Page 183 - A Knight of the White Cross

"Hitherto you have given me, from the time you reached the Island, naught
but reason for satisfaction at my nomination of you as page, and I have no

fear that you will fail this time. Remember that valour, however great,
cannot prevail against overpowering odds. You had a lesson of that when

you served under Ricord, though finally the affair turned out well. I do not
say, don't attempt desperate undertakings, but don't attempt impossible
ones. Be careful of the lives of your knights. Remember that ere long every

sword may be of the utmost consequence in the defence of Rhodes, and that
even the capture of pirates may be too dearly purchased; but that, at the

same time, the honour of the flag of the Order must be upheld at all
hazards. Ah!" he broke off, seeing a slight smile on the young knight's face,
"you think my orders contradictory? It may be so; but you know what I

mean, and I fear not that you will blunder in carrying them out. Be prudent,
and yet not over prudent. I mean, be not rash, unless there are such benefits

to be obtained as would justify great risk in obtaining them."

On returning to the auberge, Gervaise had a long chat with Ralph.

"I think the admiral's talk with us this afternoon had an excellent effect,

Gervaise. I do not say that every one was not before disposed to obey you
in all things, willingly and cheerfully; but he put it so strongly to them that
they had volunteered specially for service in this galley, knowing well who

was to be its commander, and the circumstance that the crew was to consist
solely of young knights, and had therefore specially pledged their honour

so to act that the enterprise should be in all respects a successful one. To
render it so, obedience was even a greater necessity than valour. This was
the most important of all the vows taken by the knights of the Order, and it

was only by the strictest and most unquestioning obedience on the part of
all to the orders of their superiors, that the work of a vast community could

be carried on. Passing over the fact that you were their superior in rank,
both as being a secular knight and a knight commander of the Order, you
had been specially appointed by the grand master and council, as well as by

himself, and that they bestowed upon you while at sea, and in the absence
of any officers of superior rank, their full powers and authority. You were,

in fact, their representative and agent, and therefore to be regarded with the
same deference and respect that would be due to the oldest knight similarly