the whole manoeuvre from his spy, had
prepared an ambush in a deserted palace near, where he had about six
hundred pikemen and arquebusiers. These men were not to stir until they saw
him and his party in retreat, pretending to flee from the French pursuit;
then they were at once to follow and so completely enclose and defeat
Bayard's company.

The Good Knight had not gone two miles through the fields when he overtook
the Venetians and marched straight towards them, shouting, "Empire and
France!" They made some show of resistance, but soon began to retreat along
the lane towards their ambush, where they halted just beyond it, crying
"Marco! Marco!" and began to make a valiant defence. On hearing the
familiar cry of Venice, the foot-soldiers gave a tremendous shout and
rushed furiously upon the French, shooting with their arquebuses, a shot
from which struck Bayard's horse between the legs and killed him. Seeing
their dear master on the ground, his men-at-arms, who would all have died
for him, made a mighty charge, and a gentleman of Dauphine, named Grammont,
sprang from his horse and fought side by side with Bayard. But the two were
of no avail against the Venetians, who took them prisoners and were about
to disarm them.

Captain Pierre du Pont, who was with the forage party, heard the noise and
instantly galloped up, finding his captain and Grammont in evil case; for
already they were being drawn out of the crowd to be taken to a place of
safety. He was only just in time, but he struck out at the captors like a
lion, and the men, taken by surprise, let their prisoners escape, and
retreated to their troop, which was having a furious fight with the French.
The Good Knight and Grammont were soon on horseback again, and hastened
back to the relief of their men, who were now attacked front and back, with
four to one against them, and the arquebusiers were doing them a lot of
damage. Then the Good Knight said to his nephew, Captain Pierre du Pont:
"My friend, we are lost if we do not gain the highroad, but if we are once
there, we will retire in spite of them, and shall be saved, with the help
of God."

"I agree with you," replied his nephew. Then they began to retreat
steadily, step by step, towards the highroad, fighting all the way, and
they reached it at last, though not without much trouble, while the enemy
lost both foot-soldiers and horsemen. When the French at length reached the
highroad which led to Verona, they cl