Leonora D'Orco: A Historical Romance

by G. P. R. James

  CHAPTER XVII.

  There was a little monticule by the road-side just on the Tuscanfrontier. At the distance of about three quarters of a mile in frontwas the small fortified town of Vivizano with its citadel, seemingstrong and capable of defence; but the walls were old, especiallythose of the town, and along the flat, and apparently perpendicularfaces of the curtain, the goats, unconscious of danger, were walkingquietly along, browsing on those fresh shoots of the caper plant,which frequently appear during a benign autumn. At a distance itseemed that there was not footing even for a goat, but the presence ofthose animals showed the mortar to have been worn out between thestones; and at one spot the keen eye of Lorenzo Visconti perceivedthree or four of the bearded beasts of the mountain gathered togetheras if in conclave. He marked the fact well, for he had learned thatnothing should escape a soldier's notice.

  He and his party had taken up their position on the little hill inconsequence of orders received from the main body, which was coming uprapidly, and no opposition having yet been met with in the course ofthe march, Leonora and her women sat on their horses and mules besidehim, little anticipating any danger.

  "It looks a beautiful old place, Lorenzo," said Leonora; "at least atthis distance, though one cannot tell what it may be within. But whatmade the king order you to halt here as soon as you came in sight ofthe town, instead of marching on as before?"

  "I cannot tell," replied her lover, "unless, dear girl, it is that Isent last night to know if I might fall back to confer with yoursevere relation, the Cardinal Julian de Rovera as to the journey toBologna. The roads may part here. Do you not see that yellow streakrunning away through the meadows, and then skirting the foot of themountain? That may be the highway to Bologna perhaps. The king isalways kind and considerate."

  "Jesu Maria!" cried Madonna Mariana, "what's that?"

  The moment before she spoke a flash, sudden and bright, glanced alonga part of the old wall, and after a second or two the loud boom of onethe cannons of those days burst upon the ear. Hardly had it ceasedwhen a ball came whizzing by, and ploughed up the earth some fiftyyards behind them, and at about the same distance on the right.

  "By heavens!--they have fired a falconet at us," exclaimed Lorenzo."Back, back, dear Leonora; you and your women ride to that cottagebehind the point of rock. Nay, delay not, beloved. I will send somemen to keep guard."

  "I am not afraid," replied Leonora, with a smile, leaning over towardshim, and looking up in his face. "Am I not to be a soldier's bride,Lorenzo? I must accustom myself to the sound of cannon. Those goodpeople must fire better ere they frighten me."

  "But they frighten me, dear lady," cried Mariana. "Oh, come back, comeback! I am sure they fired well enough to come so near us."

  "Oh, come back! come back!" cried all the maids in chorus.

  "Well, go--go," answered Leonora; "I will join you in a moment or two.I want to see them take another shot."

  The women waited for no further permission, but hurried off with allspeed, and Lorenzo was still engaged in persuading Leonora to followthem, when a small troop of men-at-arms came galloping up the pass. Attheir head was De Terrail.

  "Halt--halt here, and form upon the company of the Seigneur diVisconti," cried the young Bayard. "My lord, I bear the king's ordersto you to advance no further, but to wait for his personal presence.He thought, indeed, you had gone farther than he had commanded when heheard that shot. It was a cannon, was it not?"

  "A cannon, and not badly aimed for the first shot," replied Lorenzo;"there is the furrow the ball made."

  "For God's sake send the lady to a place of safety," cried Bayard;"what are you thinking of, my friend?"

  "I cannot persuade her to go," replied Lorenzo.

  "Well, I will--I will," answered Leonora, turning her horse's head."Farewell, Lorenzo; win fame for your lady's sake--yet be not rash."

  Something bright glistened in her eye; and she turned to the cottagewhere her women had already taken refuge. A small guard was thenstationed at the door, and the trumpets of the cavalry were alreadyheard blowing through the pass, but still Lorenzo and his friend hadtime to exchange a few words before the head of the array appeared.

  "What is the king going to do?" asked Lorenzo.

  "Attack the town and take it," replied De Terrail. "On my soul, theseTuscans are rather bold to make a stand in such a place as that. Butthey have good bombardiers it would seem. That ball came far andwell."

  "Who leads the attack?" asked Lorenzo. "Was anything settled when youcame away?"

  "Nothing fixed," answered Bayard; "but I fear it will all be left tothe Gascons and the Swiss. They are all infantry, you know, and if theplace is to be taken by a _coup de main_ they must do it, and wesupport them. The popguns[1] they carry, it is supposed, will doeverything."

