Page 104 - A Knight of the White Cross

On the following day Gervaise was, to his surprise, sent for by the grand
master. Except on the occasion of a few public ceremonies, he had not seen

D'Aubusson since he had been elected to his present high dignity, and the
summons to attend at the palace therefore came unexpectedly.

"We have become quite strangers, Tresham," the grand master said
cordially when he entered. "I have not forgotten you, and have several

times questioned your bailiff concerning you. He tells me that you have
become quite an anchorite, and that, save at your meals and for an

occasional bout-at-arms, you are seldom to be seen. I was glad to hear of
your devotion to study, and thought it better to leave you undisturbed at it.
Yesterday evening I sent for your instructor. He is a man of influence in

Syria, and I wished to learn how he was affected towards us, now that he is
about to return there. We talked for some time, and I then asked him what

progress you had made, and was surprised and pleased to find that in his
opinion you could pass anywhere as a native, and that you were perfectly
capable of drawing up and writing any document I might desire to send to

the sultan or any of his generals. This is far more than I had expected, and
shows how earnestly you must have worked. Your knowledge may prove

of much assistance to the Order, and believe me, the time you have spent in
acquiring it may prove of much greater advantage to you in your career
than if you had occupied it in performing even the most valiant deeds, and

that at some future time it will ensure your appointment to a responsible
office here. It was partly to assure you of my approbation that I sent for

you, partly to inform you that I have appointed you to proceed with
Suleiman Ali as the knight in charge of the vessel, and to receive the
ransom agreed on, upon your handing him over. The office is an

honourable one and one of trust, and it is the first fruits of the advantages
you will gain by your knowledge of Turkish. No, do not thank me. I am

selecting you because you are better fitted than any knight I can spare for
the mission, and also, I may say, because the choice will be pleasing to
Suleiman Ali, whose goodwill I am desirous of gaining. Before now

Turkish provinces have thrown off their allegiance to the sultan. They have,
I must admit, been usually reconquered, but such might not be always the

case; and if such an event happened in Syria, this man's influence and
goodwill might be of great advantage to us, as it might well suit us to ally