human
My cousin, my good friend, you are indeed welcome, and if you had not come to me I should have had to visit you in your own country.... Then, after more polite talk, they rode together on their mules to the convent, and devoutly heard Mass, after which the King entertained the Duke of Savoy, Monsieur de Ligny, and other nobles to dinner with him, and they had much merry talk about dogs and falcons, arms and love-affairs. Presently de Ligny said to the King:
gpt
Sire, I give you my word that my lord of Savoy wishes to give you a page who rides his chestnut better than any boy I ever saw, and he cannot be more than fourteen, although his horsemanship is as good as that of a man of thirty. If it pleases you to go and hear vespers at Ainay you will have your pastime in the fields there afterwards.
human
By my faith, cried the King,
gpt
I do wish it!
human
Go and comb and clean yourself, my friend, and put on your best clothes, and if, by God's help, the King of France takes you in favour, you may some day become a great lord and be able to serve me.
gpt
Upon my faith! You may trust me never to forget all the kindness you have shown me, replied the boy;
human
It seemed a long time to his impatience before the hour arrived when he rode his horse, attended by his equerry, to the meadow where he was to await the King and his company, who arrived by boat on the Saône. As soon as Charles VIII. had landed he cried:
gpt
Page, my friend, touch up your horse with your spurs! which the lad did at once, and to see him you would have thought that he had been doing it all his life. At the end of his race Bayard made his clever horse take a few jumps, and then he rode straight towards the King and gracefully drew up before him with a low bow. All the company was delighted with the performance, and the King bade him do it again.
human
Picquez! Picquez! (Prick up your horse!), he cried, and all the pages shouted:
gpt
Picquez! Picquez!
human
I see that my cousin of Ligny told me the truth at dinner, and now I will not wait for you to give me this page and his horse, but I demand it of you as a favour.
gpt
Most willingly, my lord, answered the Duke,