osed in together, and began to retire
very gently, turning upon the foe with a gallant attack every two hundred
feet.

But all the time they had those arquebusiers at their heels constantly
firing upon them, so that at the last charge once more the Good Knight
had his horse killed under him. Before it fell he sprang to the ground
and defended himself in a wonderful way with his sword; but he was
soon surrounded and would have been killed, but at that moment his
standard-bearer, du Fay, with his archers, made so desperate a charge that
he rescued his captain from the very midst of the Venetians, set him upon
another horse, and then closed in with the others.

The night was drawing near, and the Good Knight commanded that there should
be no more charging, as they had done enough for their honour, and the
gallant little party found a safe refuge in the village of San Martino, in
the midst of cypresses, whence they had started in the morning. This was
about four miles from Verona, and the Venetian captain felt that further
pursuit would be dangerous as help would probably arrive from Verona. So he
caused the retreat to sound, and set out to return to San Bonifacio, but on
the way his foot-soldiers, who were quite worn out, having fought for about
five hours, begged to be allowed to stay at a village some miles short of
San Bonifacio. Manfroni did not much approve of this, but he let them have
their way, while he and his horsemen rode on to their usual quarters,
feeling much disgusted that they had been galloped about all day with so
little to show for it.

That night the French lodged in the village of San Martino, and they
feasted joyfully upon such provisions as they could find, feeling very
proud of their success, for they had scarcely lost any men in comparison
with the enemy. They were still at supper when one of their spies arrived
from San Bonifacio, and he was brought before Bayard, who asked what the
Venetians were doing. He replied:

"Nothing much; they are in great force inside San Bonifacio, and the rumour
goes that they will soon have Verona, for they have a strong party within
the city. As I was starting the Captain Manfroni arrived, very hot and
angry, and I heard him say that he had been fighting against a lot of
devils from hell and not men. As I was coming here I passed through a
village which I found quite full of their foot-soldiers, who are spending
the night there, and to look at them I should say t