Page 160 - A Knight of the White Cross

"The saints defend us! Why, what on earth had you done to entail such
punishment as that? It is an outrage. The grand master and the council have

the right to expel a knight from the Order after due trial and investigation,
but not to condemn him to such penalties as the galleys. It is an outrage

upon the whole Order, and I would say so to the grand master himself."

"There was no outrage in it, Ralph. Wait until you hear the whole story.

That I have not disgraced you, you may judge from the fact that I am in the
armour and mantle of the Order, and that, as you saw, I came down with Sir

John Kendall himself."

There were no people about in the streets, though the lights still burned on a

few of the roofs. For a short distance the knights marched down towards
the port, and then turned down a street to the right. After a few minutes'

marching they halted under a high wall which all knew to be that of the
prison of St. Pelagius. Six knights were posted at the main entrance, with
orders that none should be allowed to leave the prison, and that any persons

who came up to the gate were to be at once seized and made prisoners.

The rest marched on to a small door leading into the governor's house. Here
they were halted, and told to wait till called in; six knights of England, and
as many of Auvergne, being told off to accompany the grand master and Sir

John Kendall. A note had been sent to the governor, informing him that the
grand master intended to visit the prison at eleven o'clock, but that the

matter was to be kept an absolute secret; and that the governor himself was
to be down at the gate to admit him.