have missed it for ten thousand crowns. He went at once to tell the King,
who was greatly delighted and said: "Upon my faith! Cousin de Ligny, your
training will do you honour again, if my heart tells me true." "We shall
see how it will turn out," was the grave reply; "for the lad is still very
young to stand the attack of a man like Messire Claude."

But that was not what troubled young Bayard; it was the question how to
find money for suitable horses and accoutrements. So he went to his
companion, Bellabre, and asked for his help. "My friend, I beg of you to
come with me to persuade my uncle, the Abbé of Ainay, to give me money. I
know that my uncle, the Bishop of Grenoble, would let me want for nothing
if he were here, but he is away at his Abbey of St. Sernin at Toulouse,
which is so far off that there would be no time for a man to go there and
back." "Do not trouble," said his friend, "you and I will go to Ainay, and
I trust we shall manage it." This was some comfort, but the young warrior
had no sleep that night. He and Bellabre, who shared the same bed, rose
very early and took one of the little boats from Lyons to Ainay. On their
arrival, the first person they met in the meadow was the Abbé himself,
reading his prayers with one of his monks. The two young men advanced to
salute him, but he had already heard of his nephew's exploit, and received
him very roughly. "Who made you bold enough to touch the shield of Messire
Claude?" he asked angrily. "Why, you have only been a page for three years,
and you can't be more than seventeen or eighteen. You deserve to be flogged
for showing such great pride." To which his nephew replied: "Monseigneur, I
assure you that pride has nothing to do with it, but the desire and will to
follow in the steps of your brave ancestors and mine. I entreat you, sir,
that, seeing I have no other friends or kindred near, you will help me with
a little money to obtain what is needful."

"Upon my word!" exclaimed the Abbé, "go and seek help elsewhere; the funds