Page 249 - A Knight of the White Cross

to only a few, who had been, they understood, told that it was not to be
repeated."

"It was a very simple matter," Gervaise said, "and although the grand

master and council were pleased to take a very favourable view of it, it was,
in fact, a question of luck, just as was the surprise of the corsairs. There is
really no secret about it -- at least, except in Rhodes: there it was thought

best not to speak of it, because the fact that the attempt among the slaves
was almost successful, might, if generally known, encourage others to try

to escape, and perhaps with greater success. I told you last night, Countess,
that I had only once before in the last six or seven years spoken to a
woman, and it was on that occasion that the adventure, so far as I was

concerned, had its commencement."

He then, beginning at his visit with Ralph Harcourt to the Greek merchant
and his family on the roof of the house, recounted the suspicions he had
entertained, the manner in which they were confirmed, and the method by

which he had discovered the plot for the rising. He was interrupted several
times when he attempted to abbreviate the story, or to omit some of the

details, and there were exclamations of surprise at his proposal to personate
a Turkish prisoner, and to share the lot of the slaves in their prison, and on
the benches of the galley.

"I had no idea, Sir Gervaise," Caretto said, when he had concluded, "that

you too had been a galley slave, and I understand now the care you showed
to render the lot of the rowers as easy as possible. It was a splendid scheme,
and well carried out. Indeed, I no longer wonder that you were appointed to

the command of a galley, and received a rich commandery in England at
the hands of the grand master himself. What think you, Countess; did I

speak too highly in his favour?"

"Not one jot, cousin. Why, Sir Gervaise, it seems to me that you have been

born two centuries too late, and that you should have been a knight errant,
instead of being sworn to obey orders, and bound to celibacy. Do you wear

no lady's favour in your helm? I know that not a few of your Order do so."