ther in a battle which would be one of the bloodiest ever fought. He
said that the victory would remain with the French, but that it would be
bought with the best blood of France. And he said to Bayard, privately,

"Your prince"--meaning the Duke of Nemours--"seems very dear to you; be
near him on the day of battle. I see that he is threatened with a sad
fate."

Bayard had little faith in the seer's powers, and laughed when it came
his turn to question the mystic; however, it was amusement for the
company.

"My master," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "shall I ever be a man
of consequence? And shall I become rich?"

The astrologer looked at him sharply and answered,

"Thou wilt be richer in noble qualities than ever French gentleman was
before thee, but thou wilt have few of fortune's goods. Thou wilt serve
yet another king of France, who will love and esteem thee much; but the
envy of those about him will prevent his bestowing on thee the wealth
and honors thou wilt so richly deserve."

"But," asked Bayard, "shall I escape from this bloody battle thou hast
predicted?"

"Yes," answered the seer; "but twelve years hence thou wilt die in
battle of an arquebuse-shot,--in no other way, for thy soldiers do so
adore thee that they would die to the last man to save thee."

It chanced that in the fortunes of war the French once captured and held
for a long time the beautiful Italian town of Brescia. This city was in
time recaptured by the Venetians, to whom it had first belonged, and
again possessed by the French,--albeit, at the cost of many valuable
lives.

At this retaking of Brescia by the French, Bayard again distinguished
himself. The first skirmish before the town was won by the chevalier,
who was so eager to attack that he went into battle in his
night-clothes.

When the time came for a general assault, the question arose as to whom
should put himself in front, at the mercy of the enemy's arquebuses.

"I will," responded Bayard to the Duke of Nemours's question; "and I
promise thee that the company I command will do good service to the
king, our master."

This was no idle boast, for Bayard's company was composed of picked
men, the greater number of whom had been commanders themselves, but who
preferred the honor of serving under the noted chevalier to leading
companies of their own.

So it was arranged that the chevalier and his company should open battle
by storming the first fort that protected Bre