by several brave captains, who all began to
offer up prayers for their champion. Don Alonzo and his friends took up
a position at the other end, and sent Bayard the weapons that they had
chosen--namely, a short sword and a poignard, with a gorget and coat of
mail. Monsieur de Bayard did not trouble himself enough about the matter
to raise any objection. For second he had an old brother-at-arms,
Bel-Arbre by name, and for keeper of the ground Monsieur de la Palisse,
who was very well skilled in all these things. The Spaniard also chose a
second and a keeper of the ground. So when the combatants had taken
their places, they both sank on their knees and prayed to God; but
Monsieur de Bayard fell on his face and kissed the earth, then, rising,
made the sign of the cross, and went straight for his enemy, as calmly,
says the old chronicler, as if he were in a palace, and leading out a
lady to the dance.

[Illustration: 'Surrender, Don Alonzo, or you are a dead man!']

Don Alonzo on his side came forward to meet him, and asked, 'Senor
Bayardo, what do you want of me?' He answered, 'To defend my honour,'
and without more words drew near; and each thrust hard with the sword,
Don Alonzo getting a slight wound on his face. After that, they thrust
at each other many times more, without touching. Monsieur de Bayard soon
discovered the ruse of his adversary, who no sooner delivered his
thrusts than he at once covered his face so that no hurt could be done
him; and he bethought himself of a way to meet it. So, the moment Don
Alonzo raised his arm to give a thrust, Monsieur de Bayard also raised
his; but he kept his sword in the air, without striking a blow, and when
his enemy's weapon had passed harmlessly by him, he could strike where
he chose, and gave such a fearful blow at the throat that, in spite of
the thickness of the gorget, the sword entered to the depth of four
whole fingers, and he could not pull it out. Don Alonzo, feeling that he
had got his death-blow, dropped his sword and grasped Monsieur de Bayard
round the body, and thus wrestling they both fell to the ground. But
Monsieur de Bayard, quick to see and to do, seized his sword, and,
holding it to the nostrils of his enemy, he cried, 'Surrender, Don
Alonzo, or you are a dead man;' but he got no answer, for Don Alonzo was
dead already. Then his second, Don Diego de Guignonnes, came forward and
said, 'Senor Bayardo, you have conquered him,' which everyone could see
for h