"I knew your father well, Monsieur de Cerons," said Coligny, "and my seeing his son here this day gives me the pleasant expectation of soon seeing him behave as his father would have done on a similar occasion. I grieve that we have not the presence of your cousin, Monsieur de Blancford; but his faith has been supposed to be wavering for some time. I must not detain you, however, for here comes the prince, and the word will be given in a moment."
I bowed, and then advanced immediately to the side of Genissac, who, I found, had drawn up my men with his own very fairly and very skilfully. In order to take advantage of some hollows in the ground, we were to advance six abreast, three of my men and three of his, with the two leaders at the head. As the whole of the party was composed of about a hundred men he had filled up the space behind, where my scanty band ended, by his own troops; and, placing himself close to me, he said,
"Now, Monsieur de Cerons, you and I will keep near together, as I may have something to say to you when we are near the breach. I wish they would send us the word to advance, for this long expectation dulls the men's spirits."
At that moment, however, an officer gave the word to march, while the battery opened a sharp fire upon the breach. In the first instance we had to descend some way, which we did with considerable rapidity, but not so fast as far to outstrip the regiment behind, who, as soon as they were within shot, opened a smart fire of small arms against the enemy. From the bottom of the valley we had now, however, to ascend to the Park; and, the moment we began to do so, one of the hottest fires of musketry I ever saw was poured upon us from the breach and the neighbouring walls. One of Genissac's men went down; and one of mine staggered from a wound in the shoulder, but regained his footing and kept on with the rest. I was somewhat surprised that we did not advance more rapidly, and said, "Let us hasten forward! Let us hasten forward! The men will soon be out of the fire."
Genissac gave no order; and, at the same time, a shot, passing between him and me, carried away a part of my casque, and went through the head of one of the men behind.
"Don't be too hot, don't be too hot," he said, in a minute after, when he had got so near that I could see the features of the men in the breach. "I am only ordered to make a reconnoissance, but to retreat immediately if the breach is not practicable."
"But I was ordered to storm," I replied; "and the breach, though small, is deep, and seems to me quite practicable."
"Have with you, have with you, then," he said, "if you are so eager."
But what we had said had been heard by those behind us; and, though we had been still advancing while we spoke, the men began to waver. It was a critical moment; and, waving my sword over my head, I cried aloud, "To the breach! To the breach!"
My own men took it up, shouting, "To the breach! To the breach!" His men followed, and, dashing forward with jealous rivalry of each other, we climbed the height, and though, as we came nearer, the shots of the enemy told terribly among us, rushed up furiously to the foot of the wall. There was an immense deal of broken rubbish, earth, and stones to be passed, which had been cast down by the fire of the battery, and a tremendous discharge of musketry welcomed us at the top; but still we rushed on, while the regiment which had advanced to support us now caught the spirit of the assault, and, doubling its pace, crossed the valley and charged up the hill. On we pressed, as hard as we could go, with the stones and earth slipping away under our feet, all staggering, some falling, and only thankful that the dense smoke of the enemy's fire rolled into the breach, and prevented them from taking any very certain aim.