The gate was open and, on entering, he saw that the disaster greatly exceeded his expectations.

The castle had been shattered into fragments, the church levelled to the ground and, of the whole town, only six houses remained standing.

Five hundred people had been killed.
The wildest confusion prevailed.

The soldiers were running about without object or purpose, apparently scared out of their senses.
Women were shrieking and wringing their hands, by the ruins of their houses.

Men were frantically tugging at beams, and masses of brickwork, to endeavour to rescue their friends buried under the ruins.