Page 110 - A Knight of the White Cross

Should the worst happen, and you are captured by pirates, you will of
course in the first place show them your safe conduct, and if I find that you

do not return I shall send at once to the governor of Syria, complaining of
your capture when furnished with his safeguard, and requesting him to

order a search for you to be made at every port on the coast, with
instructions that you are to be at once released, and either sent to him for
return hither, or placed on board a craft bound for any Christian port; while

you, on your part, will endeavour to acquaint the Turkish authorities with
the fact that you have been seized while travelling with a safe conduct from

the governor of Syria.

"But, more than from any efforts on your part or mine, I rely upon

Suleiman Ali, who will, I am sure, as soon as he is set on shore, lose no
time in acquainting the pasha of your capture, and in calling upon him to

interfere in your favour. In that case, the worst that could befall you would
be a temporary detention, unless, indeed, the pirates should take you to
Egypt. As that country is friendly with us at present, since Egypt dreads the

ever increasing power of the Turks, it will be but a question of ransom, for I
have secret agents there who will inform me without delay of the arrival of

a Christian captive."

"I understand, sir, and will do my best in the matter. If I am captured I trust

that an opportunity of escape will soon present itself, for I should, if taken,
conceal from my captors the fact that I understand their language, and

should thus, if I could evade my guard, have every chance of escaping, as
in a native dress I could meet and converse with those hunting for me,
without their having a suspicion of my being the white slave for whom they

were in search."

"Once at Acre you will be safe. But do not land unless it is absolutely
necessary, for you might fall a victim to the fanaticism of its inhabitants,
and no knight has ever set foot on shore there since the ill fated day when

the Moslems wrested it from us, bathed the ruined walls with the best blood
of our Order and the Templars', and destroyed the last hope of our ever

recovering the Holy Sepulchre."