Page 126 - A Knight of the White Cross

For an hour the two young knights remained on the roof, Gervaise talking
quietly with the merchant, while his companion laughed and chatted with

the ladies and friends of their host. After they had left, with the promise
that it would not be long before they repeated their visit, Ralph bantered

Gervaise on preferring the society of the merchant to that of his daughters.

"I found him a pleasant and very well informed man, Ralph, and enjoyed

my talk with him just as you enjoyed talking nonsense to his daughters and
listening to their songs. Who was the man sitting next to the eldest

daughter?"

"He doesn't belong to Rhodes, but is a Greek from one of the islands,

though I did not catch from which. I don't know whether he is a relative of
the family, or a business connection of the merchant's, or a stranger who

has brought a letter of introduction to him. Nothing was said on that head;
why do you ask?"

"I don't like the man's face; he is a handsome fellow, but has a crafty
expression. He did not say much, but it seemed to me that at times, when he

appeared to be sitting carelessly sipping his sherbet, he was really trying to
listen to what Vrados was saying to me. He could not do so, for we were on
the other side of the circle, and were speaking in somewhat low tones,

while the rest of you were chatting and laughing."

"What should he want to listen for, most sapient knight?"

"That I can't tell, Ralph; but I am certain that he was trying to listen."

"Well, as you were no doubt both talking more sensibly than most of us,"

Ralph laughed, "he certainly showed his discernment."

"I daresay I am wrong," Gervaise said quietly; "but you know we have our

spies at Constantinople, and probably the sultan has his spies here; and the
idea occurred to me that perhaps this man might be one of them."