  "Out upon their popguns!" cried Lorenzo. "Good faith, I trust the kingwill let us have our share; it is my right, I think. I have led duringthe whole march, and I have heard say, he who does so, is privilegedto make the first charge."

  "But what would you do?" asked Bayard. "You would not charge thosestone walls, would you?"

  "No," replied the other; "but I would dismount my men, take none butvolunteers, and lead them as _enfants perdus_. If the king will butconsent, I will undertake to carry that place sword in hand, or, atleast, be as soon in as any one."

  Another shot from the walls, coming still nearer than the precedingball, interrupted their conversation, and before it could be renewed,the Gascon infantry began to debouche from the path and deploy to theleft. Then came the Swiss infantry, and then a body of cavalry, underthe Count d'Entragues. All was glitter and display, shining arms,waving banners, nodding plumes, lances and pikes, arquebusses,crossbows, halberts, surcoats of silk and cloth of gold and silver;but what most struck the eyes of the two young soldiers was theadmirable array of the Swiss infantry, as every movement and evolutionwas performed. No rank was broken, no disorder appeared, but shoulderto shoulder, man treading in the step of man, they marched, theywheeled, they deployed, as if the body of which they formed a part wasone of those machines which change their form continually at the willof those who manage them, without ever losing their solidity.

  At length appeared the magnificent escort of the king, who immediatelyrode up to the little hill on which Lorenzo was posted, and gazedforward towards the town, while two more shot from the walls wereheard, and a slight agitation among the Gascon infantry on the left,told that this time some effect had followed.

  At the king's first appearance, Lorenzo had sprung to the ground, andapproached his stirrup, but he suffered him to gaze over the sceneuninterrupted, till Charles turned his eyes upon him, and said:

  "Well, what has happened, my young lord?"

  "Nothing, sire, but that they have fired a few shots at us from thewalls. I beseech your majesty, as I have led all the way, to let mehave my place in the attack. I would fain lead still, if you willpermit me to dismount my men, and I think I will show you thatgentlemen-at-arms can take a place as well as foot soldiers. I havemarked a spot where I will undertake to force an entrance."

  "Where? where?" asked the monarch, eagerly.

  "I cannot well point it out, sire," replied the young man; "but I canfind it if you will permit me."

  The king looked round to the superior officers about him, saying in ahesitating tone:

  "It is contrary to the order we proposed. What say you, LaTremouille?"

  "Why, sire, there must be _enfans perdu_ either taken from the Gasconsor some other," replied the great commander.

  "Let him go--let him go!" cried De Vitry, gaily; "if the youth willwager his life against his spurs, why let him go, sire."

  "Support him by the Swiss, and the Swiss by some men-at-arms, to guardagainst a sortie, and let him go in God's name," added La Tremouille."Make haste, Visconti! Select your men well, and call for some laddersfrom the rear."

  "Better summon the place first," said the king.

  "It is the rule, sire, and s
hould be done," answered the other; "butmethinks these good people imagine they have been summoned already bythe answers they send from their walls. There they go again! By mylife they are aiming at the royal banner. Pity the artillery is so farbehind, or we would answer them in kind. From that youth's eye,however, I think we shall have no need of bombards. He has spied someadvantage, I will stake my life."

  A trumpet was accordingly sent forward, and was suffered to approachclose to the walls; but he returned with the answer that the garrisonwas strong, had been placed there by the Signoria of Florence, andcould not consent to surrender without a stroke struck. In fact, theysaw that no artillery was present at the time with the king's army,and did not believe the place could be taken without a breach beingmade.

  In the meantime Lorenzo had addressed a few words to his troop, askingwho would accompany him to lead the attack. Such was the confidence hehad gained during the march that every man sprung to the ground andprofessed himself ready, even to the lowest casstelier. Only fifty,however, were selected, and the rest ordered to remain with thehorses. Some scaling-ladders were procured, and all was ready toadvance when the trumpet returned. A short pause ensued, and then washeard the beat of the drum.

  Lorenzo sprang forward; his men came rapidly after, bearing theladders horizontally; and the Swiss followed with an interval of somefifty yards. A strong body of Gascons, with petards, directed theircourse towards one of the gates of the town; and a battalion of Swissmoved towards a postern, which had been discovered in the curtain. ButLorenzo was before them all, and lost not an inch of ground. Straighttowards what seemed to the eye of the king the most inaccessible spotof the fortress he bent his way, taking advantage of every undulationof the ground to shelter his men from the cannon-balls, which now camesomewhat faster than at first, till he arrived within fifty paces ofthe spot where he had marked the goats climbing and standing. There ina little ravine, which the guns, as they were planted on the walls,could not bear upon, he turned for one moment to the men, exclaiming:

  "Here, gentlemen, I have seen the goats go up and down, and surely wecan do so too. The lowest part is the most difficult. The ladders--theladders to the front; now, on with a rush!"

