He had excellent reason for making this choice, although it might possibly take him out of his way for six or eight miles.

In the first place he was nearer Belleville than Macon; then he had spent twenty-four hours at Macon, and might be recognized there, whereas he had never stopped at Belleville longer than the time required to change horses when accident brought him there by post.
The events we have just recorded had taken barely an hour to happen.
Eight o'clock was striking from the church clock at Thoissy when Roland started in pursuit of the fugitives.

The way was plain; five or six horses had left their imprint on the snow; one of these horses had paced.
Roland jumped the two or three brooks which watered the space he had to cross to reach Belleville.

A hundred yards from the town he paused, for here the trail separated again; two of the six travellers had turned to the right, that is to say, they had struck away from the river, the four others to the left, continuing on their way to Belleville.

At the outskirts of the town, another secession had taken place; three of the riders had gone round the town, one had entered it.
Roland followed the latter, sure that he could recover the traces of the others.