"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."
Another shot from the walls, coming still nearer than the preceding ball, interrupted their conversation, and before it could be renewed, the Gascon infantry began to debouche from the path and deploy to the left. Then came the Swiss infantry, and then a body of cavalry, under the Count d'Entragues. All was glitter and display, shining arms, waving banners, nodding plumes, lances and pikes, arquebusses, crossbows, halberts, surcoats of silk and cloth of gold and silver; but what most struck the eyes of the two young soldiers was the admirable array of the Swiss infantry, as every movement and evolution was performed. No rank was broken, no disorder appeared, but shoulder to shoulder, man treading in the step of man, they marched, they wheeled, they deployed, as if the body of which they formed a part was one of those machines which change their form continually at the will of those who manage them, without ever losing their solidity.