  All were active, all were strong. The ditch, then dry, was speedilyreached; and the ladders raised. They were too short to approach thesummit of the wall, but Lorenzo's keen eye had not deceived him. Wherehe had seen the goats gathered together several huge stones hadfallen; and, from that spot, there was a clear but narrow pathway up.At first it seemed as if he would meet but small resistance; forattacked in three quarters and divided in opinion amongst themselves,the superior officers of the Florentine garrison were consultingwhether it would not be better to hang out a white flag and treat fora surrender. But speedily, soldiers came running along the platformabove, hand guns and cross-bows were pointed at the ascending party,and large stones were cast down upon their heads. It was too late totreat now: the attack had fully commenced, the struggle was for lifeor death, and the defenders fought with the energy of despair.

  In the meantime there were many and varying feelings in and around thecottage above where Leonora and her women had taken refuge. Fear--forwith all the personal courage she had shown, and with an eager longingfor his renown, the young girl still felt for her lover's safety.Fear, and hope, and anxious expectations succeeded each other inLeonora's bosom, like the changing aspects of a dream. Now she saw himin imagination mangled and bleeding in the fight; now beheld himcarrying the banner of France triumphantly over the worsted foe; nowfancied him still detained with the cavalry on the hill, and frettingat inaction.

  "Run out--run out, Antonio!" she cried, after bearing the struggle inher heart for some time, "see what has become of your lord, and let meknow if he be still on the hill."

  "Certainly, Signora, if you desire it," answered the other, "although,thank Heaven, I am one of God's peaceable creatures, and love notcannon-balls more than my neighbours, yet, where not more than one manout of five hundred is likely to be hit during a whole day, I may takemy chance for five minutes without gaining the evil reputation of afighting man."

  He went out as he spoke, but stayed more than the five minutes; for tosay the truth, he soon became interested in the scene, as he beheldthe three bodies of French troops moving down to the assault. He couldnot, it is true, discover to which body his young lord was attached,but he saw clearly enough that he had left the hill. The horses andthe men not engaged had moved towards the rear out of cannon shot, andthe little monticule was now occupied only by the king, his Scottisharchers and several of his counsellors and immediate attendants.

  After watching for a few moments, Antonio glided in amongst the horsestill he reached the side of young Bayard, and pulling his surcoat, hesaid, "Signor de Terrail, will you tell me where Signor Visconti is?"

  "There!" answered Bayard, pointing with his hand, "he is leading thecentre attack at the head of the forlorn hope."

  "God shield us!" exclaimed Antonio, "is he fool enough to plunge intoforlorn hopes, when he has got such warm ones in that cottage there?"

  "Ah, I had forgot the lady," replied de Terrail, "she must doubtlessbe anxious."

  "Ay, as anxious as a hen who sees her brood of ducklings venture intoa pond," answered Antonio.

  "Tell her I will come and bring her news from time to time," repliedBayard, "a lady's fears are to be reverenced, my good friend,especially when she nobly sends her lover to the field withstrengthening words. Go, and say all goes well, and I will come andbear her tidings."

  Thus saying, while Antonio turned back to the cottage, the young herofixed his eyes upon the small party of his friend, and never lostsight but for a moment or two, when some irregularity of the ground orthe masses of the Swiss infantry interposed, of the surcoat of violetand gold, which Lorenzo wore that day.

  "They are nearing the wall," said the king aloud, "God send the youthhas not deceived himself; but he will be there before the others reachthe gates."

  "Look, sire, there is a rush!" cried La Tremouille.

  "He has got three ladders up by Heaven?" exclaimed de Vitry, "now Godspeed you, brave heart!"

  The Swiss quickened their pace to support, and as they poured in overthe rise in the ground hid the _enfants perdus_ from sight, and allfor a moment or two seemed confusion, while the defenders upon thewalls alone appeared distinctly, hurling down masses of stone, andfiring upon the assailants from every embrasure. At length, however, afigure appeared on the top of one of the ladders, carrying a banner inhis left hand. He sprang, as it appeared at that distance, straightagainst the side of the wall. But he gained footing there; and thenbounded up towards the summit. Another, and another followed; butstill the banner bearer was the first; and at length, thoughsurrounded evidently by a crowd of foes, he stood firm upon theparapet and waved the flag proudly in the air, while a gleam ofsunshine broke through the cloud of smoke and shone upon the surcoatof violet and gold.

