Page 26 - A Knight of the White Cross

hope to distinguish yourself -- to gain high rank in it; but remember that
though these are my wishes, they are not my orders, and that your career

must be in your own hands."

"I will be a brave knight, father," the boy said firmly.

"That is right, my boy. Now go upstairs to your bed; it is already late. I do

not regret my vow," he went on, after Gervaise had left the room, "though I
regret that he is my only son. It is singular that men should care about what

comes after them, but I suppose it is human nature. I should have liked to
think that my descendants would sit in the old house, and that men of my
race and name would long own the estates. But doubtless it is all for the

best; for at least I can view the permanent loss of my estates, in case the
Yorkists triumph, without any poignant regret."

"Doubtless it is for the best, Tresham, and you must remember that things
may not, even now, turn out as you think. A knight who has done a brave

service does not find much difficulty in obtaining from the Pope a
dispensation from his vows. Numbers of knights have so left the Order and

have married and perpetuated their name. It is almost a necessity that it
should be so, for otherwise many princes and barons would object to their
sons entering the Order. Its object is to keep back the irruption of the

Moslems, and when men have done their share of hard work no regret need
be felt if they desire to leave the Order. Our founder had no thought of

covering Europe with monasteries, and beyond the fact that it is necessary
there should be men to administer our manors and estates, I see no reason
why any should not freely leave when they reach the age of thirty or

thirty-five, and indeed believe that it would strengthen rather than weaken
us were the vows, taken at the age of seventeen, to be for fifteen years

only."

"There is something in that," the knight said thoughtfully. "However, that is

far in the distance, and concerns me but little; still, I agree with you, for I
see no advantage in men, after their time of usefulness to the Order is past,

being bound to settle down to a monastic life if by nature and habit
unsuited for it. There are some spirits who, after long years of warfare, are