uld have refused him nothing. He replied that he only wished he had heard
of this sooner, as he would have joined the party himself, but Bayard could
dispose of his soldiers as if they were his own. He instantly sent his
secretary to four or five of his most trusted captains, who, to make a long
story short, were ready at daybreak to meet the men-at-arms who had known
of the expedition overnight. They all met at the city gate and set forth
from the city towards Isola della Scala, and the Good Knight said to
Hannotin: "You and the 'landsknechte' must remain in ambush at Servode (a
little village two miles from Isola), and do not be uneasy for I will draw
our foes under your very nose, so that you will have plenty of honour
to-day if you are a gallant comrade."

All was carried out as arranged, for when the men in ambush were left
behind, all the rest of the brave company galloped on to Isola, as if they
knew nothing of what awaited them. They were in an open plain, where there
was a good view from all sides, and presently they saw the Captain Manfroni
riding towards them with his small company of light horsemen. The Good
Knight sent forward his standard-bearer, du Fay, with some archers for a
little skirmish, while he rode after them at a good pace with the
men-at-arms. But he had not gone far when he saw, coming briskly out of the
town of Isola, the Venetian foot-soldiers and a troop of men-at-arms. He
made a show of being surprised, and bade the trumpeter sound to recall his
standard. When du Fay heard this, according to his orders, he began to
retire with his company, which closed up round him, and pretended to be
going straight back to Verona, but really went slowly towards the village
where their "landsknechte" were hiding. An archer had already been sent on
to tell Captain Sucker to make ready for the fight.

Meantime the men of Venice, with their combined troops, charged the small
company of Frenchmen, making such a noise that thunder would not have been
heard, for they felt quite sure that their prey could not escape them. The
French kept well together and skirmished so cleverly that they were soon
within a bow-shot from Servode, when the "landsknechte" of the Prince of
Hainault rushed forth in close ranks from their ambush, and at the word of
command from Bayard charged the Venetians, who were astounded. But they
were good fighting men and made a bold stand, although many were borne to
the ground by the terrible