XXVIII

ButthehighspiritsofthetownsmensankwhenitwasannouncedthatLodovico'sarmywaswithinaday'smarch,andnothinghadbeenheardfromRome.MessengersweresenturgingthePopetohastenhisarmy,oratleasttosendafewtroopstodiverttheenemyandencouragethepeople.Thecitizensmountedtherampartsandwatchedthetworoads—theroadthatledfromMilanandtheroadthatledtoRome.TheDukewascomingnearerandnearerthepeasantsbegantoflockintothetown,withtheirfamilies,theircattle,andsuchpropertyastheyhadbeenabletocarrywiththem.TheysaidtheDukewasapproachingwithamightyarmy,andthathehadvowedtoputalltheinhabitantstotheswordtorevengethedeathofhisbrother.Thefearofthefugitivesspreadtothecitizens,andtherewasageneralpanic.Thegateswereclosed,andallgrownmensummonedtoarms.Thentheybegantolament,askingwhatinexperiencedtownsmencoulddoagainstthetrainedarmyoftheDuke,andthewomenweptandimploredtheirhusbandsnottorisktheirpreciouslivesandaboveallrosethemurmuragainstChecco. WhenwouldthearmycomefromRome?Theyaskedthecountryfolk,buttheyhadheardofnothingtheylookedandlooked,buttheroadwasempty. AndsuddenlyoverthehillswasseenappearingthevanguardoftheDuke'sarmy.Thetroopswounddownintotheplain,andothersappearedonthebrowofthehillsslowlytheymarcheddownandothersagainappeared,andothersandothers,andstilltheyappearedonthesummitandwounddownintotheplain.Theywondered,horror-stricken,howlargethearmywas—five,ten,twentythousandmen!Woulditneverend?Theywerepanic-stricken.Atlastthewholearmydescendedandhaltedtherewasaconfusionofcommands,arushinghitherandthither,abustling,atroublingitlookedlikeacolonyofantsfurnishingtheirwinterhome.Thecampwasmarkedout,entrenchmentsweremade,tentserected,andForliwasinastateofsiege.