It was a fine chateau, handsomely furnished, but short as was the time that the Sardinians had held possession, they had already tumbled everything into confusion in their search for plunder.

Tables and couches had been upset, closets and chiffoniers burst open with the butt-ends of the swords or with the discharge of a pistol into the lock.

Looking-glasses had been smashed, valuable vases lay in fragments on the floor, bottles of wine whose necks had been hastily knocked off stood on the table.

In the courtyard were signs of strife.
Three or four Cossacks and two Sardinian horsemen lay dead.
"We will go out to the terrace in front of the house," Mr.Myers said.
"From that we ought to have a view over the country." Owing, however, to the trees which grew around, they were obliged to advance 100 yards or so from the house before they could see the plain.

Then some half-mile out they saw the blue mass of Sardinian cavalry advancing by squadrons.