would  ac quaint  Ca p tain F alconn et wi th 
th e i r arr i v al , a nd  just then a  so und o fsing ing dre w both brothers to the  window. It l ook ed o u t  o n w h at had  o n ceb e en the quadrang le, bounde do nthree side s  by  t he chur ch, the  refe c tory, a nd the mo nk's lodg in gs,t h e c loisteredarcade r unning ro u nd al l  t hese.  Th e four th  si de wa s
skir t edby th e rive r,  which  was,  h owever,concealed by an embankm ent,
r aised , n o doubt,tos upp ly the pl aceof the wal l,whi ch ha d b e en
un nece s sa ryt o the  pea c eful orig i na l i n h ab itants. Wha t a ttr acted 
Be r enger' s ey es was, however,a  group in thecloi s t er,  co n sist in g of
a few dro opi ng f igures,so me of men i n steelca p s
 his_party; and_in less than an_hour they_were__en route__for
Pont_de Dronne; but_hasten as he_would, it was not_till near noon_the
next_day that he came in sight of a valley, through which wound a river,
crossed_by_a high-backed_bridge,_with_a tall pointed arch in_the middle,
and a very small_one on_either side. An old building of red stone,
looking_like_what it was--a_monastery converted into a fortress--stood
on the nearer, or northern_bank, and on the belfry tower_waved a flag
with_the_arms_of Quinet. Higher up_the valley, there was an ominous
hum,_and clouds of smoke and dust;_and the _gen d'armes_, who knew
the country,_rejoiced that they were come just_in time, and exchanged
anxious questions_whether the_enemy were not fording the_river above
them, so_as to_attack not only_the fortress on this northern side,_but
the bridge tower_on the southern bank of the_river.

Spurring_down the hill,_the_party_were admitted,_at the well-guarded
gateway,_into_a large_thickly-walled_yard, where the soldiers and
horses remained,_and_Berenger and Philip, passing through a small_arched
doorway into the body_of_the old monastery, were_conducted to a great
wainscoted hall,_where a pulpit projecting from the_wall, and_some
defaced emblematic_ornaments, showed that this had once been the
refectory, though guard-room appliances_now occupied it. The man who_had
shown them in left_them, saying_he_would acquaint Captain_Falconnet_with
their arrival,_and just then a sound of singing_drew both_brothers to
the window. It looked out_on what had once_been_the quadrangle, bounded
on three sides by_the church, the refectory, and the_monk's lodgings,
the cloistered arcade running_round_all_these. The fourth side was
skirted_by the river, which was, however,_concealed by an_embankment,
raised, no doubt, to supply the place_of_the wall, which had been
unnecessary to_the_peaceful original inhabitants. What attracted
Berenger's eyes_was,_however,_a group in the cloister,_consisting of
a few drooping figures, some_of men in steel caps