It was a main line of road, and therefore he was able to travel as fast, at night, as he would do in the day.

There was the advantage, too, that the disparity between his attire and the appearance of the horse he rode would pass unnoticed, in the darkness.

He had with him a map of the road, on a large scale; and beneath his cloak he carried a small lantern, so as to be able to make detours, to avoid towns where detachments of the enemy's cavalry might be lying.
He had started two hours after the troops halted, and had four hours of daylight still before him, which he made the most of, and by sunset he was within fifteen miles of Erfurt.

So far, he had not left the main road; but he now learned, from some peasants, that there was a small party of French hussars at a place three miles ahead.

He therefore struck off by a byroad and, travelling slowly along, turned off two hours later to a farmhouse, the lights from which had made him aware of its proximity.
He dismounted a hundred yards from it, fastened his horse loosely to a fence, and then went forward on foot, and peeped in cautiously at the window.