Page 172 - A Knight of the White Cross

Gervaise, overwhelmed by the unlooked for honours thus bestowed upon
him, bowed deeply to the grand master and the members of the council, and

then retired from the chamber. He passed out of the palace by a side door,
so as to avoid being accosted by the knights in the great hall, and took his

way out on to the ramparts, where he walked up and down for a
considerable time before returning to the auberge. He felt no hilarity at his
promotion. He had never entertained any ambition for rising to high office

in the Order, but had hoped only to perform his duty as a true knight, to
fight against the infidels, and some day, if need be, to die for the Order. The

commandery was, he knew, a rich one, and as its chief he would draw a
considerable revenue from the estate. This afforded him no pleasure
whatever, except inasmuch as it would enable him, in his new command of

the galley, to keep a handsome table, and to entertain well the knights who
served under him.

It seemed to him, however, that the reward and honours were so far beyond
his deserts that he felt almost humiliated by their bestowal. The

responsibility, too, was great. Would these young knights, the youngest of
whom could be but a year his junior, serve willingly under his orders? And,

above all, would they be able to emulate the deeds of experienced warriors,
and would the galley worthily maintain the fame of the Order?

At the end of two hours he was joined by Ralph Harcourt.

"I have been looking for you everywhere, Gervaise. You seemed to have
disappeared mysteriously. None had marked you leave the council
chamber, or knew where you had gone; and after searching everywhere I

remembered your fondness for walks upon the walls, so I climbed to the
top of St. John's tower and thence espied you. Well, I congratulate you

most heartily on the honours that have fallen to your share, especially that
of the command of a new galley."

"It is too much altogether, Ralph. I feel ashamed at being thus thrust into a
post that ought to be given to a knight of age and experience. How can I

expect a number of young knights, of whom well nigh all must be my
seniors in age, to obey me as they would an older man?"