  "Visconti for a thousand crowns?" cried Bayard enthusiastically, "heis first in, he has won the town!"

  "Are you sure it is he?" demanded the king.

  "Certain, sire," replied De Terrail, "I have kept my eye on him allthe time. I can see his surcoat distinctly."

  "Oh, yes, it is he," said La Tremouille, "the Swiss are pouring upafter. The place is taken, and see, they have forced the south gate.But Visconti is first in. His be the _los!_"

  "Your pardon for a moment, sire," said Bayard, "but by your leave Iwill carry the tidings to yon cottage behind the angle of the rock.The Signora Leonora d'Orco is waiting anxious there for tidings. Shesent Lorenzo forth with the words, 'Win fame for your lady's sake.'"

  "And he has won it like a paladin," cried Charles, whom everythingthat smacked of ancient chivalry kindled quickly into a glow. "Intruth did she say so? 'Twas like a noble lady. Shame is me, I hadforgotten her in this unexpected resistance. Carry her this ring fromme, De Terrail, tell her that Lorenzo has won the town and a pair ofspurs this day!"

&n
bsp; "And mind, De Terrail," cried De Vitry, "that you kiss her hand whenyou put the ring on her finger. By my faith it is worth kissing,though I know one still fairer than that."

  "Lucky Lorenzo!" thought Bayard as he rode away; but never was man solittle envious of another's good fortune, and though he could not butregret that he had not been permitted to take part in the assault, nojealousy of his friend mingled with the sigh that he gave to his ownill luck.

  "All goes well--all goes well, Signora," he cried as he approached thecottage door at which Leonora was standing. "Visconti has stormed thetown and taken it!"

  "Lorenzo--my Lorenzo!" exclaimed Leonora, "so young--he storm thetown!"

  "He did, dear lady," replied Bayard, "he scaled the walls, he wasfirst upon the parapet. I saw him myself with his banderol in his handbefore another soldier entered. The king saw him too, and has sentyou this ring, for we all know that it was your love and your wordsthat gave him strength and valour to do all he has done this day."

  Leonora could bear no more joy, and she bent down her head and wept,while Bayard gently put the ring upon her finger adding, "His majestybade me tell you that Lorenzo has won the town and a pair of spursthis day."

  "Then he is well--then he is uninjured?" said Leonora.

  "He may have a scratch or two perhaps," replied Bayard, "but he canhave no serious hurt if I may judge by the way he waved the banderolon the wall when he had gained it."

  "Thank God for that also," said the beautiful girl, "but here, if Imistake not, comes his majesty himself."

  As she spoke, followed by some half dozen of his guard, andaccompanied by an elderly man in the scarlet robes of the highestclerical rank, the monarch rode slowly up and dismounted at thecottage door.

  "There is no more to be seen there," he said, approaching Leonora,"the banner of France floats over every tower and gate. So now, fairlady, I have time to pay my knightly devoirs to you; and moreover tointroduce you to a near relation, who tells me he has not seen yousince you were a child. This is the Cardinal Julian de Rovera."

  Leonora made a low obeisance to the king, in whose sweet and somewhatsuffering face she saw a spirit of kindness and generous feeling thatencouraged her, but knelt before the cardinal and reverently kissedhis hand. His was a harsh though handsome countenance, and there was aflash in his dark eye which seemed to betoken a fiery and passionatenature.

  "Rise, rise, my child," said he good humouredly enough. "I was muchsurprised, when a few nights ago, I joined his majesty of France, tohear that you were journeying with so young a cavalier as this LorenzoVisconti."

  "It was by my father's express command, your eminence," repliedLeonora, "and besides, as you see, I have not only my own women withme, but also Mona Mariana here, a person of discreet age, sent with meby your uncle the count."

  A slight smile, unperceived by the cardinal; passed across the sweetlips of the beautiful girl, as she thought of the amount of Mariana'sdiscretion.

  "Well, well, that is all right," said the hasty cardinal, "and how hashe comported himself towards you, this young lord?"

  "With all care and kindness," answered Leonora.

  "Ay, doubtless," he answered, "but with reverence too, I hope--soughtto do you no wrong?"

  The colour came up into Leonora's cheek, but it was evidently not theblush of shame.

  "Lorenzo Visconti is incapable of doing wrong to any one, my LordCardinal," she said, "and were he not, the last one, methinks, hewould seek to wrong is his promised wife."

  "Ay, and has it gone as far as that?" said the cardinal, "pray is thiswith your father's knowledge."

