Page 170 - A Knight of the White Cross

"Yes. The knights hid themselves behind a pile of goods on the wharf.
There was no one about, so far as they could see, but soon after twelve they

saw a figure come up on to the deck of a fishing boat moored by the quay.
It was the Greek; he stood there for a minute or two listening, and then

went down again; he did this five or six times, and at one o'clock they saw
him throw up his arms, as if in despair; he stepped ashore, and was about to
make his way up into the town when they rushed out and seized him. There

is no doubt as to what his fate will be. I am sorry to say that I hear my
friend Vrados has been arrested; but there can be no doubt about his

loyalty, and he will assuredly be able to explain to the satisfaction of the
council how this man became a resident at his house."

"I am sorry I met him there, Ralph. It is a very unpleasant thing to have
gone to a house, to have been received kindly, and then to be the means of

bringing trouble upon it."

"Yes. I feel that a little myself, because I took you there; and yet I cannot

regret it, for if you had not seen him and taken an objection to him, you
might not have noticed him particularly when he spoke to one of the galley

slaves. It is certainly curious that you should have doubted the man, for I
have met him there several times, and even after your visit with me I could
see nothing in him to justify your dislike."

Gervaise went up to the palace, and while waiting in the great hall until

summoned before the council he was warmly accosted by several knights,
-- some of whom were quite strangers to him, -- who all joined in
congratulating him on the immense service he had done to the Order. It was

upwards of an hour before he was called in.

"The council have received, Sir Gervaise Tresham," the grand master said,
"full details from Sir John Kendall of the manner in which you first
discovered, and have since followed up the daring plot by which the slaves

at St. Pelagius were to have risen, slain the guards who were faithful,
spiked the cannon in the three water forts, burnt the merchant shipping,

carried off six galleys and burnt the rest, and in their name I thank you for
having saved the Order from a great calamity. The members of the council