"Why here, before us!"
"The devil! Then what are these horsemen who are coming towards us on this side?" said the painter, indicating with his finger, diametrically opposite to that at which appeared a group composed of some fifteen individuals.
"Hum!" said his companion, with a shade of uneasiness; "Who can these people be?"
"Bah!" said the young man; "We shall soon know."
"Too soon, perhaps," answered the old man, pensively shaking his head.
Two troops, in fact, were galloping down towards the river.
They were at about an equal distance from the travellers.