Page 246 - A Knight of the White Cross

"It would not be polite," Gervaise said, with a laugh, "if I were to say that I
would infinitely rather be on board; but indeed I have not, like most of my

comrades, been brought up in court or castle. Until the day I joined the
Order, we led the lives of exiles. My father belonged to the defeated party

in England, and, save for a few months when the cause to which he was
attached was triumphant, we lived quietly on the estates he had recovered,
our life being one of care and anxiety. So, you see, I had no training in

gaiety and pleasure. At Rhodes there are state receptions and religious
pageants, but a meeting such as this, is, of course, impossible in a convent;

and since I was eleven years old I think I have only once spoken to a
woman. So you can well understand, signora, that I feel awkward in
speech, and I pray you to make allowance for my ignorance of the language

of courtesy, such as would naturally be expected in a knight, even though
belonging to a religious Order."

"There is naught to make allowance for," the countess said gently. "Women
can appreciate simple truth, and are not, as men seem to think, always

yearning for compliments. Those who are most proficient in turning
phrases are not often among those foremost in battle, or wisest in council,

and I can tell you that we women value deeds far higher than words. Sir
Fabricius Caretto is a cousin of mine, and has this afternoon been speaking
so highly of you to me and my young daughter here, that I am glad indeed

to make your acquaintance. How long do you intend to stay in Genoa?"

"No longer than it will take me to engage men to carry the prizes to
Rhodes. I am afraid that sounds rude," he broke off, as he noticed a smile
on the faces of the ladies.

"Not rude," said the countess; "though most knights would have put it

differently, and said that their duty compelled them to leave as soon as the
prizes could be manned. But it comes to the same thing. Of course, you will
remain the guest of the doge as long as you are here; otherwise, it would

have given us the greatest pleasure to have entertained you. My cousin is,
of course, staying with us, and you see we all feel a very deep obligation to

you. He has been so long a slave among the Moors, that we had almost
come to hope death had freed him from his fetters; so you may imagine our