was by nature somewhat thin and pale, and had by no means reached his full
strength. But with splendid courage and gallant spirit, he went in for his
first ordeal against one of the finest warriors in the world. The old
chronicler cannot tell how it happened, whether by the special grace of God
or whether Messire Claude took delight in the brave boy, but it so fell out
that no man did better in the lists, either on foot or on horseback, than
young Bayard, and when it came to his turn to ride down with his face
uncovered, the ladies of Lyons openly praised him as the finest champion of
all. He also won golden opinions of all the rest of the company, and King
Charles exclaimed at supper:

"By my faith! Picquet has made a beginning which in my opinion promises a
good end." Then, turning to the Sire de Ligny, he added: "My cousin, I
never in my life made you so good a present as when I gave him to you."
"Sire," was the reply, "if he proves himself a worthy knight it will be
more to your honour than mine, for it is your kind praise which has
encouraged him to undertake such a feat of arms as this. May God give him
grace to continue as he has begun." Then the General added, turning round
with a smile to the assembled company:

"But we all know that his uncle, the Abbé of Ainay, does not take great
pleasure in the youth's exploits, for it was at the old gentleman's expense
that he procured his accoutrements." This remark was received with a roar
of laughter, in which the King himself joined, for he had already heard the
story and was very much amused at it. Soon after the tournament the Sire
de Ligny sent for young Bayard one morning and said to him: "Picquet, my
friend, you have begun with rare good fortune; you must carry on the
pursuit of arms, and I retain you in my service with three hundred francs a
year and three war-horses, for I have placed you in my company. Now I wish
you to go to the garrison and meet your companions, assuring you that you