delighted that, as the chronicler says, "they thought they were in
Paradise." The boats were all prepared as quietly and secretly as possible,
for in the city there were known to be many friends of the Pope.

Fortunately it was the dead of winter, when the nights were long. As soon
as it was dark the foot-soldiers embarked in the boats, which were provided
with trusty and experienced boatmen. The horsemen, led by the Duke in
person, also set forth as soon as the twilight came; they took good guides,
and had a safe journey notwithstanding the stormy weather. Thus it
happened that half an hour before dawn they arrived at the narrow passage,
where all was lonely and quiet, at which they rejoiced greatly. They had
not been waiting half an hour before the boats arrived with the
foot-soldiers.

The men landed and then marched slowly by a narrow path until they reached
a very deep canal between the Po and La Bastida, where they had to cross a
little bridge so narrow that they had to go one after the other. This took
a whole hour to cross, so that it was now quite daylight, which made the
Duke anxious, more especially as, hearing no sound of artillery, he feared
the fortress had been taken. But just as he was speaking about it there
thundered forth three cannon shots, at which all the company was delighted.
They were now only a mile from the enemy, and the Good Knight said:

"Gentlemen, I have always heard it said that he is a fool who makes light
of his foes; we are now close to ours, and they are three to one. If they
knew of our enterprise it would be very bad for us, as they have artillery
and we have none. Besides, I believe that on this occasion all the flower
of the Pope's army is before us; we must take them by surprise if possible.
I would propose sending du Fay with fifteen or twenty horsemen to sound the
alarm on the side from which the enemy came, and Captain Pierre du Pont
with a hundred men-at-arms should be within a bow-shot to support him, and
we will also send him Captain Jacob with his Swiss. You, my lord," he said
to the Duke, "with my lord of Montboison, my companions and myself, we will
go straight to the siege, and I will go in front to give the alarm. If du
Fay is first in position and they attack him, we will go forward and
enclose them; but if our party is first, Captain Pierre du Pont and the
Swiss will do so on their side. That will astonish them so much that they
will not know what to do, for they w