"By heavens!--they have fired a falconet at us," exclaimed Lorenzo. "Back, back, dear Leonora; you and your women ride to that cottage behind the point of rock. Nay, delay not, beloved. I will send some men to keep guard."
"I am not afraid," replied Leonora, with a smile, leaning over towards him, and looking up in his face. "Am I not to be a soldier's bride, Lorenzo? I must accustom myself to the sound of cannon. Those good people must fire better ere they frighten me."
"But they frighten me, dear lady," cried Mariana. "Oh, come back, come back! I am sure they fired well enough to come so near us."
"Oh, come back! come back!" cried all the maids in chorus.
"Well, go--go," answered Leonora; "I will join you in a moment or two. I want to see them take another shot."
The women waited for no further permission, but hurried off with all speed, and Lorenzo was still engaged in persuading Leonora to follow them, when a small troop of men-at-arms came galloping up the pass. At their head was De Terrail.
"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.