They had decided before that this would be the easiest side on which to leave the town.

The sentinels would not expect that anyone attempting to enter or leave the citadel would try to do so here; as, in addition to passing the wall facing the fortress and that bordering the river, they would be obliged to swim the river itself.

The snow was falling as quickly as ever, and the wind blowing fiercely.
"There is no fear of their seeing us, unless we happen to run into the very arms of the sentry," Hector said encouragingly; "we shall only have the moat to swim; and as, according to the plan, it is nothing like so wide as that we passed before, we shall have no trouble with it." "Ah! here it is," Paolo groaned.
"Nonsense!" Hector said.

"One cold bath more or less makes no difference now.

There, give me your coat again, and I will take it over." The moat was indeed but some twelve yards across, and in two or three minutes Paolo stood shivering on the other side.
"The edge is not far from the wall, not much more than the breadth of the moat.