"Halt--halt here, and form upon the company of the Seigneur di Visconti," cried the young Bayard. "My lord, I bear the king's orders to you to advance no further, but to wait for his personal presence. He thought, indeed, you had gone farther than he had commanded when he heard that shot. It was a cannon, was it not?"
"A cannon, and not badly aimed for the first shot," replied Lorenzo; "there is the furrow the ball made."
"For God's sake send the lady to a place of safety," cried Bayard; "what are you thinking of, my friend?"
"I cannot persuade her to go," replied Lorenzo.
"Well, I will--I will," answered Leonora, turning her horse's head. "Farewell, Lorenzo; win fame for your lady's sake--yet be not rash."
Something bright glistened in her eye; and she turned to the cottage where her women had already taken refuge. A small guard was then stationed at the door, and the trumpets of the cavalry were already heard blowing through the pass, but still Lorenzo and his friend had time to exchange a few words before the head of the array appeared.
"What is the king going to do?" asked Lorenzo.
"Attack the town and take it," replied De Terrail. "On my soul, these Tuscans are rather bold to make a stand in such a place as that. But they have good bombardiers it would seem. That ball came far and well."
"Who leads the attack?" asked Lorenzo. "Was anything settled when you came away?"
"Nothing fixed," answered Bayard; "but I fear it will all be left to the Gascons and the Swiss. They are all infantry, you know, and if the place is to be taken by a _coup de main_ they must do it, and we support them. The popguns[1] they carry, it is supposed, will do everything."
"Out upon their popguns!" cried Lorenzo. "Good faith, I trust the king will let us have our share; it is my right, I think. I have led during the whole march, and I have heard say, he who does so, is privileged to make the first charge."
"But what would you do?" asked Bayard. "You would not charge those stone walls, would you?"
"No," replied the other; "but I would dismount my men, take none but volunteers, and lead them as _enfants perdus_. If the king will but consent, I will undertake to carry that place sword in hand, or, at least, be as soon in as any one."