But this did not prevent him from endeavoring to set at rest any remaining doubts.
When night came he put on a hunting-suit, and over it Michel's blouse, concealed his face beneath a broad-brimmed hat, slipped a pair of pistols in his knife-belt, hidden by the blouse, and boldly took the road from Noires-Fontaines to Bourg.

He stopped at the barracks of the gendarmerie and asked to see the captain.
The captain was in his room.

Roland went up and made himself known.
Then, as it was only eight o'clock, and some one passing might recognize him, he blew out the light, and the two men talked in the dark.

The captain knew already what had happened on the Lyons road three days earlier, and, certain that Roland was not killed, was expecting him.

To his great astonishment, Roland asked him for only one, or rather for two things: the key of the church of Brou and a crowbar.
The captain gave him the required articles, and offered to accompany him, but Roland refused.