  "With his knowledge and his full consent, my lord," replied Leonora,not a little offended at his close questions and harsh manner beforeso many witnesses. It must indeed be recollected that Ramiro d'Orco,though cold in manner towards his child, had left her almost to theguidance of her own will, before we can judge of the feelings createdby Julian's assumption of authority.

  "Well, it is all well, I suppose," replied the old man, "and now,Signora, can you tell me what it is your young protector wants to sayto me. Doubtless, you know he wrote to his majesty, here present,requesting to be permitted to fall back in order to confer with me."

  "He sought your counsel and directions, my lord," replied Leonora;"the course of the army had been changed, and marched by Parma insteadof Bologna. My father had also gone on from Bologna, where I was tohave joined him, to Rome, which Lorenzo thought not a fit place forme, and there were many other reasons which he can explain better thanI can, why he thought you, sir--reverend as you are, by life andprofession--should be consulted as soon as we heard you were near."

  A well-pleased smile came upon the face of the old man. "That is as itshould be," he said, in a much mollified tone; "this young Lorenzo, mychild, seems, as I have heard he is, a youth of great discretion andjudgment. You must not think my questions hard; they spring fromregard for Ramiro's child. I will see your young lover, and talk withhim more."

  While this conversation had been passing between the Cardinal of St.Peter's and Leonora, the young King of France had cast himself uponone of the cottage settles, and was speaking quietly with the Duke ofMontpensier, D'Entragues, and some other officers who had come withhim; but he had heard several of the questions of the cardinal, and henow joined in saying, "You estimate too lightly, my Lord Cardinal, thechivalry of our French knights. Lorenzo Visconti has been brought upat our court, and when a beautiful lady like this is entrusted to hischarge, he looks upon her by the laws of chivalry as a sacred relicwhich he has to bear to some distant shrine."

  "No reason for his not kissing the relic," said De Vitry, in a lowtone, "indeed, it were but a becoming act of devotion--but who comeshere running like a deer?--One of your Majesty's pages; now God sendnothing has gone wrong."

  "What is it, Martin de Lourdes?" asked the king, as the boy boundedup.

  "There is a horseman coming at full speed from the town, sire," saidthe youth, "he looks like the Seigneur de Visconti, and Monsieur de laTremouille thought it best to let you know."

  "But Lorenzo had dismounted," said the king; "his horse, with the restof the troop, are up the pass there."

  "He could easily find one in the town, sire," said Montpensier. Butwhile they were discussing the matter, Lorenzo himself rode up, anddismounted a few steps from the spot where the king was seated. Hissurcoat was rent and torn; his crest and helmet hacked with blows, andin one place dented in; but there was no blood or sign of injury abouthim, and his face was flushed with haste and excitement.

  "The town is taken, sire," he said, "but I grieve to say there is norestraining the soldiery. Not only do the rabble of Swiss and Gasconsgive no quarter to armed men; but they are killing and plundering theunarmed and defenceless."

  "Let them kill! let them kill, Visconti!" said the Count d'Entragues."You must be accustomed to such sights."

  "I beseech you, sire, send down a company of men-at-arms, and put astop to this cruel disorder."

  "They deserve punishment for daring to hold out an untenable place,"said the young king, sternly, "such is the law of arms; is it not,Montpensier?"

  "Assuredly, sire," replied the duke, "no one can claim quarter as aright in a town taken by assault, and if the attempt is made to resistwhen the place is notoriously untenable, the strict law condemns everyone of the garrison to the cord. I should judge, however, that by thistime the slaughter has gone far enough to strike terror into the othertowns before us. It might, therefore, be as well to send down a fewlances to keep the infantry in order."

  "De Vitry, you go," said Charles, eagerly, for cruelty was no part ofhis character, "give my express command to cease from pillage andbloodshed."

  "But your Majesty said this youth had won a pair of spurs. I wouldfain see them on his heels before I go, and here is a fair lady quiteready to buckle them on."

  "Go--pray go at once, De Vitry," said Lorenzo, "do not stop to jest onsuch nonsensical themes. You know not what barbarities are beingcommi
tted."

  "I do not jest at all," replied De Vitry, "but I will go. To hear theboy, one would think I was made up of bad jokes."

  "It was no joke, Signor Lorenzo," said the king. "You have taken thefirst town we have attacked, for I saw you first upon the walls. Butgo, my Lord Marquis, restore order in the place, and as you pass thehill, send down our banner. We will give him the accolade, even herein his lady's sight, under the royal standard, to encourage others toserve their lady and their king as well as he has done to-day."