Page 173 - A Knight of the White Cross

"What has age to do with it?" Ralph said. "You have shown that you have a
head to think, and, as you before proved, you have an arm to strike. Why,

every young knight in the Order must feel proud that one of their own age
has gained such honour. It raises them all in their own esteem, and you will

see that you will get the pick among all the professed knights, and of a
good many who have finished their profession, and are serving here in the
hope of some day getting promotion to a commandery. Not such an one as

you have got; that, in the ordinary course of things, does not fall to a knight
until he is well on in years, and has served in many commanderies of

smaller value. I can tell you, directly Sir John Kendall came back and told
us that you had been appointed commander of the new galley, and that it
was to be manned wholly by young knights, there was not one of those

serving their profession in the auberge who did not beg Sir John to put
down his name for it; and ten or twelve others, myself among them, who

have obtained full knighthood also."

"You don't mean to say that you have put down your name to serve under

me, Ralph? It would be monstrous."

"I see nothing monstrous in it, Gervaise. As I said just now, years have
nothing to do with it, and, putting aside our friendship, I would rather serve
under you than under many knights old enough to be your father. I don't

know whether I shall have the luck to be one of the chosen, as Sir John said
that there were to be only seven from each langue, which will make

forty-nine -- with yourself fifty. If I am chosen -- and, knowing our
friendship, I hope that the bailiff will let me go with you -- it is likely
enough I may be named your lieutenant, as I shall be the only one beside

yourself who is a secular knight, and am, therefore, superior in rank to the
rest."

"That would be pleasant indeed, Ralph, though I would rather that you had
been made commander and I lieutenant; but at any rate, with you to support

me, I shall feel less oppressed by the thought of my responsibility."

As Ralph had declared would be the case, the young knights in the other
auberges were as anxious as those of England to be enrolled among the