Page 101 - A Knight of the White Cross

"I myself, when I was a young knight of eighteen, was taken captive,
twenty-six years ago, at the time when the Egyptian fleet appeared before

Rhodes. Our galleys advanced to attack them, but under cover of night they
retired, and proceeding to the mainland took shelter under the guns of a

Turkish fort. We attacked them there; it was a desperate engagement, but
without any decisive advantage on either side. We lost no less than sixty
knights, the Egyptians seven hundred men; and their fleet returned to

Egypt. I and three others who were left wounded on the deck of one of their
ships we had boarded, but failed to capture, were carried to Egypt, and

remained there captive for six months, when we were ransomed by the
Order.

"During that time I learnt enough of their language, which is akin to
Turkish, to be able to make myself understood and to understand what was

said to me. I have kept up that much for intercourse with the slaves and
servants at Rhodes, and have found it very useful. I consider, then, that you
will do well to acquire their tongue; it will be useful not only to yourself,

but to others, and when we get back I will, if you like, ask the bailiff to free
you from all duty in order that you may devote yourself to it."

The head of the langue at once granted Sir John's request.

"I would," he said, "that more of our young knights would give a portion of
their time to study; but most of them look to returning home when their

term of service here has expired. Many think only of amusement, and all
imagine that advancement is best achieved by valour. Tresham has already
distinguished himself very greatly; so much so, that I think it would be well

if he did not go on another expedition for a time, but stayed here while
others have the opportunity of doing the same. Were we to send him out

with the next galleys that start, I should be accused of favouritism, and the
lad, who is now deservedly popular with all, would be regarded with envy,
and possibly even with dislike.

"At the same time, after what he has done I should have difficulty in

refusing, were he to volunteer to sail in the next galley that sets out. The
desire, then, on his part to learn Turkish is in all ways opportune. It will,